I.    Required Residency Policy

A.   All freshmen men and women are required to reside in the university residence halls unless they are married or live with their immediate family in Austin or vicinity.  Exceptions to this are unusual and shall only be authorized through the Office of Residence Life.

B.    The residency requirement does not preclude the removal of students from the residence halls and termination of their residence hall contract if the resident student is unable to abide by the rules and regulations of the University.

C.    All students residing in residence halls must participate in the dining services’ meal-plan program.

D.  If a freshman student is found to be living off campus and does not meet the aforementioned stipulations of this contract, the University reserves the right to bill the student up to a year’s worth of on-campus housing fees.

II.    Eligibility

A.    Any person who is degree seeking, has been admitted and will be enrolled as a student may enter into this contract with the University.

B.    If a residential student fails to enroll or fails to pay fees, and this results in the loss of status as an enrolled student, the resident agrees to vacate the premises immediately and the housing contract is terminated.

C.    A residential student may not sublet or rent a room assignment or permit another person to share a private room assignment.

D.    A residential student whose housing contract is terminated by the University due to disciplinary reasons may have their semester’s housing fees pro-rated.

III.    Period of Contract

A.    This contract is for the entire academic year – fall and spring semesters (winter holiday excluded for the residence hall residents) and when approved, entitles the applicant to a space in the residence halls or apartments.

B.   Personal possessions may be left in assigned rooms during periods in the contractual period when the University is closed and residents must leave campus, i.e. winter break for the residence halls.  The residential student may not stay in the residence hall during the periods in which the University or halls are closed.

C.    Failure to properly check-out and/or return all keys will result in a fine.  Failure to check out and move out by the assigned date designated by Residence Life, could result in a $100 a day fine.

D.    Residents may not occupy or leave personal possessions in any residence hall before the hall officially opens and the student’s room is available.  All possessions must be removed from the room as part of the check-out procedure.

Any belongings left in the residence hall after closing or checking out, and after reasonable attempts have been made to contact the owner of the belongings, will be disposed of.  A student has 24 hours after his/her last final to move out.

IV.    Freshman/Transfer Student Assignments

A.    The University cannot guarantee a student a specific room.  Assignment to rooms in the residence halls and apartments will be made in accordance with the established policy for priorities and on the basis of available housing space.

B.   The resident agrees to provide the University with the information and preferences required on the Housing Application for the purposes of hall, room, and roommate assignments.

C.    Requests for assignment with a specific roommate will be honored whenever possible.

D.    We attempt to match first time freshmen with other first time freshman roommates using the Housing Application.  Occasionally a first time freshman may be matched with a transfer or returning student.

E.    A resident is assigned to a room after he/she has been matched with a roommate.

F.     Most residents are accommodated in double rooms.

G.    Double rooms, unless otherwise specified, are to be occupied by two persons.  If a vacancy occurs in the assigned room, the remaining resident agrees to accept another roommate as assigned, move to another room if requested, or pay additional charges based on single occupancy of the room.

H.    The Office of Residence Life reserves the right to consolidate available spaces or to assign the double rooms as a single room at a private room rate.

I.    The resident understands that the University makes all assignments without regard to race, color, religion, or national origin.

J.    The University reserves the right to modify room assignments, cancel or terminate contracts for disciplinary reasons and/or dangerous or disruptive behavior, health, safety, catastrophe, closing of the facility, or unresolvable incompatibility of roommates.

K.    The University reserves the right to temporarily or permanently reassign a student for violation(s) of the University code of conduct or University policies.

L.     On occasion students may be placed in temporary housing at the beginning of the semester due to space availability.  This is a temporary status and students will be moved into permanent rooms immediately as space becomes available.

V.    Assignment Changes

A.    Rooms will be occupied only upon assignment by ORL.

B.    There will be no room changes during the first two weeks of a semester or at anytime unless approved.

C.    All residents must receive authorization from the Office of Residence Life to cease to reside in their assigned room or to move from the residence halls or apartments.

D.    The Office of Residence Life reserves the right to levy an administrative charge for unauthorized moves and failure to follow proper check-in and check-out procedures.  Residents must check-in by the appointed date. 

