FAQs

What do I do if I have problems with my roommate?

You are advised to meet with the current year Resident Advisor (RA) and/or the Senior Resident (RA). One of the roles of the RA is to act as a peer advisor and assist residents in resolving concerns or problems. Depending on the issue, the RA or SR may refer you to the House Director or senior Housing and Residential Life (HRL) staff.

What are the expectations for Shea House residents?

All residents are expected to participate regularly, throughout the year, in the language and cultural activities organized by the language assistant and the program faciliator of the Shea House. All residents also should understand that the Shea House will constitute its own government. The Shea House community works together to facilitate a quality language experience both in and outside of the House. Residents will sign a contract at the beginning of the Fall semester to confirm their commitment to the language immersion experience.

How does the 3000H course work?

All residents (with the exception of language assistants) are required to sign up for 3001H/3002H course and receive up to two credits. The returning residents who already earned the 2 credits are also required to register for the class while living in the House. These credits are for residents who have been seriously involved in the Shea house (floor activities, communal events etc.). However, all residents are required to speak the target language all the time at his or her best abilities, to enroll in a 3000-level 1 credit hour course (CR/NC) which residents earn by participating to the language activities such as casual conversation at daily dinners (Mon-Thu) and weekly language corners organized by the Language Assistant. Regular attendance and participation is expected of all residents and 70% or higher will be considered as CR.  

How do I make a room reservation request for an event at Shea?

The Classroom and Dining Room are normally available to internal and external UVA groups outside of scheduled class and programming hours. To reserve a space in the Shea House, please complete the reservation form. After filling out the reservation form, you are advised to review the UVA fire code. If your event request is approved, the Shea program facilitator will schedule a meeting to further discuss policies ahead of the date of your event. Shea House reserves the right to deny and/or cancel reservations if the space is needed for programming activities, or if a scheduled event does not adhere to current policies.

Do I have to sign up for a meal plan?

Shea House Dining services have been discontinued, and the meal plan requirement is therefore no longer in effect. Students are not required to purchase a meal plan to participate in Shea House programs. Instead, a $100 activity fee towards programming is required.

Is there a kitchen residents can use at Shea?

Yes. Shea House has one shared kitchen available to residents. All residents must sign and follow the kitchen contract to ensure the space remains clean and available for use at all times.

What are the living arrangements like?

Most rooms are doubles with shared bathrooms, while some are single rooms that have either suite-style or shared bathrooms. Each floor also has at least one common lounge area.

What does a Language Assistant (LA) do?

The Language Assistant (LA) is typically a native or near-native speaker with exceptional knowledge of a language offered at Shea House. LAs support residents in their language learning, serve as a resource for questions and concerns, and meet regularly with the Program Facilitator and Director to communicate residents’ needs.

What does the Programs Facilitator (PF) do?

The PF makes sure everyone is on the same page and keeps things running smoothly at Shea. The PF is in many ways the intermediary between the Director and the LAs and the rest of Shea. The PF holds bi-weekly meetings with the LAs and Shea government members while staying in close touch with the Director to insure that there are no breakdowns in communication. The PF also manages reservations of the Shea Classroom and Dining Room.

What does the Resident Advisor (RA) do?

The RA is there to address any questions or issues that should be addressed by the housing division of the university. Any questions or concerns regarding your living arrangements can be directed to the RA. Such issues include questions about decorations and housing policy, roommate or hallmate conflict, concerns about safety and suspicious activity, concerns/issues about living environment, incidents of sexual assault, hate crime, serious injury, concerns of an eating disorder, mental health, drug abuse, and any other questions about residence life.

Where can I park while living at Shea?

Unfortunately, parking is quite sparse due to our proximity to the hospital area. Nearby permit parking is available at Bice or local apartment complexes such as the Monroe or Brandon Ave apartments, however, these can be costly. The Emmett/Ivy parking garage has more reasonable pricing, though you would need to park on the 4th or 5th floor. Despite being across grounds, buses run frequently to the Snyder Tennis Courts stop which is a few minutes away by foot. Late at night, the garage is accessible via Safe Ride.

Parallel street parking is free 24/7 on Monroe Lane but limited (10 spaces, almost always taken). Street parking on JPA in front of Shea is also available but limited to 2 hours Mon-Sat from 8am-6pm. On weekends, JPA street parking, Bice, and the McLeod parking garage are all free.

