Housing FAQ
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Freshman and transfer students may move in on Saturday, September 19, 2009, at 8:00 am. We expect you to move in before 2:00 PM as all new frosh and live-on transfer students are required to attend afternoon Orientation Programs.If you need to move in early due to the High Holy Days or if you just need some extra time, then our Early Move In Day is Thursday, September 17 from 8am to 4PM. Please contact Joe DePage, our Housing Coordinator, in order to receive approval. Continuing students may move in starting on Saturday, September 19 through Wednesday, September 23, 2009 from 8:00am to 4:00PM. Move-In Parking Faq (PDF) can help answer your questions about parking and parking permits for Move-In Day 2009. If you are not able to move in on your respective move-in date, please contact our Housing Office at porterhousingoffice@ucsc.edu. If you do not contact us in advance or arrive by Wednesday, September 23, your space will be forfeited. How do I get to UCSC from the airport? UCSC is located approximately 40 miles south from San Jose International Airport (SJC) and about 70 miles south of San Francisco International Airport (SFO). All services listed below connect with university buses. A number of companies provide transportation from the airports. This listing is a starting and is neither an endorsement of these businesses nor a completelisting of services in the area: Greyhound ABC Transportation Abacus Transportataion Expresso Limousine Highway 17 Express/Santa Cruz Metro See Floorplans. All rooms have a bed, desk, chair, and dresser for each occupant plus a wardrobe and garbage can to share. The rooms and halls are carpeted and there are drapes on the window(s). There is one overhead light in each room, but we strongly recommend that you bring a study lamp for your desk. Clamp-on desk lamps are not recommended, as they do not work on most of our desk models. Tubular-type halogen lamps are not permitted, as they are a fire hazard. We recommend that you do not bring additional furniture with you, at least until you see what's already there and discuss it with your roommate. Lofted beds of any kind are not permitted. Keep in mind that if you do bring your own furniture, we cannot remove or store the furniture originally provided in your room. What's my new mailing address? Every Porter resident has a mailbox assignment at the Porter Student Mail Center. Your mailbox number and combination will be included in your registration packet, which you will receive on the first Monday after your arrival. Porter's mail is sorted alphabetically by last name, so you do not need to include your mail box number or room number in your address. However, it is important that your mail is addressed using the name that appears on your student registration form and not a nickname. Your mailing address at Porter will be: Your First and Last Name All University-student communications will be delivered to your mailbox, so it is important to check it frequently. Fall and Spring tend to be quite warm and pleasant, with warm sunshine and mild breezes. Occasionally you'll wake up to a thick coastal fog, but it usually burns off around noon. Our winters, however, can be quite rainy. From about late november throught mid-March, temperatures will average about 60°F (wet or dry), and there will be many days that you'll want to wear a jacket. For additional Santa Cruz weather information, go to Weather.com
You may absolutely NOT bring:
Possession of any of the above items may result in the forfeiture of your on-campus housing as well as University and criminal sanctions. Students can expect serious and immediate disciplinary action if these policies are violated. For more information about specific rules and policies related to these items, refer to Porter's Policies page or go to http://www2.ucsc.edu/judicial/. Of Course! We do have a few limitations, however. Small to medium sized tapestries are permitted, but cannot be hung from the ceiling. Decorative "twinkle lights" are allowed as well, but holiday lights with large bulbs are not. Keep in mind that you must leave the room in the condition it was in when you moved in. Wall decorations should not permanently alter the wall surface, so be careful about what you use as adhesive. Double-sided transparent tape works well and push pins are fine. Candles have been a major source of fires on campus. In fact, Porter had a dorm fire several years ago that was caused by a candle. We'd like to keep our buildings as safe as possible - whether you intend to burn them or not, please leave your candles at home. Yes and No. It depends on what and how you are cooking. Hot plates, open flame stoves, electric frying pans and woks are NOT allowed. They are fire hazards. Hot pots (for heating water), small microwaves, and hot air popcorn poppers are allowed as long as they are used appropriately. You are also welcome to bring a refrigerator. Please keep in mind that there are only a few two-plug outlets in each room. If you plan to bring any electrical equipment, you may only use UL-approved power strips with circuit breakers. Porter has two laundry rooms: one attached to the E-building and the other in the B building. You'll also need to bring your own detergent and fabric softener. Will my cell phone work on-campus? The UCSC campus is located on a large hill overlooking Santa Cruz and the Monterey Bay. Since the campus has many tall redwood trees and buildings are situated within the trees, cell phone reception is extremely sporadic. The quality of your reception on-campus really depends on your carrier. Our micro cellular antennas service Nextel/Sprint, Verizon, ATT/Cingular and T-Mobile plans. Furthermore, if you visit http://its.ucsc.edu/services/telephone/faculty_and_staff/services_and_features/wireless_phone_services.php then you may be able