Room Assignments

Learning who you’re going to live with and where can be one of the most exciting parts of getting ready to come to UW-Milwaukee.

Students Entering in Fall/Semester I

Beginning in the Fall a year prior to enrollment, we will begin releasing University Housing online contracts on a rolling basis via email, as well as mail a copy of the Contract Guidebook to each student who has been admitted to UW-Milwaukee for the following Fall. You’ll have the chance to tell us if there is a specific person you’d like to be your roommate, as well as a number of things to help us find a roommate for you if you don’t have one in mind. You’ll also have the chance to give us your preference about room type, etc.

University Housing assigns residents utilizing the students’ computer-assigned lottery number, their indicated preferences, and the space available at the time of assignment. University Housing assigns residents at multiple points throughout the summer starting with the first batch in mid-May. Application to a Living Learning Community (LLC) is considered a primary preference and supersedes all other preferences. University Housing reserves the right to assign students as needed to ensure required occupancy levels within the buildings. The inability of University Housing to honor assignment preferences does not void the contract.

University Housing reserves the sole right to assign or reassign rooms and does not discriminate in such room assignments based on age, ancestry, arrest or conviction record, color, disability, gender identity/expression, veteran status, marital status, national origin, pregnancy, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

New residents receive their room assignments and their roommates’ contact information via their Housing Portal account from University Housing in early June. Assignments will be continued to be released on a rolling basis.

Students Entering in Spring/Semester II

Beginning in late October, we will release University Housing online contracts on a rolling basis via email, as well as mail a copy of the Contract Guidebook to each student who has been admitted to UW-Milwaukee for the following Spring. You’ll have the chance to tell us if there is a specific person you’d like to be your roommate, as well as a number of things to help us find you a roommate if you don’t have one in mind. You’ll also have the chance to give us your preference about room type, etc.

New residents receive their room assignments and their roommates’ contact information via their Housing Portal from University Housing starting in December. Assignments will continue to be released on a rolling basis.

Room Accommodations

UWM new and current students with a documented disability or medical condition which requires special accommodation or modification to a University Housing facility (accessible shower, doorbells with light flashers, Braille signs, etc.) should apply for a Housing Accommodation online at uwm.edu/arc/apply. You will be prompted to sign in with your UWM credentials and complete the applications. You will be able to upload documentation when filling out the application. You may also submit documentation either by email (archelp@uwm.edu) or by fax (414-229-2237). The Housing Accommodation Review Committee meets weekly to discuss accommodation application requests and decision letters are sent to the email address on file.

If you do not have an ePanther ID

If you are a non-UWM resident of University Housing that is requesting accommodation for your stay on-campus, please select the “Accommodation Information Request Form” button at uwm.edu/arc/apply to submit a request for information about housing accommodations at UWM. You may also contact University Housing directly at housing@uwm.edu. Please indicate if you are part of a specific camp, conference group, or intern center when you submit your request.

Room Change Process

While you are able to make a request for a change to your room assignment during the summer, University Housing has limited space to honor all space change requests and cannot guarantee a change will occur during the summer months. We encourage residents to enter the academic year with an open mind and give their room assignments a try. After the summer room change period is complete, a room freeze will occur until the third week of the semester.

During the academic year, residents must meet with their Resident Assistant to discuss their interest in changing rooms. Your Residence Life Coordinator will make the final decision to grant any room changes. You may change rooms only with prior written authorization from your Residence Life Coordinator. Unauthorized room changes or failure to move out of a room at a designated time may result in being required to move back to your authorized assignment and/or disciplinary action. Changes between residence halls are granted only in limited/special circumstances and are at the discretion of the Assistant Director for Business Administration.

Dining Plan Changes due to Room Changes

If a requested room/Residence Hall change is granted and results in a resident moving from a Residence Hall where the Anytime Dining Plan is not required, to a Residence where it is, the resident will be required to select a dining plan. If a resident fails to do so, the default Gold Plan will be selected for them. The relevant dining plan-related fees will be prorated based on the approved change date.

If a resident moves from a Residence Hall where the Anytime Dining Plan is required to one where it is not, the resident may only change dining plan levels or unenroll from the Anytime Dining Plan if they submit a Dining Plan Change form by the relevant deadlines detailed in the Contract Guidebook.

Waitlist

If you are seeking to be added to a waitlist for a specific room type within your building you will also need to see your Residence Life Coordinator to be added to this waitlist. The waitlist will start the third week of the semester as well.

What if my roommate moves out?

If a resident’s roommate leaves during the course of the year, residents have a few different options.

  1. You may ask someone from your floor/house or building to move in with you, or you may choose to move in with someone elsewhere on your floor/house or building.  If you wish to know who else may be in a similar situation, please visit University Housing, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm as we have a list of everyone who is alone in a double room.
  2. Depending on occupancy rates throughout University Housing, the department (at its discretion) may contact you about a buyout. If you are offered a buyout, you could choose to buy out the vacant half of your room and pay the buyout rate, essentially turning it into a very large single bedroom (still with the furniture for two people).  This buyout would be for the remainder of the contract period. You can do this by notifying housing@uwm.edu.
  3. You may decide that you do not prefer either of the above options.  If this is the case, you may choose to stay in your present room, where you have no roommate, and continue paying your current room rate.  However, if you choose this option, please be aware that if a new student moves into the building, your room may be one of the first rooms assigned.  If you choose this option, you must live in your room on only one half of the room – leaving the other half open at all times for your potential new roommate.  Every attempt will be made to notify you in advance that someone is moving into your room; however, it is possible that someone will move in without your knowledge.

Consolidation

University Housing reserves the right to consolidate room assignments based on vacancies.

Room Assignments for Returning Residents

Beginning in January, we will release University Housing online contracts to all current residence hall students.  Returners will have the option to complete their online housing contract for the following academic year. In March, returners will then have the opportunity to participate in Returner Self Assignment, self-selecting their own room and building, roommate, and suitemates for the following year. If a returning resident chooses not to self-assign they will be assigned using the same process for new students.