FAQ « UWinnipeg Campus Life

FAQ

This is a list of answers to questions we frequently get asked by parents and students, mostly concerning our policies. For more specific questions contact someone in the Housing Office or Diversity Food Services.

As there is much information on this page, please use your browser’s search function to find the keywords you are looking for on this page.

The topics of the FAQ are grouped into the following categories:

Payments & Deposits (link)
Meal Plans & Cooking (5 questions)
Room & Building Features (5 questions)
Residence Policies (9 questions)

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Payments & Deposits

Please refer to our Payment Dates and Policies page for the latest policy information regarding fees, payments, and damage/security deposits.

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Meal Plans & Cooking

How does the meal plan/program work?

Students who sign a contract with Diversity and pay the meal fee receive a declining balance meal card. The meal card can be used to purchase food at any of Diversity’s on campus locations. Each purchase is debited from the balance remaining on the card. For example, if you start with full amount on your meal card, and spend $400 at Diversity’s locations, you will have $400 less than the full amount.

UWinnipeg students’ Meal Plan cards have a tax-exempt status, meaning that meal plan purchases are not taxed at the time of purchase. Starting May 1, 2011, a minimum amount of $1500 per term or $375 per month must be purchased for this tax exempt status.

Non-UWinnipeg students living in UWinnipeg residences are not eligible for the tax-free meal plan, but rather the Visiting Scholar Meal Program. Please consult the Pricing page for the latest information.

Is the meal plan mandatory for all residents?

A meal plan/program subscription is mandatory for McFeetors Hall dorm residents, and is included in McFeetors Hall pricing. (Exceptions may be allowed in some cases, see the Meal Options page for more information.) Residents of Lions Manor and Balmoral Houses may optionally subscribe to the meal plan and should notify the Housing Office of their interest to do so during the application process.

What kinds of food can I get with my meal plan?

Many food options are available at each Diversity Foods location. Menu specifics change periodically; we recommend following Chef Ben’s Twitter for the latest menu updates.

Can I cancel my meal plan?

Meal plan contracts may be cancelled under exceptional circumstances on a per-case basis. Cancellation fees may apply, and are subject to the discretion of Diversity Food Services’ managers.

Is cooking allowed in residence?

Dorm residents of each building are allowed to cook in their respective common area kitchens only. All forms of cooking, including the use of kettles, toasters, and other small cooking appliances, is NOT allowed in residence dorm rooms.

Apartment residents are allowed to cook in their in-suite kitchens.

Note that the residence kitchens do NOT include dishes, flatware, cookware, or utensils. Residents must bring their own cookware and dishes. While it is possible to share your kitchen items with other residents, don’t count on someone else bringing the items you need!

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Room & Building Features

How are the rooms configured? What kinds of furniture and appliances do they include?

The dorm rooms are configured differently in each building, but share some common features.

All furnished suites include the following items:

a bed,
dresser/armoir, and
desk with desk chair.

McFeetors Hall single dorms each have a mini fridge, while double dorms have a full-sized fridge with sink and microwave. All dorms have shared kitchen areas where cooking can be done.

For a more detailed description and images of our various residence configurations, check out our Housing Options page.

Do residence rooms include internet?

Our residence rooms do not currently have internet included. The University of Winnipeg provides password-protected wireless internet access in McFeetors Hall 3rd and 5th floor lounges only.

To enable internet access in your room it must be installed by an internet service provider (ISP). Arrangements can be made with MTS Internet (for McFeetors Hall and Lions Manor) or Shaw Internet (for Balmoral Houses).

What should I bring with me to residence? What should I not bring?

What to bring. We’ve compiled a list of what to bring and not bring to the different accommodation types. If you’re unsure about a items not on the list, please contact one of our office staff.

What not to bring. The short answer is this: NO appliances are allowed in furnished dorm-style accommodations. Examples of appliances include fridges, toasters, and microwaves. Please consult our list of what to bring and not bring. Some small appliances are allowed in unfurnished apartment-style accommodations only.

View “What to Bring” List Online
Download list as PDF

Can I bring my own furniture into residence?

Furnished Dorms. Fabric furniture such as mattresses, couches, and chairs are not allowed to be brought into furnished dorm rooms. Some wood, metal, and plastic furniture may be allowed. Please contact the Housing Office if you are unsure whether an item is allowed in residence.

