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The University provides a limited amount of housing
on campus for married and single graduate students. Graduate students
who wish to live on campus should contact the appropriate offices
listed below as early as possible to assure that space is available.
Off-Campus Housing
The popularity of the Amherst area
can make the housing situation fairly tight, especially for housing
that students can afford. Rental listings in the area are available
from the Office of Family Resources, Room 428 Student Union Building,
for a wide variety of housing options: 1) vacant units,
including houses, condos, apartments in houses, and apartments in
complexes; 2) shared housing, including housemates, apartment-mates
and rooms in private homes; 3) sabbatical listings; 4) summer
and intersession sublets; 5) and a number of special interest
housing options, such as gay/lesbian/bisexual houses, part-time
housing, short term vacancies, and religious homes.
If you cannot be in the area for the search itself, there are two
main ways to find out what is available:
- You can access the CSHRC database directly
through the World Wide Web. This provides students direct access
to all of the advertisements in the CSHRC database. You can conduct
searches of the listings based on what type of housing you are
looking for.
- Contact the Office of Family Resources at (413) 545-0865. The housing staff can mail or fax students
a list of housing that has been listed in the previous 10 days.
To cover postage and telephone charges, there is a $2.00 fee for
this service. A two-month subscription fee is $12.00. Students
can then call the telephone numbers provided, ask for a description,
and see if you can negotiate an agreement over the telephone.
As a referral and listing service,
the Office of Family Resources and Off Campus Housing can only provide information and support services to access
local housing. You are responsible for making your own arrangements
with prospective landlords and housemates. Beware: In Massachusetts
typically tenants must pay first and last month's rent plus a security
deposit equal to one month's rent when the lease is signed. Many
landlords require references. Feel free to e-mail
questions directly to the housing staff at: cshrc[at]stuaf.umass.edu
Being in the Amherst area can make
a big difference in your approach to house hunting. Every option
is open to students if they can be present during the search. If
you cannot be in Amherst, it is sometimes hard to convince landlords
and/or potential housemates to commit to you sight unseen. In addition,
you don't have the chance to make sure the housing is what you want
(physically and/or in termes of housemates).
The best time to find a place to
live for the fall is late July or early August. The exception to
this are apartment complexes which may put you on a waiting list
from April onwards. Most landlords put their apartments on the market
about 6 weeks before move-in date. Keep this in mind if you are
planning a trip to Amherst to find housing. The most favorable rental
market is for leases (15 months) beginning June 1. Since this is
a college town, many students leave the area for the summer. Consequently,
many people try to sublet during the summer, often at reduced prices.
If you want to be in the Amherst area during the summer, keep this
in mind.
Expect to spend at least three or
four days looking for a place. It could take shorter or longer,
but it depends on what is available and how much you can afford
to pay.
If you need a place to stay during
your vist, you can reserve a room at the Campus Center Hotel, telephone:
(413) 549-6000.
If you need an affordable, below
market rent situation the Homesharing Program can place
you with an elder or a family seeking services in exchange for rent.
This program has a high demand for women renters. Call the Match
Coordinator at (413) 545-4466.
Graduate Student On-Campus Housing
At present, two residence halls in
the Southwest Residential Area are reserved for use by graduate
students, nontraditional undergraduates enrolled at the University
are eligible to live in Prince House or Crampton House. The Prince/Crampton graduate residence complex are two, low-rise
, four-story residence halls containing six large social lounge
areas, two recreation rooms, three television rooms, vending machines,
and two kitchenette areas. All accommodations are double occupancy
and all residents will be assigned a roommate.
Location: The Prince/Crampton
Graduate Residential complex is located on the corner of Massachusetts
Avenue and Sunset Avenue in the Southwest Residential area. There
is a sheltered bus stop directly in front of the complex. The complex
is also across the courtyard from Hampshire Dining Commons.
Room Furnishings: Each resident
should expect the following furnishings: single bed (frame and mattress),
desk, desk chair, bookcase, and closet space. One soft chair and
a wastebasket are also furnished. Pillow, bed linens, towels, telephone
tables, and desk lamps are not provided. When planning what to bring
for your room, please remember that you will be sharing space with
another resident.
Facilities: The Graduate Residence
Complex has student rooms, bathrooms, and entrances modified for
mobility-impaired residents. Each floor has two study lounges. A
well equipped computer lab is available in the complex. In their
leisure time, Prince/Crampton residents may use the televisions,
ping pong and pool tables, the music room, equipped with a piano,
and other recreational equipment. Laundry facilities (coin operated
washers and dryers) are located in the basement.
Singles: Assignments to designed
single rooms are determined by a student's expressed willingness
to pay the appropriate surcharge and by the student's seniority
point standing in Prince/Crampton. Seniority is defined as length
of time spent in Prince/Crampton. An additional fee is charged for
designed singles and for double single rooms during the semester.
An additional surcharge is also charged for these types of accommodations
during summer, intersession, and vacation periods.
Food: Meal plans for 10, 14,
and 19 meals per week are available to Prince/Crampton residents.
Subscribers can dine at Hampshire or Berkshire Commons in Southwest,
or in the campus' other two dining halls. The Prince/Crampton Graduate
Residence Complex has two kitchens complete with stoves, ovens,
microwave, sinks, and cabinets. The kitchens are available to residents
for any preparation of light meals and snacks. Meals may not be
prepared in student rooms.
Pets: No pets (including birds
or insects) are allowed in University residence halls.
Space Assignment Procedures: In order to be certain of your assignment to the Prince/Crampton
Complex, please take note of the following administrative procedures:
Upon receipt of your application the Housing Assignment Office will
offer you a space or will notify you that you have been placed on
a waiting list. Students on the waiting list will be offered spaces
as others cancel their reservations, withdraw from school, or as
they fail to pay their housing bills on time and have their assignments
canceled. At the time graduate students receive a space offer, they
will also receive a bill for a $100.00 prepayment (with an indicated
due date). Prepayments paid by the indicated due date are credited
to semester fee bills. Prepayments can be refunded only if a space
cancellation is received before the indicated due date. The payment
of housing fees on time guarantees your space assignment until noon
on the first day of classes each semester. If you cannot arrive
on time, you must notify the Housing Assignment Office in writing
prior to the appropriate deadlines. Students should arrive at the
Prince/Crampton Graduate Residence Complex on opening day at the
specified time. Accommodations for early arrivals cannot be made.
Contact: The Housing Assignment
Office, 235 Whitmore Administration Bldg., University of Massachusetts,
Amherst, MA 01003
Telephone: (413) 545-2100 or (413)
545-2101
Family Housing
The University owns and manages approximately
345 unfurnished apartment units of various sizes at two locations
on or near campus. Students with dependent children, are eligible
for these spaces. All students are eligible, with priority given
to students with dependent children in residence. Assignments are
made according to circumstances with regard to the number of current
vacancies. Applicants should plan on having to wait at least a year
because of the extensive waiting list, which is updated three times
a year. The Family Housing Office attempts to fill the apartments
as soon as possible.
Information regarding assignment
procedures, apartment descriptions, and application forms may be
obtained from the Family Housing Office.
Telephone: (413) 545-3115
E-Mail: family.housing@housing.umass.edu
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