RAP Offers New Options and Restrictions

Students can no longer lease an apartment on campus year-round. The move comes as a result of declined interest in the option over the past several years. 
(Photo by Daniel McEnrue)
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With March in swing, spring on the way, and next year's housing on many minds, resident students beginning to plan their living arrangements for the Fall and Summer 2010 semesters may notice a few housing changes as they complete their Room Assignment Process (RAP) application.

The most notable change to the RAP process is removal of the 12-month lease option for students looking to live in an apartment on campus year-round.

Brian Davis, associate director for Housing Services, says that there has been a steady decline in demand from residents for 12-month leases in York River Corner since 2004.

“Offering 12-month leases on campus added a level of complexity to our processes and [an] inconvenience to students that was not supported by the demand for these leases,” said Davis. “After careful consideration — keeping in mind our existing alternatives for summer housing options, lack of demand for the 12-month lease option and inconvenience to students — we decided to discontinue [the option] for the 2010-2011 academic year.”

While resident demand has declined, the number of students attending summer school and taking part in internships has increased. If students are attending summer school, Davis said that there is specific summer housing available in Eastern Shore or on a space-available basis through Potomac Heights.

Students interested in summer school housing should look to apply on the Housing website on April 16. Summer intern students will be able to seek housing in Potomac Heights through the Intern Housing Application process starting on March 1.

“I think it’s pretty lame,” said senior Matt Moody, a summer school student who lived on campus in Northern Neck last summer. “Eastern Shore is nice . . . but I don’t think that just because you are an intern [that] you should have priority and have the benefit of having a kitchen.”

Students, above, walk down the 'alley' sidewalk of Chesapeake. The area, which opened in phases from 2007 to 2008, is one area that will remain largely the same in the RAP process.(Photo by Daniel McEnrue)

But for those students looking to bridge the gap between the end of semester, summer school, interning and fall semester housing dates, Davis says there still are extended stay options.

“If students are interested in continuing their housing from the end of the spring semester to the beginning of Summer School or Intern housing and/or continuing their housing from the end of Summer School or Intern Housing to the beginning of the fall semester, [they] will need to submit gap housing requests,” said Davis. Such requests, he says, can be submitted online via the eLiving website.

In addition to new lease timelines, Davis said that housing has new options for students to consider before they make their selection.

According to Davis, over 400 beds have been added to campus through the newest dorm, Hampton Roads which offers suite-style living and double occupancy rooms.

Davis says the university has recently added more beds to guarantee on-campus housing in order to accommodate the increase in transfer students and accepted incoming freshman.

The deadline for RAP applications and the $300 non-refundable deposit is March 5 at 4 p.m. Students will receive lottery number over spring break, and they may begin selecting rooms through the online “studentweb” system on March 18.