• Every resident must schedule an appointment for check-in. Appointments can be scheduled on the main page of your MyHousing portal starting July 10th. Residents must have selected a room before they can schedule a check-in appointment.

• You must bring an official form of identification - your UWA Student ID, a driver's license, a passport, or other state/federal-issued ID.

• If you don't have your Student ID yet or you're a returning student who has misplaced it, you will be able to get an ID at check-in. You'll have your picture taken, so be prepared!

• You must be registered for classes in order to check-in. Make sure you have paid your university account fully or set up your payment plan before Registration Day.  

• Check-in will take place at the Student Union Building. Students will need to present a valid photo ID, such as a driver's license, passport, or UWA student ID. Any student needing a student ID will be able to pick up a new one at check-in but must have another form of ID available.

It's easy to forget things, but here's a quick list of things to bring. For more ideas, check out our full packing list. 

• Bedding - twin XL sheet set (Selden sorority rooms have full-size beds), mattress pad, comforter, and pillow

• Bathroom Items - towels, bath mat, vinyl shower curtain, and personal hygiene items

• Laundry Supplies - clothes hamper and/or laundry basket, liquid detergent or pods, fabric softener, dryer sheets, drying rack, iron with automatic shut-off, and small ironing board

• Kitchen Supplies - dishes, utensils, can opener, paper towels, dish soap, hand towels, and snacks

• Kitchen Appliances - toaster (not toaster oven), coffee maker and rice cooker with auto shut-off,  microwave (800 watts or less - only one per ROOM). Compact refrigerators are permitted in Gilbert, Reed, and Selden ONLY (one per resident) and must be 4 cubic feet or smaller with a power requirement of 350 kWh/year.  

• Cleaning Supplies - broom and dustpan, mop and bucket or a wet/dry Swiffer, small vacuum cleaner (Reed, Patterson, and Hoover have carpet), air freshener, all-purpose cleaner, toilet cleaner, toilet brush, and a wastebasket. Residents of Patterson, Stickney, and Hoover should also bring oven cleaner.

• Electronics - computer/tablet, printer (must be able to turn off wireless capabilities as this interferes with university wireless network), TV* with coaxial cable, headphones, gaming system, and surge protector

• Other Supplies - your prescription medication with labels, school supplies, first aid kit, umbrella,  flashlight (a must for power outages!), a bicycle with a lock, and a weather radio. Note that scooters are permitted on campus, but may not be used inside the halls - they must be carried in the halls to avoid causing damage to the floors.

*In order to work with the University's cable service, a television must have a QAM 256 (Quadrature Amplitude Modulation) digital tuner. Most flat-screen televisions manufactured after 2009 come equipped with a QAM 256 tuner but some do not. If you are buying a new TV, you should make sure that the TV has a QAM 256 tuner. This is especially important if you are buying one of the following television brands: Apex, Dynex, Element, Emerson, Haier, HiSense, Insignia, Magnavox, ProScan, RCA, Sanyo, Sceptre, Seiki, Sylvania, ViewSonic, and Westinghouse.

Just as important is to keep in mind things that you don't need or can't have on campus. You can check out more information in the Residence Life Guide.  

• Alcohol and Drugs - including alcoholic beverage containers, such as bottles (even if empty) and drug paraphernalia. Also, smoking and vaping are allowed outside (must be at least 50 feet from the building), but neither are allowed inside any of our residence halls or apartments.

• Pets - dogs, cats, hamsters, snakes, and other pets and animals, not even for a quick visit. Fish are allowed in small aquariums up to 10 gallons.

• Cooking Devices - air fryers, Instapots, hot plates, toaster ovens, slow cookers, George Foreman-type grills, deep fryers, waffle makers, outdoor grills, and any other cooking devices not listed as permitted kitchen appliances. 

• Weapons and Explosives - including, but not limited to, firearms, ammunition, hunting knives, swords, fireworks, darts and dartboards, and explosive materials

• Items Causing Wall Damage - including, but not limited to, LED Light Strips (causes significant wall damage that results in $150+ in damage per strip), contact paper, adhesive hooks in Gilbert and Hoover (not even 3M Command Hooks), exercise poles and chin-up bars (anything that attaches to the floor, ceiling, wall, or door frame),  and nails and screws

• Items that are a Fire Safety Issue - including, but not limited to, candles, incense, candle/wax warmer, potpourri simmer pots, halogen lamps, electric blankets, personal/portable heaters, multi-plugs without surge protection, lava and oil lamps, and lighter fluid

• Other Items Not Permitted - including, but not limited to, bed risers, loft kits, personal routers, wireless printers, and other electronics that interfere with the University's wireless network, washers, dryers, other large appliances

As you plan for your move in day, here are some tried and true tips from students, staff, and families who have learned through failures and successes: 

• Start now and communicate with your roommate. While you don't have to color-coordinate everything, you should coordinate with them concerning large items. While each of you can have a refrigerator at Gilbert, there's only one opening for it, so many roommates share. You can only have one microwave, and there's only so much room for larger items such as a futon/loveseat, entertainment centers, TVs, and more. Plan now so you're not wasting money purchasing items you won't need or wasting time bringing them to campus and sending them right back home.

• Consider packing only what you need for the first few weeks or what you can't purchase when you get to campus. You can grab it next time you're home if you still need it, OR your roommate and you can decide to make a shopping trip together to get what you may need. Overpacking results in having to use more than two cars and sometimes a U-Haul or trailer - these aren't allowed in the unloading zones making it even harder for you on move-in day.

