Policies and Procedures for Conference Housing

For the 2026 conference season, all communication should be sent to conferencehousing@rit.edu. 

Applications are approved on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to capital projects and refresh work, space is extremely limited, so early application is encouraged! 

For the 2026 conference season: if multiple sessions of the same conference are planned, please indicate this on the application name (e.g., Tiger Conference Session One, Tiger Conference Session Two, etc.). Dates must allow minimally 3 days between sessions for proper cleaning and preparation. 

Once an application has been submitted, the Associate Director of RIT Housing will reach out to schedule a mandatory logistics and planning meeting. For conference groups with youth participants, a representative from the Office for Youth Protection and Compliance may attend. 

Conference Housing Dates

Guests can be accommodated beginning Friday, May 22, 2026. The final day for housing conference guests is Sunday, August 3, 2026.

Application for Use of Conference Housing

To begin the formal process, please complete the Application for Use of Conference Housing. Upon receipt of the application, the Associate Director of RIT Housing will contact you to schedule an initial meeting and discuss further details and special arrangements.

• A final attendance guarantee, if different from the number of participants indicated on the Application for Use of Conference Housing, must be received in writing thirty (30) days prior to the conference's arrival date. If the total headcount increases after the 30-day deadline, new attendee requests will be pending approval. If the total headcount decreases within 10 days of arrival, a $100 no-show fee per attendee will be charged.  

• Event planners are responsible for meeting all due dates listed (see Event Planner Checklist). The Conference Housing Office cannot guarantee arrangements requested after deadlines. 

• Completed Room Assignment Rosters must be received ten (10) days prior to your conference group’s check-in. 

• Rosters provided after the 10-day deadline will be charged a $25 late fee for each day the roster is late. Rosters will not be accepted on the day of your check-in event, and this may negatively affect the guarantee of your conference housing. 

• This roster must include the participant's first and last name, email, phone number, gender, age, and any roommate preferences or ADA accommodations. 

• Participant needs for accessibility accommodations must be communicated no less than 30 days prior to the start of your conference. If no roommate preference is listed, we will pair participants according to their gender. 

• For youth participants, they must be listed under their designated chaperone or adult staff member. A 10:1 ratio of youth participants to chaperones is required. Youth participants must be housed in rooms that are within the line of sight of their chaperone/staff member room.  

• Please also indicate early arrivals or late departures by date. Any special requests for room location must be submitted along with the final roster (e.g., separation of males and females on the floor, and/or placement of chaperones). 

• Emergency situations may require room changes; after the ten (10) day deadline, changes may not be accommodated. If possible, a $25 administrative fee per change will apply. 

Residence Halls

RIT offers many room types for your conference housing needs. All room types and spaces are subject to availability. Not all types and styles of rooms may be available to your group. 

Room types: Single, Single with Bath, Double-as-Single, Double, Double with Bath, Triples, and Quads. 

• Single Room: Room for one person. 

• Single Room with Bath: Room, with an internal private bathroom. 

• Double-as-Single: Room for one person. 

• Double: Room for two people. 

• Double with Bath: Room for two people, with an internal semi-private bathroom. 

• Triples: Room for three people (some Triples have internal bathrooms). 

• Quads: Room for four people (some Quads have internal bathrooms). 

Room Styles: 

• Standalone/Corridor Style: Rooms that do not connect to other rooms, and that lead into the main hallway. Bathrooms used by these rooms would be located outside of the bedroom. 

• Shared Amenities: All rooms within the residence halls come with a shared micro-fridge (refrigerator, freezer, and microwave combination). Double rooms are furnished with 2 twin beds, 2 twin XL mattresses, 2 dressers, 2 desks, 2 chairs, and 2 closets. Triple rooms are furnished with 3 sets of furniture listed for double rooms; quad rooms are furnished with 4 sets of furniture listed for double rooms. 

• Hot Water: It may take a few minutes for hot water to get to your sink or shower, as the water is not being used daily during the summer conference season. It is advised that participants let the water run for a couple of minutes, prior to the need for use of hot water. 

• Air Conditioning: Use instructions will be provided to conference directors, to be distributed to chaperones and/or staff as needed. 

Global Village

• Suite-style apartment housing with lounges, community kitchens, meeting spaces, and laundry rooms. Each suite offers four to five single bedrooms (dependent on building availability), which include a bed with storage unit underneath, a twin XL mattress, a twin XL bed, desk, chair, wardrobe closet, and window shades. There are two full bathrooms and a common living area within the suite. Some suites are equipped with kitchens, while others are not. 

• For conferences involving minors (under 18 years of age), the stoves in the suites will be disabled during the stay for safety and compliance with Youth Protection rules. 

