A. Residence Hall License Agreement

The Residence Hall License Agreement is a contractual agreement between the resident student and the College. Like all official contractual agreements, students are strongly urged to familiarize themselves with the terms and conditions of the agreement. Violations of the License Agreement may result in termination of the Residence Hall Liscense.

In the event of external factors beyond its control, the College reserves the right to alter or terminate this contract or the room assignment process. Residents are strongly advised to work with family and have a personal/family emergency plan in place.

B. Financial Matters

Damage:
Each resident student pays a damage deposit at the beginning of the academic year for that particular year. This deposit is applied against any common area damage and individual damages assessed.

Individual damage will be assessed by comparing the room inventory for check-in against an inspection of the room performed by the Residence Director when the room is completely vacant.

Any damage or cleaning not attributed to individuals will be pro-rated and billed to the floor or the entire residence hall. It is the responsibility of all students in conjunction with staff to report damage to the Residence Director and FSC Police Department as soon as possible. Individuals found responsible for vandalism may be subject to criminal action and expulsion from the College.

Parents/guardians are encouraged to extend their home owners' insurance coverage to include the students' belongings away from home. Otherwise, residents should purchase their own insurance, since they are responsible for their personal belongings.

Failure to Pay Required Fees:
Students are required to pay their College bills by stated due dates to maintain an on-campus housing reservation. The submission of the reservation deposit does not guarantee an on-campus space without meeting ongoing financial obligations, participating in room selection and remaining on good social standing.

In the event that any required fees or charges remain overdue or unpaid, the College reserves the right to refuse to register the student for future semesters, or to withhold: a) the resident's diploma, b) the remainder of the resident's Housing Reservation/Damage Deposit.

Housing Reservation Deposit:
Students are required to pay a $150 housing reservation deposit when they request on-campus housing. The Housing Reservation Deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable unless the College refuses occupancy. Residents opting not to return for a second semester forfeit their room deposit.

Room Charges
All students are responsible for paying room and board charges. Residents who withdraw from their Residence Hall License Agreement will remain liable for room and board charges for the term of the agreement, except as follows:

1. No Show - In the event that the resident fails to check-in or otherwise notifies the Associate Dean of Student Affairs/Director of Residence Life of his or her whereabouts and intention to check-in prior to the first day of classes in any semester, and, the College is able to fill the vacancy in the system created by the resident's absence, the room fee will be refunded and the space reassigned.

2. Withdrawal Prior to Occupancy - Residents who wish to withdraw from housing prior to occupancy may obtain a refund on room fees provided written notice of intention to withdraw is given to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs/Director of Residence Life no later than 30 days before the start of either the fall or spring semester and the College is able to fill the vacancy in the system created by the resident's withdrawal.

3. Exceptions - Petitions for individual exceptions due to demonstrated inability to fulfill the Residence Hall License Agreement can be made in writing to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs/Director of Residence Life.

C. Eligibility for On-Campus Housing

To maintain on-campus housing residents must:

1. Be a matriculated undergraduate student in good academic standing.
2. Register for undergraduate classes during the scheduled registration period as outlined by the Registrar's Office.
3. Maintain student account in good standing and pay all college bills on time.
4. Abide by all terms of the Residence Hall License Agreement.
5. Maintain a full course load.

It is important to maintain eligibility. Failure to maintain eligibility will result in loss of on-campus housing without notice.

D. Housing Guidelines

Card Access and Video Monitoring:
All residence halls are equipped with a card access and video monitoring system. This state-of-the-art system allows each resident's identification card to function as a combination residence hall front door key, meal card, and library card. The card access and video monitoring system helps limit access to the halls to authorized individuals only.
To obtain a new ID, visit the ID office adjacent to the FSC Police Department during posted hours.

Check-Out Procedure:
In order to check out of a residence hall room at the end of occupancy please:
1. Adhere to all posted and explained check-out policies specific to your hall.
2. Room must be cleaned before you leave and should be left in the same condition as it was found. Refrigerators, stoves, and cabinets in common areas must also be cleaned.
3. When leaving residence halls permanently or for summer break, a check-out must be completed with a Resident Assistant or by completing an express check-out. Express check-out envelopes are available in each residence hall lobby.
4. Turn in all keys during scheduled check-out time or with express check-out envelope.
5. At the end of the academic year mailboxes are to be checked and emptied by the resident.
6. All personal belongings must be removed from the hall at the end of the occupancy term. Personal belongings left in the hall, or attached to residence hall property (e.g. bicycle racks) will be considered discarded property and will be disposed.
7. Residents are required to leave the residence hall by 6:00 p.m. on the final day of classes before vacation and/or break periods. At the end of each semester, residents are required to leave the residence halls within twenty-four hours following their last exam, or, by 6:00 p.m. on the final day of exams, whichever occurs first.
8. In the event that a resident checks out of his/her assigned room, without checking into another room on campus within two business days, the Office of Residence Life and Housing will consider this action as a termination of the License Agreement and the room will be reassigned.

