Summer housing deadline approaching

While many students are in the midst of bustling around and wrapping up what is left of the school year, others are signing up for summer classes at IU. Whether students are trying to cram in a few necessary credit hours to graduate on time or hang around to take a few classes and enjoy the summer season in Bloomington, housing is an inevitable concern among students planning to stay for the summer.\nThe Residential Programs and Services (RPS) provides an on-campus residence hall for students registered for at least one credit hour during Summer Session I or II or have an acceptable affiliation with an IU department or program. \nTeresa Rivera, associate director for RPS, said this year students can occupy Eigenmann Hall during the summer. The renovated rooms and several of the standard rooms have lofted beds. \nThe prices of the rooms vary by session. Students can choose between a standard single, a standard double, a renovated single or a renovated double. A meal plan also is required and costs $360 for the first summer session and $542 for the second summer session.\n"This is a great opportunity for students because they can stay for either summer session or both," Rivera said.\nStudents who are interested in living in Eigenmann should visit the RPS Web site at www.rps.indiana.edu/housingsummer.html to download the summer housing application, she said. Here students can rate the type of room they prefer and request a roommate.\nRivera said students should fill out the forms and return them to the circle desk at any dorm on campus by April 4. The housing assignment contracts will be mailed early in April.\n"The number of summer session students varies from year to year," Rivera said. "Generally there are a little more students in Summer Session I than Summer Session II."\nShe said last year there were about 350-400 students living in dorms the first summer session. In the second summer session, the resident total dropped to about 200-350 students. \nKathryn Wolf, a housing assistant during the 2003-2004 school year and summer, helped check in groups and camps that came through IU for summer. She was also available throughout the week if any problems arose in the building. \n"The best part of living in the dorms during the summer was being close to my job on campus," Wolf said.\nRivera feels living in the dorms during the summer sessions is not only convenient but also helps students. \n"Because summer sessions are a little more compact with information in a small amount of time, it generally makes for a more hectic time," Rivera said. "Living in the dorm is convenient -- all you have to do is sign a contract, move in, and you're done." \nAside from the dorms, there are a limited number of apartments available for those with families, couples or single students 19 years of age or older who are graduate students or have lived in the IU residential halls for two semesters.\nDirector for Residential Operations Bob Weith believes living in the dorms throughout the summer is convenient for students because all the students' sources are centralized.\n"It is considerably safer living on campus," Weith said. "And throughout the summer, you are much better connected with the campus community when you live in the dorms."\n-- Contact Staff Kristin Huett at khuett@indiana.edu.