ORANGEBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA

Transcription

1 STUDENT HANDBOOK SOUTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY ORANGEBURG, SOUTH CAROLINA

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction...1 Personal Property Losses...2 Right to Enter Rooms...2 Room Inspection...2 Health and Safety...2 Illegal Entry and Exit...2 Emergency Exits...2 Stairwell Doors...3 Furniture...3 Removal of Furniture...3 Residence Hall Hours...3 Housekeeper...3 Decorations...3 Procedures for Roommate Changes...4 Pest Control...5 Laundry Facilities and Services...5 Solicitation...5 Search and Seizure...5 Damages...5 Damages Policy...6 Trash...6 Noise...6 Damage/Cleaning/Replacement Costs...6 Lockouts...7 Vacation Period...7 Residence Halls Rules and Regulations...7 Policy on Pregnancy...8 Bicycles...8 Fire Drills...8 Fire Alarms and Equipment...9 Residential Life Security Precautions...9 Procedures for Student Violations of Residential Policy...9 Procedures for Student Appeal of Residence Life Sanctions...11 Conduct of Judicial Hearings...11 Residence Halls Association Judicial Board...12 Married Housing...12 Emergency Cases...13 Damage to Property...13 Insurance...13 Vacating a Room...13 Check-out Procedure for Counselors, Resident Managers, and Resident Assistants...14 Check-Out...14 Building Closings...14 Closing Responsibilities at Check-Out for Residents...14 Housing and Housing Fees (cost per Semester)...15

3 The University has eight residence halls for women and four for men. Approximately 60 percent of the undergraduate students enrolled at the University live in residence halls, which are attractive and comfortable. Freshman, sophomore, junior and senior students are normally assigned to special residence halls, as facilities permit. The Office of Residential Life (Student Housing) is committed to providing residence halls facilities that meet the changing needs of students and support their academic achievement and personal growth. The Office of Residential Life is also the student s connection to the following residential services: room assignments, room changes, maintenance and repairs, safety and security provisions, and all housing contracts. The Office realizes that residents spend most of their time away from the classroom. Therefore, the Office will coordinate and sponsor programs that contribute to residential students academic, social, personal, spiritual, physical, cultural and emotional development. Residence hall rules and regulations and the judicial process are designed to make the residential experience a positive one. As residents, students have the right to expect an atmosphere that is conducive to study, rest, and live in a safe, clean environment. Safety and security of residents are an important issue to the Office of Residential Life. South Carolina State University is generally a safe campus; however, each resident must be aware of and abide by security regulations published by the Office of Residential Life, in conjunction with the Department of Campus Police, to protect themselves and others. The following is general information on policies and procedures that govern the Office of Residential Life. OBTAINING HOUSING Students must be admitted to the University by the Admissions and Recruitment Office. Student must pre-register for housing. An application for a room reservation may be obtained on-line or from the Housing Office. To receive a room assignment, a non-refundable fee of $25.00 for first-time freshman students and first-time transfer student must be sent to the Cashier s Office along with the Acceptance Form. The room reservation fee for upperclassmen is $ The reservation fee is applied to the room rent at the time of registration. The order in which the reservation fees are received by the Cashier s Office determines the priority for room assignments. Students who are part-time (registered for less than 12 credit hours) will not be permitted to live on campus. Prior to occupancy, resident students are required to sign a South Carolina State University Housing Contract for the academic year. Freshmen student entering for the first time are assigned a room upon payment of the required non-refundable acceptance fee of $35.00 and the non-refundable reservation fee of $25, as long as space is available. Room assignments are made in order of priority of receipt of the above fees. After payment of the $25.00 room deposit for first-time freshmen students and first-time transfer students, along with submission of an Acceptance Form and a Room Reservation Request Form, room rent must be paid by July 1 st. Students assigned after July 1 st are required to pay the balance of their room rent within 15 days after having been assigned a room. Failure to make payment as indicated will result in forfeiture of the room deposit and cancellation of the room assignment. Once full payment has been made, it can be refunded only in accordance with the refund policy for rent.