• Use medium-sized boxes and avoid trash bags while packing. Carts will be available at Gilbert, Selden, and Stickney, but not at Reed, Patterson, and Hoover. Large boxes can become too heavy to carry, and small boxes result in more trips to your room and back. Trash bags can be mistaken for trash - we don't want that to happen in the busyness of Move In Day. Don't forget to label boxes and items with your name and room number - this is helpful in case the item/box gets separated from you.

• Everyone wants their room to look AMAZING, and we want you to feel comfortable in your home away from home. However, when decorating, remember that decorations can cause damage which you will be responsible for when you move out of the room. For Gilbert and Hoover II (buildings 3 - 5), you are allowed to use small thumbtacks or staples (up to 12 across the entire room and none within 12" of each other) and up to 4 small tacks/nails that are less than 1/16" in size (tiny!!!). Hanging heavier items on any of these can result in larger holes for which you would be responsible. Adhesive hooks and strips are NOT permitted in Gilbert or Hoover II. Residents of Stickney, Reed, Patterson, Selden, and Hoover I may use removable strips/hooks as long as they don't damage the wall and are removed appropriately at check-out. Stickers, vinyl, contact paper, and similar products are not permitted on walls - these WILL cause damage. Plan now so you save money at check-out!

• All beds on campus are height-adjustable. You are welcome to raise or lower the bed, as it can provide a great deal of storage space underneath. The best way to adjust the bed height is to flip it over (using two people), tap it with a mallet, and then put it back together at the appropriate height. If you place university furniture, such as the chest of drawers, underneath the bed, place a piece of cardboard or a thick pad on top of the furniture to keep the springs from scratching it. When you check out, you will need to return the bed to the appropriate height (3rd rung from the top). 

• Your first instinct will be to start unpacking, but DON'T! Inspect your room first. You will complete a Room Condition Report (RCR) with your RA to officially note any damages or issues present when you check in, so before you fill your room, do a thorough inspection, make a list of damages or issues, and take pictures. It's easy to miss things when your belongings are all over, so doing it with an empty room is better. When your RA comes by, share your list and make sure they put it on your RCR before you sign it. This will keep you from being charged for those specific damages when you check out. If you find any issues after your RA completes your RCR, send an email with pictures and a description of the damage to housing@uwa.edu. 

• Our Housing and Physical Plant staff members have worked hard to inspect rooms and take care of maintenance issues, but if you have a maintenance concern, you can report it in your MyHousing portal. Log in, click on RCR/Damages in the main menu, and then click on Maintenance Requests. You can add your work order on this page - use it to report a light that is out, something that may be broken, a slow drain, etc. For emergency concerns, call the Housing Office (205 652-3686) during regular business hours or your hall's staff member on call after business hours and on the weekend. Emergency issues include AC out when it's 80+ outside, door locks not working, a clogged toilet if a plunger isn't working, or the power is out in your entire room. 

• Your meal plan at the CAF begins on Sunday, August 6th, if you are moving in early for pre-season activities. The CAF is open for cash sales before the meal plans begin. If you are arriving with a pre-season group prior to August 6th, check with your coach/advisor to see which meals, if any, are covered by your program. For information about dining locations and hours, meal plans, menus, dining dollars, and more, check out the Tiger Dining website. 

• Dining dollars and Tiger Bucks will be activated on the 1st day of classes. You can add money to your Tiger Bucks account prior to this if you want to use Tiger Bucks at any of our local partners or need to do laundry. You can manage your Tiger Bucks account and learn more about all the places where you can use your Tiger Bucks by visiting the TigerCard page. Gilbert residents can also add money via the kiosk available in the Gilbert lobby.

• Parking is available near each residence hall and can be seen on the Campus Virtual Map. Each hall has a unique permit specifically for its residents, which allows them to park in the designated area for that hall. 

• All vehicles on campus MUST be registered and have a permit. You can complete your registration form before you arrive on campus, with registration opening up in late July.  You can find the Traffic Rules and Parking Regulations on the Public Safety website.  

• During move-in, there will be a few spaces at Gilbert reserved for unloading vehicles during scheduled check-in times ONLY. One person must remain with the car at all times and must move the car as soon as the car is unloaded. Parking will not be allowed on the road, in non-parking spaces, in spaces otherwise reserved, or in any fire lane or the Gilbert driveway area. Cars parked illegally will be ticketed by University police.

• Orange parking spaces at each hall are reserved for authorized housing staff members only. In front of Gilbert, there are additional reserved spaces for authorized personnel. Parking in any reserved spaces will result in a conduct referral, with sanctions starting at a $25 fine and escalating for additional violations. In addition, there is a 15-minute parking space available for loading/unloading and can only be used for up to 15 minutes each time. Violations will once again result in conduct referral and sanctions as indicated above.

• Handicapped parking spaces are marked and available only to those drivers with valid permits (must have UWA blue decal AND the appropriate state-issued plate or placard). Handicap zones are enforced 24 hours a day, with tickets starting at $100.

UWA has a mailroom at the Student Union Building, where residents must rent a campus mailbox to receive mail and packages. The University will not accept packages mailed to your residence hall room. After renting a mailbox, mail and packages can be delivered to your mailing address. Mailboxes are $5 per semester and can be paid by cash or check at the mailroom window.

1 College Drive
UWA Box (your UWA Box Number)
Livingston, AL 35470