Montclair State University

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Student Toolbox
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Frequently Asked Questions for Students

Is campus housing available for freshmen?
 The demand for on campus housing exceeds the University’s current bed capacity. Nevertheless, we are committed to giving as many first-year students as possible the opportunity to have a residential experience. Students will increase their chances of obtaining guaranteed housing if they are among the first 1,000 to meet all of the following requirements:

  • Submit a completed application before March 1, 2008 and be accepted for admission to the University.

  • Submit to the University an admissions deposit of $180, a housing application fee of $125 and complete the on-line RMS housing preference form before May 1, 2008.

For students who do not meet the above requirements, placement in on-campus housing will be based on a number of factors. These factors include but are not limited to, date of admissions deposit, date of the housing application fee, and distance to the University from the student’s home address.

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Can I stay inside my room during the holiday breaks?
Only Russ Hall, The Village and Clove Road Apartments remain open during holiday breaks. All other residence halls close for the Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Break recess periods. Unless otherwise noted in your contract, all residents must leave the halls during this time.

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Do students have to remove all their belongings from their rooms during breaks?
At the end of the fall semester (December), students are required to leave the residence halls, but do not need to remove their belongings. If you are not returning to the residence hall in the spring semester, you must remove all belongings prior to the break. However, students are encouraged to take expensive property home with them. Clothes and other belongings can be left at the student's own risk.

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Is the Campus Safe?
The University provides a safe environment for community members. Police Officers patrol the campus parking facilities, academic and residential buildings 24 hours/7 days a week. In addition, there are 150 blue light emergency phones on campus which put callers in direct contact with University Police. Interested community members should refer to crime statistics posted on the MSU website for crimes affecting this community. Community members are encouraged to use the Mobile Guardian feature on their RAVE mobile phone which provides GPS monitoring on campus at the University Police Department. Introduced on campus in September 2005, MSU has made RAVE Guardian available FREE for students in the Campus Connect program. It is to help improve your safety and peace of mind on and off campus. A student can activate the GPS-based tracking feature to allow the University Police to monitor arrival at a destination. When you feel unsafe, RAVE Guardian lets you set a timer on your phone. If the timer expires before you turn it off, your location and vital information are sent to the University Police so they can find you and help you. It can only be turned on or off by you and only notifies the Police in the event the timer expires before you turn it off. The RAVE mobile phone also allows you to receive real-time alerts and information from the University, including broadcast text messages.

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Are there any employment opportunities in the residence halls?
If you are interested in working in the residence halls, there are opportunities to work as a Desk Assistant which is an excellent way to learn more about the institution. The desk staff is responsible for the distribution of student mail, recreational equipment and enforcement of guest policy. They also assist in making the residence halls a safe and secure place to live. Contact your Community Director for an application. There are also opportunities for students to work as Desk Assistants and Office Assistants. Please contact your Community Director for more information.

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Who can I ask for help in the residence halls?
Our Residence Education staff is available to provide assistance and leadership in the residence halls. In our larger buildings, there is both a Community Director and an Assistant Community Director. In our smaller buildings, a Community Director will be present. Community Directors are full-time staff members, while Assistant Community Directors are specially trained graduate students. Community Directors and/or Assistant Community Directors are on duty in each residence hall area during evening and weekend hours. In addition, there is one live-in Community Assistant for every wing/floor. Community Assistants/Resident Assistants are trained undergraduate students who are carefully selected and will provide you with assistance during your time at MSU.

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What if I lose my keys?
If you lose your keys you must report it to your Community Director immediately. You must also complete a Work Order Form to request a lock change and give it to your Community Director. There is a fee associated with a lock change, regardless of the circumstances.

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Can I have overnight guests?
Yes. As long as you follow the guest policy and have your roommate(s) consent.

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Can my brother, age 4, come and visit me at my room?
Yes. Young children are allowed to visit in the residence halls.

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Who can live on campus?
Undergraduate students must be registered full-time (12 or more credits per semester). Graduate students must be registered for 9 or more credits. The room assignment process begins as soon as we receive your housing application, housing preference/lifestyle questionnaire, and the non-refundable $125 housing application fee.

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What is the mailing address for my hall and how can I receive a care package from home?
Packages can be shipped through the U.S. Postal Service or commercial delivery service. Packages and letters should be addressed using the following format: Your Name, Residence Hall Name and Room Number, Montclair State University, 1 Normal Avenue, Upper Montclair, NJ 07043. If you live in the Clove Road Apartments your packages and letters should be addressed using this format: Your name, 65 Clove Road, Your Apartment Number, Little Falls, NJ 07424. If you live in the La Quinta Inn your packages and letters should be addressed using this format: Your name - MSU, La Quinta Inn, 265 Rt. 3 East - Room #, Clifton, NJ 07014.

