USH Policies

General ADA Information

University Student Housing is committed to supporting individuals with disabilities through reasonable accommodations.  In order to ensure that we meet the specific needs of students, it is important that students with a specific accommodation review the following information.

Students with a need for a specific housing accommodation, including Emotional Support Animals/Service Animals, should submit their request in the USH resident portal by using the drop-down menu on the “Housing Application” page.

Please contact USH at admin@ushcommunities.org or (610) 430-4988 with any questions.

ADA Accommodations With Specific Room or Bathroom Needs

Students who have been approved for a specific bedroom or bathroom accommodation will be contacted by USH Affiliated Housing via email prior to the Room Self-Selection Process. This email will provide information regarding the options for an ADA approved placement. Depending upon the timing of your approval and the time you are approved in our housing timeline these options are available prior to February:

Option 1: Administrative Assignment

In order to guarantee placement in a building that meets a student’s need, USH Affiliated Housing may administratively assign a student prior the self-selection process. The advantage to this option is that the student will be guaranteed housing assignment that meets the documented need. Additionally, this option does allow for one preferred roommate request. A roommate request must be mutually accepted through the Roommate Matching process to confirm that the request is amicable. A disadvantage to this option is that students who are administratively placed do not get to select a building of their choice. This is left to our office’s discretion based on what we feel is the best building option to address the need.

Option 2: Participate in Self-Selection

The advantage to self-selection is the ability to select the building and room type based on the available inventory during the assigned selection date/time. The disadvantage to this option is that we cannot guarantee the availability of a space to meet the documented need at the time of selection. There is a risk involved in participating in self-selection. Also, please be aware that single rooms may not be available for selection during this process due to limited availability.

If a student participates in the Housing Selection Process and is unable to select a space that meets their need, USH Affiliated Housing will offer a room change to ONLY the student with the specific accommodation need, the availability of the specific room type cannot be guaranteed. Room changes based on a specific accommodation following the formal selection process may not accommodate specific roommate requests.

WCU Requests:

Contact OEA (Office of Educational Accessibility) if you are looking for services with WCU

Phone: (610) 436-2564

Email: oea@wcupa.edu

Address: Lawrence Center 223, West Chester, PA 19383

Residents are bound by the terms of their lease agreement.  You remain responsible for the obligations identified in your lease agreement until the lease termination process is satisfied entirely.  This includes submitting the lease termination in the USH Portal and find a qualified replacement.

To begin the Lease Termination process, complete the below steps:

Go to the USH Resident Portal  and login.

Select Apply for Housing from the menu bar

Select Cancel Application/Lease Termination from the drop-down menu

Select the Term (Academic Year) you wish to cancel/terminate.  You will only see terms that you have an application for.

Complete all steps

As outlined in your Lease Agreement, you need to submit a $200 Lease Termination Fee, paid via credit card.

A replacement resident must:

Be a qualified replacement, meeting USH applicant criteria

Complete all required paperwork

Sign a Lease Agreement

Your name will be added to a list of students who wish to be released from their lease.

You remain responsible for all rental and appropriate all terms of the lease agreement until you are released.  If a replacement is found you will receive a pro-rated refund depending upon on when the qualified replacement start their lease.

Notifying USH that you wish to terminate the lease and submitting the $200 termination fee does not absolve you from the obligations identified in your lease agreement. You remain responsible for rent payment until a qualified replacement is identified, completes the necessary paperwork, and meets the qualifying criteria.

How is a qualified replacement resident found?

It is the responsibility of the resident to find a qualified replacement resident to sign a new lease on the bed space. While USH will assist you in finding a replacement, It is ultimately your responsibility to find a qualified replacement tenant.

USH does work with WCU Admissions & Residence Life to identify replacement residents for USH residents looking to terminate their lease. USH makes no guarantee that a replacement will be found for your lease.

Will I still be financially responsible?

Residents are held to the terms of the lease until a replacement resident has completed all required steps noted above.

