Housing & Residence Education
SW 13th Street & Museum Road
PO Box 112100
Gainesville, FL 32611-2100
Phone: (352) 392-2161
>> Introduction
Welcome to Graduate and Family Housing at the University of Florida! You are now a member of one of the most diverse and interesting communities found anywhere in the world. International students and their families constitute over half of the Graduate and Family Housing or Village population. Students and families living in the villages come from more than 75 different countries. In addition, Graduate and Family Housing residents participate in almost every academic program offered by the University of Florida.
Your village management team is composed of students and spouses like yourself. They are committed to making your experience in the community comfortable, convenient, and safe. The village offices are open each weekday in the afternoons and on Saturday mornings. A variety of programs/events are offered to help build a community that celebrates diversity and educates all residents about a healthy and balanced lifestyle. We encourage you to get involved in your community and participate in the many opportunities to meet other people.
An important part of each village community is the student governing organization or commission. The commission, led by the Mayor, is a community leadership organization and is comprised of residents who want to be a part of the decision-making process concerning the quality of life in the villages.
Please read through this Resident Guide completely. It will answer many of the questions you have about being a village resident. All residents should be familiar with this booklet (it is part of your rental agreement) and part of the University of Florida Student Conduct Code (available on line at http://www.dso.ufl.edu).
If you have any questions or concerns about Graduate and Family Housing, contact your village management team or the full-time staff at the Housing Office. We wish you success at the University of Florida!
Sincerely,
Rena Buchan Assistant Director of Housing for Graduate and Family Housing
Welcome Letter from the Mayor's Council
On behalf of Mayors' Council, we would like to welcome you to the University of Florida and Graduate and Family Housing. We imagine you are now asking yourself, "Just exactly what is Mayors' Council?"
Mayors' Council is a registered, student organization supported by the Department of Housing and Residence Education and designed to represent the unique viewpoints of Graduate and Family Housing residents. We are your true voice in Student Government. Our goal is to meet your community needs as students, residents, spouses, and parents so that your time here at the University of Florida will be a success.
Mayors' Council consists of a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and one Mayor from each of the five villages, all of whom are elected annually. We meet once a month to discuss issues and make decisions that directly concern all of us as students and residents. For example, each student pays "taxes"—better known as Activity and Service Fees—which are included with your tuition bill, and part of which go to support Student Government. Each year, Mayors' Council solicits funds from Student Government to support programs and services designed specifically for you as residents. In the past, these funds have paid for tennis courts, canoes, playground equipment, sports equipment, ice machines, and many social and educational programs such as Village Olympics and a variety of other activities.
In order to keep you informed throughout the year, we encourage you to look for Mayors' Council news and announcements posted on your village bulletin boards, in The Villager, and on the Mayors’ Council web site and village list servers. In addition, each Mayor conducts monthly meetings in each village. Remember, we want to be an effective forum for your needs and ideas, so please feel free to contact your Mayor with your questions and suggestions.
We are very excited about the programs, activities, and opportunities that come our way each year and we hope you will join us in making our communities a success. Again, we warmly welcome each one of you to our family. Welcome Home and Go Gators!
From the Mayors of Graduate and Family Housing
About the Dept. of Housing & Residence Education
The Department of Housing and Residence Education is an auxiliary department of the University of Florida Division Of Student Affairs. The Department of Housing and Residence Education is responsible for maintaining facilities and providing programming in support of on-campus residential communities. Nearly 7,000 students live in five undergraduate residence hall areas. Over 1,000 students, many with spouses and children, live in 980 apartments that are arranged in five Graduate and Family Housing communities.
The central office of the Department of Housing and Residence Education is located at the corner of Museum Road and Southwest 13 Street next to Beaty Towers. This office can provide information about the Graduate and Family Housing application process, checking in and checking out, billing, programming, and policies and procedures. Efficient and quality service is provided through this office to our residents through close coordination with the Department of Housing and Residence Education's Maintenance Department and Custodial Services.
