Video Tutorials

The Housing Portal is where you will complete many important housing processes.

1. To get to the Housing Portal, log into HomerConnect. After logging in, select the 'Housing' Portal option.
2. The first time you navigate to the Housing Portal, you will be prompted to 'Sign the Housing Agreement'.
   • If you are 18 or older, you will complete your agreement during this process.
   • If you are under 18, you will sign your agreement and also provide a copy to your legal guardian to co-sign.
3. First, enter general contact information including your cell phone and guardian name, cell phone, and email address. Once you have entered this information, select “Next”.
4. The Housing Agreement reviews important housing information items including Ithaca College’s three-year residency policy and other expectations related to living on campus. Take time to fully read the document. You have the opportunity to download or print the Housing Agreement as well.
5. After review, select the check-box acknowledging you understand and agree to the terms of the Housing Agreement
6. Enter your Student ID number with no spaces or dashes.
   • If under 18, your parent/guardian's information will display as well.
7. Finally, select “Sign My Agreement” and click “OK.”
   • You will now be redirected to the Housing Portal Landing Page, where you may access many other housing processes.

Video Tutorial: 'Getting to the Housing Portal/Signing Your Housing Agreement'

1. Log into the Housing Portal and then click on “Fall 20xx Selection”.
   • The first time you access this area, you will be redirected to complete Housing Preferences.
   • This step must be completed before you can create or accept a roommate group.
   • Once you read through why we are collecting the Housing Preferences information, click “Next”.
2. enter or review your cell phone number and parent/guardian information, then click “Next”.
3. Please identify an individual (friend or family member) you wish to be notified in the event that you are reported as a “missing person,” then click “Next ”.
   • The Clery Act requires institutions that maintain on campus housing facilities to establish a missing student notification policy and related procedures.
4. This page is where you will submit housing preferences.
   • For First-Year Students:
     • Let us know if you would like to be considered for a single or double room. Please know that most students will live in a double room for their first and second years at Ithaca College
     • Then let us know your top four themed living preferences
     • Next, indicate if you would like to be considered for a Residential Learning Community.
     • The last step in this section is to let us know your gender identity and the gender identity of you roommates and floormates.
     • then click “Next ”.
   • For Upper-Year Students
     • Scroll down until you see “Your Room Location Preferences”.
       • To add a preference, click on the green + button and then select an option from the drop down list.
       • Click “Select” to add it to your list. You must submit at least four preferences.
       • Use the up/down arrows to rank your preferences from top to bottom.
       • If you wish to remove a preference, click the red X button and click “Ok”.
     • then click “Next ”.
     • If you said yes to wanting to be considered for a Residential Learning Community, this page will ask you for the RLC(s) you want to be considered for and a detailed reason you are interested in the community. Fill out the information and then click "Next."
5. Fill out your housing roommate matching preferences by clicking “No" or "Yes” to each of the questions.
6. Next, complete the roommate privacy settings.
   • If you leave the privacy setting to “No Preference,” the system will automatically show your information.
7. Click “Submit.” 

1. Log into the Housing Portal and scroll down to the “My Housing Preferences” section.
2. Click on “Update Preferences” read through why we are collecting this information and click “Next”.
3. Review and update your Contact Information then click “Next”.
4. Review and update your Missing Person Contact Information then click "Next".
5. Review Housing preferences.
   • First-Year Students:
     • Review and update your Themed Living Preferences, RLC Preferences
   • Upper-Year Students:
     • If you wish to remove a preference, click the red X button and then click “Ok”. That will remove the preference from your list.
     • Use the up/down arrows to rank your preferences from top to bottom.
     • To add a preference, click the green + button and select your new choice.
     • If you are interested in living in a Residential Learning Community (RLC), make sure your first choice is selected under the “Residential Learning Community” section.
6. Click “Next” once you are done changing your housing preferences.
   1. If you said yes to wanting to be considered for RLC housing, you will then be prompted to update your RLC preferences and why you want to be considered for the RLC(s). Once complete, click "Next."
7. You can now update your roommate profile as well as privacy settings and cell phone number.
   • If you set your phone number privacy to “No Preference", the system with automatically show your phone number.
   • If you do not want your phone number shown, be sure to mark “Don’t Show”.
8. Click “Submit”.

To request to live with a specific roommate, you must create a roommate group on the Housing Portal. You must create your housing preferences before you can create a roommate group.
The Group Leader creates the group and sends the group invitation to group member(s). 

