HousingOn- And Off-Campus Housing If you live in on-campus housing, please read the materials given to you by the Office of Residence Life. Family student housing policies and facilities are explained in the `Living Here - The Family Student Housing Guide' booklet given to you, along with your apartment keys, by the Office of Residence Life. Read it carefully since it contains valuable information that will help you throughout the years that you will be a Family Student Housing resident. If you are going to be looking for off-campus housing, there are several ways that Rensselaer resources can help you. Look at the on-line location of the Off-campus Housing Service http://www.union.rpi.edu/offcampus. The ISSS Office has a full time student coordinator to help international students find off-campus housing and roommates two weeks prior to the beginning of the Fall term. Most international clubs also offer help in finding off-campus housing for newcomers. Get in touch with your club president or representative. For professional help with leases and contracts there is an attorney in the Union; for more information or attorney hours, contact the Union Administration Office on the second floor. 276-6505 Telephone Installation: On-Campus Housing The Institute provides telephone services to on-campus apartment residents. Charges for this equipment are included in your monthly rental. You will be responsible for the cost of all long distance calls, as well as operator and directory assistance calls. In order to activate service to your apartment, please call the Rensselaer Telecommunications Department (276-6609) or drop by at their office at the ground level of the Folsom Library (#112). Provide your name, address and student identification number. If you are living in Rensselaer housing and would like to have long distance calling capability, you will have to apply for a Long Distance Authorization Code. This can be done in person at the Telecommunications Department located at the ground level of the Folsom Library. Bring your Rensselaer ID. Telephone Installation: Off-Campus Housing Off-campus Phone service can be activated by calling Verzion, The Phone Company, at 890-7100. Be sure to read the "Customer Guide" section of the Telephone Directory that will be given to you after you request service. This section contains information concerning the use of your telephone, such as information on billing procedures, directory assistance, local, long distance and international calling. Learn to use the Yellow Pages of the Telephone Directory as well. It lists the business, stores and services in the area. Gas and Electricity Off Campus Electrical service can be arranged through Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation, 1-800-932-0301. On Campus Married students living in Bryckwyck or Rensselaerwyck have to call Niagara Mohawk to arrange for electrical service. They will be billed automatically. Students living in Stackwyck will be billed separately by RPI for heat (they do not have to call Niagara Mohawk.) All other dorms and apartments have heat and electricity included in the rent. Furniture for Unfurnished Apartments Buying Furniture Once you have a list of all the furniture and household items you will need, you may consider buying used items instead of new ones in order to save some money. There are several different ways you can go about buying used items.
Local Bulletin Board Advertisements Residents of the Family Student Housing area often advertise the sale of used items. There are bulletin boards in each of the Family Student Housing area laundry rooms as well as in the Rensselaer Union where local residents advertise the sale of used items. This is an easy way to obtain furniture and other household items, but extensive use of the phone is necessary. Renting Furniture If you would rather rent furniture instead of buying it, you can do so at the following rental stores: Albany Sherman-Furniture Rental Shopping on a Student Budget Some of the moderately priced stores for clothes and household items are:
Area Stores For a list of shopping centers and malls; laundry and dry cleaning; movie theaters; and other businesses, stores, restaurants, etc. refer to the Yellow Pages of the Telephone directory Media and Entertainment Newspapers Local newspapers are not only a good source of news but also a source of savings in terms of discount coupons and sales brochures that accompany them. Most Sale Flyers coupons are found in the Sunday Paper.For home delivery of newspapers you can call: Troy Record 270-1200 Television Locally there are about five television channels that can be watched without cable. These channels include: CBS (6)For more channels, a cable service can be ordered from: Time Warner Cable 869-5500 |