4 All units must be fully occupied. If an occupant moves out, the remaining student(s) must agree to accept a roommate who will be assigned to the unit or the student(s) may request available space in another unit. The University reserves the right to fill vacancies as they occur. PERSONAL PROPERTY LOSSES The University is not responsible for the loss of money, valuables or damages to the property of the residents. It is recommended that students purchase personal property insurance. Personal property insurance applications will be provided in Student s Check-in Packets. RIGHT TO ENTER ROOMS The University reserves the right for authorized personnel to enter each room or unit under the following conditions: danger; where there is cause to believe that the room or unit is being used for illegal activities; when the maintenance staff needs to enter the room or unit to make repairs; and when the room needs to be inspected for cleanliness and safety. ROOM INSPECTION Each student is responsible for the care and furnishings in the room or unit. Inspection will be made periodically to determine the condition of the room or unit, with damages being assessed and submitted to the Office of Finance and Management. Rooms may be inspected daily by an authorized person to encourage regular attention to housekeeping duties and to detect maintenance needs. The following inspection procedures are observed in all residence facilities. a. The Resident Manager (RM) or Resident Assistant (RA) will knock three (3) times before entering a student s room and give the student an opportunity to answer the door. b. Upon entering the room, the RM or RA will state specific reason(s) for entering. HEALTH AND SAFETY INSPECTIONS Inspections are for the purpose of maintaining good health and safety conditions. Allowing flagrant violations to continue may endanger you the residents. Students should be aware that beds are to remain on bed frames and that there should be no hanging fabric, sheets or fishnet from ceiling or walls. Any hanging item must be flat against the wall; all four walls must be clearly visible from the room door. Numerous fabrics and/or posters are a fire concern and may be confiscated if believed to be a hazard. Personal items should not be left in community bathrooms. All screens must be placed in the window and batteries kept in smoke alarms. It is the responsibility of residents of Williams, Truth and Battiste Halls to clean suite bathrooms in accordance with the policies. ILLEGAL ENTRY AND EXIT No student may enter or exit a Living/Learning Center through fire doors or windows. No student may enter a building with forged or altered identification. No students may enter without showing proper identification. Any student found illegally entering or exiting a building will lose his/her privileges and faces additional judicial action. EMERGENCY EXITS Residents are expected to pay special attention to and fully understand information distributed regarding emergency and exiting from buildings.

5 STAIRWELL DOORS Blocks and wedges are not to be used to hold doors open. The use of wedges jeopardizes student safety and security. FURNITURE Residents may arrange furniture within their room in any reasonable manner. Furniture must remain in the room, rest on the floor, and may not be suspended or placed on supports. Furniture must be reassembled and closets placed against a wall prior to departure. It may not be moved from one room to another. Each piece of furniture in your room is inventoried and you are responsible for it. You and your roommate will be responsible and must pay for missing or damaged furniture and/or be assessed a fine. All provided furniture must remain in the room. Students are not permitted to take furniture from other rooms. Furniture that is attached to the floor or walls of a room may not be moved. The penalty for removing furniture from room to room or floor to floor will be $ REMOVAL OF FURNITURE Furniture provided by the University is not to be removed from the building or to another unit in the building without prior consent of the RM. Do not remove furniture. RESIDENCE HALL HOURS OPENING/CLOSING The residence halls open at 8:00A.M., Monday through Sunday. The doors of all residence halls will be locked at 1:30A.M. Room visitation is from 12:00 Noon until 12:30 A.M. Monday through Thursday. HOUSEKEEPEER Housekeepers are employed by the University to clean hallways, lounges, and community bathrooms. Students are responsible for cleaning their own rooms. Students in Battiste, Truth and Williams are responsible for cleaning their own bathroom. It is an expectation that students keep their room clean and safe at all times. Trash should be removed on a regular basis to appropriate containers located on each floor. In order to prevent pest problems, opened food items should be kept in containers/refrigerators. Floors should be kept clear of clothing, trash and other items in order to ensure a quick and easy exit in the event of an evacuation. The Resident Manager will check for cleanliness on a regular basis. Failure to comply with these directions will result in disciplinary action. The penalty for an unclean room is as follows: 1 st offense Warning 2 nd offense $ rd offense $ th offense Referral to Judicial Board Note: This policy also applies to trash on floor. DECORATIONS While there is a chance for students to express individuality in decorating their rooms, the following guidelines are to be followed in the interest of preserving the facility: a) The use of candles is extremely dangerous and prohibited.