The Department of Housing and Residence Education office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The office is closed on Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. For more information, please write or call:
Graduate and Family Housing Office
University of Florida
Department of Housing and Residence Education
P. O. Box 112100
Gainesville, FL 32611-2100
Phone: (352) 392-2161 (VOICE/TDD)
Fax: (352) 392-6819
email: houinfo@housing.ufl.edu
Graduate and Family Housing Staff
The Graduate and Family Housing office has a staff of 4 full-time employees and several part-time student assistants. All offices in the Department of Housing and Residence Education office are open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Assistant Director of Housing for Graduate and Family HousingThe Assistant Director of Housing (ADH) for Graduate and Family Housing is responsible for all aspects of the Graduate And Family Housing areas, including staff supervision, community development and facilities. The ADH serves as the central source of communication among the residents, the staff in each area, and the Department of Housing and Residence Education. The ADH works closely with the Department of Housing and Residence Education’s Custodial and Maintenance departments to support their efforts in the communities. The ADH is supervised by the Associate Director of Housing for Residence Life and Education.
Residence Life Coordinator – Graduate and Family HousingThe Residence Life Coordinator – Graduate and Family Housing (RLC) is responsible for supervising the Corry Community management teams and supporting the development of a sense of community in the five areas. The overall aim of the Residence Life Coordinator is to work with residents and staff to provide programs and services that enhance the quality of life for residents of all ages. The RLC is supervised by the Assistant Director of Housing for Graduate and Family Housing .
Both the ADH and the RLC work closely with residents to create a living-learning environment founded on a wellness model that incorporates social, physical, intellectual, cultural, emotional, and spiritual components for a more balanced, holistic lifestyle.
Residence DirectorThe Residence Director (RD) position is a full-time professional staff member of the Department of Housing and Residence Education. S/he has the responsibility for a housing area consisting of 208-350 apartments and for which s/he coordinates various aspects of community life. The RD has supervisory responsibility over 3-5 Community Assistants (CA) and several office assistants
The overall objective of this position is to develop and promote a positive environment for the residents of the village communities. To that end, s/he will coordinate community development activities for the village communities. S/he will share monthly on call responsibilities with the staff.
The RD is directly responsible to and supervised by the Assistant Director Graduate and Family Housing). The RD also works closely with the Residence Life Coordinator Program and the Program Assistant in the Graduate and Family Housing Office.
Program Assistant
The Program Assistant oversees the business operations of the Graduate and Family Housing office. These operations include maintaining the computer database, managing the waiting list, and completing procedures for apartment assignments and billing, among others. The Program Assistant supervises the Senior Fiscal Assistant, the Senior Clerk, and two student assistants. The ADH supervises this position.
Senior Fiscal AssistantThe Senior Fiscal Assistant coordinates the clerical and accounting workflow for assignments, billing, and final debits and/or credits when residents vacate apartments. The Senior Fiscal Assistant processes applications, maintains the waiting list, and assigns apartments.
Senior ClerkThe Senior Clerk provides written and verbal information to prospective and current residents while supporting the clerical and accounting functions of the office.
All five of these full-time employees are dedicated to providing exemplary customer service to our global clientele. We are fortunate to be supported in these efforts by a diverse group of outstanding student assistants.
Village Management Teams
A part-time staff composed of residents (most of whom are students themselves) is available in each community to assist residents with routine matters during regular office hours (daily except Sundays and holidays). They also are available to assist residents when emergency situations arise.
All staff members live in the village where they work. They pay rent and utilities, have academic responsibilities, and may have family responsibilities like any other resident. As representatives of the Department of Housing and Residence Education and employees of the State of Florida, they are expected to treat all residents with respect and dignity, regardless of race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, physical ability, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or religious affiliation, while upholding the policies of the Department of Housing and Residence Education and the University of Florida.
