Residence Hall Information for Spring 2014 This information is for students who want to apply to live in the Berklee College of Music residence hall or is required to live on campus. Our residence halls have two- and threeperson rooms, practice facilities, and coin laundry machines. Because we are in the midst of the city, where safety and security are important considerations, each residence hall has an access control officer on duty 24 hours a day. Our residence hall at 150 Massachusetts Avenue has a population of 430 students living in doubles and triples. Each room has its own bathroom. The college s dining hall is located in the Mass. Ave. building as are many classrooms, labs, and studios. Our Commonwealth Avenue residence hall consists of three adjoining buildings, in one of Boston s nicest neighborhoods. It houses 240 residents in two- and three-person rooms with shared bathrooms. Most resident rooms are grouped around small lounges. The Commonwealth building has good practice facilities and recreational space. Our smallest residence hall on Hemenway Street is reserved for continuing residents and older entering students. It has double rooms (most with private bathrooms) and some single rooms (which are taken by the continuing residents). will also be home to a stunning twostory dining/performance facility, a fitness room, state of the art studio facilities, and many other amenities. This residence hall will be a wonderful addition to our residential community. While Berklee s location in the middle of Boston is a tremendous asset, it also means that our space is limited. We have only a small number of single rooms (which go to continuing residents), and we are unable to offer accommodations for married couples. Applying for Housing - To apply for space in Berklee s residence halls, complete and submit the on-line Housing Application/Contract. To complete your Housing application, you must submit a non-refundable $300 housing fee prepayment by following the instructions for payment provided as soon as you submit your application. The non-refundable and nontransferable prepayment provides us a guarantee that you will occupy the space we hold for you. To reserve space for you, we must receive both the application and the prepayment. If we are unable to provide a space for you, we will return your prepayment promptly. If you reserve a space but do not attend Berklee, you will lose the $300 prepayment. Our newest residence hall, located at 160 Massachusetts Avenue, will be open for the spring 2014 semester. The building
If you reserve a space and attend the college, you are obligated to pay the full housing fee. You cannot submit a housing application and later decide to live outside the residence halls. Once you have reserved a residence hall space, do not plan any other housing arrangement, without first requesting permission from the Housing Office. In the unusual case when the Housing Office agrees to allow an enrolled student to break his/her housing agreement, the student is required to pay the college a portion of the housing fee. Carefully read all the terms and conditions of the application before you submit it. Because of the financial obligations involved, it is essential that you fully understand the housing agreement. Since your housing agreement is binding, you should not send in your application until you are sure you want to live in the residence halls. But keep in mind that we will fill up, so don t delay unnecessarily. Housing Fee - The spring 2014 semester housing fee of $8,600, which covers the cost of accommodations and meals during the time that the college is in session, is paid in two parts. A nonrefundable prepayment of $300 must be submitted along with this application. An additional $8,300 payment is due before spring semester registration check-in. A portion of the money you pay for housing covers the cost of our food service plan. Meals are served on an allyou-care-to-eat basis, including several entrées, full salad bar, grill, sandwiches, fruit, soups, pizza, and pasta at lunch and dinner. In order to keep the food cost as reasonable as possible, and because of the fire and sanitation hazards associated with students cooking in their rooms, all first-year residents are required to be on the meal plan. It isn t possible to contract for residence hall housing without meals. The Commonwealth Avenue and Hemenway Street residence halls each have a small kitchen available for residents who wish to supplement the meals provided in the dining hall. The 150 and 160 Massachusetts Avenue residence halls do not have kitchens for student use. Room Assignments Rooms available for entering students are doubles (two person) and triples (three person). Most bathrooms are shared; some are private. Room sizes vary considerably, with larger rooms usually going to continuing students. Because spaces are limited and are assigned to entering students based on the date we receive your housing application, it s best to apply as soon as possible. Please note that all rooms are non-smoking. Smoking is not allowed anywhere in the residence halls or anywhere on campus. If you have a room type request (ie. double or triple) or building preference, you may indicate this in the Preference section of the Housing application. If you wish to room with a particular person, both you and your friend must so indicate on your housing applications.
