BULLDOGA Magazine for the Families of UGA Residence Hall Students

FALL 2010

Success Starts Here!

Editors

Tracy GieseBrandon Smith

Contributors

Pat BrussackLarry Correll-Hughes

Ryan HillScott Sanders

Jay Thomas

Design

Ronda WynveenUGA Printing

Bulldog Families is written and published by the

Department of University Housing at The University of Georgia

Russell HallAthens, GA 30602-5575

Bulldog Families is distributed free of charge to

families of University of Georgia residence hall students.

Comments or questions about articles should be directed to

Tracy Giese706-542-1421

E-mail: housing@uga.edu

All suggestions and ideas for articles are welcomed.

•©2010 The University of Georgia

•The University of Georgia is committedto principles of equal opportunity and

affirmative action.

c o n t e n t s

Success Starts Here! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

RHA – Making an Impact Through Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Extreme Lobby Makeover! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Returning Resident Room Sign-Up: 2011-2012 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Quality in the Making: Professional Chefs at Your Service . . . . . . . . . . 7

First “Green” Residence Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

F A L L 2 0 1 0

Our Mission: The Department of University Housing provides

comfortable, affordable and secure on-campus housing options

in residential communities where the academic success and

personal growth of residents are encouraged and supported.

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presents

Success Starts Here!Continue your journey of living on campus

Fall in Athens is an exciting time of year. Football games, homecoming activities and cooler weather add an air of excitement to

a bustling campus of nearly 33,000 students. Fall is also the time when students begin considering where they will live the next year. While the countless number of apartment complexes in town heavily promote free first-month’s rent, pools, spa and fitness centers and social activities, many students recognize the intrinsic value of living on campus. The vibrancy within UGA’s residential communities transcends beyond the surface and correlates into a successful and full college experience. When asked why they made the decision to continue living on campus past their first required year at UGA, here’s what some of our residents say.

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Kathryn WoodsStatus: Third-year studentHometown: AtlantaMajor: Biological Sciences

Activities: Peach State LSAMP, Black Affairs Council, Pajama Dance Company, UGA Philharmonica, volunteer at St. Mary’s Hospital, ECV

office assistantLived first year in: Payne Hall; then Rooker and Building 1512 for second and part of third yearNow lives in: McWhorter Hall

I really like being right here on campus where everything is. There’s always something going on. All my friends are here, too, so I get to see them more. I probably wouldn’t have enough time to give each of my activities if I lived off campus. Not having to worry about transportation or food, being able to go back to my room for a quick bite to eat, has had a large impact on my daily life. Living on campus is a good structure for me. I have the freedom to do the things I need to do without feeling restricted. I live in an apartment-style room, and being close makes it easy. I like the fact that there are study rooms on every floor, and I don’t have to go the MLC to study; there are no noise problems in my building. As far as food is concerned, I’m not on the meal plan, but I have recently started to enjoy cooking. The laundry is convenient, too. I’m able to wash all my clothes at once! I don’t have a car, but even if I had one, I think I’d still live on campus. I have plenty of friends who have cars, so if I need to get somewhere off-campus it’s not a problem. I have the independence I want, and my parents know that I’m safe. It’s a controlled freedom. There’s also a peace of mind in knowing that I don’t have to worry about paying bills every month. Advice to first-year students considering living off-campus: Get a random roommate. I chose random roommates my first two years, and now they are my best friends. I could not have gotten through my experiences without them.

(continued on page 4)

RHA – Making an Impact Through InvolvementUGA provides opportunities for students to get involved in college life beyond academics through participation in more than 500 registered student organizations. For students living in one of the 21 residence halls on campus, the Residence Hall Association (RHA) is available to make a difference in residential life. RHA:

is the second largest student organization on campus, serving nearly 7,400 residents living in University Housing.

has sought to give residents a unified voice in hall policies and programs for the last 40 years.

offers a number of services to residents in an effort to make living on campus one of the greatest aspects of a college career.

has strived to make residence halls more than “dorms” and make them more like homes through community representation, involvement and activities.

has seven residential communities that elect representatives to community councils who serve residents’ interests and act as stewards of the housing activity fee each resident pays.

