Category Archives: Announcements

Millersville University Residence Hall Fall Break 2018 Bulletin

The fall break will start after classes on Friday, October 5, 2018.  The residence halls will be available for occupancy during the fall break, but resident students must register intention to stay on campus during the fall break no later than 7:00 p.m. on Thursday October 4, 2018.  This registration is for fall break only.  You must register subsequent breaks separately as the portal becomes available for each break period.

Follow these instructions:

  1. Open MAX (for best results please use Goggle Chrome, or Firefox, do not use Internet Explorer.)
  2. Log into your My-Housing account.
  3. Select “Application” from the menu in black and then choose “Break Housing Fall 2018” on the drop down menu.
  4. Complete the required information. Choose “Fall Break” for this break period.
  5. You must select a reason for requesting break housing from the drop down menu. If you select other, you must explain in the next box.
  6. Select “Continue” to submit your application.

The Residence Hall Staff will conduct Health and Safety Inspections in each residence hall suite at the start of the fall break. Please carefully review the following instructions and information to avoid violations of the Student Code of Conduct for improper maintenance of your residence hall suite/room.

Fall Break Housing Information:

  • The residence halls will be operational during fall break.
  • All University Administrative Offices will be open per normal hours during the fall break on Monday and Tuesday.
  • Guests and Visitation is not permitted during the break.
  • Residence Hall Offices will have limited hours of operation during the break – see front desk for contact information.
  • See Dining Services and Health Services web sites for hours of operation.
  • Students are not required to surrender residence hall keys to the staff prior to leaving for the break.
  • The Housekeeping and Facilities Management Staffs may be working in the campus residence halls to perform maintenance tasks during the break that require entrance to resident rooms.  The Housing Staff may post a courtesy sign on your door indicating that the room is occupied.  This sign will ensure that workers will not enter your room without knocking.  Please leave it in place for the duration of the break.

Fall Break Preparation Procedures:

Prior to the start of the break, all resident students MUST:

  • Dispose of all trash by removing it to the dumpster in the parking lots outside your residence hall.
  • Clean the room/suite including sweeping the floor and wiping down furniture.
  • Clean your bathroom and report any issues with constant run toilets, sinks, showers to the residence hall staff.
  • Remove stale food from your refrigerator and properly dispose of it through proper trash removal
  • If you are leaving for the break, turn off the lights
  • If you are leaving for the break, set the thermostat to 70 degrees
  • If you are leaving for the break, close and lock your room window (Villages)
  • If you are leaving for the break, lower the blinds halfway but leave them open
  • If you are leaving for the break, lock your bedroom door and your suite door
  • If you are leaving for the break please move all items from your residence hall floor, especially computer equipment and any items that can be damaged by flooding.
  • If you are leaving for the break and you have a Learning Services approved animal in your room, you must take the animal with you.  You may not leave animals in the residence hall in the care of another student or staff member.

Residential Student Mail and Package Information

If you are a student living on campus, it is important that your mail is addressed correctly so you receive your letters and packages in a timely manner. To prevent misdelivery of your mail, you will need to have the correct room number and correct building wing letter. Do not add the letter assigned to your bedroom on your mailing address.  The local USPS office’s computer system cannot account for the extra letter on the address. Shenks Hall and Reighard Hall do not have wing letters. The letter “T” before the room number denotes the terrace level of the Villages, which is the lowest floor. Please note that the first and second floor pods in East and West are denoted with the “C” wing letter. Students living in the pods can pick up their mail in the lobby in which their wing is attached to.

Please have your mail addressed in the following manner:

Your Name
Millersville University (Optional)
Room #, Building Wing Letter (if applicable), Building Name
Millersville, PA 17551

Examples:

Barry Allen                                    
Millersville University             
307 B South Village Suites   
Millersville, PA 17551

Harley Quinn
Millersville University
T103 A East Village Suites
Millersville, PA 17551

Wally West                                   
Millersville University             
240 Shenks Hall                      
Millersville, PA 17551

Selina Kyle
Millersville University
100 C  West Village Suites
Millersville, PA 17551

Please understand that there are ceremonial names placed on the Villages facing the quad, which represent the names of previous residence halls named after historical university faculty and administrators (e.g., Gilbert, Hull, Landes, Hobbs, etc.) However, these names are not yet being used in an official capacity so please do not utilize them as part of your mailing address.

