Division of Housing

GENERAL SERVICES
SPECIAL HOUSING AREAS

Mission: The Division of Housing mission is to provide services to residents that support academic and personal development through well- maintained facilities, quality educational and social programs, and a diverse community environment. 6,962 students live in single student residence halls. Nearly 2,500 married students, graduate students, spouses, and children live in 980 apartments in graduate and family housing villages.

Contact Information: University Housing Office, P.O. Box 112100, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2100. Phone: (352) 392-2161. Fax: (352) 392-6819. Web site: www.housing.ufl.edu Email: houinfo@housing.ufl.edu

Residency Requirements: On campus housing is available to full time students as defined by respective academic colleges. Students may choose to live on or off campus. Freshman entering the university during the summer term(s) must live on campus during the summer to be eligible for academic year housing. On campus housing contracts in residence halls are available for the academic year (fall/spring semesters), spring semester only, and the summer terms.

Application Process for New Admit Freshman: After new admit freshman complete admission to UF, the Division of Housing will send on campus housing application information. The student must complete the application and return it with a $25 non-refundable application fee to establish a housing priority date. Note: Applying for on campus housing does not guarantee an offer of residence hall space. If the student is admitted to UF and based on the housing priority date, the Division of Housing will send a residence hall agreement, if space is available. To secure on campus housing, the student must return the agreement and advance rent payment by the due date specified.

Application Process for Transfer Students: Transfer Students may request a housing application in writing up to twelve months prior to the initial semester of attendance: Assignments Office, University Housing Office, Box 112100, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2100 or houinfo@housing.ufl.edu . Transfer students must return the completed application with a $25 non-refundable application. If the student is admitted to UF, an agreement will be sent based on the date of application, if space is still available. A transfer application list is begun approximately twelve months prior to each semester or term.

Application Process for Village Communities: To be eligible to live in Village Communities, a student must qualify as a full-time student as defined by the respective college during the term housing is required; make normal progress toward a degree as determined by the college; be married and/or have legal custody of a dependent child/children prior to being offered an assignment. Note: Limited apartments are available for single graduate students without dependents. Applications must be completed and signed by the applicant and his/her spouse or fiancé, if applicable, and submitted with all the necessary supporting papers and non-refundable $10 application fee. Supporting papers include a copy of the applicant's marriage certificate and/or children's birth certificates. Single parents must provide a copy of legal documents (adoption papers, divorce decrees, etc.) showing full custody of minor dependent children prior to assignment. Maguire Village applicants must also include a statement of income. Contact: Village Communities Office, University Housing Office, University of Florida, P.O. Box 112100, Gainesville, FL, 32611-2100.

Students with Disabilities: A variety of facilities and services are available for students with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require adapted facilities or services need to contact the Assignments Office in writing as soon as possible to document disabilities, needs, and requests. Students with disabilities must meet the standard guidelines used to determine housing eligibility. Students with print-related disabilities may request housing publications in an alternative format. Students with hearing disabilities may request assistance from the Florida Relay Service; 1-800-955-8013 (Voice/TDD).

Facilities:  Twenty-three single student residence halls offer a wide variety of room styles: single rooms, double rooms, triple rooms, suites for 2/3/4/5/6 residents and apartments. The most common room is a standard air-conditioned double room that accommodates two residents. All rooms have beds, mattresses, study desks, chairs, dressers, closets, and window coverings. Rental rates include cable television service, local telephone service, fiber optic computer service and utilities. (Utility rates are limited in the Apartment Residence Facility and Residence Hall 2000.) Rental rates vary depending on features such as air conditioning, floor space, private baths, and kitchen facilities. In Village Communities (graduate and family housing), studio apartments, townhouses, and 1/2/3 bedroom apartments are available.

Residence Hall Staff: The Division of Housing employs nearly 700 full-time and part-time staff. Staff includes custodial staff, maintenance staff, clerical staff, administrators and student staff, including hall directors, assistant residence directors, resident assistants, desk assistants and security assistants.

Staff are committed to going beyond merely providing a place for students to eat, sleep and study. Staff and student leaders plan social, recreational, cultural and educational opportunities. Staff also are trained in crisis intervention and in personal and fire safety and security procedures.