6 b) Highly flammable material such as moss and cloth material covering the ceiling is prohibited. c) Hangers for hanging pictures, tacks, pins or nails are not to be used on the wall and woodwork. *Remember, you are responsible for any decoration that either alters or otherwise damages. d) Alcoholic beverage containers are not to be used for room decorations. With regard to decoration(s) of common areas, this must be done through the Residence Hall Council. It is necessary to consult with the Resident Manager before beginning any public area decoration project. Bulletin boards are for your use. Posting notices on walls, mirrors, windows or doors often result in damage from tape marks and is therefore prohibited. If you have any ideas concerning renovation or dressing up lounge space, please get the Resident Manager s approval before you begin. The following items are prohibited in SCSU Residence Halls: refrigerators hotplates microwaves ceiling fans unapproved lofts live trees locks or alarms not provided by the University motor/motorized vehicles paint bicycles electric coolers George Foreman Grills open flames, including burning incense and potpourri water beds non-ul-approved appliances fireworks of any kind weapons any item suspended from walls or ceilings, or placed above ceiling tiles candles halogen lamps alcohol containers/paraphernalia (freshman halls/students) cinder blocks glass containers herbal cigarettes handheld laser pointers paintball, BB guns, or pellet guns Liquid plug-ins PROCEDURES FOR ROOMMATE CHANGES It is natural for some conflicts to arise in any close relationship. In fact, by facing these problems and working towards a solution that creates a more pleasant situation for all, the roommate will grow. Therefore, the Residential Life Staff feels that a certain amount of conflict in a rooming situation is healthy as long as each roommate attempts to resolve the problem in a positive way. No room changes are to be made without the consent of the Resident Manager, Director or his/her designee. The University has provided a telephone outlet in each resident s room for local calls.

7 PEST CONTROL Residence Halls are treated for pest control on a regular basis. Pest problems are often directly related to food supplies not properly stored and the manner in which areas are maintained. Residence Halls cannot be treated properly if not kept reasonably clean. Problems with pests should be reported to the Resident Manager or the Resident Assistant. LAUNDRY FACILITIES AND SERVICES The University provides mattress covers ONLY. Students must provide bed sheets, pillowcases and bed spreads. Failure to keep bed linens clean may result in the student being removed from university housing. Each residence Hall is equipped with coin-operated washers and dryers to accommodate laundry needs. Coin operated washers and dryers are located in each Residence Hall for personal laundry services. Laundry and dry cleaning establishments are located in the Orangeburg area. SOLICITATION The use of a Residence Hall room as a sales or services office, store room or for the solicitation of sales, services, or gifts is prohibited. SEARCH AND SEIZURE 1. South Carolina State University seeks to give every student the right of privacy against arbitrary and unnecessary intrusion into his/her private life. 2. South Carolina State University reserves the right to search University student s room under any of the following circumstances. a. With permission of the resident. b. With a search warrant. c. With permission of the President of South Carolina State University or designee, the Dean of Students or designee when there is sufficient reason to believe there is a violation of an established university regulation with respect to the health and safety of residents. 3. If the search reveals an unlawful activity or contraband, the university official making the search shall present to resident of the room and a witness, a statement and/or itemized list of the activity or contraband. A resident of the room and a witness are required to sign the statement, not as an admission of guilt, but to attest to what is being seized. 4. In the event that disciplinary proceedings are brought against a student as a result of the search and subsequent seizure, due process will be given as stated in the South Carolina State University Student Handbook. DAMAGES ROOM INVENTORY FORM As each student checks into the assigned room, he or she accepts responsibility for its present condition and completes the room inventory form, which becomes a record for the condition of the room at check-out time. Therefore, to protect oneself, student should be sure to complete and sign the check-in form. Complete a Check-in Form

