Terms, Definitions & Abbreviations
Qualified Housing Applicants: Full-time matriculated and currently registered University graduate students, medical students, postgraduate trainees (including postdoctoral research associates, hospital house staff, and fellows of the School of Medicine and Dentistry), and their immediate families (spouse and children). Occupancy by any other person(s) must be approved in writing by the University Apartments Office/Office for Residential Life and Housing Services.
Married undergraduates and undergraduates with children are qualified applicants also. Other undergraduate students are not eligible for graduate housing unless approved by the Office for Residential Life and Housing Services. Parents, grandparents, siblings, or other non-immediate family are not eligible to live permanently with students in graduate housing.
Faculty, staff, and visiting scientists are eligible for Goler House only but will be considered for eligibility in all other apartments if space is available and only through the next June 30. Final eligibility for professional trainees is determined by benefit status. These qualifications apply to both the Leaseholder and the Identified Roommate.
Leaseholder: The person solely responsible for the rental payments and terms of the lease.
Effective Assignment Date: Date the lease officially begins and the leaseholder begins paying rent (regardless of actual date of occupancy).
Identified Roommate (IRM): A qualified graduate housing applicant who agrees to share accommodations with an eligible leaseholder. An IRM must meet the same eligibility requirements as all applicants (see above). When an IRM is no longer eligible (completes his or her program, disenrolls, becomes employed full time, etc.) to be an IRM he or she must vacate within 30 days. IRMs have no legal standing regarding the lease and are not protected by the resident’s lease with the University. All arrangements are strictly between the resident (leaseholder) and the IRM. An IRM does not need to be identified prior to submitting an application but should be registered with the complex office at the time he or she moves into the apartment.
In the event that a leaseholder terminates the lease, an IRM who has been registered for at least six months may be eligible to lease the apartment under limited circumstances. Due to apartment maintenance and upkeep concerns, apartments may be transferred to an IRM only once. There cannot be a series of consecutive IRM takeovers. If an IRM lives in an apartment without takeover privileges, he or she will be given priority for a transfer option. This is dependent on apartment availability and is not guaranteed.
Complex Office: Offices located at each University apartment complex where leaseholders pay rent, submit maintenance requests, and register roommates (IRM). Each complex is managed by Rochester Management, Inc., a private housing management corporation.
Annual Lottery: A lottery conducted each spring to determine all on-time applicants’ assignment list order for each of the housing types they have specified on their applications and for which they are eligible. This year, the lottery will be run on May 9, 2012.
Assignment Waiting Lists: All applicants are placed on waiting lists for all housing types they have preferenced based on the results of the lottery. Applicants are offered housing in lottery order as space becomes available; late applicants are added by date of application receipt. Applications remain valid until May 1 of the following year. Those students who still wish to be considered for graduate housing must submit a new application and fee.
Application Change: All requests for changes in apartment style will be considered and treated as new applications. Requests received prior to the annual lottery (the first or second Wednesday in May—May 9, 2012) to change application choices from one apartment style to another will be added to the bottom of the waiting list in order of receipt.
Earliest Desired Occupancy Date: The first day applicant is willing to start paying rent on a unit, not necessarily when they wish to take occupancy.
Latest Desired Occupancy Date: Ideal date by which applicant wishes to be settled into an apartment (reflects how long you are willing to wait for an assignment).
Walk-up Garden Apartment: a one-level apartment completely above ground but not necessarily on the second floor.
Walk-down Garden Apartment: a one-level apartment constructed partially below ground level.
