Contracts FAQ (Apartment-Style)

Who is eligible to live in The Courtyards/Village?

Courtyards and Village are designed for single upperclass or graduate students. You must be 19 years of age AND have sophomore class standing.

What are the dates of next year's contract?

9-Month Contract---August 16, 2008 to May 15, 2009.
12-Month Contract---August 16, 2008 to July 31, 2009.

When can I move in?

August 16, 2008 will be the first day available for move-in. There will be no early arrival exceptions made for this date into Courtyards/Village. Accommodations may be made in a different hall for those required to arrive early.

How will I get into my unit?

You will be issued a cardkey at move-in that allows you entrance into your unit and into your bedroom. Your key will not be able to open any of your roommate's doors, nor will their cardkeys be able to open yours. If you swipe your cardkey two times in your bedroom door lock, it will remain unlocked until you swipe the cardkey again.

What if I want to cancel early?

You have two options. You can cancel and pay the fee determined by the date of cancellation, or you can find a Resident Replacement and the replacement signs a contract with us, you will only be billed the $500 cancellation fee in addition to room and board through the cancellation date.

What is a Resident Replacement?

A student canceling his/her Courtyards/Village contract for any reason will be relieved of the applicable cancellation fee in excess of $500 if he/she recruits an eligible student to move into his/her living space in Courtyards/Village. The replacement cannot already be under contract with the Division of University Housing.

What are the cancellation fees?

Academic Year Entrants	Contract Cancellation Fee
Prior to May 1	$200
May 1 - July 15	$500
July 16 - July 31...	40% of remaining balance of contract*

What if I want to change rooms?

If you would like to make an assignment change before the contract starts, please email the housing office at housing@unl.edu (attn: Erin Moss) and request the change. After the contract starts in August, you must coordinate any moves with the Residence Director. If moves are made without contacting the Residence Director, a $50 fee will be assessed.

Will I be held responsible for paying extra if the unit is not full?

You are under a personal contract with University Housing and will not be held responsible for payment if the unit is not filled. If a roommate leaves and does not identify their own replacement, the remaining roommates will have an opportunity to request another student move into the unit, within a limited period. If another resident is not found, University Housing will identify someone with similar interests to the current roommates to move into that spot.

Are phones provided?

Due to the widespread use of cell phones, telephone service is not included in the room. Contact UNL Telecommunications at 402-472-5151 for telephone service.

When will maintenance come to clean our bathrooms?

This will be done on a bi-weekly basis with the schedule to be determined after move-in.

Do we need to bring our own pots/pans/dishes?

Yes, you need to provide your own dishes, pots, pans, and various other items for the kitchen. You may want to coordinate this with your roommate.

Do I need to bring my own pillow and comforter?

University Housing provides a mattress pad, pillow, and pillow cover, but any other linens are up to you. We feel that this will give you a chance to bring a bit of your own taste into the room with comforter colors and sheets.

Will there be a list of things I need to bring?

Check the Move-In website for a list of recommended items to bring with you.

Do I have to cook my own meals?

Two meals per week are provided in the dining halls, Monday through Friday. There are fully equipped kitchens in each unit, but if you don't want to cook, you can purchase a board plan to eat in the residence halls at a 5% discount.

What is a board plan and how much does it cost?

Board plans work on a 5-day or 7-day basis. The 5-day plan runs Monday through Friday and the 7-day plan runs Monday through Sunday. You may enter the dining hall as many times a day as you wish with these board plans. You may opt to add a board plan to your contract at any time and the days will be pro-rated from that point. If you do have a board plan and decide to cancel, there is no fee to do so before August 31. From September 1 to December 16, there is a 40% cancellation fee. You may cancel the spring portion of your board-only contract by Dec. 15 with only a $30 option change fee.

Is there cable T.V?

Yes, each room, including the living area, will have cable TV hook-ups provided at no additional charge.

What furniture is provided?

The kitchen will come fully equipped with a range/oven, microwave, refrigerator/freezer, and dishwasher. The living area will have a sofa, armchair, entertainment unit, and side table. In the bedrooms are a two-part desk, desk chair, loftable/adjustable bed, and three-drawer dresser.

Does the furniture that is provided have to stay in the unit?

You may move the furniture around to suit your own tastes. If you wish to store some of the furniture you may do so in the storage rooms or closets provided in your unit. Two bedroom units do not have a storage room and a few ADA units will be different as well. Feel free to bring your own furniture but realize that there is limited space. Furniture storage outside of the unit will not be provided.

Where will I be able to park?

