Danielle Phillips, Director of Residential & First-Year Programs, updates the campus community with new details about housing selection for the spring 2021 semester.
Good morning,
This email follows the communication sent yesterday from Vice President and Dean of Students Julie Ramsey, and it include more details regarding housing selection for the Spring 2021 semester. We realize that this is a lot of information being provided during finals week, but it is our goal to provide you with the information we have as soon as it is available. Please review the information carefully when you are able and know that the RFYP staff is available to answer any questions that you may have regarding the information shared.
As a reminder, due to the reduction in density and the goal to maintain single-occupancy bedrooms, previous Spring 2021 housing assignments will not be used. This foregoing of spring housing assignments was noted in the communication sent on September 4 to share details about the de-densification process. It is our goal to share as much information regarding housing selection as we are able to at this time, so that each student can make an informed decision about whether or not to accept their invitation to be part of the residential cohort by the December 15 deadline.
The remaining information in this communication will provide details about the housing selection process and timeline, lottery numbers, housing billing, and additional related information. Please read the information carefully and in its entirety.
Spring 2021 Housing Overview
- All students who accept their invitation to be in residence in the spring by December 15 will participate in the housing selection process. If students did not select to be in residence or did not complete the Intent Form at all by December 15, it will be assumed that they have chosen to study remotely and will not be part of the housing selection process.
- Please note that students cannot live off-campus in the Gettysburg community without prior approval from the College to be released from their residency requirement. If students wish to have access to testing, in-person courses, and campus facilities, they should select on-campus on the Intent Form and plan to participate in the housing selection process. The only exception is students who have previously been approved to live in the community or as commuters.
- Similar to previous housing selections, there will be three phases to the process (each described in more detail later in this communication).
- Phase I: Pre-Online Housing Selection Lottery
- Phase II: Online Housing Selection Lottery
- Phase III: Waitlists
- The College’s goal is that all students will be housed in single bedrooms. Students may pull other students into apartments and suites with them based on the number of bedrooms in the apartment and suite and what is available at their designated housing selection time. For example, a 3-bedroom apartment will be able to house 3 people (one per bedroom). Students must fill the number of bedrooms in the location in order to select the location during the process.
Housing Selection Process
- Phase I: Pre-Online Housing Selection Lottery
- Disability Accommodation Assignments – The RFYP Office will communicate directly with any student who has an approved, medically-necessary disability accommodation related to their housing needs.
- Fraternity House Rosters – After the Intent Form completion deadline on December 15 has passed, the College will make a decision regarding the use of fraternity houses. If fraternity houses are utilized for housing purposes, the house rostering process will take place during Phase I of the housing selection process and more information will be provided.
- College House Rosters – After the Intent Form completion deadline on December 15 has passed, the College will make a decision as to whether or not the College House program will operate during the Spring 2021 semester. If the College House program operates, the house rostering process will take place during Phase I of the housing selection process and more information will be provided at that time.
- Residential Student Staff Assignments – RFYP professional staff will work with students selected to be part of the residential student staff for the spring semester regarding their housing placement and position expectations.
- Phase II: Online Housing Selection Lottery
- Every student opting to study residentially who is not placed in Phase I of the housing selection process will participate in the online housing selection lottery and receive a lottery number. Numbers will be assigned randomly by cohort. For example, seniors are given priority by being assigned the lowest (best) lottery numbers randomly among all seniors. Then, the next lowest (next best) numbers will be assigned randomly among all juniors. This pattern follows suit for sophomores and then approved first-year students. It is important for students to note that factors previously used to assign lottery numbers (i.e. GPA, CYC, or SSP participation) will not be used to assign lottery numbers for this process. It will be random by class year as described here.
- Students will receive their housing lottery number on Monday, January 4. At that time, they can begin to select apartment and suite mates if they choose to do so. Students will be able to see what spaces are available based on the number of apartment and suite mates they have selected. Please note that our housing inventory includes spaces ranging from 1 student to 6 students (i.e. 6-bedroom suite). Throughout the process, students will be able to refresh their browsers to see what is still remaining as an option as their selection time approaches, and they should have a number of plans that they can adjust to given availability at the time of their selection.
- There are a number of residential locations available that are not always available during a more typical housing selection process. Please take note of these potential options as they may best meet your residential needs. Do not hesitate to contact the RFYP Office with any questions you may have about these options:
- Lutheran Seminary rooms and apartments in three different residence halls (each with different amenities). These spaces include single bedrooms in a traditional hall, as well as efficiency, 1-bedroom, and 2-bedroom apartments.
- Hotel Gettysburg rooms.
- Potential off-campus hotel rooms.
- Phase III: Waitlists
- Because we do not yet know exactly how many students will be on campus in the spring, we anticipate the possibility that some students will not be assigned housing during either Phase I or Phase II of the process. This is not unusual, and the RFYP Office will work closely with students who must participate in the waitlist process.
- Students can place themselves on a waitlist for the following reasons:
- They did not get their preferred location during the housing selection process.
- They did not have housing options remaining when it was their turn to select housing during the lottery.
- Residential spaces become available on an ongoing basis due to students deciding to take leaves of absences, withdraw and transfer, select a gap semester option, or change to the remote cohort after already selecting housing. For these reasons, the waitlist process will begin the week of January 11 and continue through the beginning of the spring semester.
- If a student does not select a housing assignment and does not complete a waitlist form, they will be assigned a room at the end of the housing selection process.
- More information about the waitlist process will be communicated the week of January 11.
Housing Selection Timeline
| Date/Week | Details |
|---|---|
| Week of December 7 | Begin disability accommodation assignments |
| Tuesday, December 15 | Deadline to accept spot in residential cohort |
| Wednesday, December 30 | Phase I: Pre-Online Housing Selection Lottery complete |
| Week of January 4 | Phase II: Online Housing Selection Lottery |
| Monday, January 4 | Students receive details of how to complete online housing selection Housing lottery numbers are published Students begin selecting apartment and suite mates |
| Wednesday, January 6 | Senior Housing Selection Junior Housing Selection |
| Thursday, January 7 | Sophomore Housing Selection Approved First-Year Housing Selection |
| Monday, January 11 | Phase III: Waitlist Process Information communicated |
Additional Items to Consider
- Isolation and Quarantine
- Please know that if a student is assigned to isolation or quarantine during their time on campus, they may be relocated to a residential space that may be on campus or off campus at a local hotel. The location assigned for isolation or quarantine will be based on what is available at the time of assignment.
- Students can view the Spring 2021 housing rate (billing plan) for each residence hall here.
- Additional information about move-in, student arrival dates, etc. will be provided after housing selection is complete (likely during the week of January 11).
Please remember that we ask that every student declare their intent to return no later than December 15. If we do not hear from a student by this date, we will assume that they have elected to be part of the remote cohort, and they will not be included in the housing selection process.
If you have any questions regarding this information, you can contact the Residential & First-Year Programs (RFYP) Office at 717-337-6901 or residencelife@gettysburg.edu. Please note that employees are currently working remotely per PA Governor Wolf’s orders and will return your call or email as soon as possible.
Good luck with the remainder of your final exams.
Thank you, and be well.
Danielle Phillips
Director, Residential & First-Year Programs