Common mistakes that result in misdelivery or non-delivery of mail include the following:

  • No name listed
  • Parent / guardian name as the recipient and not the student
  • No residence hall listed
  • Use of street numbers or street names that are not accurate
  • Use of addresses not approved the USPS
  • Any other campus address that is not in the format listed above

All mail and packages are initially delivered directly to the university mailroom and then to the residence halls. Please allow time for both the university mailroom and the Housing & Residential staff to sort and process your mail. Even though you may see online tracking illustrating that your package has been delivered via USPS, UPS, FedEx, and DHL, it may not have been sorted by the mailroom yet. Please understand that the mailroom personnel sort and manage thousands of packages for the University weekly so we appreciate your patience.

If you should ever have any questions about your mail or the process, please meet with your prospective Residential Area Director or Graduate Assistant during their office hours to seek help.

Fall 2018 Housing Move-In Dates & Information

The Fall 2018 semester is fast approaching so we want you to be prepared for moving into the residence halls on campus. Below are the dates and times that you may move onto campus based upon your specific residence hall assignment and whether you are a new, returning, or transfer student.

These times are specifically created to mediate the flow of traffic and congestion in and around the residence halls due to sheer volume of everyone coming to campus. So we appreciate your cooperation in adhering to this schedule. We look forward to having you here at the ‘Ville!

Please feel free to call our office at (717) 871-4200 if you should have any questions or need further clarification.

Thursday, August 23, 2018 – NEW STUDENTS

East Village and West Village

8:00 am – 9:00 am                Terrace and First Floors

9:00 am – 10:00 am              2nd Floor

10:00 am – 11:00 am           3rd  Floor

11:00 am – 12:00 pm           Trailers

South Village

11 am – 12 pm                       Terrace and First Floors

12 pm – 1:00 pm                    2nd Floor

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm                3rd Floor

2:00 pm – 3:00 pm                4th Floor

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm                Trailers

Reighard and Shenks Halls

9:00 am – 12:00 noon            2nd and 3rd Floors

12:00 noon – 3:00 pm            1st Floor

Saturday, August 25, 2018 – TRANSFERS AND RETURNERS

East and West Villages: 8 am – 12 noon

South Villages: 12 noon – 4 pm

Reighard and Shenks: 12 noon – 4 pm

Sunday, August 26, 2018 – RETURNING STUDENTS

East and West Villages: 8 am – 12 noon

South Villages: 12 noon – 4 pm

Reighard and Shenks: 12 noon – 4 pm

Monday, August 27, 2018

Fall semester classes begin

***Click for additional Fall 2018 and Spring 2019 calendar dates.***

Route & Parking Maps

The links below will open PDF route and parking maps. Please follow the appropriate route for your residence hall:

Black Route – Reighard, Shenks, and West Village

Blue Route – Lehigh (formerly Gilbert Hall)

Green Route – East and South Village

Movers & Shakers Volunteering Opportunity

The Department of Housing & Residential Programs (HARP) is looking for returning students, staff, faculty, and alumni to serve as volunteer  “Movers & Shakers” for move-in help on Thursday, August 23, 2018 from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Additionally, we are seeking volunteers to also help with our transfer student move-in on Saturday, August 25, 2018 from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Movers & Shakers are responsible for meeting and greeting new students, their families, and helping to move students’ belongings into their rooms in the residence halls. Click HERE to find out more.

Early Move-In Requests

Students requesting permission to move in earlier than their regularly scheduled move-in date will be billed accordingly per day prorated for their specific room type for each day that they move in earlier. Students will NOT be permitted to move in earlier than 6:00 PM on Sunday, August 19th due to summer camp and conference occupancy and the need for the custodial team to clean all of the rooms.

Specific arrangements need to be made with your Residential Area Director (RAD) prior to being permitted to move in early:

East Village – Mike Davis

Reighard & Shenks Halls – Matt Rutkoski

South Village – Becka Yerger

West Village – Julia Collett

Fall 2018 Housing Move-In “Movers & Shakers” Volunteers Needed

The Department of Housing & Residential Programs (HARP) is looking for returning students, staff, faculty, and alumni to serve as volunteer  “Movers & Shakers” for move-in help on Thursday, August 23, 2018 from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Additionally, we are seeking volunteers to also help with our transfer student move-in on Saturday, August 25, 2018 from 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Movers & Shakers are responsible for meeting and greeting new students, their families, and helping to move students’ belongings into their rooms in the residence halls.