to purchase discounted service. How will I get around campus and downtown? Most students walk to classes. It's often the fastest and the most direct method-and it's beautiful too! You'll find that many of your routes will leave you feeling like you're hiking in the forest. UCSC also has a great shuttle system - with weekday and weekend routes throughout the campus. There are also specialty shuttles to the Long Marine Laboratory and the Fremont BART station (which connects you to the San Francisco Bay Area). For more information. check out the Campus Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) site . The Santa Cruz Metro Bus System is an efficient way to get around town, and it's easily accessible at campus shuttle stops. All rides are free to UCSC students with a valid Student ID. City buses run through campus and into town every 10-15 minutes weekdays and less frequently on the weekends. Santa Cruz Metro Transit District's Metro Online If you have a bike and ride it a lot, bring it! If you are thinking about buying a bike just for college, you might want to wait until after you've seen the campus and had a chance to check out the bus system and footpaths. UCSC is much more "hilly" than most college campuses, and biking is not our most common form of transportation. If you do want to bring a bike, bring a strong "U" bike lock to prevent theft. That depends. Freshmen and sophomores who live on campus are not eligible for a parking permit (temporary or permanent). Qualified junior and senior transfer students are eligible for remote parking at any time. Transfer students with 90 or more transfer units can purchase "R" (remote lot) permits at any time during the academic year. "C" (carpool) permits generally sell out early in the academic year. All students who live on-campus may purchase a temporary parking permit during the first two weeks of fall quarter and during finals week of each quarter. Transportation and Parking
Services (TAPS) Sorry! It is illegal to ride a skateboard on-campus. You are liable to get a traffic citation if you do. There have been many serious accidents on campus involving skateboarders and motorists and skateboarders and pedestrians. But, there are several skate parks in town available for use. Santa Cruz City Skate Park That's a complicated question. We spend most of the summer reading and rereading your questionnaires to try to get a sense of the combination(s) that might work for you. In most cases we try to match you with other students who share similar lifestyles and living habits. Interestingly enough, we've found that music choice and preferred bedtimes are often the best indicators of compatibility. Roommate matching is very hard to do, so we appreciate all of the information that you can give us about yourself! Be honest - the more you can tell us about how you live, the less likely you are to be paired with a "monster." How will I connect to the internet? Your Ethernet access is provided by ResNet, UCSC's data access support center. Each of our rooms has its own Ethernet connection. All you'll need to take advantage of your Internet port is an Ethernet-capable (or up-gradable) computer with the appropriate configuration. Please refer to the ResNet webpage for details about minimum software and hardware standards as well as configuration details. What if I don't have a computer? No problem! Porter has a computer lab available for student use in addition to UCSC's multiple learning labs . The computer lab at Porter is a Macintosh Lab with advanced software and specialized equipment for graphic design, musical composition, and technical illustration. Pets, with the exception of fish, are not allowed in Porter's residence halls. This policy is strictly enforced. For the benefit of all - especially your pet - please leave yor animals at home. If you bring your fish, make sure that its tank is made of plexiglass and holds 10 gallons or less. Yes, but be smart about it. Social gatherings held in private rooms or apartments must be organized and managed in a manner that does not violate any College or University policy. If you wish to hold a larger gathering in one of our common areas, you'll need to get it approved by one of Porter's Residential Life staff members. You can stop by our office anytime for more information. Can I bring musical instruments or a sound system? Keep in mind that we have over 550 students living in a small area here at Porter. We live in a closer proximity to each other than you may have previously experienced. Acoustic instruments are welcome at Porter-but please leave your drum set or an amplified instrument at home. If you bring a stereo system, please leave the 40" speakers at home and bring headphones. The sound insulation in the residence halls is simply not sufficient to limit the impact of loud music. Noise complaints may be issued any time there is an infraction of the noise policy-- multiple violations will result in judicial sanctions. What furniture is provided in the dorm room or Apartment bedrooms? Per student, each dorm room or Apartment bedroom comes with a bed and mattress, desk, dresser, wardrobe (dorms) or closet (Apartments) and both a trash can and recycling bin. Each room is also provided with an overhead light, heater, and smoke detector. What furniture and amenities are provided in the Apartment common areas? Each Apartment offers two bathrooms with a shower, toilet and sink. They also have a kitchen with a refrigerator, oven, and stove. There is also a dining room with table and chairs and a living room with a sofa and easy chairs. Please keep in mind that our residents are collectively responsible for the cleanliness and maintenance of these areas. Porter College holds quarterly cleanliness and fire safety inspections and will give notice prior to these inspections. |
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