Commuter Students at the University of Chicago
A commuter student is defined as a new first-year student with a permanent address in Chicago or the surrounding area, who has elected to live at home. New transfer students are not (for these purposes) considered commuters and should refer to the Transfer Students Web page.
New commuter students should notify the Director of the Office of Undergraduate Student Housing and the Office of College Aid during the summer prior to matriculation if they plan to commute. Otherwise it is assumed that all new first-year students will live in campus housing.
Commuting can add a significant burden to what will already be a new experience, and students should weigh carefully whether this is the best alternative. Anita Gajula, the Commuter Student Adviser can help individuals in making this decision. Commuting students can move into campus housing as availability permits by contacting the Office of Undergraduate Student Housing. Students receiving financial aid should speak to the Office of College Aid about how moving might affect an aid award.
Commuter Student Life
Commuter students have affiliated with the Commuter Students Association (CSA) since its founding in 1977. The College and CSA work together to provide commuters with space to gather, safely store belongings, and socialize. Students gather in the commuter students lounge, which is centrally located in room B-3 of Cobb Hall. The commuter lounge has a refrigerator, microwave, sofas, a campus telephone, a television, a stereo/cd player, a pool table, computers, and a wireless Internet connection. Each commuter student also has use of a locker and receives a key to both the lounge and a study room (Cobb B-23).
The CSA has a budget for community-building activities, and subsidizes sporting, dinner and movie trips into the city and suburbs. A special "luncheon" is held in the lounge three times each quarter. The bonds between commuter students are strong, and friendships last throughout the college years and beyond.
New Student Orientation
Like all new students, first-year commuter students are required to participate in Orientation Week activities. New commuter students live as guests in Snell Hall for the first six days of Orientation. They participate in the same orientation activities as permanent campus housing residents, plus attend some activities that are exclusively for commuters. New commuters should read their class web page regularly over the summer and can expect to receive letters of welcome in August from both the Commuter Student Adviser and the Secretary of the CSA, as well as an e-mail or telephone call from a Commuter Orientation Aide.
Questions
Questions about commuter students or commuting should be directed to Anita Gajula, Adviser to Commuter Students at 773-702-8615.
Questions about the CSA should be directed to one of its officers:
University of Chicago Commuter Students Association
2006-2007 Officers
President: Felix Sanchez
Vice-President: Shaji Khan
Treasurer: Lima Lawrence
Secretary: Diana Pineda
Parking/Public Transportation
Designated parking space is available as space permits. Contact the University Parking Office for more information. Half of the commuters drive, and most park in the neighborhood rather than in a University-owned lot. Students must present a University ID (aka the Chicago Card) at the Parking Office in order to apply for a parking space. At that time you should also inform the Parking Office that you are commuting from home and do not live in the residence halls. Bring a piece of identification that shows your local address.
Approximately half of the commuters rely on public transportation. The Regional Transportation Authority Web page lists Metra, Pace, and CTA schedules and also has a trip planning function.