Student Movers & Shakers will be required to attend a short instructional meeting on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 at 8:00 PM in the Great Room of South Village.

Benefits of being a volunteer “Mover & Shaker” includes the following responsibilities and benefits:

  • Volunteers can move in early on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 between 6:00 – 7:30 PM.
  • A free limited edition t-shirt to identify yourself as a “Mover & Shaker”
  • Free continental breakfast served on Thursday and Saturday mornings
  • Free lunch served on Thursday afternoon
  • Students who help on both Thursday and Saturday will receive a special Millersville University promotional item (last year we gave out messenger bags)
  • The opportunity to be a servant leader and welcome new students and their families to Millersville University!

*** Students: Please note that if you sign up, move into the residence halls early as a Mover & Shaker, and do not participate as promised, you will be billed accordingly for the early move-in period as well as the cost of the t-shirt. 

If you would like to help, please visit the following page to sign-up:

https://bit.ly/2K6G3aH

This is an exciting opportunity as it brings our University community together to celebrate the beginning of the new academic year. We hope you’ll be a part of this great tradition!

 

HARP Staff Proudly Participates in 2018 Regional Entry Level Institute (RELI)

2018 MACUHO / NEACUHO RELI

Dr. Scott M. Helfrich and Residential Area Director Rebekah Yerger participated in the 2018 Regional Entry Level Institute (RELI) at Penn State Harrisburg as offered by the Mid-Atlantic College & University Housing Officers (MACUHO) and Northeast College & University Housing Officers (NEACUHO) professional organizations. Dr. Helfrich served as a faculty member, and Rebekah was a first-time participant.

The Regional Entry Level Institute is an intensive professional development seminar featuring a range of activities for entry-level professionals who aspire to mid-level positions in residence life and beyond. To ensure the intended learning environment, only 28 RELI participants are accepted each year. Participants will be placed into small groups and assigned a faculty member who will provide individual advice, support and suggestions for future professional growth.

This year’s competencies were based on the Association of College & University Housing Officers -International (ACUHO-I) Body of Knowledge:

  • Crisis Management
  •  Evaluation & Planning
  • Facilities Management
  • Fiscal Resources & Control
  • Human Resources
  • Occupancy & Operations
  • Resident Education & Student Behavior
  • Additional mini-sessions were presented on Professional Development, Ancillary Partnerships, and Campus Politics

Dr. Helfrich presented on Facilities Management and was able to share lessons learned from his experience with housing facilities operations at four different universities, including his time here at Millersville University. He also shared his knowledge on student housing public-private partnerships (P3) given he is known as a thought-leader in the industry on this topic.  Millersville University’s suite-style housing exists due to a public-private partnership between the University and Student Service, Inc. (SSI).

Rebekah enjoyed her time as a participant as she was able to expand her knowledge about the housing and residence life professional while interacting with colleagues from around the region:

“At RELI, I really learned a lot about different core competencies that housing and residence life professionals use all over the world. The best thing about this conference was the opportunity to network in a small setting. Now I have the confidence to attend larger conferences and not feel as if I don’t know anyone. It was interesting to hear the perspectives of professionals that work at differing institutions like NYU, UConn, Berkelee College of Music, and so many others. After this conference, I plan on focusing my attention on staff team dynamics and how to best set up my RAs for success, both academically and within HARP.”

Housing Residency Requirement (*Updated University Policy*)

Millersville University Housing & Residential Programs

On April 24, 2018, the University Cabinet approved an updated version of the Housing Residency Requirement for Millersville University students. This post serves as an overview of the policy. You should refer to the full policy by clicking HERE.

Students who have not completed 60-credit hours are required to live on campus for the full term of their housing agreement. On-campus housing is defined as residing in one of the following residence halls: East Village, Reighard Hall, Shenks Hall, South Village, and the West Village. Students are obligated to the full term of their housing agreement regardless of the credit hours completed.

Students not fulfilling their obligation to the on-campus residency requirement without an approved waiver, will be billed accordingly for the cost of housing and a meal plan at the current rate for a double suite in the Villages and a 19-meal per week meal plan.