Executive Board hosts a number of programs throughout the year that have become traditions for our residents and include free t-shirts and delicious food!

programs this year include Roll Bounce, Kiss Me I’m Sustainable and RezFest.

also sponsors a program during final exams in which families send their student a care package that include many stress relieving items and supplies useful while studying.

Though every resident is already a member of RHA, they are encouraged to get more involved in community councils, participate in programs and attend general body meetings every Tuesday at 8pm in MLC 214. Students have the option of joining one of RHA’s seven committees: bid writing, constitutional review, Diversity Awareness Week at Georgia “DAWG Days,” fundraising, homecoming, publicity and sustainability.

The RHA Executive Board would like to formally welcome your students and you to University Housing and the Bulldog family. We anticipate an exceptional year full of opportunities for residents to get involved and make memories that will stay with them long after graduation. For more information about RHA, including organizations, programs and applications for committees, please visit our Web site at www.uga.edu/rha. Feel free to share any comments and concerns with the RHA Executive Board by e-mailing us at rha@uga.edu. We look forward to hearing from you. Go Dawgs!

Ryan J. Hill, President Residence Hall Association

www.uga.edu/housing/gift

Allison ModerStatus: Second-year studentHometown: NorcrossMajor: Health Promotions and Public Relations

Activities: Sigma Alpha Omega, Dean William Tate Honor Society, Honors Program, Honors Program

Student Council, Relay for Life, Muscular Distrophy AssociationLived first year in: Reed HallNow lives in: Soule Hall

For me, living on campus is not only a necessity, it’s convenient. My residence hall is near my classes and meetings. I love the social aspect of suite-style living in Soule, and I love the fact that it’s near Snelling Dining Commons. If I were to live off campus, I’d get stuck in a pocket. It would be harder to meet people and stay connected. I become engrossed in whatever is around me, and I have a more vested interest in campus because this is my backyard. Living on campus my first year was critical. All my involvement on campus has been made possible just by living here. It takes more of an effort to be involved when you live off-campus. Being a part of the university is something special. You know, you can live in an apartment the rest of your life, but there’s something about being able to step outside and read on the quad. Building community outside the campus is more difficult. Plus, I’m saving time, energy and gas [for a car] by living on campus.Advice to first-year students considering living off-campus: Wherever your time is most spent is where you will need to be. Some people need their own room, some don’t. Take into consideration everything you have to deal with, like parking, riding the bus, splitting utilities with roommates. You need to decide what living situation is best for you.

(continued from page 3)

Success Starts Here!

www.uga.edu/housing/gift

Josh DelaneyStatus: Fourth-year studentHometown: FayettevilleMajor: Advertising and Theater, with certificate in New Media Studies

Acitivites: SGA president, Zeta Pi, Black Student Union, University Theatre,

Black Theatrical Ensemble, village community assistantLived first year in: Creswell Hall, then O’House for second yearNow lives in: Building 1512

The best thing about living on campus is that it’s convenient. I’m involved in a lot of activities, so it’s easy to walk to a meeting or class or just hop on a bus. I also don’t have to worry about monthly utility payments. Everything is fixed, so it’s easy to budget. Of course, the best thing about living in East Campus Village is that you don’t have to wear flip flops to shower! Living on campus my first year was crucial. I didn’t expect to get as much out of it as I did. It allowed me to be involved with activities and taught me how to navigate and learn about everything on campus. In fact, I’m still best friends with the guys on my hall. Probably the best thing I enjoy about living on campus is that I can take a study break late at night and walk over to Snelling with my friends. Advice to first-year students considering living off-campus: It all comes down to what you’re looking to get out of a living experience. Do you want to have your own space away from the hustle and bustle of campus, or do you want a community to call home with other students?

Extreme lobby makeover!The Hill community received extensive updates over the summer. The most noticeable change is the Hill Hall lobby. Hill’s community office, once obscured behind a tall counter and sliding glass window, is now open and people-friendly. In order to maximize space, the area coordinator apartment was converted into a large multi-use programming area and tv room, with a new mailroom, kitchen and a more welcoming front desk. The area coordinator apartment was relocated in the former community office space. The Hill community also received energy efficient upgrades to the heating and air system. Ventilation units were installed in bathrooms, as well as energy recovery units in each hall to allow fresh air into the building. In addition, Boggs and Church Halls received new heating and air units in each room, which provide residents with more temperature control over their space, as opposed to the former Iron Fireman heaters which were less energy efficient. While the upgrades were in progress, Church, Mell and Lipscomb Halls also received new roofs!