How can I post an ad/announcement to the TV monitor in the Shea lobby?

Ads and announcements should first be approved by the PF, who will also contact HRL for confirmation. Once approved, the must be turned into a file with the following specifications:

• Image must be in 3840 x 2160 pixels (16:9 aspect ratio).
• Only landscape orientation submissions can be used.

Once you have created your file:

1. Save the image as a JPEG, PNG, or BMP file type.
2. Name the file using the following format:
   1. For outside HRL organizations: OrganizationName_LastName_Start.Post.Date_End.Post.Date
   2. For RAs, SRs, and RLLT members: AssociationName_LastName_Start.Post.Date_End.Post.Date
   3. For example, a file titled HRL_Mendoza_8.15.21_8.16.21 would be posted from August 15th to the 16th.

When will alternates get an offer?

It's difficult to predict and it depends on the length of the wait list and on availability. Housing continues to send offers based on the ranked list from the Dept. until all beds are filled. You can check your application status by contacting Housing any time. If you accept a housing offer in another area, you will not be able to transfer to the Shea House before the Fall semester begins. Please consult with Housing for further inquiry or questions related to your contract.

What is my chance of getting a single room in the Shea House?

It is not very likely. A very limited number of single rooms are available in the Shea House. The departments and the Shea House staff certainly hope that all the applicants are aware of the quality of the language experience you will be able to have by living in the house (and, also, by sharing a room with a similarly minded student).

I'm on the waiting list now. Should I sign up for other dorms?

If you accept a housing offer in another dorm, you will not be able to transfer to Shea House before the Fall semester begins, so you will need to make a decision on how long to wait. Please consult with Housing for further inquiry or questions related to your contract.

I'm a graduate student. Can I apply to live in Shea?

No. Shea is for undergraduate students only. Please consult with UVA Housing for other housing options. However, graduate students can apply for LA positions and the PF position.

I'm a returner. Do I have a higher priority in room selection?

There is no guarantee as to which room you'll get in a following year. Since single rooms are very limited and the number of beds (as well as floors) assigned to each language possibly changes from year to year, seniority rule will not always be valid in the Shea House. 

Can first-years apply to live in Shea?

No, Shea House is not for first-year students.

How do I find out the result of my application?

The ranked list compiled by each language program will be delivered to Housing within 2 weeks after the application deadline. Then Housing will send an offer to the first group of accepted applicants via email. When Housing sends out the first offers, they will give a deadline for accepting or declining offers ("I accept" or "I decline"). If no response is made when you receive an offer, the offer is considered void. Please make sure to check your UVA email account regularly, and/or communicate with Housing to ensure that your contract is properly handled.

How do departments select residents?

The selection procedure varies and each language group has its own criteria about selection. Though the method of selection might be different, all language groups have agreed to give higher priority to applicants who 1. enrolled (and will be enrolled) in language courses and 2. who are seriously interested in learning the target language as well as getting involved in the Shea House community. Some native speakers will possibly be added to the roster so that they can also help other residents learn the respective language (but they are usually not the first choice). Additional materials may be required for specific languages, such as a video clip for American Sign Language (ASL). Note that a language program is required to have at least 4 residents and 1 Language Assistant in order to form an official language program (pod) in the House.

Can I swap rooms or roommates in Shea House?

Switching rooms within the respective language floor is no problem as long as both parties (with signed contracts) agree to change and this is done during the room changing period decided by Housing. Switching rooms without notifying Housing is not allowed.

Can I choose my room in Shea House?

No. The department and Housing coordinate the room and floor assignment. Most but not all residents live with someone else from their pod.

Can I apply just for the Spring semester?

Yes. Since some residents leave the Shea House to study abroad in the second semester, you can actually apply just for the second semester. However, this possibility is based on the availability of space in the house. When you submit the application form to the designated department, please make sure to indicate that you are only interested in the Spring semester. The application is on a rolling basis until all rooms are filled. Some students can move in for the second semester if a room is available.

How can I be released from my Housing contract?

You need to find a student who does not already live in University Housing and who does not already have a contract, who is willing to take over their space. Since the departments are not involved in contract related questions or concerns, the Housing office will assist you with any question you may have about your contract.

Can I choose my roommate?

No, you cannot, but you may request your roommate of choice if the student also applied for the same language pod. There is no guarantee that you'll have the roommate of your choice, but the department will try to accommodate the possibility when the initial rooms are assigned.