Full rent is due as outlined in the Lease Agreement. If a replacement is found, you will receive a refund based on the prorated amount of rent due.

How will I know I have been released?

The USH Leasing Office will send you a communication with your approved Lease Termination with your remaining balance due.

If I am already in unit, when do I move my belongings out?

This is up to every resident. In order for a new resident to move-in you have to remove your belongings from the bed space.

USH may require you to remove your belongings within 48 hours in order to accommodate and move the new resident into the bed space to release you from your responsibility.

Note:  December Graduates must submit the Request for Lease Termination form by October 31st.

If you have any questions regarding the Lease Termination process before you move in:

Contact leasing at 610-430-4988.

If you have any questions regarding the Lease Termination process after you move in:

Contact your Community Manager.

University Student Housing allows students the option of electing a Gender Inclusive Housing environment. This permits students to reside with a person of a different gender (regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression). Gender Inclusive Housing creates an environment that acknowledges, appreciates, and respects the diverse nature of students, while giving students more options to find a roommate who is truly compatible.

Important Things to Know About Gender Inclusive Housing

Gender Inclusive Housing is optional. Students must specifically state their desire for this option through their USH housing application.

Students will live in the same room/unit and bathrooms regardless of assigned sex, gender identity and/or gender expression.

If a resident terminates the lease or relocates for any reason, he/she must work with the remaining lessees to identify a replacement to fill the vacancy. USH will work with the current resident(s) to identify other solutions.

If a new applicant cannot be identified, USH reserves the right to relocate the remaining residents to another unit and/or make the unit single gender.

If relocation occurs, residents will be assigned to any suite style available.

Students with questions about Gender Inclusive Housing assignments or who wish to learn more can contact USH Affiliated Housing at leasing@ushcommunities.org or (610) 430-4988.

Interested students may sign up for a Gender Inclusive Housing on their Housing Application via the USH Resident Portal. Students will have the opportunity to self-select their Gender Inclusive Housing assignment during the roommate self-selection period.

Fall & Spring

Pre-approved early arrivals for athletic or other extracurricular activities have been arranged by those coaches, employers, and on-campus directors. Students to whom this applies will receive information about early move-in at the beginning of August. No other early arrivals will be accepted.

Residents desiring a room change during the lease term that were not able to identify a space during the open room change period in the Fall, should contact their Hall Director (HD) if they are still interested in a room change for Spring Semester.  The HD will work to identify potential options.

A temporarily tripled room is a bedroom originally designed for two students, but has enough room to be converted into a triple to accommodate three students. 

USH utilizes the three bedroom double suite (3×2) and a handful of one bedroom double suites (1×1) for tripling. Each room has the following furniture, space permitting:

One set of bunk beds

One single bed

Two closets

Three desks

Three desk chairs

Three dressers

Why are students tripled?

Due to the high demand for on-campus housing, students will be assigned to a triple unit based on a few variables.

Students applying to a three bedroom double unit (3×2) are more likely to be tripled.

Other suite styles, such as a one bedroom double unit (1×1) may be tripled.

Assigning students to a temporary space in a tripled room provides a student the opportunity to begin their time at WCU living on-campus until we can secure a vacant space.

Do I get a triple room rebate?

Yes! Students assigned to a triple bedroom will receive a reimbursement of 25% of the room rate for every night (or prorated portion thereof) that they live in tripled housing. For the three bedroom double suite, only the residents of the bedroom that is tripled will receive the credit – the other residents of the suite do not receive a credit.

The rent is due in full by August 1st for the fall semester. The credit will be issued after the unit is de-tripled.

How long will it last?

Tripling is a temporary assignment that can last from a few weeks through the fall semester. It is our goal to have all residents de-tripled within the first few months of the semester, but this will be based on availability and may last the entire fall semester.

During the de-tripling process, USH may need to relocate the resident to a different community and/or suite style, which may have a higher or lower fixed rental rate.