S UMME R 2009
W P I O FFI C E O F R ES I D EN TI A L S ER V I C ES
The Resident Read
W P I R E SI DE NT R E AD F IRST Y EAR EDIT IO N
Welcome Class of 2013! You are about to join a collaborative, creative, and intellectually vibrant community. Before I N S I D E T HI S IS S UE : your arrival, we wanted to introduce you to your class (see information below), and let you know about a few important and exciting developments. Do’s and Don’ts 2 Triple Talk As you well know, WPI is an excellent investment. In fact, the demand for a WPI education is greater than ever before; this year WPI saw a 10 percent increase in Residents Only applications over last year. As a result of so many exceptional candidates, the Class of 2013 E-billing is on track to be the largest in the university's 144-year history.
In addition to boasting a large number of academic standouts, the Class of 2013 also includes many students with impressive extracurricular resumes – a mix that will surely make time spent in WPI's residence halls even more fun, stimulating, and, ultimately wellspent.
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Emergency Info
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What to Bring
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Roommate Info
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To meet the needs of the incoming class, WPI has made a number of investments to make sure you get the most out of your experience. This fall, more than 20 new, world-class faculty members will join the university. We are also redesigning some of our residence halls - Morgan, Institute and some smaller houses - to create comfortable triples that will help with the housing demand. When you enter these rooms, you will see all new furniture, selected by a design team to for its efficiency and aesthetic appeal. You will also find new workout rooms, and comfortable new lounges that come complete with new large-screen plasma TV’s. As always, the WPI Residence Hall Staff is eager to make our student's "home away from home" as comfortable as possible. At WPI you will make lifelong friends, have the opportunity to participate in more than 160 clubs, and become an integral part of this dynamic community. We look forward to meeting you in August! If you have any questions between now and then, please give us a call at 508-831-5308. Yours truly, Janet Richardson
Naomi Carton
Vice President, Student Affairs & Campus Life
Director, Residential Services
About the Class of 2013 Here are some exciting facts about your class: • Your class boasts a 3.8 average GPA • 358 members of the Class of 2013 had perfect 4.0 GPA’s • 5 percent of your class ranked at the top of their high school graduating class • This class boasts record numbers of valedictorians and salutatorians • 1284 was your average SAT score • Your class includes more women and underrepresented students of color than ever before
WP I R E SIDE NT R E AD
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So, You’re Coming to WPI… Important Info about MOVE IN DAY Check in for new students will be on Sunday, August 23, 2009 from 9am to 3pm. All students will pick up keys in the main lobby of the hall in which they have been assigned housing. To facilitate traffic flow, please be prepared to park and unload your car, then move your vehicle to one of our parking lots to allow other students to unload their belongings.
Reservations for student housing not claimed by 5:00 p.m. on Registration Day may be terminated by WPI unless the student has advised Residential Services of delayed arrival. If you should arrive after 3:00 pm on August 23rd and have notified the office of the late arrival, you can pick up your keys at Residential Services during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm) or at Campus Police after hours and on weekends.
If you have decided not to attend WPI or will not be living in oncampus housing, please notify the Office of Residential Services immediately. Failure to pick up a key does not release a student from the housing contract.
What you’ll find when you arrive The following room furnishings provided by the University. Please understand that furnishings that are provided in each room are equivalent, though not identical due to the different building layouts. These items must remain in the room as we are unable to provide storage.
You will also find:
Each student is provided with the following items in their room:
Window shades and screens
A bed – a twin "extra-long” (36” x 80”)
Smoke detectors
A desk and chair
Ceiling light fixture(s)
A closet or wardrobe
One telephone jack
A chest of drawers
One cable television jack
● A network connection for computer
(coaxial cable available in Res. Services )
Room Condition Cards When you arrive for check in, an RA will show you to your room and will go over your Room Condition Card (RCS). Prior to your arrival, the Residential Services staff have taken the time to look at the condition of all contents and fixtures in the room/apartment/suite. We recommend that you take a few moments before moving in your belongings to double check and sign this form, being sure that all damage present in the room is listed accurately. At the end of the year, the room will be assessed for damages again and students may be billed for any differences. We encourage students to remember that at the end of the year, they must leave the room in the condition in which they found it. Below are some things you can do while moving in to avoid damage to your room:
Please do not use duct tape, clear packing tape or double stick tape to hang things on your walls, furniture or door. We recommend that masking tape or 3M Command Strips be used.