Whether we can meet your requests depends on when we receive your application, what applicants ahead of you have requested, and which rooms continuing residents reserve. W e try to honor early requests but cannot give any guarantee. Applications are prioritized as they come in, but actual assignments aren t done until just before you arrive in January. Occupancy Period If we confirm that you have a residence hall space, you may move in on Tuesday, January 14, 2014 (after 9:00 a.m.). Most new residents move in on Tuesday. If you will be arriving later than Tuesday, January 14, you'll need to notify the Housing Office in advance to hold your space. The residence halls close for the academic year at noon on Sunday, May 11, 2014, the day after graduation. During March break (Saturday, March 15 through Saturday, March 23), the residence halls remain open on a limited basis. Residents can stay but no meals are served and services are limited. Withdrawals - There are no refunds of housing fees except if you withdraw from the college and move out of the residence halls during the first four weeks of classes, you may receive a partial credit of housing charges. Residency Requirement - Do be advised that if you accept an on-campus assignment for spring 2014 and if you will be under 20 years of age at the start of the 2014-2015 Academic Year, you will be required to remain in on-campus housing for your second year. Room Furnishings - The size and shape of the rooms vary considerably within each residence hall, but each is furnished with a bed, dresser, desk, and chair for each resident. Many rooms have loft beds or bunk beds. All rooms are carpeted. Windows have shades. You should plan to provide a pillow, blanket, bed linen, towels, and desk lamp (if you like to use one). Mattresses are extra-long twin size (36-by-80 inches). Because we are a city school, space is limited in our residence rooms. It is wise not to bring more personal property than you absolutely need. Once you ve seen your room and compared notes with your roommate(s), you can decide what additional items you want to purchase or have sent from home. Small refrigerators (four cubic feet or smaller) are allowed. Cooking appliances (such as coffee makers, hot pots, toaster ovens, grills, immersion coils, and popcorn makers) are prohibited for fire safety reasons. Cooking is allowed only in the resident use kitchen at Commonwealth Avenue and Hemenway Street. You aren t allowed to make alterations to your room (installing shelves, etc.) or to bring in non- college furniture without advance permission from the Housing Office. Due to City of Boston fire safety codes, futons, stuffed chairs, and couches are prohibited.
Please don t plan to bring prohibited items or furniture into the residence halls. You ll have to send the items home and you could subject yourself to fines or other disciplinary action. If you plan to bring electronic music equipment, please bring headphones. Your tastes in music may not be the same as those of your roommates. Because of the lack of storage space and the amount of traffic in our elevators and stairways, bicycles aren t allowed. Foot power and public transportation will get you just about anywhere you ll want to go in the Boston area. Computer Network Access - All residence hall rooms have jacks for each resident to connect your computer to the college s network. You just need to provide an Ethernet cable. Unlimited Internet access through the college network is provided as part of your housing fee. Mail, Luggage, and Storage - Each resident student has a college mailbox. Mailing addresses and box numbers are assigned during the summer. Because of limited space, we have no storage facilities for residents. Everything you bring or have sent must stay with you in your room. The exception is that a limited number of lockers are available for rental by drummers and acoustic bass players. Care of Rooms - While our staff cleans the public areas of the residence halls, you and your roommates are responsible for cleaning your room. Because most Berklee students are serious and nondestructive, we are fortunate to have very little malicious damage in the residence halls. When things do get broken, the responsible individuals are charged. If the responsible people cannot be identified, all residents of a room, corridor, floor, or building may be charged. Protecting Yourself and your Property - As a resident, it will be your responsibility to safeguard yourself and your property and to contribute to the safety of your residence hall neighbors. The Housing Handbook, which you will receive when you arrive, details common sense security and fire safety guidelines, which all residents must follow. Our public safety and residence hall staff will provide you with additional safety and security information during the year. Despite a good safety and security record in the residence halls, thefts sometimes occur. The college is not responsible for theft or damage to personal property. We suggest that you investigate personal property insurance. Check whether you are covered by your family s insurance. Automobiles - By agreement with the City of Boston, resident students are not allowed to keep automobiles on the streets in the area of the college. Long term parking in nearby garages is extremely expensive. We strongly suggest that you not plan to keep a car here.
Residence Hall Staff - Berklee has an excellent staff of professional and student employees who live in the residence halls and assist residents with questions and concerns. They also encourage and develop residence hall activities and introduce new residents to all that the Boston area has to offer. The student staff members (known as Resident Assistants) are chosen because they are successful Berklee students with interest and skills in helping other students. You will have opportunities to meet the staff members living in your area when you move in, and you ll find them to be a very valuable source of help and information throughout the year. For Additional Information Write or call: Housing Office Berklee College of Music 1140 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02215-3693 Telephone 617 747-2292 Or check the college website: berklee.edu/housing