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For the students

#WelcomeUGA

Hall/community councils

National studies show students who are involved on campus earn higher GPAs and have higher graduation rates. University Housing offers a few ways for residents to be involved in their community and on campus, including Residential Hall Association (RHA), Residential Hall Studios (RHS) and National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH). In these organizations, students gain valuable leadership experience as they facilitate events, socials and service opportunities for residents throughout the year.

As the second largest student organization on campus, RHA helps coordinate housing’s student-led hall councils and actively serves the interest of the residents by assisting with the development of residence hall policies, procedures and programs.

RHS is a student-run studio that produces content for channel 12.1 on University Cablevision. The student leaders involved with RHS are responsible for every aspect of the production process, including writing, producing, filming, pitching and editing for the channel. This hands-on experience gives students skills in television production and project management.

NRHH is a leadership-based honorary society whose members consist of the top 10 percent of University Housing residents. “Getting involved in student organizations that are based in the residence halls allows students to develop their leadership skills and make an impact on the community they live in by providing programs and service activities,” Graduate Resident for Student Leadership Brittany Smith says. “Students are able to listen to the concerns of other residents in their halls and work to make changes for current and future students.”

How to move in early

We’re recruiting volunteers for move in August 5-6 to welcome new students UGA. You can help make campus move in a smooth and exciting experience for new Bulldogs. This year, we’re working with partners across campus to make move in bigger and better than ever—we need hundreds of volunteers like you!

You don’t have to be living on campus in the fall to help with move in, however, returning residents who volunteer may check into their spaces early—on August 4 instead of August 5.

Individual Volunteers
- Greet new and returning students and parents
- Give directions to area parking lots
- Direct traffic
- Serve as a resource for residents and their families
- Assist with recycling
- Receive free “Home Is Where the Arch Is” t-shirt
- Receive a free meal during your shift
- On-campus residents may move in a day early (Saturday, August 6)

Individual volunteers sign up here.

Student Organizations
- Will be a part of our move-in crew, assisting residents with their belongings
- Wear their own organization’s t-shirts
- Serve as a resource for residents and their families
- Give back by serving first-year students as they begin their journey at UGA On-campus residents may move in a day early (Saturday, August 5)

Student organizations should contact TJ Stewart about being part of the move-in crew: tjstewart@uga.edu

For more information about the move-in process, visit the Move In page at housing.uga.edu and follow #WelcomeUGA on social.

Room selection

The Dawg House at UGA makes room selection easy! Watch as we go through the process of searching for a space in University Housing, choosing a space and adding your roommate. Roommates in the same roommate group can assign each other, meaning the person with the earliest appointment time can pull in their roommate to the same space.

Now hiring first-year vloggers

Each vlog is entirely the student’s individual work. The vloggers demonstrate ownership of the vlogs and are encouraged to use their creativity to produce unique videos. After producing a vlog entry, the students submit their work to the housing public relations specialist, who provides constructive feedback. Vloggers make suggested edits to their work and submit a second draft (if needed). We encourage vloggers to use their own style and creativity throughout the editing process. The vlogger position provides a professional experience that students can use on their resumes in addition to producing videos they can use in future portfolios.

Check out the Dawg Vlog at: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeMpNYZIMH5ZhoQO2uffbMnOOddVQWiaK

Apply to be a University Housing vlogger at: https://goo.gl/forms/AWzi4CWvhuI2vyPW2

Don't ditch, donate

In the past five years of spring move out, housing’s annual Dawgs Ditch the Dumpster and Donate program has collected an average of 64,000 pounds each year of unwanted furniture, clothing and other items, which was then distributed to more than a dozen local and regional non-profit organizations.

This year, students may drop off items at designated locations throughout University Housing from April 20-May 5.

Dawgs Ditch the Dumpster and Donate (Dawgs Ditch for short) is an annual landfill diversion initiative and student volunteer opportunity that reflects housing’s commitments to sustainability and student leadership. The program allows residents living on campus to donate unwanted items that may otherwise end up in a landfill. Thanks to a grant from the UGA Office of Sustainability, University Housing coordinates this annual event with help from residents like you.

The list of organizations that benefit from Dawgs Ditch grows each year. Organizations that have benefited in the past include America’s Thrift, Athens Area Habitat for Humanity, Project Safe (a shelter for women and children in crisis), Athens Area Homeless Shelter, Athens Area Humane Society, Friends of the Athens-Clarke County (ACC) Library, Keep ACC Beautiful, the ACC Teacher Reuse Store, and Easter Seals of Northeast Georgia.

Dawgs Ditch the Dumpster and Donate relates directly to core values of University Housing to promote sustainability and community engagement.

To volunteer, visit http://bit.ly/2pXqENd
To donate, simply look for a donation station near your residence hall April 20-May 5.

Now hiring tour guides

Tour guides:

- Receive paid professional training.
- Lead tours of residence halls and answer tour participant questions.
- Participate in training led by the senior public relations coordinator and the UGA Visitors Center.
- Attend resource fairs in order to provide resident perspective to students and their families.
- Attend orientation parent and student sessions in order to provide resident perspective to students and their families.
- Maintain the tour rooms (restock fliers, rehang posters, straighten bedding, submit work requests for any custodial or maintenance issues that arise).
- Represent the university and the department in a professional and friendly manner as well as promote the value of living on campus.

Apply in The Dawg House now for the opportunity to welcome prospective Bulldogs by serving as a summer tour guide!

First-year housing registration

Russell hall renovation

In spring 2017, residents chimed in with suggestions for study spaces, laundry rooms, kitchens, community and lounge spaces and—of course—bathrooms. Project coordinators from Menefee Architecture and Cannon Design came away with some great input on how students envision the improved Russell Hall.

Plans for Russell include increasing space flexibility in the student rooms through the removal of built-in furnishings. Community bathrooms will feature enhanced toilet and shower privacy and upgrades to modern fixtures and finishes. Students can also expect to see enhanced and updated lobby, lounge, study, programming, laundry and kitchen spaces. More importantly, plans also include renovations of climate control, plumbing and electrical systems as well as making the building ADA-accessible.

UGA determined a renovation of Russell Hall to be more cost-effective than new construction since a main concern for the university is ensuring continued affordability of student housing on campus while also providing adequate reserves for future renovations.

Originally opened in 1967 as an all-male residence hall, Russell Hall is a popular choice for first-year students, who say they appreciate its sense of community. “It is a great place to get connected and make friends at a large university,” said first-year student Aaron Stafford. “I love Russell Hall because no matter what, I always feel at home here.”