8 DAMAGES POLICY 1. Students are responsible for any damages to their rooms or to the furnishings of their rooms. South Carolina State University will charge the damage to the student occupying the room. 2. All damages, repairs, or physical inadequacies should be reported to the Resident Manager immediately so that the matter can be corrected. If an emergency problem such as a leaking sink, etc., should arise after office hours, be sure to contact the Resident Manager or Resident Assistant on duty. 3. Do not write on the wall or furnishings. Marring of the building or of furnishings will be paid for by the guilty person. No nails, thumbtacks, or staples will be used on the walls or woodwork. Use only masking tape. 4. All property of the University is inventoried. The student is responsible for the furniture in the room. No furniture will be removed from the room, under any circumstances, without permission from the Resident Manager. 5. Any resident or non-resident guilty of discharging a fire extinguisher or pulling a fire alarm when there is no fire, and/or doing malicious damage to property of the University will receive a minimum penalty of suspension from the residence halls. 6. Students are responsible for common areas in their Residence Hall. These areas are lounges, lobbies, halls, kitchens, stairwells and storage areas. If there are any damages or items stolen from these areas, and the individual responsible is not identified, the damage/loss will be prorated to all students in the area. 7. Students are responsible for the daily upkeep of their Residence Hall. TRASH Each student is responsible for emptying his/her own trashcan into the dumpsters provided outside each Residence Hall. No trash of any kind should be left in the hallways. Public area trashcans should be used only for that area. Trash from rooms should never be dumped in the public area trashcans. Any student found leaving trash in undesignated area will receive disciplinary sanctions or be charged at least $ Repeat offenders will be subject to other disciplinary charges. NOISE Fifty ($50.00) fines for trash in undesignated area. Excessive noise or behavior that disturbs others, endangers personal safety, or violates the desired standards of quietness conducive to study or sleep is not permitted. Accordingly, the unsafe and/or irresponsible use of electronic equipment radios, stereos, video games, etc. may be ample reason for confiscation of such equipment until judicial review. Sanctions are at the discretion of the Resident Manager and may result in a fine. DAMAGE/CLEANING/REPLACEMENT COSTS A current Damage Replacement Price List of actual cost for cleaning, repairing, or replacing property or facilities will be charged when the work order is completed unless an estimate is necessary. An estimate cost list will be available in each Residence Hall s Office. There will be a $ fee for any lost or stolen key replaced. The room key is to be surrendered by the student to the Resident Manager or his/her designee upon checking out of a room.

9 LOCKOUTS STUDENTS SHOULD CARRY THEIR KEY WITH THEM AT ALL TIMES. Students may have to wait until a Residence Life staff member is available to address a lockout. Resident must present his/her SCSU Identification Card before a lockout can be completed. VACATION PERIOD All residential halls are closed during official university holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas and Spring Break) and at the end of summer school. Unless authorized to remain on official university business, students are to leave campus by 6:00 p.m. on the closing date and return to the halls no earlier than 12:00 noon on the announced opening date. Students are to vacate their residence halls within 24 hours of their last examination. RESIDENCE HALLS RULES AND REGULATIONS Living in the residence halls can be quite different from living at home. Consideration for others is the key to responsible residential hall living. The pursuit for academic excellence is one of the main purposes of university life. Therefore, quiet hours in the evening are encouraged to help students develop good study habits. To create and maintain an environment conducive to study, a time period has been established for quiet hours. Students will observe Monday through Sunday 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. as quiet hours. During the mid-term and final examination weeks, quiet hours are enforced 24 hours a day. A resident should not hesitate to request someone to be quiet and should not be offended if someone asks the same. Televisions, radios, and computer games, etc. should not be so loud that they disturb other residents. Music is too loud if it can be heard outside the room. Students are responsible for reading information posted on the bulletin boards in the residence halls. School regulations are in effect from the time the student assumes residence until he/she terminates his/her residence at the end of the school year. Any rule changes will be posted. Residence hall meetings are scheduled as needed and residents are required to attend. Students should respect the property of all university residents and display standards of conduct which reflect consideration for members of the South Carolina State University community. All students are responsible for being properly dressed in all common areas such as lobby areas, hallways, and other public areas. Students are responsible for reporting to the Resident Manager or Resident Assistant all illnesses/accidents that occur in the Residence Hall. Only tropical fish are allowed in the Residence Hall. A visitor s sheet is provided in each Residence Hall and should be signed by non-residents. Nonresidents must leave valid ID at desk. Visitation ends at midnight. A twenty-four hour written request to the Resident Manager must be submitted to obtain permission to have an overnight visitor of the same gender. Overnight visitation shall not exceed two nights. All approved overnight visitors must complete an Overnight Visitor Card with the