Unfurnished Suites. In unfurnished suites, only NEW furniture is allowed — used furniture items are not allowed. The Housing Office reserves the right to inspect resident rooms for used furniture and the presence of bedbugs and other critters. Bedbugs resulting from residents’ own furniture will result in that resident being charged for the costs of inspection and fumigation.

Is parking available in residence?

Lions Manor is our only residence with dedicated parking spaces for residents. However, other parking options are available. Read the blog post on parking in residence for more information.

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Residence Policies

How long is the lease in residence? Do I need to sign a lease?

The resident contract you sign upon moving into residence is your lease. Note that we use the words “contract” and “lease” interchangeably in the Housing Office and on this website.

Unless you are a hostel guest, you need to sign a Residence Contract (our version of a lease) to live in residence. Our furnished suites usually require signing a two term contract (8 months), from the beginning of September to end of the following April. Some furnished dorm rooms in Lions Manor are available with a one term contract (4 months), for residents who will only be a student in Winnipeg for one term. Our unfurnished suites all require signing a three term contract (12 months) that expires at the end of August.

Can I change my room once I move in?

If you find after the first month of living in residence that living in your room or roommate is problematic, you should discuss the situation with your RA and a Housing Office manager. All room change requests are subject to the approval of the Office of Housing and Student Life, who will make a decision based on need, feasibility, and space. Room changes are not considered in August, September, January, or April, due to high-volume workloads in the office.

Can I leave residence during my contract?

Please consult 16.2 of the Rules of Residence Living for details on terminating the contract early or subletting.

How do I renew my Residence Contract?

Residents with two-term or longer contracts will be reminded to renew their contract two months before its end date. For example, if the contract end date is April 25, a notice will be delivered to the resident by March 25. The notice will indicate the deadline for renewing their contract. The Housing Office reserves the right to reject contracts that have been submitted after the deadline, but will still allow applications for a different room.

Am I allowed to have guests stay in my room?

Residents of all accommodation types (including both furnished and unfurnished apartments) are allowed to have guests stay for periods up two consecutive nights (or 48 hours), within a total of up to four nights (96 hours) per month. Resident Assistants (RA) must be notified of guests in advance.

If you’d like your guest to stay longer than four nights per month, they will have to rent their own room as a hostel guest. See our short-term pricing (the per-day and per-week rates) on the Hostel Page to help figure out how much this will cost.

How many people can live a room?

With the exception of McFeetors Hall apartments, all UWinnipeg housing options are single occupancy only. In other words, only one person per suite is allowed. Couples, families, and other groups may therefore only apply to McFeetors Hall apartments.

Is residence fun? What are the rules about partying in residence?

On one hand, the Housing Office and RAs both organize parties and other fun activities throughout the year. On the other hand, residence policies are designed to keep residence a quiet environment suitable for academic studies. Residents may request to have their own parties by contacting the Housing Office’s Social and Volunteer Coordinator.

If you have further questions about our party policies, please consult our current Resident Handbook or contact the Housing Office.

Is alcohol allowed in residence?

Possession and consumption of open alcoholic beverages is allowed in resident dorms and assigned areas only. Open alcohol is never allowed in hallways, stairwells, elevators, and other prohibited areas.

Is smoking allowed in residence?

We maintain a non-smoking policy consistent with that of the UWinnipeg Campus. Smoking is NOT allowed anywhere within our residences or on residence grounds. Students found smoking in residence will be fined, and repeated offences may result in eviction.

Are there curfews or quiet hours in residence?

There is no curfew in residence, but residents must to abide by the Rules for Residence Living concerning noise. Quiet periods are in effect between 10:00pm and 8:00am on weekdays, and between 12:00 midnight and 9:00am on weekends. 24-hour quiet periods are also held during UWinnipeg exam schedules.

Can I be evicted from residence?

The Housing Office reserves the right to evict residents who willfully violate the Rules of Residence by committing what we call “Level 3 Offences”. Eviction is reserved for extreme (and usually repeated) violations of policy, whereas lesser violations may be subject to fines.

How do I find out if rooms are still available?

Currently we have no online system to show room availabilities. Please contact the Housing Office to check whether we have a particular kind of room available,