Room condition form process now high-tech

August 25, 2011

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — More than 7,600 students who checked into University of Florida residence halls this week have experienced a new high-tech, paperless room condition form procedure.

Resident assistants using iPods recorded the condition of each residence hall room and the condition of the furniture in each room. Previously, RAs manually entered information on self-carbon forms. Students reviewed, revised, signed the forms and then received copies.

“Noticeably missing from check-in this year was a long line of residents, waiting to receive a paper copy of their room condition forms,” said Ryan Winget, assistant director of housing for the east campus.

Prior to the arrival of students, RAs went through each room on campus with an iPod Touch and recorded all problems they found, Winget said. That information was uploaded into a database and an email was sent this week to each resident stating what problems, if any, the RAs found in their room. Residents have seven days to report any problems they find in their room to the RA.

The new procedures were piloted during Summer B term. They also involve offering two options for check-out at the end of a contract period: traditional check-out or express check-out. Both check-out options rely on using electronic RCFs. Information in RCFs is used during the check-out process to determine if billable damages occurred.

UF Department of Housing and Residence Education staff has an ongoing commitment to sustainability including improving and migrating paper-based processes and procedures to electronic or web-based services.