10 Resident Manager. The student host assumes full responsibility to ensure that the visitor fully abides by the University and Residential Life rules and regulations. Overnight visitation request should be approved 24 hours in advance. Children under twelve (12) are not permitted to stay overnight in the residence halls due to liability purposes, and are prohibited from visiting the residential halls beyond the lobby at anytime. Water fights, fireworks, intentionally set fires, conspicuously unsanitary conditions and other acts which may create hazards to the safety and/or health of students and/or cause damage to the University, are not permitted. Violations will result in suspension and/or dismissal from the University and/or residence hall. Possession and/or consumption of any illegal drugs are strictly forbidden. Weapons of any kind are not permitted. Students are not allowed to duplicate room keys. Students must contact their Resident Manager if their key is lost or stolen. POLICY ON PREGNANCY The University is in no way responsible for any problem/complication that may arise out of pregnancy condition. Personal counseling and supportive referral services will be provided by Health Service personnel if requested. BICYCLES In view of the fire code, absolutely no bicycles maybe left, parked, or stored in halls, stairwells, lobbies, entrance or exit ways or other common areas. No bicycles are allowed to be attached to railings outside of the Residence Hall as they block fire escapes and sidewalks. If secured in any of these locations, they will be removed. South Carolina State University Police will confiscate bicycles left anywhere in the residence hall. No bicycles in residence halls. FIRE DRILLS Fire drills are held periodically. Safety practices during these drills are to be taken seriously. In accordance with State Law and for the safety of students, fire drills will be conducted at each residence hall. All persons must vacate the building during the drills and remain outside until instructed to return by residence hall staff. Evacuation procedures will be posted in each Residence Hall. During the summer session, one drill will be held in occupied halls. Each floor will have two fire marshals. They are responsible for checking locked rooms and reporting this information to the Resident Manager and/or Resident Assistant. During an alarm, all students are expected to vacate the building by the end stairwells as quickly as possible (see evacuation routes on each floor of the residence halls). Any student found in the building during the alarm will be reported to the Director of Residential Life for possible violation of Residential Life Policy.

11 FIRE ALARMS AND EQUIPMENT False fire alarms are serious offenses at SCSU. Fire alarms are located on each floor as are fire extinguishers. If abused, this equipment will not function in the event of a fire thereby endangering the lives of many people. Students and non-students caught tempering with fire equipment will be immediately subject to the following charges: Unauthorized discharge of fire extinguisher $ Removal of fire extinguisher from Residence Hall Broken fire extinguisher cabinet glasses Removal or damaging a fire extinguisher brackets Damage or breakage of exit/emergency lights Smoke detectors damaged or removed from room Removal of batteries from smoke detectors Removal of fire hose nozzles Damaging emergency telephones in elevators Activation of fire alarm due to use of illegal cooking appliances Deliberate activation of a false alarm Failure to evacuate building during alarm Removal of batteries from smoke detectors Removal of fire hose nozzles Damaging emergency telephones in elevators Activation of fire alarm due to use of illegal cooking appliances Deliberate activation of a false alarm Failure to evacuate building during alarm RESIDENTIAL LIFE SECURITY PRECAUTIONS 1. Keep rooms locked at all times. 2. Retain possession of room keys. Do not loan them out to anyone. Report lost room keys to Residential Life Staff. 3. Report lost or stolen items immediately to the Resident Manager or Resident Assistant. Fill out a theft report regardless of the amount or value of items lost. 4. Record the serial number of any item of value in your room. 5. Mark any items of value with an identification mark and keep a record of it. Call Campus Police to provide identification markers. 6. Always cooperate with the residence hall staff, campus security, and city police. 7. It is advisable that you purchase insurance for your personal possessions. The University is not liable for lost or stolen items. Personal property insurance applications will be provided in Student s Check-in Packets. PROCEDURES FOR STUDENT VIOLATONS OF RESIDENTIAL POLICY In keeping with the mission of Residential Life as a living/learning environment, it is important that an educational perspective be maintained at all times. This is especially important when dealing with students who are accused of violating Residential Life Policies. If a student is accused of violating Residential Life Policy, an informal Resolution Hearing with the Resident Manager will be conducted to establish the facts. If the matter is not resolved in the preliminary hearing, it shall be referred to the Director of Residential Life for review. If, in the opinion of Residence

