Bard Hall residents who would like to live in an apartment in Bard-Haven Towers for the 08-09 academic year participate in the Lottery & Apartment Selection Process

1. The apartments used in the Lottery& Apt. Selection Process are called apartment shares. 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartments have been modified so that 2 students share a 1-br apt, 3 students share a 2-br apt, and 4 students share a 3-br apt. Each share is named based on the number of occupants-2 person share, 3 person share, etc. In most cases; the living room has been subdivided to create a large bedroom and common area. This type of accommodation is unfurnished. Move-ins for these apartments is August 1 - September 1, 2008. (click on PDF for a description of unit types offered and the monthly rental)
2. Student tenants are issued a standard New York City lease with additional riders that pertain to Columbia University. Leases are issued on the 1st and 15th day of each month. Leases expire on May 31. Leases are annually renewed on June 1 provided you maintain full-time student status, maintain all terms and conditions of the lease and are in good financial standing with the University.
3. Apartment shares have a lease that is classified as joint and several. This means that as a student tenant you and your roommates (co-tenants) are both jointly and separately responsible for the apartment, the rental and selecting a new roommate if one of you leaves during your tenancy. Make sure to become familiar with your obligations as a tenant in a J&S lease type apartment. Apartment share guidelines for vacating, remaining and new tenants are listed in the Apartment Share Section.
4. The apartment rental is equally divided by 2, 3 or 4 apartment share occupants. Rental rates are subject to an annual increase each June 1. Each tenant is responsible for the rent throughout the term of your lease including the summer months. Rent payments are due the first of each month. Rent payments made by check can only be accepted from the tenant of record. Failure to make payments in accordance with the terms of your lease may result in legal action as provided by the law.

Who is Eligible to Participate in the Lottery and Apartment Selection Process?

You are eligible to participate if:

• You hold a Bard Hall 2006-07 Dorm Housing Contract and

• You are a full-time matriculated student enrolled at the Medical Center and

• You are in good financial standing with the University and

• You will maintain full-time status throughout the upcoming academic year

How Does this Process Work?

There are 4 parts to the Lottery and Apartment Selection Process:
1) Filing for a lottery number
2) Applying for a specific unit type (Apartment Selection)
3) Apartment viewing
4) Apartment selection

•FILING FOR A LOTTERY NUMBER
All Bard Hall residents who wish to enter the Lottery and Apartment Selection Process must file for a Lottery Number. Lottery number allocation is accomplished by randomly ordering all forms received and issuing numbers from 1 to the total number in the filing pool. One set of numbers is generated for all filers and is not segregated by gender.
Deadline: March 26, 5pm.

Posting the Lottery Number List
A list of each student’s Lottery Number will be posted on March 28 by 5pm at the Office of Housing Services and on the housing website.

Note: lottery numbers are non-transferable. You may not swap or sell your Lottery Number to another student. This constitutes a major breech in the Lottery and Apartment Selection Process.  All parties involved will be considered in “default” and will no longer be eligible to participate in this process.

•APPLYING FOR A SPECIFIC UNIT TYPE
Prior to the application filing deadline, the Office of Housing Services will issue a count of the apartments to be offered in this year’s Apartment Selection Process. Click PDF for current number of apartments to be offered in apartment selection and 16 yr. comparison.

You may apply as a Draw Group of two, three or four. (2 students share a 1-br apt, 3 students share a 2-br apt, and 4 students share a 3-br apt) Each member of the group must submit an application and the applications must be submitted together. Upon receipt, a staff member will date stamp each application. Copies of the validated applications will be given to group members. Applications will not be accepted after the deadline.
Draw Groups must remain intact throughout the entire Apartment Selection Process. The process begins with the receipt of the Draw Group Applications and finishes when the Group moves into the apartment. A Default occurs if any group member leaves the Group. The entire Group is then considered in “Default” or “Disbanded” and the Group is no longer eligible to participate further in the process. Deadline: April 20, 5pm.

Setting Apartment Selection Order and Reporting Times
Draw Group Applications are ordered numerically in descending order based on the group member who has the lowest Lottery Number. Based on the type of Apartment Share listed on the group’s application, the Group is then filed under one of the three apartment share types and given both a selection order # and reporting time. When the number of Draw Groups is greater than the number of apartments offered in a specific Apartment Share Type, the remaining groups are waitlisted and are only given a selection order number. The results are then posted.

•APARTMENT VIEWING
A listing of apartments offered for selection is provided prior to the scheduled Apartment Selection date.  When possible, “sample” apartments and floor plans are made available. You may also independently view these apartments by contacting the current tenants directly. We encourage you to view as many apartments as possible so that you can make an informed decision at Apartment Selection.

In most cases, the apartment living room has been subdivided to create a large bedroom and common area.  If an apartment does not have a wall, it will be built at the University’s expense and according to University specs. These apartments are unfurnished. Move-ins from August 1- September 1, 2007.

•APARTMENT SELECTION
Apartment Selection is scheduled for Thursday, April 26 in the Office of Housing Services. Selection begins at 6PM. All Draw Groups and all Group members must be in attendance. CUMC I.D. is required. Groups are called based on the published schedule.

What if I miss the application deadline?
The deadline is strictly enforced. You will not be eligible to participate in this process. Only one Lottery and Apt. Selection Process is conducted yearly.

How is the number and type of apartments offered determined?
The Office of Housing Services creates a master list of all apartments it expects will turnover when graduating student tenants leave Columbia housing. From this potential pool, all of the 2 and 3 bedroom apartments are allocated for use in Apt.Selction. The pool of available 1-bedroom apartments is equally divided among three assignment pools: current student couples, incoming student couples and the Bard-Haven Towers Lottery and Apt.Selection Process. (click on PDF for a 15 year comparison of the number and types of apartments offered in the lottery)

What does being on the Waitlist mean?
The waitlist is an ordering mechanism and is used when the number of Draw Groups is greater than the number of apartments offered. A waitlisted Draw Group will only move off the waitlist IF a current Draw Group goes into Default. If a Default does occur that specific apartment is returned to the apartment selection pool and then is offered to the next waitlisted group. Additional apartments that may become available during the summer are used for other housing processes and are not added to the Apartment Selection Pool. Approximately 30 applicants are waitlisted annually.

What are my housing options if my group is not successful in the Lottery and Apt Selection Process?

If you who participated in the current Lottery and Apt Selection Process and were waitlisted you may choose to:

Return to Bard Hall
You must participate in Room Renewal to secure yourself a room for the 07-08 academic year. (see Room Renewal)

For the 08-09 academic year you will be given priority to select a Towers Apartment. These assignments are made before we begin that year’s lottery. You will be offered a Tower’s 1- bedroom apartment to share with another Bard Hall resident or a studio for yourself at the154 Haven Residence.

Find an apartment off-campus
Make sure to contact Adele Selik, our off-campus housing resource staff member. Adele is located in the Office of Housing Services and is available to help you figure out when to look, how to look and where to look for community housing. For the 07-08 academic year, every attempt will be made to bring you back on campus for your third year. Based on space availability you would be offered a Towers’ 1-bedroom apartment to share with a fellow student who also was not successful in the Lottery or a studio for yourself at the 154 Haven Residence.

Become a new tenant in an apartment share
Consult the Apartment Share Guidelines for Vacating, Remaining and New Tenants. New tenants are required to sign a standard New York City lease with additional riders pertaining to Columbia University. Leases are issued on the 1st and 15th of each month. Leases expire on May 31. Leases are annually renewed on June 1 provided you maintain full time CUMC student status, maintain all terms and conditions of the lease and are in good financial standing with the University.