FALL 2009 PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION

SPRING 2010 ON-CAMPUS HOUSING / HOUSING DEPOSIT [if applicable]
Applications for Spring 2010 on-campus housing will be emailed during the Fall 2009 term to Emerson students taking a semester at the European or Los Angeles external program sites.  If you would like housing in the Residence Halls upon your return to Boston in Spring 2010, you should complete an application and submit it directly to Housing and Residence Life.  The deposit may be paid online at http://www.emerson.edu/payment.

The Housing and Residence Life Office makes no guarantees concerning which rooms or residence halls will be available, but they will try to honor requests as best they can.  For more information contact the Office of Housing and Residence Life via email at reslife@emerson.edu, or by phone at 617.824.8620.

MEDICAL INSURANCE
Participants are required by Emerson College to have medical insurance during their stay in Los Angeles. If you waived the college's health insurance plan you must have alternate comparable coverage.  Check with your insurance carrier before you leave for Los Angeles on their procedures for reimbursement.

Many students waive the Emerson College Health Insurance Plan in favor of alternate insurance carriers, usually through one of your parents' employers.  Please note:

• For those of you who are not California residents (and this probably includes most of you), alternate insurance carriers may not cover you adequately in California.  It is vitally important that you and your family research this before you arrive in Los Angeles.  All too often participants arrive in Los Angeles only to discover that significant medical expenses are not covered and must be paid out of pocket, or they must travel back home to receive medical care.  Just so you know, Emerson’s Health Insurance Plan provides excellent coverage in both Massachusetts and California.
  
• Many insurance carriers will drop you from your parents’ policy after you graduate. If you will be graduating in December, you will have no coverage beginning in January.  One benefit of Emerson’s plan is that you are covered until August 31, 2010, regardless of when you graduate.  Having coverage for those months between graduation and full-time employment is important.

• Unlimited emergency medical evacuation
• $2,500 Transportation of family member to join patient
  
• Medical monitoring
• Prescription drug replacement assistance
  
• Over 600,000 pre-qualified medical providers
• Unlimited medical repatriation
  
• $2,500 Joining of Ill Family Member Accommodations
  
• Coordination of air and ground ambulance
• Emergency trauma counseling
  
• Staffed with multi-lingual personnel
• Travel Assistance Services:
  • 24/7 Emergency Travel Arrangements
  • Translation Assistance
  • Emergency Travel Funds Assistance
  • $1,000 bail bond benefit by international legal representative
  • Legal Hot Line
  • Lost Travel Documents Assistance
  • Assistance with Replacement of Credit Card/Travelers Checks
  • Operation Centers with worldwide response capabilities
  • Hospital deposit arrangements

These services could be of great benefit to any Los Angeles Program participant.  For more detailed information consult the Aetna Student Health or view Emerson's section of their website.

TRANSPORTATION / CAR RENTALS
It is virtually impossible to get around Los Angeles without a car. Don’t wait until you get to Los Angeles to make transportation arrangements. You will be much happier if you have a car waiting for you when you arrive. If possible, try to car pool with people you know to cut down expenses. “Los Angeles” refers not just to the city, but also to LA County which encompasses many cities and towns. The entire area is very large and public transportation is limited. Check with your parents to see if their home owners’ policies or American Express cards, etc., can cover the insurance - which is the biggest piece of the cost if you are under 25! Get unlimited mileage. The state of California REQUIRES all drivers to carry liability insurance.

For those who will be renting, an option to consider would be for your parents/guardian to use a rental vehicle for the term, and for you to bring a family automobile to Los Angeles. It will certainly be less expensive for your parents to rent, and their car insurance probably already covers them for a rental vehicle.

Please note: The Los Angeles Center attempts to provide students with information on car rental agencies in Los Angeles whenever possible. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, which has an outlet at the Oakwood Apartment Complex, has a special “Month or More Rental” program. You can find out more about this option and get a price quote by calling 800.227.6862.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car at the Oakwood Apartment Complex offers student discount rates on rentals by the day, week or month. You may call them directly at 323.882.6565 or go to their website to check current rates. Remember that you are ultimately responsible for negotiating and adhering to the terms of any car rental agreement. Make certain you understand the terms of your car rental agreement before you sign on the dotted line and drive your car away.

ROOM AND ROOMMATE SELECTION
On-campus housing is mandatory for undergraduate students, optional for graduate students. There are no co-ed apartments.  All apartments are non-smoking.

You will have an opportunity to request which housing option you prefer when you complete the Los Angeles Housing Form (due Friday April 10th).  If you don’t know with whom you would like to room, we will make information available about other participants to assist in roommate matching.  Taking a pro-active approach to finding a roommate may help to avoid roommate conflicts.  

There are a fixed number of singles (studio apartments), doubles (one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartments) and quads (two-bedroom, two bathroom apartments).  Bedrooms in doubles and quads are shared.  All apartments will be assigned based on seniority (i.e., number of credits completed, then GPA), and housing requests and preferences are not guaranteed.  Please follow the instructions below carefully when submitting room and roommate requests:

To request a single, or studio apartment, you must indicate your choice on the Los Angeles Housing Form.  Singles will be assigned based on seniority.  If no studios are available you will be placed in a double or quad.

To request a double, or one-bedroom apartment, you must indicate your choice on the Los Angeles Housing Form and supply your roommate’s name, if possible. Doubles will be assigned based on seniority.  Please be aware that if you request a double without submitting a roommate name, you will be placed in a quad or studio if no other person of the same gender who has requested a double is available.  If no space in a quad is available and you are placed in a studio you will be financially responsible for the full studio price.

To request a quad, or two-bedroom apartment, you must indicate your choice on the Los Angeles Housing Form along with any roommate requests. Quads will be assigned based on seniority.  Please be aware that if no bed is available in a quad, you will be assigned to a double or single room, for which you will be fully financially responsible.

Those participants who don’t request specific roommates will be assigned roommates.  We will do everything possible to assign compatible roommates.  However, the best roommates are those who are considerate of others and understand the challenges and benefits of community living.  Violations of the Student Code of Conduct and/or any policies outlined in the Housing and Residence Life Handbook are strictly forbidden and will result in disciplinary action and possible dismissal from the Los Angeles program.

ARRIVAL IN LOS ANGELES / APARTMENT CHECK-IN
All students are expected to arrive in Los Angeles for check-in on Tuesday September 8, 2009.  No exceptions - no early or late arrivals are allowed.  When you arrive at the Oakwood Apartment Complex you will enter at the main entrance (at the Coyote Canyon traffic light) and the security guard will direct you to the South Clubhouse.  The LA Residence Director, Alicyn Packard, will be checking you into your apartments.  Check-in meeting times are as follows: 

Please arrange your flights and arrival times accordingly. If you arrive after a check-in session has already begun you must come back for the following check-in session. PLEASE ARRIVE ON TIME!

(Be advised, the Emerson College Student Financial Services Office will not permit you to move into the Oakwood apartments until your account has been cleared.)

CLOSE OF TERM / APARTMENT CHECK-OUT
The semester ends Saturday December 19, 2009.  You must vacate your apartment at the Oakwood complex by 12 pm sharp!  No exceptions - late check-outs are not allowed.

TEXTBOOKS
Textbooks and materials for your classes will be purchased locally or via the web.

We want your stay in Los Angeles to be as stress free as possible. If you have any housing questions, please contact Emerson LA Residence Director, Alicyn Packard, via e-mail, or by phone at 818.840.9566.

(as of 6/19/09) Subject to change.