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Returning Resident Room Sign-Up: 2011-2012

No commutes, no hassles, no monthly bills–just college life the way it was meant to be! Any resident who wants to continue to enjoy these and the many other benefits of on-campus housing for the 2011-2012 academic year must submit an online request to participate in the Returning Resident Room Sign-Up process between December 1, 2010, and January 23, 2011. To make this request, visit the University Housing website, click the “Registration and Contacts” banner and follow the instructions outlined with the essential dates and deadlines noted. Our continuing commitment to provide housing to every first-year student will mean that spaces for returning students will be limited! For this reason, any resident who wishes to return to campus must submit an official online request to participate in the Returning Resident Room Sign-Up process between December 1 and January 23! To follow is an outline of the complete process, with essential dates and deadlines noted in blue.

PHASE 1: REQUEST TO PARTICIPATE December 1, 2010 – January 23, 2011: Students must submit a request to participate by logging in to The Dawg House, our online housing system which can be found through the University Housing website. New this year, students will be able to enter up to three roommate preferences during this phase. Only students who request to participate in Returning Resident Room Sign-Up between December 1 and 11:59 p.m. on January 23 will be considered for participation in the Returning Resident Room Sign-Up process.

January 2011 – Information sessions will be conducted detailing the Returning Resident Room Sign-Up process, when to sign up, and to answer student questions about living on campus next year. The info session schedule will be available on the University Housing website: www.uga.edu/housing/rrrsu .

PHASE 2: STUDENT SELECTION & FEE PAYMENTJanuary 24-25– The Housing Assignments Office will identify those individuals who will be eligible to participate in Returning Resident Room Sign-Up based upon the total number of requests received, the number of spaces available for non-first year students and the number of UGA hours earned.

January 26 – On this date all students who were selected to participate in Returning Resident Room Sign-Up will receive an e-mail and have a non-refundable $100 charge posted to their Student Account. While this charge is non-refundable, the full $100 will be applied toward the required $300 fall semester prepayment. The $300 prepayment will then be applied toward fall rent. Students not selected to participate in the room selection phase of Returning Resident Room Sign-up will receive an e-mail indicating that they are on the Fall Waitlist. More information about the Fall Waitlist is below in the Phase 4 section.

February 10 – Payment of the non-refundable $100 charge will be due at the Bursar’s Office. Students who do not pay the $100 charge will not be eligible to continue in the Returning Resident Room Sign-Up process. Students who pay the $100 charge by this due date will be assured a living space in UGA Housing for 2011-2012.

PHASE 3: ROOM SELECTION & FINAL PREPAYMENTFebruary 11 – Students who did not pay the $100 charge will be dropped from Returning Resident Room Sign-Up by University Housing. Students on the waitlist will be notified via UGA e-mail as the dropped student’s spaces become available.

February 11 – Students who paid the $100 charge will be notified via UGA e-mail of their ability to:

Participate in Same Room Sign-Up on Tuesday, February 15. Participate in Same Hall Sign-Up on Wednesday, February 16. Participate in Appointment Time Sign-Up on Thursday and Friday, February 17 and 18,

by selecting from any available space on campus that has not been reserved for incoming first-year students or a special program using an assigned appointment time.

All three of these sign-up options will be accessed through The Dawg House, our online housing system.

February 15 – Same Room Sign-Up Day – Any student who has been selected to participate, paid the $100 Sign-Up fee and wishes to remain in his/her current assignment during the 2011-2012 academic year may access The Dawg House, our online housing system, to sign up to live in the same space. Note: Some returning students may be unable to select their current assignments due to spaces being held for entering first-year students or a special program.