Disability/Unanticipated Injury:
If a resident should experience any injury or disability that effects their housing placement at anytime after participating in room selection of receiving a room assignment the resident should contact Residence Life and Housing.

Emergency Information Card:
At the beginning of the academic year, or whenever a resident changes residence halls, he or she will be asked to fill out an Emergency Information Card which the Resident Director will keep on file. In an emergency, Residence Life staff will use the card to determine who to contact This card should include important contact and medical information, including any food or drug allergies you might have. . Residents are strongly advised to work with family and have a personal/family emergency plan in place.

Keys/Lockouts:
Each resident will receive one key which opens his or her room. If you are locked out between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m., the RAs on duty can let you into your room if they are not involved with other responsibilities. At times other than those stated above, you must seek out a roommate or Residence Hall staff member. Since staff members are students also, you need to respect their personal and academic needs and understand that they might not be available to immediately help students who are locked out of their rooms.

Medical/Psychological Situations:
The Associate Dean of Student Affairs/ Director of Residence Life reserves the right to take any necessary and appropriate action to protect the safety and well-being of the Residence Hall community and its members. This right includes the right to terminate the Residence Hall License Agreement for sufficient medical or psychological reasons.

Any student who wishes to return to housing after having been removed for medical or psychological reasons must reapply. Readmission is subject to the approval of the Associate Dean of Student Affairs/Director of Residence Life.

Move-In Procedure:
Move-in dates for the academic year are outlined in the Guide to Residence Living as well as through other communications. Residence hall opening and closing dates and times are firm. When the residence halls are closed, there is no staff coverage, and residents may not be present in the halls. Accordingly, residents may not come earlier or leave later than designated times.

Pets:
Pets in a residence hall community can create many problems, including safety, cleanliness, noise, and health problems. For the safety, health, and well-being of all residents, NO PETS are allowed in a residence hall except fish kept in a tank with a capacity of 10 gallons or less.

Posting Policy:
In residence hall common areas, postings may only be made on designated bulletin boards or posting areas. Postings must be registered in advance in the Office of Residence Life and Housing.

Right to Fill a Vacancy:
A student living in a multiple occupancy room with one or more vacancies must maintain that space in the event that space is needed for another student. Accordingly, the vacant bed, desk, dresser and closet/wardrobe must be open and ready for use. While efforts will be made to notify residents that a new occupant is moving into a vacancy, Residence Life and Housing reserves the right to fill vacant spaces without prior notice.

Room Changes:
Room changes may not take place earlier than two weeks after the start of each semester. This policy enables the Office of Residence Life and Housing to determine the status of students who have not checked into housing and to confirm an available space.

The College reserves the right to assign a resident to another space or residence hall. Prior to reassignment of a space during the fall or spring semester, the College will attempt to consult with the resident to discuss re-assignment options, if any. The College also reserves the right to increase room occupancy as necessary.

Please note the following:
1. After two weeks into the semester, students may submit a request to change rooms by their Residence Director (based on availability), through the room change process (Room Change applications are available through your Residence Director).
2. Room changes will only be allowed during a two week period. After that time, room changes will only be approved on an "as necessary" basis by the Residence Director.
3. Students who make an unauthorized move will be charged for occupancy of the second room on a daily basis until the student is confirmed in an authorized assigned space.
4. Students who are granted a room change for the spring semester are granted the change contingent upon removing all of their belongings and checking out of their fall rooms before the residence halls close for the fall semester.
5. Room changes in between semesters will take place during a designated day in January 2008 - TBA.

Room Entry:
Authorized staff members may enter a residence hall room at any time for health, safety and facilities-related emergencies, and/or to make repairs or respond to resident maintenance requests. Upon reasonable notice, authorized staff members may enter residence hall rooms in order to make routine maintenance repairs, conduct health and safety checks and to insure that the terms of the Residence Hall License Agreement are being followed.

Room Selection Process:
Spring resident students may participate in a room selection process to select rooms for the following academic year. Information on the Room Selection Process will be posted on the Residence Life website during the months of February, March, and April. The 2008-2009 room selection packet is scheduled to be posted to the Web site in early March. A non-refundable and non-transferable $150 Housing Reservation Deposit must be received in Student Accounts by March 14, 2008 to participate in the 2008-2009 Room Selection Process. Failure to meet the deadline for this payment will result in the student being eligible for housing through the housing waitlist for the 2008-2009 academic year.