In turn, residents are likewise expected to interact with staff in a civil, respectful manner. Profanity, hate speech, aggression, or other inappropriate behaviors directed toward Department of Housing and Residence Education staff will not be tolerated and may result in sanctions ranging from a written reprimand that becomes part of the student’s official record to eviction from Graduate and Family Housing.
Resident Manager
Resident Manager (RM) is a full-time student and part-time employee of the Department of Housing and Residence Education. They are responsible for addressing residents' needs through supervision of staff, administration of office procedures, and serving as a liaison to the Graduate and Family Housing office.
Community Assistant
The Community Assistant position in the Graduate and Family Housing Communities has been designed to serve as a resource for the residents and a liaison between the residents and the Department of Housing and Residence Education. In their role, the Community Assistant will provide the much needed staff presence, visibility and intentionality in community enhancement. They will be able to assist in not only planning and implementing social educational and recreational programs but also assist the Residence Director and Residence Life Coordinator for Graduate and Family Housing with developing a programming model which will be imperative in responding to the needs of this very unique population. Physical presence, visibility and residence in the community will help in providing much needed role modeling, participation by staff in local events and a much more prompt response in terms of crisis intervention or emergency response. This position is a 1 calendar year commitment with reappointment based on performance appraisal. Individuals must be able to invest approximately 20 hours a week to job needs - some of which may be scheduled time.
Pool Assistants and Pool Monitors
Tanglewood has two outdoor swimming pools; Maguire has one. Residents from all five villages are welcome to enjoy these pools, as well as others located in the undergraduate residence hall areas. Each year from April to October residents in Tanglewood and Maguire are employed part-time to maintain the water quality and other physical aspects of the pools (pool assistants) and to oversee the appropriate use of the pools by residents and their guests (pool monitor).
Position openings are usually publicized with flyers as well as advertisements in The Villager and/or local newspapers. Qualified residents are encouraged to apply for these positions. Position descriptions and application forms are available in your village office. For information about employment as a Security Assistant, contact the Department of Housing and Residence Education Residence Life and Education office (392-2161).
While these positions may not relate directly to an academic major or previous work experience, they permit residents to demonstrate to prospective U. S. employers in all fields that they are capable of working and communicating with a very diverse population. They also provide an excellent opportunity to improve fluency in speaking and writing in English. Contact your Resident Manager for more information.
A variety of facilities and services are available for students and other family members living with disabilities. Students with disabilities who require adapted facilities or services, or the installation of assistive equipment, should contact the Graduate and Family Housing office in writing as soon as possible to document their disability and subsequent needs or requests. Students with disabilities must meet standard guidelines used in determining eligibility for housing.
Students with Physical Disabilities: Every reasonable effort will be made to accommodate students with physical disabilities who request housing assignments to areas not presently accessible.
Students with Print-Related Disabilities: Upon request, students with print-related disabilities may request Department of Housing and Residence Education publications in alternate formats. Contact the Graduate and Family Housing Office.
Students with Hearing or Speech Disabilities: The Florida Relay Service will assist students with hearing or speech disabilities communicate with others. The Relay Service serves as a communication link by passing along messages between communicating parties. Contact the Florida Relay Service at 1-800-955-8771 (TDD). For more information, call 1-800-955-8013 (VOICE/TDD) or (352) 392-2161 (VOICE/TDD) directly.
For information about academic services for students with disabilities, see "Office for Students with Disabilities" in the section on Campus Programs and Services.
In 1996, the U. S. federal government established new guidelines that required residential property managers to provide renters with information regarding the existence of lead-based paint in units built before 1978. When residents check-in, they will receive a brochure entitled Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home and a disclosure statement.
The disclosure statement indicates that the University of Florida has no records, no reports, and no knowledge of lead-based paint or lead-based paint hazards in Graduate and Family Housing apartments. The Department of Housing and Residence Education has used only lead-free paint for at least the past ten years.
| © University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Updated: July 24, 2008 |
For questions, comments or problems related to this page please contact: Rena Buchan |
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