12 Life staff, the student has blatantly (or continues to) violate Residence Life Policy, the Resident Manager shall inform the Director of Residential Life that a violation has indeed occurred. Depending upon the severity and/or number of violations, the Director of Residential Life shall immediately present the student with one of three sanctions as described below. A sanction is coercive intervention annexed to a violation of a policy as means of enforcing the policy. A. Warning: formal notification that a violation of Residential Life policy has occurred. In this letter, the student will be given examples of possible additional sanctions by the Office of Residential Life should he/she decide to repeat any unacceptable behavior. A Warning may be issued for the following residence hall violations: -Alcohol consumption -Room Visitation -Hall/room cleanliness -Guest visitation -Curfew -Disrespecting residence staff -Hall quiet hours -Check in/check out policy -No pets (excluding tropical fish) -Misuse of decorations -Unauthorized room change -Use of prohibited items in Hall/University property rooms (i.e., candles, incense alcohol containers.) B. Hall Probation: In order for the student to remain in the residence hall, specific conditions of acceptable behavior must be followed. The student may also be required to obtain counseling, pay restitution, etc. The hall probation sanction will be imposed for a specific period of time. Hall Probation may be issued for the following hall violations: -Additional warnings for repeated violations of Residence Life Policy. -Refusing to vacate the residence hall during a fire drill. -Failure to follow the instructions of a Residential Life Staff member (e.g. Resident Manager) C. Hall Suspension/Dismissal: this sanction requires that the student vacate the residence hall within 24 hours and not be permitted to live on campus for a specific period of time. Dismissal means that the student s privilege of living on campus is revoked for the remainder of his or her student career at SCSU. In order to protect the safety of the students, the Vice President for Student Affairs or designee will impose Residential Life sanctions depending upon the seriousness of the violation. This includes summarily suspending or dismissing the student immediately from the residence hall, if necessary. Suspension or Dismissal from the residence hall may be issued for the following hall violations: o o o Violation of hall probation. Tampering with hall fire alarms and equipment, including the discharging of fire extinguishers. Any acts of vandalism* including but not limited to defacing walls or purposely damaging university property.

13 o When, in the judgment of the Director of Residential Life, Dean of Students, and/or the Vice President for Student Affairs, summarily removing the student effectively protects the safety and welfare of current residents. Vandalism is defined as deliberate despoiling or destruction of private or pubic property by individuals or groups other than the owner or owners of such property. PROCEDURES FOR STUDENT APPEAL OF RESIDENCE LIFE SANCTIONS Residence Hall Judicial Boards Membership Each residence Hall Judicial Board shall be composed of five students selected by each Residence Hall Council. The method of selection and term of service shall be determined by the residents of the hall and shall be made a part of the residence hall s by-laws. In order to be eligible as a member of a Residence Hall Judicial Board, a student: 1. Must have been in a residence hall at the University at least one year (except in a residence hall composed solely of freshmen); 2. Must be a full-time student; 3. Must be a resident of the hall; 4. Must be a member of a class other than the freshman class (except in a residence hall composed solely of freshmen). The Resident Manager shall act as advisor to the judicial board. Jurisdiction The Residence Hall Judicial Board shall have jurisdiction over those cases involving violations of rules of conduct occurring within the residence hall and/or those cases referred to it by the Vice President for Student Affairs. The Residence Hall Judicial Board shall be responsible for determining the guilt or innocence of the accused student and shall have the primary authority for imposing disciplinary action if it determines that the student has committed a violation. Notice of the disciplinary action determined shall be communicated to the residence hall director for action, as appropriate. Appeal Process Any student who believes he/she has been improperly judged guilty or who believes the punishment is too severe shall have the right to appeal the decision of the Residence Hall Judicial Board to the Residence Hall Association Judicial Board. Such appeal must be in writing, setting forth the areas of disagreement with the decision of the Residence Hall Judicial Board and must be filed within two (2) days of the announcement of the decision of the Residence Hall Judicial Board. CONDUCT OF JUDICIAL HEARINGS The order of judicial hearings shall be provided to the accused student at least seven (7) calendar days prior to the hearing. Meetings of the hearing body shall be chaired by a hearing officer who exercises control over the hearing and responds to any questions put to the hearing body. Any member of the hearing body may request the body to go into private session to discuss and decide a matter by majority vote.

