Tisch Troubleshooter's Guide

Roommate issues

Most problems between roommates are rooted in differing assumptions and expectations. Roommates should discuss lifestyle policy issues such as sleep, “visitors,” music (both what and when), and sharing clothes and food as soon as they move in together. If problems arise, the problem-solving discussion should focus on how one roommate’s behavior is affecting the other, not on broader questions of character or personality. Compromise is the name of the game.

If the conversation doesn’t go well, the student should speak to the Resident Assistant (RA). The RA is a paraprofessional staff member who lives on a floor in an undergraduate residence hall and serves as a role model, peer counselor, resource and referral person, advocate, policy enforcer, programmer and leader for residents of the assigned floor(s). Sometimes RAs can mediate conversations that roommates can’t manage on their own. If that doesn’t work, the student should speak to his or her residence hall’s Residence Hall Director (RHD). The RHD is a live-in, full-time professional who oversees all of the day to-day operations of the residence hall. Students can contact their RHD at the Resource Center located in the lobby of each residence hall.

Room Changes

If your student wants to change rooms because of a roommate problem, first see above. For all other reasons, students can file room change requests online through their NYU Home account. There is a freeze on all room change requests during the first three weeks of a semester, and due to the high number of students living in our halls, we do not have a plethora of empty spaces. We highly encourage students to try and resolve issues they are struggling with first.

Maintenance

Too much heat? Too little? Window stuck? A student’s first course of action for maintenance issues is to go online and fill out a maintenance request form. If the problem is not resolved in a reasonable time-frame, the student should reach out to the building’s RHD for help. For more info, visit the On-Campus Living site.

Renewability

That’s NYU-speak for maintaining one’s housing guarantee. Housing is guaranteed all four years if—and it’s a hugely important “if”—all of the relevant deadlines, including for the housing lottery and paying deposits, are met. The sad fact is that if a student misses a deadline they lose their housing guarantee and must forever after be housed off the unguaranteed waitlist. There is never an exception made to this.

Students can apply for deposit extensions by visiting the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services in person and filling out the requisite paperwork. An extension is not guaranteed. For all questions having to do with housing, students should call the NYU Office of Residential Life and Housing services at 212-998-4600 or visit the On Campus Living site.

Physical Health

There are several points of entry into the health care system at NYU. For routine problems affecting physical health, students can call the Student Health Center for an appointment (212-443-1000) or simply drop in to the Student Health Center at 726 Broadway, 3rd floor to see a nurse. Routine visits and tests are free.

Students requiring medical assistance outside of normal business hours should call the Wellness Exchange, NYU’s 24-hour wellness hotline, at 212-443-9999, or dial 9999 from any campus phone. Parents can also call the Wellness Exchange for advice about how to help a sick student. Students with life-threatening medical emergencies should call 911.

For up-to-date hours of operation, please visit the Student Health Center site. 

Mental Health

Students seek counseling or therapy at NYU for a broad variety of reasons. Homesickness, stress, relationship problems, substance abuse, sadness or depression—in fact any emotional state that is making life difficult, such as establishing and maintaining friendships or keeping up with school work—is a good reason to seek counseling.

Counseling at Tisch and NYU is easily accessible, confidential and free. For routine counseling appointments, students can call Counseling and Wellness at 212-998-4780. At Tisch, we are fortunate to have two counselors that specifically work with our students. Our Tisch counselors know the ins and outs of the life of a Tisch student and can help with any counseling needs that they have. Please note that any of the counselors at Wellness are fully able to meet with our Tisch students, but if your son or daughter wants to speak with a Tisch counselor, just encourage them to ask!

If a student needs to speak to a counselor by phone immediately they can also call the Wellness Exchange (212-443-9999, or just 9999 from any campus phone). Parents can also call the Wellness Exchange if they are worried about a student. Counselors can even visit a student in their dorm room if the situation warrants it. In any mental health emergency, the best thing to do is to call the Wellness Exchange for immediate help. In a life-threatening emergency, 911 should be called.

If you have encouraged your student to use any health services at NYU and they haven't; or if they have and it hasn’t helped; or you are still worried, please call the Tisch Office of Student Affairs at 212-998-1900 and ask to speak to Dean Anita Gupta or Devon Pryor, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs, regarding a wellness concern.

Immunization

New York State requires that all students be fully immunized against measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) in order to enroll in a college or university within the State. New York University is charged with responsibility of enforcing that requirement. Please be sure that your son or daughter has received the necessary immunizations and has submitted the required documentation to prove it to NYU’s Student Health Service. The consequences of not being in full compliance with the State requirement include denial of admission to the residence halls and, ultimately, de-enrollment. If you have any questions about this requirement, please call the Student Health Center at 212-443-1000.

Health Insurance

All NYU students must have health insurance coverage, under either NYU’s or your own, or both. If you have any questions regarding health insurance, please call Student Health Insurance Services at 212-443-1020.

Medical Tuition Insurance

Every semester a number of Tisch students withdraw or take leaves of absence from the University for medical or counseling reasons. The University has a tuition refund schedule in such cases. You will note that no refunds are given to students who withdraw after the fourth week of classes.

**Parents are strongly encouraged to consider insuring the tuition they have paid through the Tuition Insurance Refund Plan. For more information and an application please visit the Tuition Insurance page.

If your student is receiving any form of FAFSA-based financial aid—scholarships, loans, work-study—and has a question about financial aid, send them to the source: NYU's Office of Financial Aid.

Work-Study

Work-study is a component of almost all NYU financial aid packages. First Years have already received detailed instructions about how to apply for an on-campus work-study job. If they have any trouble finding a campus job they can contact the Wasserman Center for Career Development at 212-998-4730.

Trouble with a class

If your student is experiencing difficulty with a class—keeping up with the work, understanding the assignments, decoding puzzling feedback—the best advice you could give is, “Talk to the teacher.”

All teachers have office hours; many are willing to talk after class. If that doesn’t work, the student should talk to an administrator in their department. These aren’t bureaucrats—they’re mentors, counselors, and advisors. Students can also come to the Office of Student Affairs and ask to speak to Jean Chen-Villalba, Director of Academic Services, or Neema Atri, Asst. Director.

There are a number of other academic support services available to students. Students who have questions regarding the Writing the Essay course can call the Expository Writing Program at 212-998-8860.

Students who need extra help with a course offered by the College of Arts & Science can use the Academic Resource Center (212-998-2272).

Students with documented learning or physical disabilities can receive support through the Moses Center for Student Accessibility (212-998-4980).

Registration issues

Students having trouble with registering for classes should see their department administrator right away. Students wishing to drop or add a class after the second week of classes, when the online registration system closes, must speak to their department administrator.

It’s a big city and a big university. Sometimes students find themselves feeling a little disconnected and wonder how they can find a community for themselves. If that is happening to your student, urge them to talk to Marisa Mariano, director of student affairs. She works closely with Tisch student clubs and organizations and advises students on how to get involved in the life of the School. 

Tisch Office of Student Affairs
212-998-1900

Office of Residential Life & Housing Services
212-998-4600

Student Health Center
212-443-1000

Counseling & Wellness
212-998-4780

Wellness Exchange
212-446-9999

Moses Center for Student Accessibility
212-998-4980

Office of the Bursar
212-998-2806

Office of Financial Aid
212-998-4444