Students who plan on living in the residence halls for the next academic school year must renew their housing contracts each spring in order to assure they will have a room. If they don’t, they could face serious consequences, such as not being able to register for classes or self-select their room.

Feb. 1 was the first day students who are required to live on campus – meaning those who are at freshman or sophomore status – could go online to file a Contract Renewal Re-Application. Students will not be able to select a room for the next academic school year without completing the application.

“Students need to go through the process in order to self-select their own room,” said Daniel Shonk, Coordinator of Residence Services, Assignments and Marketing.

During the month of February, students will log into the Contract Renewal system and create their student profile, Shonk said. This profile will allow them to choose their own roommate and specific dorm room they want.

During the first couple weeks of March, students are placed into Contract Renewal Groups that tell them the date they can start selecting their rooms.

“Depending on when they originally submitted their housing application as well as when they were admitted into the university will dictate which group they’re in,” Shonk said.

If students fail to go through the contract renewal process, not only will they not be able to select a room, but also a hold could be placed on their account, Shonk said. A hold means they will be ineligible to register for classes.

For students who want to remain on campus and are also still required to, but don’t go through the process before the end of the semester, face a different penalty.

“They would have to submit a new housing application and then their application would be processed with the new incoming students’ applications,” Shonk said.

Shonk said most students take care of their housing right away because they want to know where they’re going to live.

Alecia Schemmel, senior exercise science major, said she remembers signing her contract the very first day she could.

“There was no way I was going to be screwed out of a place to live,” Schemmel said. “I did what I was supposed to when I was supposed to do it and everything worked out fine.”

Another student, however, didn’t get so lucky. Christine Johnstone, junior early childhood education major, said she got stuck living with two other girls in one room her sophomore year.

“The girl I was supposed to room with signed her contract but then bailed on me last second,” Johnstone said. “I was so upset, I thought I was homeless for sure.”

Fortunately, Johnstone was able to find two friends who were willing to let her move in with them.

Amanda Lowder, junior fashion merchandising major, was one of those girls.

“We felt bad because it wasn’t her fault she had no place to live,” Lowder said. “My first roommate and I were originally on the fourth floor of Centennial D, but then the three of us got moved to the first floor of Centennial C. It wasn’t ideal, but we managed!”

This year students have up until May 4 to select a room. Shonk said it is very important for students to check their email because it tells them their Contract Renewal Group as well as the date they can start selecting a room.

Contact Dianna Warwick at [email protected].