February 16 – Same Hall Sign-Up Day – Any student who has been selected to participate, paid the $100 Sign-Up fee and wishes to remain in his/her current building during the 2011-2012 academic year may access The Dawg House, our online housing system, on this day to sign up to live in the same building if space is available. Students already residing in any East Campus Village hall may sign up for a room in any East Campus

Village hall on this date. Note: Some returning students may be unable to select their current building due to spaces being held for entering first-year students or a special program.

February 17-18– Appointment Time Sign-Up Days – Students may access The Dawg House, our online housing system, at any time beginning with their assigned appointment time to select any available space on campus.

February 21 – The balance of the prepayment, $200, will be posted to the Student Accounts of all students who selected a room during Returning Resident Room Sign-Up. Housing contracts will be available for students to view and activate at this time.

Also on this date, access to the Fall 2011 Assignment Change site will begin at 9:00 a.m. through The Dawg House on the University Housing website: www.uga.edu/housing . This site should be utilized by anyone who successfully secured a space on campus, but hopes to make a change to a different room, hall, or community.

March 10 – Payment of the remainder of the fall semester prepayment, $200, will be due at the Bursar’s Office. Housing contracts must be activated by this date or the housing assignment will be canceled.

PHASE 4: FALL WAITLIST PARTICIPANTSAny student who was not selected to participate in the initial room selection phase of the Returning Resident Room Sign-up process and still desires housing for the following academic year will be placed on the Fall Waitlist. As cancellations are received and vacancies identified, students on the Fall Waitlist will be notified via email of any change in their status. Once they become eligible for housing, they will be contacted and a non-refundable $100 charge will be immediately posted to their Student Account. While this charge is non-refundable, the full $100 will be applied toward the required $300 fall semester prepayment. The $300 prepayment will then be applied toward fall rent. Payment of the non-refundable $100 charge will be due at the Bursar’s Office by the date determined by the Bursar.

NEED MORE INFORMATION? A complete explanation of all Returning Resident Room Sign-Up processes and timelines will be available at the Housing website on December 1. Also, in January 2011, University Housing personnel will conduct information sessions to answer questions about any aspect of Returning Resident Room Sign-Up. Dates, times, and locations of information sessions are available on the University Housing website: www.uga.edu/housing/rrrsu .

Don’t forget: Any resident who wishes to return to campus must submit a request to participate in the Returning Resident Room Sign-Up process between December 1 and January 23 by logging in to The Dawg House, our online housing system which can be found through the University Housing website.

New in 2011-2012: Students will be able to enter up to three roommate preferences when they

request to participate in Returning Resident Room Sign-Up by January 23, 2011.

Students will use The Dawg House, our new online housing application system, for Returning Resident Room Sign-Up. Access to The Dawg House is through the University Housing website: www.uga.edu/housing

REMEMBER: For the 2011-2012 academic year (starting August 2011), ALL RESIDENTS IN BUILDING 1512 will commit to academic year contracts ending May 2012. ALL RESIDENTS IN MCWHORTER, ROOKER AND VANDIVER HALLS will commit to 11.5 month contracts ending August 2012.

Information Sessions

Monday, January 10th @ 7:00PM—Reed Hall Programming Room 

Monday, January 10th @ 9:00PM—Hill Hall Lobby

Tuesday, January 11th @ 7:00PM—Creswell TV Lounge

Tuesday, January 11th @ 9:00PM—Myers Hall Programming Room

Wednesday, January 12th @ 7:00PM— Russell Academic Center

Wednesday, January 12th @ 9:00PM— Brumby Multipurpose Room

Tuesday, January 18th @ 7:00PM— ECV Rooker Fireside Lounge (following the session will be tours available for both ECV and Building 1516)

Thursday, January 20th @ 7:00PM—Miller Learning Center Room 1016 b u l l d o g f a m i l i e s

Qualityuppose you could hire a chef, trained in a culinary school, to prepare your food for you? Suppose you could sit down every day to a meal that didn’t come prefab from a boil-in bag or a mix in the

freezer, but was carefully prepared for you by your chef’s skilled staff? Suppose that while you

were in class or studying or taking a break, your kitchen was abuzz with folks making a roux for your gravy, dicing celery for your chicken salad, browning beef for your stew or

creaming butter for the frosting on your cake?You needn’t wait for a big win in the Georgia

Lottery to enjoy award-winning, chef-supervised, cooked-from-scratch cuisine. If you’re on the UGA Food Services Meal Plan, you’ve got it now. Our four chefs – one at each dining commons – guide food production and pass along their expertise through hands-on training of their kitchen staffs. The resources that other dining operations devote to buying expensive pre-prepared, packaged items we devote to hiring kitchen wizards and their assistants.