Senior Week Housing:
Housing may be available to graduating residents during Senior Week. There is a fee and a damage deposit required for senior week housing. Seniors will be notified of this option via senior class blackboard site and newsletter.

Solicitation and Campaigning:
State and federal laws greatly restrict solicitation and campaigning on college campuses. Policies on solicitation are outlines in the RAM Handbook. Requests to solicit in the residence halls must be approved by the Associate Dean of Student Affairs/Director of Residence Life.

Study Abroad/Exchange:
Students enrolled in Framingham State College coursework away from campus for the Spring 2008 semester, and who want Fall 2008 housing should submit their housing reservation deposit to Student Accounts by March 14, 2008 and submit a letter to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs/Director of Residence Life by March 31, 2008 requesting Fall 2008 housing and outlining hall preferences.

Summer Housing:
Housing may be available to Framingham State students enrolled in June summer session courses who are in need of accommodations. Housing is on a space available basis. Summer residents typically share multiple occupancy rooms. If available, applications can be obtained in the Office of Residential Life and Housing beginning April 18th.

Sustainable Living Tips:
Framingham State College's Climate Action Plan outlines actions which will work toward the College's goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and cut energy use, as outlined by the Governor's Executive Order 484. The following initiatives are recommended and may help reduce campus electricity use and conserve energy while reinforcing good personal habits.
" Use only compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) in lamps
" Turn off lings at night/when leaving room
" Set up computer to go into stand-by/hibernate mode (low-power) after a relatively short period of non-use
" Shut down computer at night or if it is not going to be used for a few hours
" Turn off monitors
" Keep windows and doors closed in heated areas
" Turn off electronics when not in use (e.g. printers, copiers, etc.)
" Purchase Energy-Star certified equipment/appliances
" Take full advantage of all campus recycling programs
" Recycle ink cartridges
" Be conservative with printing/copying
" Print/copy double-sided

Vacations and Breaks:
Residence Halls are officially closed during Thanksgiving break, between Fall and Spring Term, Spring Break, and Summer following the Spring Term. Prior to vacation periods, residents will receive notification regarding the closing of the residence halls and should follow the specified instructions. Please note:
1. During vacations, the College reserves the right to use rooms as it deems necessary. In the unlikely event that the College must utilize this right, the resident must, upon reasonable notice, remove personal belongings from the room.
2. At the time of departure for any vacation, students are to shut and lock room windows, unplug all electrical appliances, remove perishables, and lock doors.
3. Entry to the hall is restricted during times when the residence halls are closed.
4. Student teachers and interns may need to make alternative housing and/or travel arrangements during periods when residence halls are closed.

Vacation Housing:
Residence halls officially close during the Thanksgiving, Semester, and Spring Break. The Residence Hall License Agreement does not cover housing during these periods. This includes student teachers. Winter Intersession housing may be offered on a space available basis. Applications will be available in the Office of Residential Life and Housing Beginning December 3rd. When vacation housing is offered, separate housing charges apply and are noted on the application.

Withdrawal from Housing:
Residents wishing to withdraw from housing (but remain a Framingham State College student) should complete the necessary forms at the Residence Life and Judicial Affairs office in Corinne Hall Towers. Upon moving out, residents must complete their Room Inventory Form with a Resident Assistant and turn in all issued keys or complete an Express check-out envelope. There is no room and board refund once classes begin for the semester.

E. Linsley Hall Suite Eligibility

Students must meet all of the eligibility requirements for general on-campus housing:
" Students currently on Disciplinary Warning, Disciplinary Probation or Residential Review are not eligible to participate in suite selection or live in a Linsley Hall suite.

The following residence hall policies are also in effect in Linsley Hall suites:

1. Students are responsible for cleaning and maintaining suites according to health and safety standards as prescribed by the College.
2. Maintenance will not provide cleaning service to occupied suites.
3. Residence Life Staff will inspect suites for health and safety concerns and College policy compliance at least once a day. Suite residents will be notified of health and safety concerns and required corrective action, and/or policy-related concerns identified during inspection rounds.
4. Students who repeatedly fail to maintain suites, or who are found responsible for alcohol, drug, fire safety, or other serious violations of College policy, will be subject to disciplinary action, including immediate removal from their Linsley Hall suite, and/or removal from on-campus housing.
5. Linsley suites may not have a number of people present which exceeds twice the capacity of the suite (e.g. 12 persons in a 6-person suite is the limit).