Students' main contact with staff is with resident assistants (RAs), co-op officers, hall directors (HDs) and assistant residence directors (ARDs), residence directors (RDs) and assistant directors of housing for residence life (ADHs). An undergraduate RA or co-op officer lives on each floor or section to serve as a peer adviser. Graduate staff, who supervise RAs, help to promote a learning environment and coordinate area activities. The ADH, a full-time university administrator, is responsible for the overall administrative and educational functions within each residence area.

Inter-Residence Hall Association: All students are encouraged to participate in organizational activities that play a significant part in their educational, cultural, social and recreational life. The Inter-Residence Hall Association (IRHA) represents the collective interests of all resident students and serves as a channel of communication between residence area government councils, the university community and outside interests. This self-government program at the hall and area levels offers residents the opportunity to establish guidelines for group living and to assist in the planning of social and educational activities.

GENERAL SERVICES

Local Telephone Service: A telephone jack that provides 24-hour service is located in each room. Students provide their own touch-tone telephones. Cost of local service is included in the housing rental rate and includes call waiting, speed calling, 3-way calling and call return.

Convenience Stores and Vending Machines: Beaty Market, Graham Oasis and the Finish Line, three convenience stores owned and operated by Gator Dining Service are located in Beaty, Graham and Murphree areas, respectively. Students may purchase convenience items like snacks, milk, bread, soda, pens, paper, candy, etc., using their Gator Dining cards or cash. Vending machines are located conveniently in all residence halls.

Food Service: All residents have the opportunity to purchase board plans or declining balance accounts from Gator Dining Service. Space is limited in the board plan program to 1500 contracts. Students with board plans eat most meals in Gator Corner Dining Facility, the large multi-purpose dining facility located by Tolbert, North, South (Riker), East, Weaver, Graham, Simpson, and Trusler Halls or the west side of campus. Other cafeterias and snack bars on campus include dining facilities in or near Broward Hall, Tolbert Area and Murphree Area. A snack bar is located in Graham Hall. Dining facilities and/or food vendors are also located in the Reitz Student Union and the Hub.

Refrigerator Rental: Students may choose to rent a refrigerator or to bring their own. Campus Coolers, a privately owned rental company and authorized university vendor, rents refrigerators to on-campus residents. The cost of refrigerators is not included in the room rent (except Beaty Towers, the Apartment Residence Facility and Residence Hall 2000). Refrigerators must be 12 cubic feet or less.

Custodial Service: All the residence halls (except the co-ops) have custodians to clean public
areas, bathrooms, lounges and hallways. Individual room cleaning is the responsibility of each resident.

Security: Security is a shared responsibility of the university, residence hall staff and residents. Residents must take precautions to protect themselves and their personal property. Residence hall staff and the University Police Department provide campus safety education and awareness programs. Residence hall security is monitored by the residence hall staff; external building security generally is the responsibility of the University Police Department. Housing security assistants patrol the areas immediately adjacent to the residence halls from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. when classes are in session.

Laundry Facilities: Washers and dryers are provided in each residence area. Irons are provided for check out. The university does not provide linen service.

Cable T.V.: A 40-channel residence hall closed cable television system is provided. Charges for basic cable service are included in the housing rent. Channel 8, the student information channel, broadcasts bulletin board messages, movies and other copyright-secured videos.

Electronic Card Access: The conversion of outside entrance doors to electronic card access is an on-going project. Residents living in halls that have been converted will be issued plastic cards for access to these halls in addition to keys.

Computer Services: Students are responsible for the security of their computer systems. Students may access university computer services in residence facilities through DHNet, the Division of Housing ethernet fiber optic computer network, or by modem. DHNet provides computer services via fiber optic lines, not phone lines. Modems are not needed, data is transferred more quickly and students may send and receive phone calls while using their computers. DHNet service is available in all residence facilities. The service is included in the rent charge.

SPECIAL HOUSING AREAS

Residence Hall 2000: Four students share an apartment with four single bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room. Housing custodial staff cleans bathrooms.

Quiet/Study Floors: Quiet/Study floors are available in Tolbert Area (men), Graham Hall (men), Simpson Hall (women), and Murphree Area (men/women). Residents are required to sign a community contract agreeing to more restrictive levels of quiet, which are in effect 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Honors Housing: Freshmen may be invited to live in honors housing (Riker [South]/East/Weaver Halls in the Tolbert Area) to participate in an accelerated academic program. Special forms available from the Admissions Office must be completed and returned in order to be assigned to honors housing. Residents are required to sign a community contract agreeing to abide by the guidelines and expectations of honors housing. Contact: Admissions Officer for Superior Students Applications, Admissions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611. Phone: (352) 392-1365.