• Global Village also features a number of services nearby, including post office, Shear Global hair salon, restaurants, The Market at Global Village, and Shop One, a contemporary design shop. 

• To ensure proper placement in conference apartments assigned to a specific group, each apartment must house either 4 or 5 participants – depending on the apartment style available to your group. 

University Commons (Adult Groups Only) 

• Suite-style apartment housing. Each suite offers four single bedrooms. The modern interior features a fully equipped, open concept kitchen and living room. Each suite provides four private furnished bedrooms with a full-sized bed, full-sized mattress, two shared bathrooms, in-unit laundry, and central air conditioning. 

Room Assignments

All groups will have room assignments made prior to arrival. To make room assignments and ensure an accurate record of participants, the Associate Director of Housing must receive a roster of your conference participants no later than 10 days prior to the first day of your conference. 

• Floor plans and bathroom maps will be provided along with conference rosters to aid you in making your conference assignments. 

• For youth participants, they must be listed under their designated chaperone or adult staff member. A 10:1 ratio of youth participants to chaperones is required. 

• Please also indicate early arrivals or late departures by date. Any special requests for room location must be submitted along with the final roster (e.g., separation of males and females on the floor, and/or placement of chaperones). 

• Emergency situations may require room changes; after the ten (10) day deadline, changes may not be accommodated. If possible, a $25 administrative fee per change will apply. 

Check-In Procedures

• All groups will have a check-in event, hosted by the Conference Housing staff. To ensure the safety of all conference participants and the broader campus community, check-in procedures will be conducted exclusively by RIT Conference Housing staff. Unless arrangements have been made in advance, keys and access cards will only be issued by RIT Conference Housing students or staff members, to participants. No handoffs to third parties will be permitted. 

• Conference Housing staff will set up a table to issue keys and building access cards. Linen, if applicable, will be placed by Conference Housing staff in participant rooms prior to arrival. 

• Check-in days/times are established by the conference/camp leader with the Associate Director of Housing. 

• A check-in time of 1:00 p.m. or later is preferred for all check-in events. Specific arrangements must be made for individual participants arriving after 9 p.m. A $50 charge will be applied to the conference bill for every late arrival after 9 p.m. Any participant who unexpectedly decides not to attend will be charged a $100 no-show fee to the master invoice. 

• Any concerns between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. can be addressed with Public Safety. Conference staff will follow up with concerns/issues the following morning. It is your responsibility to inform your participants of check-in and check-out information and provide clear driving directions to the predetermined locations. Please notify the Associate Director of Housing in advance if your group requests additional information to be distributed at the time of your group’s arrival. 

• Check-ins take place at the Conference Housing office, in Grace Watson Hall, unless prior arrangements are made with the Associate Director of RIT Housing. 

• The Conference Housing staff will host check-ins outside of office hours (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) for each conference group at a charge of $25 per conference staff/per hour. The number of employees assigned to each check-in is at the Associate Director's discretion. Please consider your conference group size when requesting check-in and check-out time windows. For example, if your group includes 25 participants, your requested check-in or check-out window should not exceed 2 hours. 

Linen Packages

Requested linen packages will be placed in participant rooms prior to their arrival. Any missing or damaged linen must be reported within 24 hours of the group's arrival. Charges will be assessed for any missing or damaged linens, including pillowcases and additional blankets and added to the groups master invoice. Requests for additional linens or other amenities must be made during business hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. These requests should not be made to the on-call phone. 

Prior to departure: All components of individual participant linen packages must be placed inside the provided linen return bag and placed by the entrance door (apartments) or by the bedroom door (residence halls) upon departure. 

Components of Linen Packages (does not include a pillow or pillowcase – but can be added separately, at an additional cost): 

• Linen set: a fitted sheet, a flat sheet, two bath towels, one washcloth, one hand towel, and a lightweight cotton bath blanket for $36 

• Pillow and Pillowcase: can be added for: $11 

• Additional Blanket: can be added for: $16 (request for warm blankets may be made but may be subject to availability) 

Please advise your conference participants that our residence halls and apartments tend to be cold, even during the summer months. We recommend bringing a warm blanket and cozy pajamas to ensure a comfortable stay. 

Early Arrivals or Late Departures

Late arrivals are participants who miss the planned check-in time but will be staying for the conference. 

Early departures are participants who leave before the conference is over. 

Both late arrivals and early departures will be charged the full conference room rate for the number of nights applied for, if not communicated in advance to the Associate Director of RIT Housing. If late arrivals and early departures are indicated on the roster, by the 10-day roster deadline, they will be charged only for the nights indicated on the roster. 

