Guide to Living On Campus

The Office of Disability Services (ODS) is the primary University office responsible for the coordination of auxiliary aids and services for students with disabilities and/or that require special accommodations, including recommendations on a space available basis related to on-campus housing. ODS can be reached at 305-284-2374 or disabilityservices@miami.edu.

Request ODS Accommodations

We work directly with ODS and assist resident students and their families with housing-related special accommodations.  Examples include overseeing attendant care access to the building daytime/overnight, facilitating remote access to student rooms where power assisted doors are installed, and coordinating with Facilities Customer Service and HRL any needed minor facility adaptations. Emotional support animals and service animals must be coordinated and approved by ODS prior to a student moving to campus housing. In case of an emergency where residential students are evacuated to a temporary shelter, only service animals will be allowed into the shelter. Alternate accommodations must be found for emotional support animal.

Students are allowed to use coffee pots, popcorn poppers, microwave ovens, and hot pots if they have encased heating units. All other heating devices, including “George Foreman”-type grills, toasters, induction burners, and the like, are considered a fire hazard and may not be used in the residential colleges. Students living in Lakeside or University Village may use these appliances in their kitchen areas only, not their individual bedrooms.

Students in residential colleges may provide their own refrigerator as long as it operates on no more than 1.5 amps and 175 watts. Microwaves are recommended to be no more than 900 watts.

All appliances and electronic devices should be protected from overloads by a surge protector. (120-volt, U.L. approved; built-in manual reset; 15-amp circuit breaker; maximum length of cord 6 feet; maximum 6 outlets at end of cord).

As of June 2023, cable or streaming services are no longer provided to resident students. Students may bring their own Smart TVs or streaming devices and utilize personal accounts. Please use this DIY resource from the UMIT Student Help Desk.

Carts are available for check-out at each area's reception desks. All residents may borrow a cart for only 2 hours to allow for usage by all students. If carts are not returned within the allotted time, a fee may be charged to the student's account. Students will be billed the replacement cost of items not returned after 24 hours.

In addition to other campus locations, a Cane Card grants access to the student's residential area and their individual rooms/apartments. Students are required to carry their Cane Card at all times and the transfer of Cane Cards to anyone other than the cardholder is prohibited. Each card is specifically coded for the building in which a student lives and will register invalid when used in another residential area. If you lose your card, another one can be obtained at the Cane Card Office.

Lock Outs

During Daily Desk Hours

If you are accidentally locked out of your room/apartment, you may obtain a loan key card at the front desk of your residential area between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Students are granted a grace period at the beginning of each semester. Starting on September 1 and February 1, students may be charged a lockout fee for every lockout thereafter.

The loan key or key card must be returned within two hours. You must also show your Cane Card to the desk assistant when you return the loan key or key card. If your loan key or key card is not returned within 2 hours, a charge may be issued to your account.

All locks and keys are the property of the University and are not to be repaired, changed, or duplicated except by University maintenance personnel. Residents are not to borrow keys, loan key cards, or Cane Cards from other residents. If a student’s key or Cane Card is lost, the student will be responsible for the cost of replacing the key and/or Cane Card.

No student, guest, or family member may sign out a key or key card for another student’s room/apartment.

Student housing on the Coral Gables campus is limited to full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students. Married couples, students with their child(ren), and part-time students (enrolled in 12 or fewer credits for the semester), as well as Intensive English, Law, and Medical students, are unfortunately not eligible for on-campus housing.

For all facilities-related requests, please complete the Facilities Management Service Request Form or call Facilities Customer Service at 305-284-8282 seven days a week.

Housekeeping staff will clean shared bathrooms in the Centennial Village complex daily. Residents of suite-style buildings (Eaton, Mahoney, and Pearson Residential College), and University Village must clean their own bathrooms.

If students have an insect problem, they may request extermination services by completing the Facilities Management Service Request Form. Please keep in mind that insects are attracted to accessible food. Keep all food tightly wrapped and stored in sealed containers. Throw away all garbage on a regular basis.

Trash and Recycling

All rooms are equipped with a waste and recycling bin. Each floor in Centennial Village, Mahoney, and Pearson centrally located trash chute and recycling room. Eaton has centrally located trash containers on each floor. Dumpsters and recycling cans are located near each building in the University Village for residents to discard their trash.

The Department of Housing & Residential Life staff will inform residents of necessary preparations for a storm. Resident Assistants will provide specific information and be your primary information source.

UM Emergency Hotline: 1-800-227-0354

PREPARING FOR A STORM

The University provides internet connectivity to all students. All residential areas are equipped with University Wi-Fi. Private common areas/suites are equipped with one port for wired connectivity. Learn how to connect to the University's internet services by visiting UMIT's DIY Networking web page.

Each residential area has laundry facilities that are free for all on-campus residents. All apartments in the University Village and Lakeside Village are equipped with in-unit washers and dryers. Suites at Lakeside Village will utilize laundry facilities located throughout the building.

Lakeside Village

Machines located in communal laundry rooms in Lakeside Village are operated exclusively through a mobile app. 

