Residence Life Frequently Asked Questions
- Before You Arrive
When will I find out my room assigment?
What should I talk about with my roommate before we meet?
Do I need "extra long" sheets?
What is not allowed in the residence halls?
Is there an elevator?
Is there carpeting in the room?
- Life on Campus
What is a Resident Advisor?
What if there is something not working or broken in my room?
How often are the rooms cleaned?
May students leave their belongings in the room during breaks?
Where can students go to do their laundry?
What does a student do if they are having roommate problems? - Safety and Security
Are the halls locked?
Is there staff that live in the residence halls?
Can I have guests in my room?
Should residents get insurance for belongings brought to campus?
Is there a campus escort service? - Once You Are On Campus
What do I do when the fire alarm sounds?
What do I do if I get locked out of my room?
What happens if I lose my keys?
What services does the Office of Residence Life provide?
What is the difference between the Residence Life Office and the Housing Office?
What are the responsibilities for the "RA on duty"?
What's the difference between the "RA on duty" and the RA who lives on my floor?
How do I check out games and sports equipment?
What is the MSV courtyard for?
When will I find out my room assignment?
All new resident students will receive a mailing over the summer providing basic information about living on campus. Included in this mailing will be you room assignment, your extension, and the name and phone number of your roommate (if applicable). Additionally, check-in information for both new and returning students will be included in the mailing.
What should I talk about with my roommate before we meet?
You don't need to find out everything about your roommate in this first call or email; after all, you have a whole year to get to know each other. But, sometimes it's hard to get the conversation rolling, so here are a few topics you may want to discuss before arriving on campus: What sort of activities do you want to get involved with on campus? What do you plan on studying? What do you like to do for fun? How do you like to study? Are you a morning or night person? What are your tastes in music, art, sports, etc.? Do you prefer an organized room or a more casual room? How do you feel about visitors in the room? If I do something you're not happy about, how would you like us to handle it?
Do I need "extra long" sheets?
Yes, you will need extra long sheets for the beds in the residence halls.
What is not allowed in the residence halls?
Alcohol (if you're under 21)
Appliances with an exposed heating element
Candles / incense
Hot plates
Illegal drugs
Microwaves
Music amplifiers
Pets
Refrigerators over 3.0 cubic feet (or 4.0 if Energy Star rated) drawing more than 2.0 amps
Rice cookers
Space heaters
Toasters / toaster ovens
Waterbeds
Weapons
Is there an elevator?
There are elevators located in each pod of SSV. There are no elevators in MSV.
Is there carpeting in the room?
Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms. Maintenance staff is responsible cleaning the common areas (hallways, lounges, etc.), public restrooms, and the community bathrooms on the floors in the McCormick Student Village.
Resident Advisors (RAs) are students carefully selected for their ability to advise and aid residents in everyday situations. The Resident Advisor lives with and builds relationships with students living in the residence halls. The RA serves as a role model and builder of community, assisting students and supporting academic achievement. They are not professional trained guidance personnel; therefore, more personal and academic problems of residents are referred to the professional residence hall staff and /or professionally qualified university personnel. The RAs play a key role in creating an environment for students that is conducive to academic, personal, and social growth. The RAs are responsible for developing programs for students, maintaining safety and order in the residence halls, and creating a living-learning environment in the residential community.
What if there is something not working or broken in my room?
Maintenance concerns such as a light bulb not working, a clogged drain or heating problems should be reported immediately to the Office of Residence Life directly or through your Resident Advisor. Repairs/damages may be charged to the student(s) living in the room depending on the nature of the repair.
How often are the rooms cleaned?
Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms. Maintenance staff is responsible cleaning the common areas (hallways, lounges, etc.), public restrooms, and the bathrooms in the living areas.
May students leave their belongings in the room during breaks?
Students may leave belongings in their rooms for all breaks except for the summer. Students are encouraged to take home all valuables during break periods, as the University is not responsible for lost or stolen property.
Where can students go to do their laundry?
Laundry machines are located in various locations in MSV and SSV. They are open 24-hours. Your ID card operates the washers and dryers.
What does a student do if they are having roommate problems?
Students are encouraged to discuss potential issues with their roommate before a problem occurs. Students can utilize the Resident Advisors and Residence Life Staff within the residence halls to help to resolve conflicts between roommates.
Are the halls locked?
All residence halls have only one entrance and exit area available for student use. All other doors are for emergency use only. All residents are allowed to access both McCormick Student Village and State Street Village with their student identification card (Hawkcard) between 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 a.m. All guests and visitors are required to be checked into the residence halls with a valid picture ID. The host must check in his or her guest at the front desk and escort guests at all times.