It’s an approach thought worthy of emulation by the next generation of professional chefs and those who teach them. Student culinary teams regularly assist in our dining commons to exchange their cutting-edge skills for a first-hand look at how things are done at one of the nation’s most respected campus dining services.

And, of course, we have a not-so-secret edge over the competition. Your recipes. Our menus regularly feature delicious items that are quite literally “down-home,” sent in by our students’ families for the annual “Taste of Home” special event.

Chef Tim Neal

Chef Bryan HaymansChef Shelly Orozco-Marrs

Chef James Nichols

in the Making

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Food Services

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Division of Student AffairsDepartment of University HousingRussell HallAthens, Georgia 30602-5575

Nonprofit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDAthens, GA

Permit No. 165

University Housing Phone Numbers

Assignments (Central) Office . . . . . .(706) 542-1421

Brumby Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (706) 542-8250

Creswell Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . (706) 542-8344

East Campus Village Community . . . . . . (706) 542-2041(Building 1512; McWhorter, Rooker and Vandiver Halls)

Hill Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (706) 542-5934 (Boggs, Church, Hill, Lipscomb andMell Halls; Oglethorpe House)

Myers Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (706) 542-5217 (Mary Lyndon, Myers, Rutherford and Soule Halls)

Reed Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (706) 542-3753 (Building 1516; Morris, Payne and Reed Halls)

Russell Community. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (706) 542-8331

Work Order Office . . . . . . . . . . . . .(706) 542-3999

Before Kaitlin Pniewski even toured Building 1516, the graduate resident had very high expectations based on the buzz surrounding the University of Georgia’s New Residence Hall at East Campus that she now calls home. “It turned out to be more beautiful than anything I imagined,” said Pniewski (ABJ ’10), a graduate student in the College of Education. “Every aspect of the building, from the catering kitchen to the multi-purpose room, is stylish and functional. I know all the extra ‘hang-out’ rooms will be put to good use with our residents.” Building 1516, UGA’s first “green” residence hall, opened on August 9 to more than 500 upperclass students. The hall offers spacious residential and community areas in a retro-modern design, and incorporates eco-friendly programs into everyday life for a complete “Living Green” experience. “I cannot believe how many study rooms there are, equipped with dry erase boards, single desks, and large study tables. Residents won’t have to trek to the [Miller Learning Center] during finals week,” said Pniewski. Keeping students’ interests in mind, the ‘Living Green’ philosophy is the fundamental concept of the new hall. The university has implemented numerous green elements into the new residence hall and is seeking LEED certification now that construction is completed and residents have moved in. Promotion of community connectivity, physical activity and pollution reduction help reinforce the Living Green practices of the new building. Students are within walking distance of east campus amenities, such as the Ramsey Student Center for Physical Activities, Joe

University of Georgia opens its first “green” residence hall Frank Harris Dining Commons, University Health Center, and the Performing and Visual Arts Complex. Interior bike storage, as well as easy access to residential parking and bus routes, is provided to promote alternative modes of transportation. Resident assistants (RAs) support residents in programs and other initiatives designed to aid in personal growth and academic success, in addition to programs geared toward sustainability education. Jonathan Jones, a third-year biochemical engineering student and 2009 Coca-Cola Scholar, is an RA living in the building. “I love the Reed Community’s Building 1516 because it represents the steps that the University of Georgia is taking toward a more sustainable way of living for students as well as the surrounding community. Every time I utilize the shower or sink, I think of how I am doing my part to conserve water and prevent waste with the gray-water system.” For more photos of the new residence hall, go towww.uga.edu/housing/tour/new.html.

Building 1516 for upperclass students:

• 189,602 sq. ft.• 555 bed spaces• More than 7,800 sq. ft. of academic, programming and meeting space!

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