Move-In Frequently Asked Questions

1. When can I move into my room?
2. Is there anything I can do to make the move-in process go smoothly?
3. Can furniture be removed from the room and be replaced with my own?
4. Are my belongings insured while I'm living in the residence hall?
5. What is an In/Out?
6. Where can I do my laundry?
7. Can I bring my bike?
8. What if I don't get along with my roommate?
9. What if I want a room change?
10. Can I have visitors?
11. Do I have to clean my own room?
12. How much space is beneath a loft bed?
13. What is the maximum wattage for a microwave allowed in the halls?
14. Can I bring carpet and a couch for my room? A note about bed bugs.

1. When can I move into my room?

Student can select a day and time to move in which best meets the needs of them and their family. This can be done by completing the "Express Move-in" process by August 12. Once you arrive according to your housing assignment, you may move into your assigned room after checking in at your hall/complex desk. We request that students check in by themselves and avoid bringing in belongings until the check-in process is complete. This will assist with overcrowding the busy lobby areas.

To alleviate a great deal of congestion in the parking lots, elevators, and stairwells, we strongly encourage you to move-in according to your requested time.

2. Is there anything I can do to make the move-in process go smoothly?

There are a limited number of move-in carts available for checkout in each complex. They can be checked out for one hour with an ID and a $5.00 deposit (refundable when the cart is returned). You may also find it helpful to bring a two-wheel cart or dolly to help with smaller items.

Students need to present their NCard (student I.D.) at check-in so they should have it ready when they arrive.

If you are looking to avoid the rush, we suggest not arriving first thing in the morning. This tends to be the busiest check-in time.

3. Can furniture be removed from the room and be replaced with my own?

Room furniture must remain in the resident's assigned room during the entire contract period. Any missing pieces of furniture will be considered damages and the resident will be charged accordingly.

You may bring additional pieces of furniture for your room, such as armchairs or small sofas (futons), as long as they do not obstruct exits (doors and windows).

Village and Courtyards are fully-furnished, so there is no need to bring extra items from home.

In addition, public area furniture provided in the residence halls is intended for use of the community, and must remain in the public areas. Students should not remove public area furniture for personal use in their room.

4. Are my belongings insured while I'm living in the residence hall?

The University does not purchase property insurance covering any loss of, or damage to, a student's personal property and the University assumes no responsibility for the payment of such a loss. You need to verify that your parents' insurance policy covers full-time students living away from home.

5. What is an In/Out?

After you check-in, your Resident/Community Resident Assistant will provide you with an In/Out form (a room inventory form that he/she has previously completed, indicating existing damage in your room/unit). Review the form and make any changes necessary. Be sure to note everything that would be considered "damage" to the room, such as nail holes, scratches on finishes, paint condition, any marks on the ceiling/doors, etc. Be specific (i.e., 2 nail holes in north wall).

Staff will check your room condition against the information on the form during checkout, so it's in your best interest to make sure the form is complete and accurate to avoid damage charges at checkout. Return the completed In/Out form to your RA/CRA within 24 hours of check-in.

6. Where can I do my laundry?

Every hall has coin or laundry card operated washing machines and dryers. Details about the laundry system can be obtained from your residence hall desk.

Halls with laundry card operated machines: The Courtyards, The Village, Harper, Schramm and Smith, Abel, Sandoz, Neihardt, Selleck and Kauffman.

Halls with coin-operated machines: Burr, Fedde, Husker Hall, Love Memorial, Cather and Pound. Change for the machines can be obtained at the residence hall desk.

7. Can I bring my bike?

Bicycles are permitted in the residence halls, as long as they do not block emergency exits (doors and windows), and are acceptable to your roommate(s). All halls have bike storage nearby, some in the hall basement. Be sure to buy a lock to secure your bike.

8. What if I don't get along with my roommate?

Students who have concerns with their roommate are encouraged to talk with their roommate about their concerns. If this does not help, the student should then bring his/her concerns to the Resident/Community Resident Assistant (RA/CRA) on the floor.

9. What if I want a room change?

Any student interested in a room change of any kind must talk with their Residence Director (RD), who will discuss options with the student. During the first two weeks of each semester, a room freeze is in place.

10. Can I have visitors?

Of course you can have visitors, but they are required to follow all Residence Life/University Housing and UNL policies. All guests must be accompanied by their host at all times. The host is responsible for the behavior of his/her guests. Overnight guests should be registered at the hall/complex desk for safety and security purposes.

11. Do I have to clean my own room?

It is the student's responsibility to clean his/her own room. (Basic cleaning supplies and equipment are provided in your residence hall for your use). Custodial services are provided for all public bathroom facilities, corridors, floor lounges and other public areas.

In Courtyards, Village and Kauffman Hall the contract includes cleaning/maintenance of the bathrooms by UNL Housing staff within each unit every other week.

12. How much space is beneath a loft bed?

Some students bring futons or place other furniture such as chairs or stackable crates underneath their loft beds.

Dimensions:
From the floor to the bottom of the loft bed: 64"
From end to end (length of the mattress): 81" Make sure there is 80" or less so you don't scratch the wood.
From back to front (width of the mattress): 37"

13. What is the max wattage for a microwave allowed in the halls?

Microwaves of 750 watts or less can be brought into HSS, Selleck, Neihardt, Abel or Sandoz.

14. A note about bed bugs.

Anything that you have bought, borrowed or picked up second-hand may be harboring bed bugs, and that's something you really don't want.

You may not be aware of how difficult it is to treat bed bugs and how fast they spread, nor how easy these almost undetectable insects can be. Bed bugs are a one-fourth-inch long reddish brown insect that hides in cracks and crevices of mattresses, box springs, sofas and chairs, according to University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. Females can lay three to five eggs a day, and the white eggs about the size of a pin head can be difficult to see. Usually people don't know they have a problem with bed bugs until after they have been bitten. The nocturnal bugs crawl onto sleeping humans and bite, feeding on blood. The bite is painless but the result is red, swollen, blotchy skin that will itch for several days.

A resurgence in bed bugs was noticed in the United States in the late 1990s and the problem has been growing. It can be an especially difficult problem in apartment buildings and other housing units, where the bugs can be brought in by one person and affect nearly everyone, crawling from unit to unit.

Travelers sometimes pick up bed bugs while staying in hotels. The bugs will crawl into suitcases and be brought to homes. They also can be brought into the home through the purchase of used furniture.

So our advice is, if you aren't sure something doesn't have bugs -- don't bring it.