For late arrivals, you must inform the Associate Director of Housing of the date and approximate time your participant will arrive. A $50 fee will be applied to the conference bill for every late arrival after 9 p.m. 

For Early Departures: Before leaving campus, please complete the following steps: 

• Key and Access Card Return: Place your room key(s) and/or building access card in a completed key return envelope and return it to the RIT Housing Office. You must also be checked out by a Conference Housing staff member. 

• Linen Return: Place all used linens in the provided linen return bag. 

• Residence Halls: Leave the bag just inside your bedroom door. 

• Apartment Areas: Leave the bag just inside the apartment entrance door. 

Late Arrivals or Early Departures

Late arrivals are participants who will be staying on-campus for your conference but do not arrive at the planned check-in time. Early departures are those who stay on-campus, but do not stay for the entire conference. Late arrivals and early departures will be charged the full conference room rate. For late arrivals, please inform the Associate Director of Housing of the date and approximate time your participant will arrive. A $25 charge will be applied to conference bill for every late arrival after 11 p.m.. Early departures must return their room key, building access card, meal card, and linens (if applicable) to the Conference Housing office before leaving campus.

Keys and Access Cards

• All keys and key access cards must be returned in a completed key return envelope, including the name of the conference group, the participant’s first and last name, room assignment information, and departure date. An improper check-out fee of $25 will be assessed for any keys and/or access cards not returned in a completed key return envelope. Improper check-out fee can be added in addition to the fee for a lost key or lost access card. A separate replacement charge will also be assessed for any lost keys and access cards not returned to the Conference Housing office at the end of the conference stay. 

• The cost of replacement is $150 per lost key and $10 per lost access card. The group will be billed for each missing or lost key and/or access card, even if it is found and returned at a later date. Keys and/or access cards will not be accepted via the mail. Participants are responsible for all keys and/or access cards provided to them. If a participant is moved to a new location for unforeseen reasons, they are responsible for returning both sets of keys and/or access cards to RIT Housing in a completed key return envelope. 

Master Keys or Sub-Master Keys

• Master keys or sub-master keys for residence halls will not normally be issued due to security reasons. These keys will only be issued to RIT personnel, and the cost for replacement of these keys is extremely high and should be heavily considered prior to making a request for such keys. 

• Master keys and sub-master keys do not give the key holder the right to enter spaces that are not on their final roster. If it is discovered that rooms not assigned to the specific conference group are being entered, master and sub-master key privileges will be revoked. 

• Special arrangements for these keys must be made with the Associate Director of Housing. 

Check-Out Procedures

• Check-out time is by 11 a.m. on the day of your departure. An 11:00 a.m. or earlier check-out time is preferred for all check-out events. Special arrangements must be made prior to your arrival for those needing additional time to check-out. 

• Late check-outs may result in additional charges. For those participants who wish to check-out later than 1:00 p.m., they will be charged for an additional night stay at the rate provided for your conference and must be arranged prior to the start of your conference. 

• Check-outs take place at the Conference Housing office, in Grace Watson Hall, unless prior arrangements are made with the Associate Director of RIT Housing. 

• All keys must be placed in a completed key return envelope (this information must include the participant's first and last name, their room assignment, and the date they are departing). A check-out meeting with a staff member will be required to confirm all keys have been returned. Charges for a person’s stay is based the dates applied for in the Application. If a person leaves unexpectedly, it is the responsibility of the conference leader to return the keys and/or access cards to the Conference Housing Office to ensure no additional charges are added. 

• Groups will be billed $25 for each improper check-out if these procedures are not followed. Prior to departure, you may also request a walk-through with a Conference staff member for a housing inspection. The Conference staff will host check-outs for each conference group outside of office hours (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) at a charge of $25 per employee/per hour. The number of employees assigned to each check-out is based on the Associate Director’s discretion. 

• All rooms must be left in the condition in which they were found. Any excessive mess or damage will result in cleaning and/or repair fees, charged to the group’s master invoice. 

Conference Housing Staff

• The Conference Housing Office is available for your convenience and is located in Grace Watson Hall. The Conference Housing Office hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Conference staff is on-call each night between 4:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. If their services are required, they can be contacted by calling 585-734-4410. Conference staff is available to assist participants arriving late and are on-duty to respond to emergencies until 9 p.m. Emergencies or concerns between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m. must be handled by RIT Public Safety. Conference staff will follow-up with the concerns/issues the following day. 

Security

The residence halls are locked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for security purposes. If your group consists of youth (under the age of 18), only chaperones and/or adult staff will receive exterior door/elevator card access in order to monitor and control the activity of the group. It is the chaperones’ responsibility to handle their participants’ building level lock-outs. Extra security can be arranged for an additional fee through Public Safety. 