To use the app:

1. Search for the CSCPay Mobile app in the Apple Store or on Google Play or visit their website.
2. Once connected to the laundry room within the app, scan the machine you would like to use

For more information, review FAQs about using the app and connecting to the laundry room.

Laundry Service

Students who wish to pay additional for full-service laundry and dry cleaning can sign up for Tide's University Laundry. The service is app-based, and the convenient laundry lockers allow for 24/7 drop-off and pick-up access. Lockers are located in Lakeside Lobby C, Mahoney/Pearson, Eaton, and Stanford Residential Colleges. Click here to sign up for service.

Once signed up, students should complete the following:

• Be sure they signed up for service using THEIR cell phone and UM email.
• Downloadthe MyLaundry app and turn all push notification ON. This is how students will be alerted their bag has been picked up/delivered.
• Register the bags in the app BEFORE dropping off at a locker.
• Clearly write in permanent marker students FIRST and LAST name on the white strip on the front of the bag. This helps with processing and return.
• If having issues, contact Tide Cleaners, select CAMPUS, and then MIAMI. It will prompt for a few questions on the chat bot in the lower right-hand corner. When contacting, use the students name, email, and phone number. Tide also has live chat feature.

Residents of Eaton, Lakeside Village, Mahoney, Pearson, and Centennial Village

Mail and packages for these residents must be shipped to our on-campus The UPS Store at Lakeside Village. Each student is also assigned a Virtual Mailbox Number to have a unique and individualized mailing address. The UPS Store will also offer faxing, notary, and printing services. Residents will receive an email notification when mail or a package is ready for pickup from The UPS Store.

To view your mailbox number, visit the main page of the Housing Portal via CaneLink.

Students should use the above mailing address for all paper mail and packages. Students should update their mailing address with their various organizations, friends, and family accordingly. Failure to do so, or to use the correct mailbox number, may result in mail and packages being returned to sender. Please note that specific building addresses should be used for food deliveries.

Hours of Operation

Hours may be limited during break periods or extended during peak periods.

Package Pickup

Students will receive an email when they have mail or packages processed and ready for pickup at The UPS Store. Students should have their email notification readily available when they arrive at The UPS Store.

Students will pick up their mail and packages at the service desk and do not have a physical mailbox, the virtual mailbox number only serves to provide you with an individualized mailing address.

Contact Information

Residents of University Village

Students living in University Village will receive mail and packages at the University Village front desk/mail room. When a student receives a package, it is signed for at the reception desk and logged into our package tracking system. Once you receive an email from us notifying you that there is a package waiting for you – bring that email and your Cane Card to the reception desk to retrieve your package. Please note that there is a slight delay between the carrier's delivery notification and when we log it into our system.

Failure to utilize your correct shipping address, including your correct name and/or your mailbox number, may result in administrative fees.

All undergraduate students living in any of the residential colleges during the fall and/or spring semesters are required to purchase a residential meal plan. 

MORE INFO

Please refer to the information provided on the move-in and move-out pages for specific information.

Your on-campus housing assignment, roommate information, message center, mailing address, and more are always available in your On-Campus Housing Portal. Access the On-Campus Housing Portal via CaneLink for Students by selecting the “Housing and Dining” dropdown from the menu.

View this resource guide for more information.

The University is not liable for loss or damage to property caused by fire, rain, windstorm, hurricane, theft or vandalism, or other act of God or casualty or any causes beyond the control of the University. The University shall not be liable for damages caused by failure to maintain or repair the building, unless it has failed to make necessary repairs or maintenance within a reasonable time after notification to the Physical Plant/ Facilities Administration Department for need of such repairs.

Personal property insurance is strongly recommended and is available from GradGuard, a service of Next Generation Insurance Group. Renters insurance from GradGuard is designed specifically for college students and provides valuable protection if a student’s personal belongings are stolen or damaged by a covered peril, including laptop computers, smart phones, bicycles, game consoles, textbooks, clothing and other items. Renters insurance also protects students financially for unintentional damage to the student’s residence or bodily injury to others for which the student is legally liable, within the residence premises. Applicants are able to opt-in through the housing sign-up process or decline coverage should the student be covered by the family’s homeowner’s insurance or decides to choose a different company.

To foster a Culture of Belonging, the University of Miami encourages everyone to report bias incidents that occur in our community so that inappropriate and unwelcome behavior may be properly addressed and the community at large can be educated. A bias incident - defined as an action, behavior, or expression against an individual’s or group’s actual or perceived identity - can be reported to the Dean of Students Office via this form.

Room change requests can be made on the Housing Portal via CaneLink. Upon completion, you will receive a confirmation email message. Room changes are granted based on available space, date of request, and, in some cases, seniority.

Resident students can only begin their move once they receive written notification from the Department of Housing and Residential Life to confirm. Room changes made by resident students without authorization will result in the assessment of a $100 fine and may also include forfeiture of the requested room change.