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What about meal plans?
Each residence hall student must select from one of six meal plans. For information about the various plans, please visit Dining Services. Residence hall dining facilities are located in Blanton Hall and Freeman Hall. Your meal plan may be used at the Student Center food court and the Rathskellar through the Cash Equivalency Program. Any student who requests a change in the meal plan must submit a "Change of Meal Plan" form to the Meal Plan Office at Room 202C Student Center.

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Can first year students bring their cars to campus?
Parking can be very challenging on a campus our size so to assist those who do not live on campus with parking, resident students with less than 30 credits are not permitted to register a car on campus. MSU offers an extensive shuttle service to assist students to get around.

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How do I report repairs needed in my room?
A work order must be completed for any repair you need done in your room. You may obtain a work order form through your Community Director or the front desk of your residence hall. Please report the problem as soon as possible and as early in the day as possible. Emergencies occurring between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. should be reported to the Community Director. After hours, emergencies should be promptly reported to the student staff member on duty in your residence hall.

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May students choose where they want to live? Can they choose their roommates?
Returning resident students participate in the Web Self-Assignment process during the Spring semester for the following academic year. New incoming students go online to complete their housing preferences. The system will ask students to rank order the buildings they want to live in as well as any roommate and meal plan choices. It is very important that students enter their requested roommate information and MSU ID number correctly in order to be considered. It is also important that all students who wish to live together enter each other as roommates (example: students A, B & C want to live together; each one of them needs to list each other and their MSU ID numbers). Please realize that while we do our best to accommodate the roommate and building requests of our students, it is not always possible to do so due to a number of factors such as gender breakdown of rooms, limited available space, and date that the request was received.

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What happens if I don't like my roommate?
A major component of your daily living experience centers around your interaction with your roommate(s). We encourage you to discuss your likes and dislikes in order to set ground rules and reasonable expectations. Your Community Assistant is a great source of mediation for any problems that may arise.

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How long are the beds? What kind of sheets will I need?
All of the beds in The Village and Clove Road apartments, as well as most of the beds in Bohn and Blanton halls, are 80" long twin size. For these beds, you will need extra-long twin sheets, which are available at retail stores. Beds in the La Quinta Inn use standard full-size sheets. Currently, most of the beds in Webster and Russ Halls are the standard 75" twin-size. The beds in Freeman and Stone Halls are mixed; therefore we recommend bringing the extra-long twin-size sheets. Furthermore, purchasing longer sheets now will serve you well for all four years at MSU.

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Can I connect my computer to the MSU network?
A computer network connection is available in all residence hall rooms and University apartments, providing 24-hour access to services such as the Internet, MSU library and mainframe. You may also contact our Information Technology Helpline at 973-655-7971.

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Who's going to do my laundry?
You are! For your convenience, washing machines and dryers are located in every residence hall. Laundry machines are available to residence hall students, free-of-charge.

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How often are the rooms cleaned?
Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms. Housekeeping staff are responsible for cleaning public areas such as the hallways, lounges, public restrooms, and community bathrooms.

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Are students allowed to smoke in the residence halls?
As of the Summer 2005 all residential facilities are non-smoking. Smoking is not permitted in public areas, stairwells, and elevators.

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Are there special events for residents during the weekend?
Staff and campus groups host fun events and programs.

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Is it fun to live inside the residence halls?
Absolutely! You will make many friendships that will last a lifetime.

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How do I become involved in the RLC?
The Residential Leadership Council is a student group that provides opportunities for leadership development as well as personal growth through program creation and event planning. RLC exists to serve, represent, and give voice to the resident student population at MSU. Students can get involved in RLC by attending their weekly meetings, which are on Wednesday evenings. Further information is available at the RLC website.

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How will I know if I am in a triple?
Most incoming freshmen, and some returning students, are placed in triples. Because MSU has increased its academic reputation and enrollment, many students want to attend. To accommodate as many students as possible, we have created maximum occupancy in all of our residence halls. If you are assigned to a tripled room, you will receive the names of two individuals you will be rooming with.

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What items should a new student bring?
Each room within the residence hall is furnished with the basic furniture (bed, desk, and dresser/wardrobe). Students are responsible for their own personal items and will need to bring sheets, pillow, pillowcase, blankets, towels, etc. Other amenities such as a television, computer, and a stereo (if desired) are permitted. Small refrigerators up to three cubic feet and small microwave ovens of approximately 600 watts are allowed in the rooms. Refrigerators can be rented from Microfridge: www.campusspec.com or 1-800-525-7307. Many of our residents also bring an area rug to give the room a personal touch. We encourage each resident to contact their assigned roommate(s) to work out who will bring what to prevent duplication and save space in the room.

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What items am I not allowed to bring to my room?
Fire hazards, prohibited items such as weapons, halogen lamps, candles, any appliances with an open coil. Please refer to our list of prohibited items.

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Can I have a pet?
Only small fish are allowed in the residence halls. No tanks over 10 gallons are permitted.

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