Conference Rooms

Conference rooms are scheduled based on your application. Please call or schedule a meeting with the Associate Director of Housing regarding specific needs, requests, additions, and/or changes. We reserve the right to change meeting rooms if necessary. You will be notified prior to your arrival if a change has been made regarding a meeting room. You are encouraged to visit our facilities to ensure that they will meet your needs. Our expectation is that your group will leave the meeting rooms in the same condition that they found them. If any furniture is moved, please restore it to its original location. You may make arrangements in advance to have the Conference staff move furniture for you and be charged an hourly labor fee. Your group will be charged for any extraordinary cleaning required. You must specify who will need access to the conference room by filling out the name of the individual on the application form. 

For event planners who work at RIT, access to conference rooms can be programmed into their RIT identification card with notification of their UID number. 

External participants must sign out an access card from the Conference Housing Office and are responsible for returning the card at check-out. If any conference room access card is lost, the event planner will be held responsible for all charges associated with the card replacement, door re-coring, and total hours of labor involved with these modifications. 

Linen

We provide linen packages for an additional cost: (1) Full Set: $36 (pillow & pillow case can be added for an additional $11). Requests for extra linens, such as blankets and towels, can be accommodated for an additional charge. Groups that do not request linen should remind their guests to bring bedding and towels.

Requested linen packages will be placed in participant rooms prior to their arrival. All components of individual participant linen packages must be placed inside the provided linen return bag and placed by the entrance door (apartments) or by the bedroom door (residence halls) upon departure.

Laundry

All the residence halls are connected by tunnels (also known as A-level) where several laundry facilities are available for guests to use during their stay. Global Village has laundry facilities on the first floor of each building. Laundry facilities are free, however guests must provide their own laundry items (e.g. detergent).

Dining Information

All event planners are required to make arrangements with RIT Dining for all guest meal plans. Most guests of the residence halls eat in Gracie’s located in Grace Watson Hall. The Corner Store, a convenience store located in the tunnels of Fredericka Douglass Sprague Perry Hall and vending machines are located on the residential side of campus. RIT Dining can be contacted at help.rit.edu to set up meal arrangements for your group.

Cooking of meals in residence hall rooms is not allowed. Appliances or items that create excessive heat or open-flame/open-element are prohibited in all areas of the residence halls. This includes, but is not limited to toasters, toaster ovens, hot plates, heaters, incense, candles, etc. Each room is equipped with a microfridge, a microwave, refrigerator and freezer. Personal refrigerators and microwaves are not allowed.

Copy Center

The Hub Xpress is a printing and copy center, located in Monroe Hall inside of the Digital Den. There are two post offices on campus. The DSP post office is located on the A-level in Fredericka Douglass Sprague Perry Hall, and the Global Village postal hub is located in Global Village. Visit rit.edu/fa/hub/ or call 585-475-2117 to answer any questions regarding printing or a temporary mailing address.

Contract Expectations and Guidelines for Conference Residents

Program directors and staff of all programs agree to abide by the rules and regulations of Rochester Institute of Technology and comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to the event, including but not limited to, state and federal statutes with respect to the proper supervision of minors. Groups must sign the Expectations and Guidelines for Conference Residents prior to their arrival. It is the responsibility of the event planner to collect the signed agreements and deliver them to the Associate Director of Housing prior to check-in on the day of the group’s arrival.

RIT ITS Guidelines

• ITS provides access to RIT’s wired and wireless Internet networks and computer labs on campus.
• Please advise all of your event attendees that they are not allowed to use their own wireless network (e.g. wireless routers or access points) without pre-approval from ITS. Failure to inform ITS about using your own wireless network could result in your own network connection not working and/or being blocked on RIT’s network.
• Guest wireless is provided on the RIT campus for public use and for access to non-RIT resources. In order to access the guest network you must be able to receive SMS/text messages to complete authentication.
• All event participants requiring use of RIT computer labs or the wired network on campus will be required to obtain an RIT sponsor. The sponsor will be allowed to create a temporary account(s) for their participant(s), which are required to login to RIT owned machines. Each participant will be required to abide by the RIT Code of Conduct for Computer and Network Use.

Emergencies/Fire

In addition to building fire alarms, each room is equipped with its own smoke alarm and sprinkler. There are lighted exit signs at the end of each floor. All guests must evacuate the building by use of stairways only in the event of a fire alarm.

