Residential Life Administrative Policies

Housing Application Process
Admission to the university does not guarantee a university housing assignment.  The procedure for securing university housing is as follows:

1. Application and acceptance to the university.
2. Payment of enrollment deposit.
3. Application for university housing completed and submitted to the Office of Residential Life.
4. Payment of housing deposit.

Assignments are processed as completed applications are received. Housing applications will be considered complete and processed only when all information is complete on the form, and they are submitted with the housing deposit.

Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a documented disability seeking specialized housing, please contact the Office of Disability Services at 305-899-3844 (voice/TTY.)  You must be registered with the Office of Disability Services in order to receive accommodations.  All accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis.

Check-in Procedures
University housing opens on an announced date prior to the beginning of each term and no student may move into a university housing unit prior to the stipulated date.  Students may not place belongings in a residence hall or other university housing unit prior to the official check-in date. Students who fail to abide by this policy will be charged $75 per day and a $100 “Improper Check-in” fine.

Each student must check-in with the Office of Residential Life according to the proscribed procedures in order to sign-in and obtain keys. Your resident assistant will check you into your room and complete a Room Condition Report (RCR).

Access to Student Rooms
Authorized university personnel may enter students' rooms without students' permission for maintenance and housekeeping purposes, fire and safety inspections, inspection for damage, when residential life personnel have reasonable belief that a violation of a university policy or municipal, state or federal law has occurred or is in progress, and for other emergency purposes.  Following are procedures for entry when there is reasonable belief that a violation has occurred or is in progress:

1. The resident assistant (RA) detecting the violation will contact and obtain the assistance of another staff member to serve as a witness to the incident.
2. The RA will knock on the door in a manner loud enough to be heard and announce him/herself both by name and title.
3. If there is no response within a reasonable time (30-60 seconds), the RA may use the master key to enter the room.
4. Once in the room, the RA will observe any violation that may have occurred or be in progress and describe the incident on an Incident Report Form.
5. Any materials or equipment used for any illegal purpose will be confiscated and turned over to the appropriate supervisor or the official who will transport the material to the Office of Residential Life.
6. If the student is not present during the entry and any items are removed, a receipt indicating the name of the RA and the item(s) taken will be left in a sealed envelope in a conspicuous place in the room.
7. The RA will indicate to the occupant(s) (if present) that he/she/they will be contacted regarding any action to be taken.

Allotment of Space
The Office of Residential Life reserves the right to move or reassign a resident, assign roommates, and/or consolidate vacancies by requiring residents without roommates to move into other rooms with vacancies.  All freshmen students must have a roommate.  If necessary, freshmen will be asked to consolidate first; seniors will be asked last.  Of those who are in rooms without a full complement of roommates, those who have lived on campus longer will remain in their original room assignments, while others will be required to move.

Room Lottery
Students residing in university housing during the spring semester are given the first opportunity to select a room for the following fall semester in accordance with Room Lottery procedures. Room Lottery is usually held the first week of April; procedures will be disseminated to students by residence hall staff and posted on the student web during each spring semester.

Refunds
Refund policies regarding room and board charges are listed each semester in the Class Schedule published by the Office of the Registrar.

If, for any reason, a student breaks the term of the Housing Agreement, he/she will forfeit the right to receive a refund of the housing deposit.

Room Change
An open "Room Change Period" is offered early in each semester as designated by the Office of Residential Life (This would usually occur the 2nd week of classes).  During this period, any and all resident students may apply for a change of room assignment.  The Office of Residential Life will identify all open spaces and offer them on a first-come first-served basis.  Please be aware that room changes are not automatic - they must be approved by the Office of Residential Life.  The Office of Residential Life reserves the right to decline room change requests; not all room change requests will be approved.

When requesting a room change during the open room change period, please adhere to the following procedures:

1. Speak openly with your current roommate about your desire for a room change.
2. Secure a "Room Change Request Form" from the Office of Residential Life.
3. Review open rooms, make a choice and complete the portion
   of the form that you fill in..
4. Have form approved by the Office of Residential Life.
5. Obtain signatures from your current and intended new roommates (for informational purposes - so they are informed you are making the change.  No student is eligible to refuse to allow someone to move out of or into a room.)
6. Return the completed form to the Office of Residential Life and pick up keys to your new room assignment.
7. Move/ check out of your old room assignment and move/check into your new room assignment within 24 hours.

Unauthorized Room Change
Students who make unauthorized room changes during open room change, or at any time during the academic year, may be required to move back into their original room assignment.  Additionally, they will be assessed an unauthorized room change fine and subject to university judicial charges.

Room Consolidation
After Room Change, all students with vacant spaces in their suites/rooms or without roommates will be asked to consolidate.  Residential Life will host a Consolidation Meeting and those without roommates would be required pair up with someone else who does not possess a roommate.

Vacating Your Room upon Withdrawal from the University
Students who withdraw from the university before the end of the term for any reason, including academic and medical withdrawals, must vacate their university housing assignment within forty-eight hours of withdrawing from the university. Students who fail to abide by this policy will be charged $75 per day and assessed a $100 “Improper Check-out” fine.

Vacating Your Room at the End of the Term
The Residence Hall Agreement covers only the dates indicated on the agreement and no student is permitted to remain in university housing beyond the dates on the agreement. Students who fail to abide by this policy will be charged $75 per day and assessed a $100 “Improper Check-out” fine.  The university accepts no responsibility for students’ security after the designated closing.  Exceptions to this policy may be made only for students involved in graduation ceremonies and/or if a written request is approved by the Office of Residential Life in advance (please note that requests are reviewed and students will be notified in writing if requests are approved).

Check-out Procedures
There are two options for check out:

1. Schedule a check-out time with your RA.
        a) Schedule an appointment with the RA at least twenty-four hours prior to the time you wish to check out.
        b) Complete a Room condition report and other check-out procedures with the RA at the scheduled time.
2. Express Check-out
        a) Complete an Express Check-out form.
        b) Submit form and your keys to one of the twenty-four hour residential life desks located in Dalton-Dunspaugh, Weber Hall, or Kolasa Hall.

In using Express Check-Out, residents waive all rights as they relate to damage that may be assessed and charged to his/her account.

Residents not returning to university housing for the following semester must complete a Housing Release Form in order to be eligible for a refund of the housing deposit.  Please be aware that other requirements must also be fulfilled; completing a housing release form does not guarantee a refund of the deposit.  Failure to adhere to the above check out procedures will result in loss of deposit, possible disciplinary action, and/or any or all of the following charges:

Charges for cleaning and trash left in any university housing unit will be jointly decided upon by the Housekeeping and Residential Life staffs.  The residents of the room, suite, apartment and/or house will share any common area damage or excessive cleaning charges.    

Residents agree to pay for damages, lost university property or unnecessary service costs caused to university housing facilities because of their actions.  Residents assume a collective responsibility for damages caused to common areas of their apartment/hall unless individual responsibility is claimed or assigned for such damages.  Residents are encouraged to provide any knowledge they have regarding damage to avoid collective charges.

The occupants of each room assume responsibility for the care of the room and its furnishings, for removing trash to specific disposal areas, and for maintaining sanitary and safety conditions acceptable to the Office of Residential Life.  The Office of Residential Life will maintain an accurate record of the conditions of each room and its furnishing.  Each resident will sign a room condition report for the room and its furnishings upon check-in and upon subsequent changes to new rooms.  When residents move from a room, damages will be assessed by the Office of Residential Life so as to assess the person(s) responsible, or the remaining person(s) will assume the responsibility.  Damages may also be assessed throughout the year when necessary.