The Courtyards - The most convenient parking may be at the Cather/Pound parking lot located on the east side of 17th street. Other options would be the 17th & R Garage or the Abel/Sandoz lots. For options on parking permits or more information, you may contact Parking Services at 472-1800, or visit them on their website: http://parking.unl.edu.

The Village - As The Village is located on the north end of campus, the closest parking garage will be the 14th & Avery garage. There is also a new parking lot to the East of Harper Hall. For options on parking permits or more information you may contact Parking Services at 472-1800 or visit them on their website: http://parking.unl.edu.

Is there internet access?

Yes, each room will have high speed internet access hook-ups. Your computer will need to be equipped with an Ethernet card. Many new computers come with this already installed. The Information Systems Staff (IS) will be available starting Thursday, August 21 to help with any questions. You can also visit their website for FAQ's on computers. IS contact information is listed below.

Website: www.unl.edu/is
Phone: 472-3970 or toll-free (866) 472-3970
E-mail: helpdesk@unl.edu

Will the building be locked 24/7?

The front entrance will be open during the hours of 6 a.m.-Midnight. All other doors will be locked and accessible only by your NCard. There will be building phones at the front entrance of the building for guests to call their hosts to escort them.

Can I smoke in my room?

Courtyards and Village, like all University Housing residence halls, are smoke free. Smoking is only allowed at least ten feet away from the building.

How much do I owe each month and where do I pay?

Installments are different depending on your contract. Please see your Contract Policies Booklet for a more detailed description. If you would like to view this online please click on Contracts at the top left of the screen and you will see the Courtyards/Village policies book listed on the left side. All payments will be made to the UNL Bursars' office. For more information, please visit your WAM page.

Where can I do my laundry?

There are laundry facilities on every floor located beside the game/social lounges. Laundry machines are not coin operated. You will be able to load your cardkey with money and the laundry machine will read the card and take the money off accordingly.

What are the dimensions of the rooms?

The bedrooms are 11' 6" long by 8' wide.
The living rooms are 11' 6" long by 9' wide.

My unit has a French balcony. What is that?

Units with a French balcony have sliding glass, screened patio doors that open onto a courtyard or street view. French balconies are ornamental in nature; railings provide safety, however, there is no actual deck or patio floor that one can step out onto.

Are there visiting hours? What are they?

Guests may visit your room at any time subject to the "Unit Living Agreement" you and your roommates will sign. At no time will more than 16 individuals be permitted in any unit. Same-sex guests may stay overnight, providing their stay does not exceed four days in one month and they do not disturb your roommates or other Courtyards/Village residents. Overnight guests must be registered at the hall desk and must carry their registration copy as an ID. No opposite-sex guests are permitted to stay in a unit overnight.

Can we have alcohol in our unit?

Alcohol is not permitted on the University of Nebraska - Lincoln campus. Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages is prohibited throughout the Courtyards/Village building and grounds, regardless of the age of the resident. Possession or display of containers with residue that held or was intended to hold alcohol is also not permitted.

Can I have pets?

The only pets permitted are non-dangerous fish which live completely underwater. Aquariums must be less than 25 gallons.

Can I have a real Christmas tree in my unit?

Cut greenery, trees or branches are not permitted in Courtyards/Village due to the fire hazard that they present.

Can we have candles and incense?

Fragrant candles are welcome; however, we ask that you do not light them, and set them on a decoration base only, not on the furniture. We also ask that you do not burn incense, along with candles, due to the fire hazard that they may present.

Are we able to grill if we do have a patio?

There will be community grills available in the courtyards. You are welcome to use those and we recommend bringing a steel brush to clean them off before and after each use.

Are we able to have a grill if we have a traditional balcony?

Grills are not allowed on the balconies.

Is it okay to bring electric grills, hotpots, etc?

Please feel free to bring small electric grills (e.g. George Foreman) popcorn poppers, toasters, blenders, small electric sandwich makers, or coffee pots for use in the kitchen.

Will toilet paper and paper towels be provided?

A starter set of toilet paper and paper towels will be in the apartment upon move in; however, after this it will be up to you and your roommates to purchase these things.

Is there a shower curtain provided?

We recommend that you bring a shower curtain based upon the decor you may have in your bathroom. A shower curtain will not be provided.

Are the curtains/window blinds furnished?

There will be horizontal blinds on all the bedroom windows and vertical blinds located on the patio doors.

Are the rooms carpeted?

All of the rooms including the living room are carpeted. There is no carpet in the kitchen and bathroom areas.