Assignment Queue for 20/21 returning and transfer student applications is available

As of Thursday, February 27^th, UNT Housing has transitioned to an Assignment Queue for returning and transfer upperclassman student housing applications.

On that date, any incomplete returning upperclassmen applications were purged from the system to allow a fresh start within the AQ process.  Notification were sent to students whose application was deleted. 

To complete an Assignment Queue application, login to eHousing, Apply for Housing for Fall 2020/Spring 2021 and you will be directed to the Fall 2020 Assignment Queue.  The Assignment Queue allows you to complete a housing application without making a hall/room type selection.  Doing so will establish a position on the AQ based on the date and time that you complete the process with an application payment.

I’m interested in living on campus but what exactly is the Assignment Queue?

At the point it is activated, the Assignment Queue will be the opportunity for students that had not yet completed an application with a hall and room-type preference to put themselves on the list for possible assignment in to remaining spaces.  By completing the application and making their housing pre-payment (and application fee as applicable), you will be placed on the Assignment Queue and will be assigned during the summer as we have space to do so.

Some important things to note about the AQ:

1. The AQ application does not allow you to specify a hall or room type preference. 
   • At the point you reach the top of the AQ, you will be assigned to the next space that is available for use. 
2. The AQ application requires full payment of the pre-payment and housing application fee in order to take your spot in line on the actual AQ. 
   • You won’t be assigned a number on the AQ until you make the payment to complete your application
3. Students can review their position and progress on the AQ through the Assignment Queue Status link in eHousing. 
   • Once you complete the application, you will be able to find out where you fall in line on the AQ.
4. Students that want to cancel an AQ application must contact Housing to do so. 
   • If you decide to secure off-campus housing, it is your responsibility to contact UNT Housing to cancel your AQ application and avoid assignment to a room assigned. Housing will discuss the refund process individually with students that wish to cancel from the AQ. 

While we hope to be able to accommodate everyone, there is a possibility that not all returning and transfer students that complete an AQ application will be able to be assigned to Housing for the coming year.  

For more than 40 years, UNT policy has required on-campus residency for first-year students to allow new students to engage with UNT in many important ways. In anticipation of the continued growth of the freshman class for Fall 2020, Housing has allocated adequate bed space to continue to meet the residency requirement. 

UNT has not changed any policy regarding the housing of upperclassmen on campus for the Fall 2020/Spring 2021 application period. Bed space allocation and room-type availability decisions have been made to meet the anticipated freshmen demands for the coming academic year.

As demand for bed spaces for freshmen has increased, the bed space availability for upperclassmen has consequently decreased. 

All students continue to apply for housing in the same manner as before, according to their student classification (first-year student, returning student, transfer student). Housing will soon make the Assignment Queue available for returning students that wish to apply. 

We understand that the limited availability of upperclassman space is not an ideal situation for some of our returning students.  UNT works closely with the Denton off-campus housing market and devotes time and resources to helping students obtain off-campus housing. 

The revamped Off-Campus Housing Source is available to explore the Denton off-campus housing market. 

eHousing Waiting Room

So the Housing Application process runs smoothly, we have measures in place to manage the number of simultaneous users in eHousing.  As peak usage occurs for eHousing, you may find yourself in the eHousing Waiting Room.  Think of it like getting ready to purchase concert tickets or taking a number at a classy deli.  

Here is what you can expect: 

1. You will be assigned a place in the line when you initally arrive at eHousing. 
2. The number will decrease as you wait. 
   • The page will auto-refresh on a regular interval to update your place in line.
3. Once you reach the front of the line, you will be able to log in to eHousing.  

It is important to keep the browser window open to maintain your Waiting Room session.  You do not need to refresh the browser to progress toward getting to the front of the line.  

We understand that everyone wants to make their housing arrangements as soon as possible and appreciate the patience that is necessary to ensure that eHousing can deliver that service as intended.  

Thanks, 

UNT HOUSING

In January 2015, UNT received a directive from the State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) to examine the bathroom locks in all residential bathrooms to determine if the locks met National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code requirements for Hotels and Dormitories and if locks existed that did not meet those requirements a solution to eliminate the possibility of a person becoming trapped in the bathroom was required.  UNT conducted an evaluation of its residence hall bathroom facilities and found that our suite bathroom locks did not meet the NFPA code and we began the process to address the SFMO directive. 

UNT explored many alternatives to the bathroom door hardware and was unable to find any that met the NFPA code requirements and provided feasible individual room security.  Additionally, UNT was told that the State Fire Marshall's office was not aware of a locking alternative that would meet fire code directive and be approved.  Ultimately, UNT decided that removal of the bathroom locks on all suited bathroom doors was the only solution to comply with the State Fire Marshall’s directive.  UNT as well as every major university housing operation we have contacted have implemented similar steps to remove non-compliant locks. 

The process to remove all suite bathroom locking hardware began in the late summer of 2015 and was completed in all residence halls during the fall 2015 semester.  

UNT and UNT Housing remain committed to resident safety, security, wellbeing and success through numerous layers and measures of support.  Students should use this as an opportunity to engage their suite-mates in a dialog about how to develop boundaries, shared respect and measures to secure the privacy, safety, and security of all students and their friends who are sharing a suite.  College should teach our students the skills they need to meet new and different people, engage in meaningful communication, resolve differences, and negotiate shared solutions.  UNT Housing staff is encouraging these discussions through RA wing and Hall meetings and are trained and prepared to facilitate these discussions as well as mediate and resolve suite-mate issues.  

UNT and UNT Housing do not condone individual measures for residents to circumvent the State Fire Marshall's directive. Any such actions, if known to UNT Housing will result in judicial action from UNT Housing and if actions persist, University judicial sanctions.  Measures for residents to circumvent the State Fire Marshall's directive could potentially subject residents to further legal liability if their action were to cause harm to one of their suite-mates. 

UNT can allow students to utilize safety alarms on bathroom doors that do not impede the ability to exit the bathroom space but provide an audible alert upon entry of the bedroom space from the bathroom.  Students can find acceptable options at many retail locations and through online consumer sites – a generic search result for "door alarm" will produce several reasonably priced options for consideration. 

Students or parents with concerns may contact Housing Administration at housinginfo@unt.edu