Any student who wishes to request a waiver of the Millersville University Residency Requirement may obtain a waiver request form online through the students’ MAX account. All waiver requests will be considered in accordance with the Millersville University policy’s intent to maximize the educational process.
The various waiver conditions include the following (all waiver requests will require supplemental documentation for verification):
  • Married students
  • Withdrawing from Millersville University
  • Approved leave of absence
  • Study abroad
  • Students providing direct care for a legal dependent
  • Students already in possession of a baccalaureate degree or a non-traditional aged student
  • Students residing with a parent or court-appointed legal guardian at that person’s permanent home address who is commuting fewer than 40 miles one way
  • Students, who have not yet completed 60-credit hours but have completed at least 30-credit hours, can apply for a waiver to live in affiliate housing provided that space is available. Affiliate housing is defined as any housing managed by Student Lodging, Inc. (SLI).

Any specific questions about the Housing Residence Requirement can be directed to the Department of Housing & Residential programs at (717) 871-4200 or Housing@millersville.edu.

Housing & Residential Programs Celebrates RA Success

We want to say congratulations to the amazing Resident Assistant Staff! The RA’s of the East Villages, South Villages, West Villages, Shenks, and Reighard are to be commended. The Department of Housing and Residential Programs hosted its annual RA Banquet on Sunday, April 14th, 2018. The senior staff of Housing & Residential Programs hosts this annual banquet to recognize the RA staff for their accomplishments and hard work. The RA’s have offered so much to the Millersville campus community, from their willingness to solve conflicts as well as the development of amazing programs throughout the residence halls. We find it necessary to place them into a cohesive, uplifting, and engaging environment.

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“It was a fun one last time together as a staff. It was well put on and a great wrap-up to the end of the year.” —Sienna Rankin-Wahlers 20180415_182237

Camille Christiansen and Zach Whelpley acceped the “Outstanding New RA” and “Outstanding Returning RA” Awards. Camille is a Junior Biology major. Zach Welpley is a Junior Computer Science major heading into his senior year.

“I was surprised and excited! I honestly wasn’t expecting it all. I know that I work hard to support and be there for the residents in the building, but there are so many other RA’s who really are amazing and that I look up to. It also felt really nice being recognized because sometimes it seems like we work behind the scenes.” —Camille Christiansen

20180415_181153Residential Area Director Rebekah Yerger with Resident Assistant of East Villages, Alexis Nunes, who accepts The Dr. Clyde S & Pauline F. Stine Endowed Scholarship. The Stine Award is given annually to a continuing Resident Assistant member of the junior class. The successful applicant must have a record of demonstrated outstanding service and positive contributions to the Department of Housing & Residential Programs and the general campus community. Alexis is a sophomore Early Childhood / Special Education major with a minor in STEM . Congratulations, Alexis!

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.” —Dr. Suess (East RA Staff 2017-2018)

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RA’s Sam Reams, Gabby Reed, Rick Penn, Simone Terrell, and Abby Musser (not pictured) are accepting the Global Perspective Pillar Program for their “Interracial Dating” program. These RA’s opened a forum to discuss interracial dating hoping to inspire different perspectives about dating. This event  featured guests from the Black Student Union. This award is given to those who planned and executed an event for residents to develop relationships with others. This program must also prepare residents to become informed global citizens by appreciating differences, communicate in a personal setting, promote community, and integrate knowledge in everyday experiences. Congratulations, South Village!

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RA Natalie Hertzog accepting the Personal Perspective Pillar Program Award for her “Not Fooling Me” program. This award is given to those who planned and executed an event for residents to further their individual growth by making responsible and ethical decisions, developing a sense of self, utilizing effective time management, managing one health’s resolving conflict, and developing leadership skills. This program discussed body positivity and how social media can affect it. Residents were given rocks to color to as a reminder of self-love. Congratulations, Natalie! 20180415_181830

RA Zach Whelpley accepted the Academic Perspective Pillar Program Award for his program “Stargazing.”  This award is given to those who planned and executed an event for residents to successfully navigate the collegiate experience. The program also must provide residents with critical thinking skills, a value life-long learning, and academic competency. This program allowed residents to learn how to set up a telescope, discover a method for star navigation, differentiating between stars, planets, and clusters, and even discussed the human impact on the environment. Congratulations, Zach!