Putting stickers on furniture or doors is not recommended.
Please be careful when rearranging furniture in order to avoid scratches or dents.
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WHY RHC? RHC is a leadership opportunity EXCLUSIVELY for resident students.
What is Residence Hall Council?_____________________________ The Residence Hall Council (RHC) is a group of elected resident student leaders who work to address student concerns within the halls, develop creative programming, and serve as a resource to others.
Top Reasons to Join RHC @ WPI__________________________ Meet New People. The best way to meet new people (and start your college years off right!) is to get involved. RHC is a great way to be involved since it is exclusive to the residence halls—you’ll get to know TONS of people on campus!
Questions? Email rhc@wpi.edu Watch for more details in the fall about how to apply!
Learn About Leadership. RHC is a great resume booster! One of the top characteristics that today’s employers are looking for is leadership ability. Every year RHC provides its members with Leadership Training. Programs are held throughout the year to give all who attend a hands-on opportunity to gain the skills necessary to be an effective leader.
Be A Part Of History. RHC is still a young organization at WPI but has already made it’s presence known on campus. With RHC, we guarantee that you will have the opportunity to try new and different things and help to create new WPI traditions. Your leadership will make a mark at WPI!
C O N N E C T E D
Important Emergency Communication Service for the WPI Community Connect-ED is WPI’s Emergency Notification system. WPI has implemented this service to allow campus leaders and security professionals the ability to reach all students and staff with time-sensitive information during unforeseen events or emergencies using voice, email and text messaging. During critical situations, WPI officials can use the system to broadcast pertinent information and provide details on appropriate response. Signing up is easy. Log in to banner with your WPI user name and password, then click on "Sign Up Now to Update your Crisis Contact Information" to go to a page where you can enter your contact information. Connect-ED sends emergency messages to your mobile or fixed device of choice so you get emergency messages quickly wherever you are. By providing accurate, up-to-date emergency contact information, you enable Connect-ED to send simultaneous text messages, voicemail and email to you and your designated emergency contacts.
Say Hello to e-bills! Further enhancing our efforts toward a "greener" university, WPI is now sending tuition bills electronically only.
WPI students and parents will no longer receive paper bills via the U.S. mail. Instead, bills and statements are available online. Students will receive a notification in their WPI email when their e-bill is available for viewing and payment. Your student may authorize the bill payer to view the account and make payments online. Using their WPI ID and PIN, students will have access to their invoice online. Payments can be made online with an e-check or credit card through a secure website. Students have the option to set up separate log-in accounts for other individuals, like parents or guardians. Once a student sets up an authorized user and communicates his/her username and password, the authorized user will have access to the invoice and account balance and will be able to make e-payments. In the future, e-bills will be sent to the student and the authorized user.
CHECK YOUR EMAIL!
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO What to Bring/What Not to Bring when you move into the Residence Halls
You May Want to Bring:
Please Do Not Bring:
Microwave Oven
Shower Caddy
Twin Extra-Long Sheets
Pets (specifically turtles, dogs, cats, ferrets, rabbits, and snakes are not allowed) - only fish in aquariums are allowed
Your roommate information will be emailed to your WPI email account no later than the middle of July.
A Desk Lamp (not halogen)
Waterbeds
Large Laundry Bag
Surge Protectors/Extension Cords
Hot plates, hot pots, electric skillets, toaster ovens, George Foreman Grills, appliances that do not have a automatic shut off for safety
Quarters (to do laundry)
Alcohol
Phone for your Room
Air conditioners/space heaters
Trash Can
This email will contain names of your roommates(s) and their contact information.
Room Decorations
Lofts or cinderblocks to raise furniture
Refrigerator
Candles or incense
Halogen lamps (desk or floor) or “octopus style” lamps
If you don’t receive this email by July 31, please contact the Office of Residential Services.
**Be sure to check with your roommate BEFORE packing. You don’t want to duplicate large items or not have enough space in the room.**
Weapons of any sort (this includes air-soft & BB guns and knives)
(no larger than 4.3 cubic feet/2 amps)
**If these items are brought into the halls, we will ask that they are taken home on move-in day**
First Year Student Mailing Summer 2009 Or FIND US ON FACEBOOK! www.wpi.edu/Admin/RSO Visit our website: Phone: 508-831-5645 Fax: 508-831-5870 E-mail: res-services@wpi.edu
Office of Residential Services 100 Institute Rd Worcester, MA 01609