E.  Any exchanges, transfers or cancellations of rooms must be approved by the Office of Residence Life.

VI.    Cancellations and Refunds

A.    A student has 2 months from the date of signing (electronic signature) the housing contract during spring housing selection, to cancel his/her room assignment.  After this time period, the student is bound to the housing contract, and will forfeit his/her housing deposit ($150 halls, $300 apartments) and may incur a penalty up to an entire academic year’s housing fees if the contract is broken after the grace period.  This grace period only applies to contracts signed prior to May 1.

B.    After signing a contract, if a student transfers or withdraws prior to the first day of classes of the fall semester, room fees for the entire 2007-2008 academic year will be refunded. Room/apartment assignments not claimed by the above stated time will be forfeited.

C.    All students who claim their room/apartment assignment and key will be charged room fees, provided they are academically enrolled at the University for that semester.

D.    Residents who are withdrawing from school or are transferring to another institution for the spring semester must notify the Office of Residence Life in writing before leaving for the winter break.

E.    Residents who have been released from their contract due to exclusion, transferring, or withdrawal must vacate their rooms, check out with a staff member, and return room keys before leaving for the winter break.  Failure to complete these steps could result in additional fines..

F.    Residents who have been excluded from the University for academic reasons should notify the Office of Residence Life as soon as possible in order to receive appropriate refunds in a timely manner.

G.    All refunds are contingent upon the following:

       1.  Compliance with the University Residence Hall/Apartment Guide to Living and the provisions of the Residence Hall/Apartment Contract;

       2.  A written notice of reservation or assignment cancellation submitted in a timely manner to the Office of Residence Life;

       3.  Settlement of all assessed fines and damage charges.

H.    All refunds for fees are made in the form of a credit to the student’s account at St. Edward’s University.

VII.    Furnishings, Utilities and Sanitation

A.    The University agrees to equip residence hall rooms to accommodate each resident with a bed, chest of drawers, closet or wardrobe, desk, and desk chair.  The apartments are unfurnished by the University.

B.  The University assumes no liability for loss or damage to a resident’s personal property due to fire, flood, theft, or other causes.  The temporary failure or interruption of water, heat, or other utilities shall give residents no claim for damages or reduction of rent.  The University will work to resolve any of the above mentioned issues as soon as possible.  Students should report such concerns to their Residence Life staff immediately.

C.    Residents may not move or rearrange any stationary furniture, or remove any authorized furniture from their rooms.  Additionally, residents may not move any furniture belonging to the University into their rooms that was not originally intended to be in that room.

D.    The University reserves the right to levy and collect charges for damages, unauthorized use, or alterations to rooms or equipment.

E.    The resident may not install equipment, make alterations, or do repairs to their room.

F.    Waterbeds and modifications of intended use of room furnishings are prohibited.

G.    Lofts are prohibited in residence halls.  The construction of a loft for use in the resident’s room will result in a fine and removal and disposal of the loft by campus personnel.

H.    The University agrees to provide reasonable amounts of heat, water and electricity during the contract period.  Interruptions of any one or all of these services on a temporary basis for reasons of maintenance, repair, or catastrophe will not be considered a breach of this contract, and the University assumes no responsibility for damages as a result of any interruptions, such as food spoilage.  If an interruption occurs, the University agrees to restore the affected service within a reasonable time.  Apartment residents must place the electric bill in their names and are responsible for all electricity and bill payment within their apartment.

VIII.    Care of Facilities

A.    The resident agrees to be directly and financially responsible for keeping the room/apartment and its furnishings clean and free from damage, to cooperate with roommates in the common protection of property, and to advise the residence hall staff of any deteriorated conditions of the room or its furnishings.

B.    The resident agrees to pay charges when assessed for room damages or special housekeeping or maintenance services necessary due to misuse or abuse of facilities for which the residents or guests of the resident is responsible, or to pay an equal portion of charges assessed to all occupants of a room when those persons responsible fail to assume responsibility for the damages.

C.    The University reserves the right to assess residents of a hall, floor or apartment community the expenses of repair or replacement of any property damaged in common areas used by those residents and their guests, unless the individual, or individuals, responsible for the damage is identified.  Students will be notified if such charges are levied.

D.   The resident agrees to use public areas and residential corridors in a careful and proper manner and to contribute to the orderliness and cleanliness of all areas used by residents and guests.

E.    The resident agrees to report loss of the room key and to pay the charges for key replacement and changing the locks on the doors affected by the loss of the key or by failure to return assigned key upon check-out/withdrawal.