Is there staff that live in the residence halls?
Yes. Residence Life staff live in the residence halls. A Resident Advisor is assigned to every area of the residence halls. The residence halls are walked through regularly by both Residence Life staff and Public Safety.
Can I have guests in my room?
Residents are required to sign in all guests at the front desk of their building. The front desk is staffed 24-hours a day by IIT students. Residents may have guests at any time of the day, but no more than three full nights in a thirty-day period. Roommates should discuss with one another how they each feel about guest in the room and come to an agreement. All guests in the residence halls are required to leave a picture ID at the front desk while they are in the building.
Should residents get insurance for belongings brought to campus?
Students are encouraged to check their parents' homeowners insurance. Many homeowners' insurance plans will cover students' belongings while away at college. The Illinois Institute of Technology is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items, therefore, having insurance is recommended.
Is there a campus escort service?
Yes. The Public Safety office offers an escort service on an as requested basis. Public Safety can be reached at (312) 808-6300 for non-emergencies and (312)808-6363 for an emergency.
What do I do when the fire alarm sounds?
When the fire alarm sounds it is required that you evacuate the building regardless of the alarm's nature. If you see smoke or fire please pull the fire alarm and alert a Residence Life staff member on your way out of the building. Please be patient with the Chicago Fire Department and the Residence Life Staff while you wait to be allowed into the building.
What do I do if I get locked out of my room?
If you get locked out of your room, you need to go to the front desk of the residence hall complex. It is your responsibility to call a Resident Advisor to let you back into your room. The doorguard will provide you with a list of the Resident Advisor's phone numbers. The first lock out is free. There is a $5.00 fee charged for every additional lock out. You are strongly encouraged to carry your keys and ID card with you AT ALL TIMES (even if you are just going down the hall). This will help limit the number of lock outs.
What happens if I lose my keys?
If you lose your keys, please report them lost to the Office of Residence Life or the Rooms Coordinator office in the Housing Office immediately. You will be issued a temporary key and you will also be given a limited time (usually a week) to find your keys. Your lock will be changed and new keys will be issued to you if you do find your keys in the allotted time period. There is a $75.00 per key charge for lost keys.
What services does the Office of Residence Life provide?
The Office of Residence Life is located in McCormick Student Village. The Office is open from 8:30am-5pm. It is our mission to serve, educate and empower our IIT community by providing a safe environment that develops life skills, leadership, and lasting relationships. Some of the services the Office Residence Life provides are community building opportunities, roommate mediations, incident follow up and accountability, and other customer service support for the residents. We also coordinate front desk operations and resident verification forms. We can't wait to meet you. Please stop by and introduce yourself.
What is the difference between the Residence Life Office and the Housing Office?
The Office of Residence Life and Housing office work together to ensure residents a comfortable, safe, clean, and respectful living environment. The Residence Life office provides staff to provide community building, roommate mediations, discipline hearings, and other customer service. The Housing office provides facility maintenance, custodial services, room and meal plan changes, etc. Any RA or any member of the Residence Life Staff can help lead you in the appropriate direction.
What are the responsibilities for the "RA on duty"?
There are 5 to 6 Resident Advisors (RA) on duty every evening, three RAs in MSV, two RAs in SSV, and 1 in Gunsaulus Hall on selected dates. RAs on duty perform regular rounds of the building in which they are assigned. They look for maintenance issues, address resident's concerns, respond to emergencies, perform lock outs and interact with residents. The RAs are on duty between the hours of 9:15pm-8:00am. You can contact the RA on duty by calling the front desk in your building.
What's the difference between the "RA on duty" and the RA who lives on my floor?
The RA who lives on your floor is a part of a weekly duty rotation. The RAs on duty are there to ensure that someone from the Residence Life Staff is around to help you. The Residence Life Office staff hopes that the RA who lives on your floor serves as a personal support and community developer. It is our hope that your RA helps foster positive interactions in your community as well as provides fun programs to bring everyone together.
How do I check out games and sports equipment?
Games and other sports equipment are available at the front desks of MSV and SSV. There is different equipment at each desk. See your front desk for what is available. All equipment and game should stay in the residence halls at all times.
What is the MSV courtyard for?
The MSV courtyard is for the use and recreation for all MSV residents. You are invited to use the volleyball court, sit outside and enjoy the weather. Just as in any common area, alcohol use is prohibited. The courtyard is locked from midnight to 8:30am to ensure a quiet environment for those students whose windows open up to the courtyard.