Leader/Scholar Program: Incoming first year students can request assignment to the Leader/Scholar Program in Trusler Hall. This program offers additional programming and support services in academic and life skills areas. An accredited leadership seminar is available for students who select this program. The Leader/Scholar Program is available on a first come, first served basis. There are less than 200 available spaces. Contact: Jeff Powell at (352) 392-6024.

Beaty Towers: Four residents share a suite with two bedrooms, complete kitchen, and private bathroom. Housing custodial staff cleans bathrooms.

Wellness Floor: The Wellness Floor in Beaty Towers promotes a balanced, healthy lifestyle in an environment in which wellness and substance-free living are viable and acceptable choices.

1995 Residence Facility: Single and double room suites with bathrooms surround a floor lounge. Housing custodial staff cleans bathrooms.

Faculty-in-Residence Program: The Faculty-in-Residence Program in Residence Hall 2000 promotes interaction between students and the faculty-in-residence. The faculty member lives in an apartment in Residence Hall 2000 and shares the residence hall experience with students. The Faculty-in Residence provides academic advising and helps to plan and implement programs.

Counselor-in-Residence Program: The Counselor-in-Residence Program in Broward Hall promotes interaction between students and the counselor-in-residence. The Counselor-in-Residence and his/her family live in an apartment in Broward Hall and share the residence hall living experience with students. The Counselor-in-Residence assists students with personal and academic concerns and helps to plan and implement programs.

Co-ops: Buckman and North Co-ops are Division of Housing facilities operated by elected students. Rent rates have been reduced in exchange for residents completing minor custodial and maintenance details. Students must apply separately and be interviewed by a Co-op representative to be eligible for consideration in these unique communities.

Yulee Scholarship Hall: Students with a minimum GPA of 3.0 with sophomore or above academic classifications can request assignment to Yulee Hall, a hall of single rooms. Students who are 21 years of age or older are eligible regardless of their academic classification if they have an established minimum 3.0 GPA. Students assigned to Yulee Scholarship Hall are required to sign a separate community contract agreeing to abide by the guidelines and expectations of this hall.

Apartment Residence Facility: Four junior, senior or graduate students share an apartment with four single bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen and a living room. Housing custodial staff cleans bathrooms.

Community Service Section: Students interested in volunteering and leadership can apply to live in the Community Service Section in Fletcher Hall. The goal of the section is to provide an awareness, understanding, and supportive environment for residents who are interested in volunteer endeavors.

Family and Single Graduate Student Housing: A student may apply for on-campus family or single graduate student housing. However, he/she must be registered as a full-time student during the semester in which housing is desired to qualify for a family housing apartment assignment. To maintain occupancy, the student must make normal progress toward a degree and abide by the conditions of the rental agreement. If applicable, proof of marriage or the necessary documents to support that a minor child(ren) is in the legal care of a student parent without a spouse will be required.

Family and single graduate student housing apartments are reserved for married students and their children (if any), single graduate students and student parents without spouses who have dependent minor children under their legal care or who qualify under the provisions of Federal Title IX Regulations.

Apartment housing facilities consist of one- and two-bedroom apartments, a few townhouses and efficiencies. Most units are unfurnished except for 35 apartments in Corry Village. Apartments are available with and without central air conditioning. Almost all apartment housing villages are located on campus.

Income limits are set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development for Maguire Village only. There are no income limits for Corry, Diamond, Tanglewood or University Village South.

Off-Campus Housing: The Housing Office maintains listings of apartments, houses and rooming units offered for rent to students, faculty and staff. Each spring, the office compiles a list of apartment and rooming unit developments. This list is available at www.housing.ufl.edu.

The student should make a personal inspection of the rental facility and have a conference with the owner (or agent) prior to making a deposit or signing a lease. Persons seeking off-campus housing should plan to arrive in Gainesville well in advance of the semester in which housing is needed. Fall arrangements are possible as early as April, spring semester after mid-November. For best results, visit during the week-not weekends-after preliminary information on available rentals has been obtained.