1. Log into the Housing Portal. Scroll down to and click on “Fall 20xx Section”.
2. To create a Roommate Group, select “Build/Manage Group”.
3. To add a group member, select the green “Create Group” button. The Group Leader, your, information will automatically be added to the group.
4. Then select the green “Invite” button to add a group member.
   • After selecting the “Invite” button, search for group members by their preferred first, preferred last name or their Ithaca College email address.
   • After entering a name or email, select “Search”, and then “Select”. The member will populate in the group table.
   • * To add additional members, repeat these steps in #4. *
5. Select “Submit Group” in order to finalize the group invitation.
   • You must hit "Submit Group" after adding members to the group, or the group will not be formed.
   • After selecting “Submit Group”, a group roster will display with the leader and group members listed, as well as their group status.
   • At that point, the invited person/s will receive an email prompting them to accept the invitation.

Important Note: It is only after all of the invited group members have formally accepted their group invitation that the roommate group will be complete for housing selection.

Video Tutorial: 'Creating Group Invitations-Sending a Group Invitation'

1. Log into the Housing Portal and click on “Fall 20xx Selection".
2. Click on “Build/Manage Group".
3. Scroll to the “Roommate Group Requests” section.
   • Here you will be able to either accept or decline an invitation.
4. To accept, click “Accept” and then "Submit Group”.
5. To decline, click "Decline" and then "Submit Group”.

Important Note: You must hit "Submit Group" after Accepting or Declining the invitation, or the group information will not be saved.

Video Tutorial: 'Accepting/Declining a Roommate Group Invitation'

1. Log into the Housing Portal and click on “Fall 20xx Selection".
2. To create a Block Housing Group, click on "Block Housing", read through the Block Housing Request Form page, down to Create Your Block Housing Group Here.
3. To create a block housing group, select the green “Create Group” button. As the Group Leader, your information will automatically be added to the group.
4. Then select the green “Invite” button to add a group member.
   • After selecting the “Invite” button, you can search for group members by their preferred first, preferred last name or their Ithaca College email address.
   • After entering a name or email, select “Search”, and then “Select”. The member will populate in the group table.
   • * To add additional members, repeat these steps in #4. *
   • Important Note: Block housing groups must have minimum of three students (a leader and two group members) with a maximum of six students (a leader and five group members) otherwise there will be an error upon final submission, and you will not be able to create your group.
5. Select “Finish” in order to finalize the group invitation.
   • You must hit "Finish" after adding members to the group, or the group will not be formed.
6. After selecting "Finish", you will be brought to a second page where 'Rank Your Block Housing Preferences'.
7. To add a preference, click on the green + button and then select 'Community' as your Preference Type, then select a specific area of campus as your Preference option from the drop down lists.
8. Once you have chosen the area, click “Select” to add your preference to list.
   • You must submit at least four community preferences.
9. Use the up/down arrows to rank your preferences from top choice to bottom choice.
   • If you wish to remove a preference, click the red X button and click “OK”.
10. Select "Finish" on this page to finalize the Block Housing Group and Block Housing Preferences.
    • After selecting “Finish”, a group roster will display with the leader and group members listed, as well as each persons' group status.
    • At that point, the invited person/s will receive an email prompting them to accept the invitation.

Important Note: It is only after all of the invited group members have formally accepted their group invitation that the Block Housing group will be complete for housing selection.

Video Tutorial: 'Creating Block Housing'

The “Timeline” feature on the Housing Portal highlights relevant dates and deadlines for students. Different dates are displayed for new first-year students, new transfer students ,and continuing upper-year students. These dates change throughout the year based on the current semester and relevant housing processes for the time period.

1. Log into the Housing Portal and click on “Fall 20xx Selection".
2. To view important dates and deadlines related to Residential Life, click the “Timeline” button.
3. To return to the Housing Portal main page, select “Return to Landing Page”.

1. Log into the Housing Portal and scroll down until your see “My Housing for 202x-2x” (previously 'My Current Assignment').
   • Here you will be able to see your housing assignment for the Fall, Winter and Spring.
   • You will also be able to view your roommates in this section.
2. If you wish to view more information about your roommates, scroll to the bottom of that section and click on “View”.
   • Once you click on “View”, a popup window will appear.
   • Under the “Select Booking” tab on the right, change the drop down from “Current” to “Next”. Then, click “Preview”.
   • This will generate a report of information about both you and your roommate/s.

Video Tutorial: 'Viewing Housing Assignment and Roommate Information'