Health Services

Guests should notify group leaders of any health concerns. Any accommodations that are to be made for participants with disability-based needs must be communicated to the Associate Director of Housing at least 30 days prior to the group’s arrival on-campus. Areas to consider include transportation, parking, and dietary needs. RIT is responsible for providing an accessible facility, e.g. rooms, handicap parking, and restrooms. You, however, are responsible for assessing the needs of your participants and making your program accessible to people with disabilities.

Parking Arrangements

It is the event planner’s responsibility to inform the conference participants of all parking arrangements. Visitors are subject to all parking and traffic rules and regulations while on RIT property. Violation of rules or regulations may result in ticketing or towing of the vehicle. If a citation is issued, it is the responsibility of the participant to work with the Parking Office. Any RV, motor home, trailer, bus, truck or other vehicle exceeding regular passenger car length or width must obtain clearance from the Parking and Transportation office to park on-campus.

Transportation Service

A free campus shuttle runs seven days a week looping the campus. A separate shuttle travels off-campus to the local grocery store, mall, and local plazas. Bus schedules are available online at https://www.rit.edu/parking/ campus-shuttles

Signs

Campus maps are posted at a number of locations on-campus. A residence hall map will be provided at check in and can also be found at maps.rit.edu. We suggest that you send a map to your conference guests detailing the location of check-in and on-campus activities prior to their arrival.

The Conference Housing Office will post signs around the perimeter of the designated housing check-in/key pick-up location only. RIT employees may contact Facilities Management Services (FMS) at 585-475-5000 or rit.edu/fa/facilities/ for campus-wide signage to assist your conference guests in navigating their way to the check-in and/or program’s opening activities.

Removal of Personal Property

The event planner agrees to advise and assure that all conference participants remove personal property from the university’s premises on the day the conference ends. If property has been left beyond this time, it will be considered abandoned and be donated or disposed of.

Maintenance & Construction

Periodic maintenance projects and construction occur in and around RIT housing during the summer. This is unavoidable if we are to keep our facilities and grounds in good condition and provide for future growth. We will work very closely with other campus units to minimize the impact of these projects on your conference and to keep you informed. Please feel free to visit our Facilities Management website at rit.edu/fa/facilities/ for an overview of construction projects.

Damage Billing and Additional Charges

Prior to a group’s check-in, the Conference Housing staff assesses the condition of each room and makes note of any room/furniture damages. The rooms are then reassessed after a group’s departure. Any damages that were not noted prior to the group’s check-in will be charged to the group. In addition, excessive cleaning above and beyond what is considered normal, excessive trash removal, and the removal/replacement of moved residence hall room furniture will also incur an additional charge to the group.

Additional Rules and Regulations

Alcohol is strictly prohibited in the residence halls and Global Village regardless of age. Furthermore, residents of RIT housing shall abide by Rochester Institute of Technology policies, procedures and regulations and local, state, and federal laws regarding alcohol and drugs use.

• Smoking Policy: Smoking, including cannabis, is not permitted in RIT housing including.
• Monroe County requires that smoking not be allowed in any public area.
• No pets or animals are permitted in any building.
• Removal of furniture or furnishings is strictly prohibited.

RIT Internal Groups

You will receive a master bill within 10 business days after your guests’ departure. Please review the bill and contact the Associate Director of Housing within 5 days if you disagree with the bill or require additional explanation of information. Otherwise, the bill is due as presented and funds will be withdrawn from the account number you provided on your Application for Use of Conference Housing. All account numbers must be provided with the submission of the application to ensure your space will be reserved. If an account number is not provided, then the application cannot be processed.

External Groups

For external clients, you will be billed by the department who coordinates your on-campus arrangements and contract within 30 days of the event.

 

Contact Information & Locations 

Type	Detail / Location	Context / Use Case
Email	conferencehousing@rit.edu	Main contact for all conference housing communication
Office Location	Conference Housing Office, Grace Watson Hall	Main office for conference housing; check-in/out location unless otherwise arranged
Office Hours	Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.	Standard hours for Conference Housing Office
On-Call Staff Phone	585-734-4410	For assistance between 4:30 p.m. and 9 p.m.
After-Hours Contact	RIT Public Safety   585-475-3333 (Emergency)  585-475-2853 (Non-Emergency)	For emergencies or concerns between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Check-In Location	Conference Housing Office, Grace Watson Hall	Default check-in location unless prior arrangements are made
Check-Out Location	Conference Housing Office, Grace Watson Hall	Default check-out location unless prior arrangements are made
Linen Requests	Conference Housing Office (during business hours)	Requests for additional linens or amenities
Lost Access Cards	Conference Housing Office	Report and return lost access cards
Conference Room Access	Conference Housing Office / Event Planner	For programming access cards or signing out cards for external participants