This web site is being adapted (by permission) from the information published by Eastgate Community Association. It gives a general idea of how the program runs. Visit here again soon for more Westgate-specific updates.

*NEW* Find out how you can help welcome new students in the fall.

Would you like to:

• Know your neighbors better?
• Enjoy small-scale events with your neighbors?

• Simply suggest events that you and your neighbors may enjoy.
• Have a good time, and make new friends.
• Westgate will provide some help, tools, and funding.

On each floor in Westgate, we would love to have one family volunteer to be the "floor representative" for that floor. It's not a lot of work, and it's guaranteed to be a lot of fun!

1. Floor representatives are encouraged to host small-scale events with other neighbors on the same floor. For example, neighbors could get together in the Westgate lounge to enjoy free food together. Or maybe watch a video together. Some floors periodically have group outings around the campus. Etc.

   Each floor gets $45 dollars per semester for floor events. If you exceed $45, but you have a great activity idea, let us know and we will try to fund it as well. Also floor reps can host floor events at the Westgate basement lounge for free.

   However: due to the MIT policy, we can not repay you for alcohol expenses, and we also can not repay you for the tax portion of your expenses. Most food items in Massachusetts are not taxed. But if some of the items you purchase are taxed, we're sorry we can not pay you for the tax portion of the expense. Sorry!
    

2. Floor reps are encouraged to come to Westgate's monthly town hall meeting (the 4th Thursday of every month), so that they can bring up issues that concern them (and their floor) and stay informed of the latest developments and issues at Westgate.

If you have any questions or suggestions, or if you would like to volunteer to be a floor rep, please write to us at westgate-rfro AT mit.edu

Thanks!

1. Pick an activity
   • If you're looking for ideas, please see the "Activities Listing" below.
   • Things to consider: kids welcome? kids specific?

2. Consider potential times and locations
   • Tip: Floor events can use the basement lounge for free.
   • You still need to reserve the lounge ahead of time using the Westgate website.

3. Advertise the event (and ask for volunteers if needed)
   • You can print out a poster and post it near the elevator button on your floor.
   • Or you can write down your event announcement on your whiteboard (every floor rep gets a small whiteboard).

4. Carry out the event, and have fun!

1. How often are events usually organized?

It depends. Some floor reps have a couple of events a year. On the other hand, a floor rep might choose to organize a card/board game night once a month. Such an event doesn't cost any money, and the neighbors become good friends after a year. It's totally up to you.

2. How do I let people know I'm the new floor rep?

First choose a few possible events that you'd like to do. (Many floor reps organize a "pot luck" dinner as the first event.) We suggest that you slip invitations to an event under residents' doors. There is a word template of what this could look like available here.

Each floor rep will get a writable whiteboard which you can attach to your door. 

3. How do my neighbors contact me?

Whiteboard: You can encourage your neighbors to write down complaints, suggestions, and questions on the whiteboard.

You are encouraged to come to the monthly town hall meeting and bring up your neighbors' concerns or complaints: if there are issues, the community as a whole may be able to help.

4. What events should I organize?

You could simply ask your neighbors what they would like to do. Or you can choose an event from the "Activities Listing" below. (And after a successful event, please email your idea to westgate-rfro AT mit.edu so that we can include your success story on this webpage!)

5. I've bought food and other things for the floor party. How do I get re-paid?

Each semester, each floor gets $45 to pay for your expenses. Please keep all your receipts. Then fill out the SLP Reimbursement Form (available for download HERE). Put the form and your *itemized* receipts into an envelope labelled Floor Rep Event with your apartment number on it, then slip it under the door of apartment 1606.

To fill out the form, please just fill out the following 5 boxes, then leave all other boxes empty.

Full Group Name:	Please write "Westgate Community Association" in here
Payable To:	Please put your name here
Amount:	Please place the amount (without tax) here
Expense Description:	Please briefly describe what you bought with the money
Mail To:	Please put your full mailing address here

Note that, due to MIT policy, we can not repay you for alcohol costs, and we can not repay you for the tax portion of your expenses. Most food purchases in Massachusetts are tax-free, but if some of the things you buy are taxed, then we're sorry we can not repay you for the tax that you paid. Sorry!

About the tax: since you are buying stuff for MIT (which is a non-profit organization), some large vendors/stores will allow you to buy it without tax. Please download and print out the tax-exemption forms HERE. Unfortunately, most stores don't want the trouble of dealing with this, especially if the purchase amount is small. So you may or may not be able to use the form.

6. What can I use or borrow?

Basement Lounge: as a floor rep, you can host floor-related events in the lounge for free. When you reserve the lounge from the Westgate website, just make sure you specify that it is a floor rep event.