14 All hearings shall be conducted in an informal manner and the technical rules of evidence are not applicable. The taking of statements from witnesses may be done by discussion of the panel; however, each witness may be cross-examined by the accused student. Witnesses shall not be present during the hearing except during their testimony. Written statements are also admissible. Sanctions The Residence Hall Judicial Board may impose sanctions up to and including residence hall eviction. Sanctions may consist of social probation, reprimand, fines, service or special assignment, residence hall separation or residence hall eviction or residence hall eviction. The Residence Hall Judicial Board may not impose sanctions of suspension or expulsion from the University. Students separated or evicted from University Housing must find his/her own housing. Students are eligible for residence halls refunds. RESIDENCE HALLS ASSOCIATION JUDICIAL BOARD Membership The Residence Hall Association Judicial Board shall be composed of six members. The Vice President of the Residence Halls Association shall serve as chairperson of the board. The other five members shall be selected by and from the membership of each Residence Hall Council. Members shall serve for one year. Jurisdiction The Residence Halls Association Judicial Board shall act only as an appellate body in cases appealed from any of the Residence Hall Judicial Boards. Procedure The Residence Halls Association Judicial Board, as an appellate body, shall review evidence presented to the Residence Hall Judicial Board and make its decision. Decisions The Residence Halls Association Judicial Board is comprised of students living in the residence halls and at least one member of the Student Government Association. This board shall have the right to reserve the decision of the Residence Hall Judicial Board both as to existence of a violation and as to size and scope of punishment. It may reduce punishment but may not increase it. The Board is authorized to waive its right of jurisdiction and refer cases directly to the Director for a hearing. Appeals Appeals of the decision must be made in writing by the accused student within two (2) days of receipt of the decision. Such appeal shall be directed to the Vice President for Student Affairs who shall forward the request to the Student Government Association Judicial Board for hearing. MARRIED STUDENT HOUSING Eligibility The University maintains a limited number of efficiency apartments, which are available to married students. These apartments are furnished with a stove and refrigerator. To secure an apartment, a deposit of $90.00 is required. Interested applicants may contact the Office of Housing. A student must be currently enrolled as a full time student and must make normal progress toward a degree as determined by the dean or the department chair (a minimum of 12 credit hours is required for an undergraduate student).

15 A student must be married with or without children. Husband and wife must occupy the apartment during the term of the contract. Both husband and wife must be students at SCSU. Income Limitations The apartments at Queens Village are intended to provide relatively low cost housing primarily to married student with low incomes. Combined gross incomes (including grants-in-aid, scholarships, fellowships and grants) cannot exceed $1,300 per year for two persons during the period of occupancy. EMERGENCY CASES In emergency cases, the room reservation will not be cancelled. Any student who decides not to attend the University after having reserved a room should notify the Housing Office two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester he/she is to enroll. Room reservations are cancelled for students who are denied permission to register due to academic failure. If the student is readmitted, he/she must apply or reapply for housing whether or not the housing deposit has been refunded. Room reservations are effective for one complete academic year (excluding summer sessions) if the student is assigned housing during the spring semester. If a reservation is cancelled for the fall semester, it can be held for the spring semester. The University reserves the right to change or cancel a residence hall assignment in the interest of space utilization or other urgent reasons. DAMAGE TO PROPERTY Each resident will have an opportunity, at the time of initial room occupancy for the year, to list any damages or missing items in his/her respective room. A room inventory form will be used for this purpose. When a student leaves the residence hall, the Resident Manager or his/her designee will check the room to ensure that no additional damages have occurred. The occupants of the room will be required to reimburse the University the amount required to repair damages to rooms, furniture or equipment. Grades, transcripts and pre-requisition may be withheld pending final settlement of damages. INSURANCE FIRE INSURANCE The University s fire insurance does not cover personal items of residents who reside in residence halls. If residence halls occupants desire such coverage, they must acquire it individually. Insurance forms may be picked up from the Housing Office. Personal property insurance applications will be provided in Student s Check-in Packets. VACATING A ROOM When a student vacates a room for any reason whether or not he/she is withdrawing from the University he/she must check-out with the Resident Manager or Resident Assistant. If the student fails to do so, he/she will be held responsible for any discrepancies in the room until an official check-out has been made. An inspection is made before or after a room is vacated. The occupant(s) should leave the room in an acceptable state of cleanliness when vacating.

