Online registration begins for apartments

Students began to apply for on-campus apartments today, but for the first time in years, UB officials aren't expecting a mass of applicants lining up in the Student Union like fans camped out for Yankees playoff tickets.

This spring, University Residence Halls and Apartments officials have changed the way students apply for on-campus apartments.

The first-come first-serve system is gone. Now students will have a month to apply online, and their position in line will depend on a lottery based on how long they've lived on campus.

"I think realistically this is more convenient to students," said Michael Koziej, assistant director of University Residence Halls and Apartments. "We will take them and group them in seniority groups, to prevent time and date playing a heavy role, and concentrating more on semester time."

Starting today and running through Jan. 31, students will be able to log onto Ubapts.urh.buffalo.edu and fill out their apartment application.

Payment online will only be accepted via credit card, Koziej said, so in-person applications will also be accepted with cash or check payments at the South Lake Village community center during business hours.

After Jan. 19, applications will be accepted at the Residential Operations office in 106 Spaulding Quad during normal business hours, and those received after the initial date will not follow the same time criteria.

Koziej said university officials have thought about switching the process to an online one for quite some time.

"We started discussing it for a while, and we finally decided to enact it," Koziej said. "I never like students sleeping in the Union, and ultimately, this is more convenient for students."

Under the online format, students will still have the same options such as pulling people into their current apartment or grouping together people they want to live with, Koziej added.

Last year, first-day registration in the Union drew 725 applicants. With so many students applying at once, some wondered whether the system would be able to handle such traffic.

"We've talked to the IT (Information Technology) department and they assured us there wouldn't be a problem," Koziej said. "Even if 725 people went online together to register, it still shouldn't cause a problem. It may be a little slower, but nothing serious."

According to Koziej, the new determining factor for applicants will be how many semesters you have lived on campus, rather than how long you're willing to stick it out in the Student Union.

"Now students will not have to stand in line for five hours," Koziej said. "It's really beneficial, however you look at it."

There are currently about 2,100 apartment spaces at UB, including apartments that officials expect will be occupied by the same students next year. As far as rumors that new apartments will pop up on UB's North Campus in the near future, Koziej said he has heard nothing on the subject.

For students who want to retain their current apartment, Koziej said applicants must submit their intent to renew form by Jan. 28.

Jennifer Simms, a freshman pharmacy major, said she thinks the new application process will be beneficial to all students and their schedules.

"I think it would be easier if it was online because people don't have to wait in long lines," she said. "Plus, the Internet is always faster."

Adrienne Cimino, a freshman business major, echoed Simms' thoughts.

"It's great because you can do it wherever you are, whether you're at your home, or at school," she said.

Other students, like Jen Roth, said they see both the positives and negatives of the new system.

"I like the idea of doing it online because you don't waste all that time standing on lines and it's a lot more convenient," said Roth, a sophomore English major. "But I really hate that they got rid of the first come first serve policy. It's not fair that a senior who applies the last day gets an apartment over a sophomore who applied the first day."

Koziej said he's gotten positive feedback from resident advisors regarding the switch to online applications.

"They only people I've talked to are the RAs and they all think students are going to like it," Koziej said. "We plan on making this a permanent thing and we have high expectations this will work well."