Sharing a room/apartment for many college students is a new experience. To ensure good relations with your roommate, suitemate, or apartment mate, remember that it is always a good idea to talk things over first. We've assembled a guide to help you discuss some of these key topics with your roommate.

ROOMMATE GUIDE

Between the hours of 10 p.m. and 8 a.m., Security Assistants (student employees of the Department of Housing and Residential Life) monitor the entrance lobbies of the Residential Colleges. The duties of the Security Assistants include emergency response, oversight of fire and door prop alarm panels, access control to residential areas, and documentation of all nightly activity.

Additional components of Housing & Residential Life's Safety & Security program are listed on the Safety and Security Services page.

SAFETY AND SECURITY SERVICES

Resident students are encouraged to incorporate sustainable practices into their daily living habits. To learn more about recycling in Miami-Dade, energy and water conservation, local food, gardening, nature preservation, and community engagement, visit Sustainable Living at the U.

Students interested in serving in a leadership position can apply to an ECO Representative.

Vending machines are located in the lobby of Coral, Ibis, Eaton, Mahoney, and Pearson residential colleges and throughout Lakeside Village and in the University Village mailroom.

The University has ended its partnership with BedLoft (including its MicroFridge rental program) and will no longer allow students to loft their beds. Students may use bed risers, however, they may not lift the bed higher than 24" off the ground. Students can only have 24 inches total of storage space under the bed. For example, if the current height from the floor to the bottom of the bed frame is already 20 inches, students can purchase 4-inch bed risers to lift it to a maximum of 24 inches.

*Review the information about student-owned appliances above.

Students may store bicycles in their rooms or in the bike racks provided outside of the residential areas. Please note that fire safety regulations do not permit bicycles to be stored in hallways, balconies, or stairwells; cannot be locked to handrails, trees, or street signs; and cannot block emergency exits.

The use of Personal Mobility Vehicles, including but not limited to bicycles, skateboards, roller skates, roller blades, and all other manual, motorized, and electric vehicles are prohibited inside residential buildings, hallways, common spaces, and apartments.

Gas Powered Vehicles: Motorcycles, motor scooters, motor bikes and petroleum powered all-terrain vehicles are prohibited in residential buildings.

Personal Electric Vehicles: Personal Electric Vehicles (PEVs), including but not limited to e-scooters, e-bikes, hoverboards, electric skateboards, motorcycles, mopeds, and segways are not permitted inside residential buildings.

Registration with UMPD: All bicycles and scooters are required to be registered with UMPD as part of the Bicycle/Scooter Safety Program.

The prices for damages and cleaning are approximations and are subject to change based on the actual cost of the damage or cleaning incurred. Any charges based on miscellaneous damages not indicated on this sheet will be determined by HRL Facilities Staff.

Charges

Residents are permitted to host non-University-of-Miami-student guests within their rooms/apartments. Guests are permitted by invitation only and with the express permission of their roommate(s). Any student guests will be expected to show their Cane Card and non-student guests must show a government-issued ID upon entering the building or by request. Guests must be accompanied by a resident of that building at all times.

When accompanied by the resident, guests may visit halls, lounges, courtyards, and other common spaces. In accommodations where a private or semi-private restroom is available, guests may use that facility only if the roommate and/or suitemates/apartment-mates grant permission.

If you are accidentally locked out of your room/apartment, you may obtain a loan key card at the front desk of your residential area between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. Students are granted a grace period at the beginning of each semester. Starting on September 15 and February 1, students may be charged a lockout fee for every lockout thereafter.

The loan key or key card must be returned within two hours. You must also show your Cane Card to the desk assistant when you return the loan key or key card. If your loan key or key card is not returned within 2 hours, a charge will be issued to your account.

All locks and keys are the property of the University and are not to be repaired, changed, or duplicated except by University maintenance personnel. Residents are not to borrow keys, loan key cards, or Cane Cards from other residents. If a student’s key or Cane Card is lost, the student will be responsible for the cost of replacing the key and/or Cane Card.

No student, guest, or family member may sign out a key or key card for another student’s room/apartment.

Pets, other than aquarium fish, are not permitted in any on-campus housing facility. This pertains to visiting pets as well as those of the residents of the room/apartment. Please refer to "Accessibility and Accommodations" above for information regarding emotional support animals and service animals.

Your walls are a good place to start adding a bit of yourself to your room. You can decorate them with posters and photographs that create the atmosphere you want. You should keep in mind that decorations should not alter or damage the physical structure of the room/apartment. You may add curtains, bedspreads, rugs, wall hangings, posters, carpet, or lamps.

You may not, however, paint, build lofts, hang flags, or the like from ceilings as these are fire hazards. Nothing is to be placed in, on, or hung from, in front of, or behind windows that block transparency or alter the appearance of the windows or the exterior of the building.

All University-owned and provided furniture must remain in your room at all times.

Candles

The possession or use of candles, incense, or plug-in candle warmers within a residential space is prohibited. Other alternatives are available that would avoid fire hazards or risks: reed diffusers, battery-operated flameless LED scented candles, or battery-operated candle warmers.