Hello, First-Year Students!
On behalf of everyone at Pitt-Johnstown we want to let you know how excited we are to be welcoming you to campus next week! We hope you're as excited to be coming to campus as we are to have you! In preparation for your arrival, we want to share some important information with you (I apologize in advance for the lengthiness of this message!).
ARRIVAL PROCESS:
- As you hopefully know by now, Move-In Day for first-year students is Wednesday, August 20 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. When you arrive on campus, a Campus Police officer will ask the building to which you are assigned, provide you with a parking pass, and then direct you to the building. When you arrive at your building, volunteers will be available to assist you in moving your belongings to your room. Please make sure all of your boxes are prominently marked with your name, building, and room number.
- You will receive your room key and Mountain Cat Card (student photo ID) when you arrive at the lobby of your building. After that, you can begin taking your belongings to your room and unpack. If you arrive before your roommate, remember to be respectful of their space and make sure you allow room for their belongings. Members of our Facilities Management team will be in your building in case you need assistance with bunking beds or installing bed risers (remember that since beds are "bunkable" one will have more space beneath it than the other). If you can't find someone from Facilities, you can call them at 814-269-7130. If you need anything or have any questions while you are moving in, members of your residence hall staff will be in the building.
- A free lunch will be served for you and up to 2 guests in the Student Union between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. You will be provided with two tickets when you check-in. Unfortunately, due to limited seating we are not able to provide more than two tickets per student. You will use your ID card to enter the dining area.
- Be sure to carry your ID card with you at all times. You will need it to enter your residence hall and use your meal plan. If you lose your ID card, notify the ID Center immediately (upjID@pitt.edu) so it can be deactivated and a new one can be issued.
- Last week, you received an email with a link to the 2025-2026 Residential Handbook. Although I will be the first to admit it’s never going to make the New York Times’ Bestseller List, the Handbook DOES include some important information. So, I encourage you to review it prior to moving onto campus.
- The residence hall staff members (aka RAs) in your building are your "go-to" people. They have participated in special training to help you adjust to life in college and answer your questions. RAs are already on campus going through training and to prepare for your arrival. Your first meeting with them will occur the afternoon of move-in day.
MISCELLANEOUS:
- All first-year rooms are equipped with "bunkable" beds, which provides you with the option of having your beds bunked or keeping them separated. Because the beds are bunkable, one of the two beds (the top bunk) has more clearance than the other (the bottom bunk). Unfortunately, we cannot change beds to provide two top bunks in the same room.
- Campus offices will be staffed on the day of your arrival. University business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
- You have been assigned a campus mailbox. You can pick up your mailbox key in the Mailroom, located on the lower level of the Student Union.
- Free high-speed wi-fi service is provided in your residence hall. Although there will be a port in your room, that’s a remnant of a bygone era. The University does not provide hard-wired internet service. Information on connecting to the wi-fi will be posted in your residence hall.
- Although meal plans do not go into effect until Sunday, August 24, all meals will be provided to you during New Student Orientation. Simply present your ID card to the attendant when entering PJ's.
- Room changes will be available the second full week of the semester. All students will receive an email at that time explaining the process.
- The Housing Portal is your one-stop shop where you can complete all housing and dining-related tasks. We encourage you to bookmark that page as you will visit it frequently during your time with us. Just remember that the Portal isn’t a fan of the Safari browser. So, we encourage you to use Chrome or Edge.
- Meal Plan changes can be made through the third day of the semester (Wednesday, August 27). To change your plan, go to the Housing Forms section of the Housing Portal.
- If you are coming from a significant distance you are welcome to ship your belongings in advance and we can have them delivered to your room. Address the boxes with the following details (if your name and building & room number are not on the shipping label we cannot guarantee delivery to your room):
Your Name (Resident)
Pitt-Johnstown
Your Building & Room #
450 Schoolhouse Road
Johnstown, PA 15904
All of the housing-related information you need, including a link to our Fall Move-In Day page, is available on our website. If there's something you can't find, please give us a call at 814-269-7115 or stop by our office in 130 Student Union.
We're sure you or your parents will still have questions. Just ask us! You can reach us by phone at 814-269-7115 or via email at upjhousing@pitt.edu. Your safety is our priority, and we only share limited information with anyone other than you. So, if you or your parents have questions we recommend that you call us personally. To confirm your identity, please send email messages from your Pitt email account. Or, if you call us, be sure to know your student ID number because we will ask you for it. Your student ID number is a 7-digit number and most likely begins with a 4.
Enjoy the rest of your summer and remember…we are here to help! Do not hesitate to contact us.
See you soon!