16 Room inspections CHECK-OUT PROCEDURE FOR RESIDENT MANAGERS, RESIDENT ASSISTANTS AND COUNSELORS Please review thoroughly and adhere completely to the following check-out procedures, failing to do so may result in non-reappointment. 1. Check each room for damages using the Residential Hall Lease Agreement/Room Inventory Form; 2. Place reports in numerical order by floors; and 3. Submit reports to Resident Manager or Resident Assistant. CHECK-OUT Any time a student decides to permanently vacate his/her room the student must: Inform the Resident Manager Clean his/her room. There will be a $ fine for cleaning an excessively dirty room and/or for carpet removal. Lock door upon departure and return his/her key to the Resident Manager. Resident Assistants are not responsible for assessing room or common area damages, or the collection of keys. Resident Managers will make final decisions on room conditions. The housing contract is in effect until the student s room key is returned to the above-named staff members. BUILDING CLOSINGS SCSU Residential Halls closes during University breaks as listed in the University Calendar. Residential Hall fees do not include housing for these break periods. Students who must stay on campus at these times will be required to pay additional charges of $15.00 per day for a room over the break period, and board must be provided by the student. If your building closes during a break period, you may be offered temporary housing in another building. Limited staffing availability during break periods makes it necessary to limit visitation privileges during these times. Residence Halls are not available for occupancy for early arrival or late departure by resident students who have not made prior arrangements with the Office of Residence Life during break periods. If your building closes during the break period you maybe offered temporary housing in another building. CLOSING RESPONSIBILITIES AT CHECK-OUT FOR RESIDENTS Regarding end of the year check-out procedures and closing schedule, residents will be notified by a letter from the Director of Residential Life and Housing. Check-out procedures include: a. Clean the room thoroughly. If other then routine cleaning is necessary by the custodian staff, the student will be charged accordingly. b. Close and lock windows. Leave the blinds down and open.

17 c. Remove all pictures, signs, decorations, tape, etc., from ceiling, walls, doors, closets and furniture before asking the Resident Manager or his/her designee to check the room. d. Empty wastebaskets. Take all discarded material to the containers. e. Do not leave any clothing or belongings in the room. Items left will be disposed of and the University can not be held liable. f. Have the Resident Manager, Resident Assistant, or Counselor assesses the room after it has been completely emptied and cleaned. g. Turn in original key(s) at sign-out. h. Complete the room inventory condition form. Failure to follow the sign-out procedures and to clean the room thoroughly will result in additional charges. HOUSING AND HOUSING FEES (*COST PER SEMESTER) Men's Residence Halls Bethea Mays I Mays II Mitchell Women's Residence Halls Bradham Earle Manning Miller Nix Truth Williams Co-Ed Residence Halls Battiste University Village $1,267.00/Semester $1,267.00/Semester $1,821.00/Semester $1,267.00/Semester $1,152.00/Semester $1,152.00/Semester $1,152.00/Semester $1,152.00/Semester $1,152.00/Semester $1,267.00/Semester $1,267.00/Semester $1,821.00/Semester $1,821.00/Semester ROOM DEPOSIT $100.00* APPLICATION FEE $ 50.00* Room deposit will be deducted from the room balance. *Prices are subject to change.