Living Off Campus & Senior Release

Union College is a residential campus. All students are required to live-on campus during their entire time at Union and must seek approval from the Office of Residential Education & Housing to live off-campus or commute. Off-campus leases should not be signed without first having permission. Signing a lease without permission will not release applicants from Union College’s residency requirement or any on-campus financial obligations due to the College.

For planning purposes, expect the 2024 senior off-campus release process to approve 20-40 students for off-campus living. Additional releases may or may not happen after the initial process.

Timeline

February 5th, 2023 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM

• Information Session 1
  • Location: College Park Hall, 107M

February 7th, 2024 - 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM

• Information Session 2
  • Location: College Park Hall, 107M
    • Please note: Meeting location has been changed from CPH to Karp 008

February 12th, 2024 - 10:00 AM

• The 2024-2025 Off Campus Release Application Opens

February 18th, 2024 - 11:59PM

• Applications Due

February 22nd, 2024 - 12:00PM

• Off Campus Offers Released

February 26th, 2024 - 4:00PM

• Acceptance of Release Offer Due

Eligibility

Class Status: Permission to reside off-campus will be limited to a designated number of rising Union seniors, based on credits achieved.

Conduct Check: Students’ conduct history will be considered. Any student who was suspended or is actively on probation with the Office of Community Standards & Accountability will be notified that their conduct history excludes them from participating in the off-campus lottery. Any charges that are filed after submitting an application that has been approved, could result in a loss of the privilege

Greek Occupancy: Members of Greek organizations should be aware of their chapters’ house overall occupancy by consulting with the Associate Director for Greek Leadership and Community Director for Greek Houses. Students released from their Greek house residency requirement are not automatically guaranteed a release from the on-campus housing requirement and students released off campus are not automatically released from Greek house obligations.

Personal Pre-Release Checklist

Prior to submitting an application for release students should:

1. Confirm that you will have the right number of credit hours (27 hours needed by fall term of senior year)
2. Contact Financial Aid to see if living off-campus would have any impact on their package. Contact the Office of Financial Aid at (518) 388-6123 to make an appointment with a counselor
3. Be honest with their group regarding their conduct status, credit hours earned, and financial ability to live off campus

Lottery Application Process

Permission to live off-campus is not automatic, or guaranteed for any students. If off-campus permission is not granted, applicants will be required to participate in the housing lottery and live on campus.

• Create a group of one, two, three, or four people. Students are approved or waitlisted based on how they apply as a group. Applicant groups who lose members due to any issues may not be allowed to add additional members after the lottery.
• Submit the 2024 - 2025 Off Campus Release Application by Sunday February 18th at 11:59 PM. Every applicant will need to "sign" with both their student ID number, full name, and initials. Students may only appear on one off-campus application. If a name appears on two applications the student will be contacted and asked to select one application.
• The Office of Residential Education & Housing will use a randomizer to determine group order. Groups, totaling 20-40 students, will be exempted from the live-on requirement. The remaining groups will be waitlisted in case there is a need for future releases.
• All students approved to live off-campus must complete the Senior Off-Campus Release Confirmation Form by Friday, February 26th, 2024 at 4:00 PM. Failure to complete the confirmation sheet will result in a forfeiture of a spot off campus. All members of a group must complete this confirmation or will otherwise forfeit their spots off campus.

The Office of Residential Education & Housing does not sanction or inspect off campus property and does not mediate landlord/tenant issues. Students living off campus are responsible for managing all landlord/tenant issues independently of the College.