The senior staff of Housing & Residential Programs are very proud of each RA and hope to see continued success and growth for each of you. You all will always have a place in Housing & Residential Programs. The hope is that you continue to inspire, impact, and engage individuals who are ready and willing to learn!

Include Your Voice in MU Student Health Data!

Student Health, something that we all sometimes neglect in the midst of taking on life. More often than not we find ourselves just barely hanging on to the grips of college and breezing by. But it goes without saying, we leave ourselves vulnerable to the misinformation about student health and campus health.

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But that can change! Beginning today there is an active survey that will make your voice heard. Upon completing the survey about Student Health, you can be 1 out of 5 student winners. The student(s) will win a $50 gift card from the University Store. If you check your email periodically, you will see an email titled: Include Your Voice in MU Student Health Data. This email will be sent from The American College Health Association. The survey will be active from April 15th, 2018 until April 29th, 2018.

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Now is this time to have your voice heard! Use this PDF below as a resource for any outstanding questions you may have. Enjoy your weekend in good health!

MU CHEP_Student Health Survey Poster_HR_4.03

 

Right Now It’s April, but soon It’s Gonna Be May!

We are now in April, but what does that mean exactly? We find ourselves scrambling to get ourselves together mentally, physically, and socially. It takes a lot to get through the semester—with all the tests, quizzes, no sleep, calling your parents, and keeping a balanced diet. Trying to keep all of these factors in line, it is difficult to think about how the days pass and what you have to do to stay on top of your life.

Its Gonna Be May

April is crunch time. You submit those final papers, beg your professors to turn that 68 into a 90, and hope that we will finally see Spring weather. Whatever the case may be, with all those present worries, it is hard to make time for yourself and step away from school. But there are ways you can move past this April slump and make the best of May with the following tips and tricks to conquer Spring semester!

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  1. When studying, study with a friend so they can help you succeed!
  2. Don’t let the stress, stress you out.
  3. Get a planner and plan ahead for upcoming events.
  4. Take time for yourself; self-care is important.
  5. Get some gains, go to the gym and exercise.
  6. DO NOT PROCRASTINATE
  7. Get your rest and count those sheep!
  8. Make sure you stop and breathe—breathing helps you stay alive.
  9. Distract yourself with family and friends, they can be a great resource.
  10. Counseling is a good resource for a stress-free environment.

There are always resources readily available to students who feel the overwhelming amounts of stress this time around. These tips and tricks can really keep a student calm in the midst of chaos and the seemingly unbearable stress. Millersville’s Center for Counseling & Human Development also offers tips to deal with stress and ways to manage it. http://www.millersville.edu/counsel/  This link will connect you to available resources if you find yourself looking for that additional help to free yourself from the burden of stress. Look to the future, knowing that you are not alone even with May slowly approaching! There is always someone there to help!

 

Summer Conference Assistant! Accepting Applications Now!

 Housing and Residential Programs is interviewing Millersville University students for employment as Summer Conference Assistants during the summer conference season this year.  The Summer Conference Assistants are employees of the Housing and Residential Programs Office hired for the summer to assist with check-in and checkout of guests/groups on campus during the summer who are attending camps and conferences on campus sponsored by the University or outside vendors.
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These employees are responsible for room key distribution and collection, room checks before and after groups, answering questions about the campus and providing directions to locations on campus and in the local community and very detailed and accurate record keeping for billing purposes.  The work can be very fast paced with large numbers of arrivals and departures over short periods of time.  Ability to keep accurate legible hand written records, engage with campus visitors, and work in a team approach is essential.  The SCA staff is also responsible for providing assistance to summer school housing in the residence hall including the enforcement of University and Residence Hall policy.  The successful candidate must be available to work varying shifts weekdays and weekends.  Scheduling can be short notice and is subject to change to accommodate the changing conference schedule.

If you are interested in meeting and greeting our summer clientele and learning more about the campus this summer, you may find this to be a very good opportunity and the BEST SUMMER JOB EVER!

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Pick up an application at the Housing and Residential Programs Office in the Lombardo Welcome  Center during regular business hours weekdays 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or download the application packet from the Housing & Residential Programs department website at http://www.millersville.edu/housing/files/SCAAppforHarp2018.pdf