1. RULES AND REGULATIONS

RESIDENCE CONTRACT Living in residence provides interesting challenges and rewards. Due to the diverse nature of our residents, you are encouraged to ...
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RESIDENCE CONTRACT Living in residence provides interesting challenges and rewards. Due to the diverse nature of our residents, you are encouraged to think about the role you will play and the expectations you have. Certainly, the comfortable and positive learning experience of our residents is the priority of the Housing and Food Services Office. In any group, regulations are necessary for the comfort and well-being of the members. All students are expected to regulate their conduct according to reasonable standards of courtesy and respect for the rights of other residents and the reputation of the University. 1.

RULES AND REGULATIONS a. All residents are responsible for adhering to Federal, Provincial, municipal by-laws and the Laurentian Code of Student Conduct. You will be expected to adhere to the residence policies, including any rules and regulations which are in place to ensure the privacy, safety, security and comfort of all students living in residence, and for the protection of University property. b. Violation of same may result in disciplinary actions or sanctions within residence, which may include the termination of your Residence Contract and/or sanctions by other governing bodies on campus. Please note that by agreeing to this contract, you also agree to follow the rules as listed. A copy of the Residence Rules & Regulations can be found on our intranet site.

2.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF OCCUPANCY a. This contract is for a space in residence (not a particular room). Fees are determined and billed to the student account based on a number of factors, including amenities, square footage, shared space, and services provided. The Housing and Food Services Office reserves the right to change room assignments.

3.

MOVE-IN & MOVE-OUT DATES/ CAMPUS CLOSURES a. This contract shall be for the session and term in which it is being signed for, beginning on the Move-In date in effect for the resident (usually, though not necessarily, the Saturday of the Labour Day long-weekend) and ending 24 hours after the last examination or April 30th, whichever is sooner, unless permission has been granted by the Housing and Food Services Office for an extension. b. The move-in and move-out dates for residence students are published by the Housing and Food Services Office, and these dates shall be deemed incorporated into this agreement. c. No early arrivals will be accommodated except for residence student staff. Should early move-in for matters such as early course start dates be required, it is the responsibility of the student / department to request an early arrival from the Housing and Food Services Office. There is no

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guarantee of early residence move-in due to availability of rooms, staffing, and prior contractual obligations. Failure to move in within 5 working days after the move-in date may result in the loss of the assigned residence space, unless the Housing and Food Services Office has been informed in advance of the late arrival. During the December-January campus closure period, no food, caretaking, mail delivery or other residence services are provided. Students may occupy their rooms during this period, provided that they have applied for and been granted permission to do so by Housing and Food Services Office. Failure to move out within the prescribed period as noted will result in additional charges levied against the student’s account, and / or removal by external agencies.

CANCELLATION/TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT a. After accepting the offer of residence, the student is required to pay a $500 deposit by the date specified in the offer email. This deposit is required to secure the residence space. It will be applied to the student account after move in. If a contract is terminated prior to 15 July, the deposit forfeited will be calculated according to the following table:

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DATE

FORFEITED AMOUNT

Before 1 April

$100

1 April to 14 July

$250

15 July and after

$500

Please note that if the withdrawal is a result of refusal of admission by the University, the full deposit will be refunded up to 15 July. Requests for exemption from these forfeiture amounts based on psychological, medical or compassionate grounds must be made to the Housing and Food Services Office, and must be accompanied by supporting documentation. After a resident has either taken occupancy or picked up keys, the resident will have been deemed as having taken possession of the space. Cancellation of this agreement must be done through the Housing and Food Services Office and the completion of the requisite forms. Students living in residence who plan to withdraw from residence for any reason whatsoever during the academic year are required to give immediate written notice to Housing and Food Services. To withdraw from Residence, students must complete the necessary paperwork with the Residence Office, check out from the Porter’s Desk located in the University College Residence, and return their residence keys. Failure to do so will result in the student being charged for lost keys and will delay the withdrawal process. The student is responsible for the full year’s fee, and is placed on a refund waiting list in order of the date of withdrawal. When a new student is admitted into a residence (NOT AN EXISTING RESIDENT), a refund is processed for the first student on the refund waiting list. This is not dependent upon filling the vacated room, rather it is based on filling the vacancy in the residence system created by the withdrawal. Eligible refunds of residence fees are calculated on a pro-rated daily basis, and will be credited to the student account, less a $250 administration fee and the residence deposit.

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h.

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A student who is unable to continue living in residence due to an exceptional circumstances beyond their control may submit a written appeal with supporting documentation to the Housing and Food Services office. The deadline to submit an appeal is 30 days after the date of withdrawal. If the appeal is successful, the student will receive a pro-rated refund of their residence fees. The student remains responsible for the administrative fee and the deposit. Residents with a two-semester contract who are in the fall semester, and who are not returning for the winter semester because they: i. Will fulfill the requirements for graduation during the fall semester and have applied for Winter convocation; ii. Are registered in a winter semester study –abroad program; iii. Are participating in a winter co-op work term; or iv. Will not be registered at the university for the winter term; Must provide notice of termination prior to the 1st of November in order to avoid forfeiture of deposit If a resident violates the Residence Rules and Regulations Handbook or the health, safety or wellbeing of themselves, other occupants and/or the residence community, termination of the residence contract may result with no fees being reimbursed.

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ELIGIBILITY FOR RESIDENCE a. To be eligible to live in residence, students must be enrolled at Laurentian University Sudbury Campus in an undergraduate, graduate or professional school program. Priority will be given to full-time students. Part-time students are eligible to live in residence, subject to availability. Full time students are defined by the University Registrar. b. A student who drops to part-time status in any term must notify the Housing and Food Services Office, and may be required to leave residence. A student who withdraws academically from the University will be required to leave residence immediately. It is the right of the Housing and Food Services Office to verify the enrollment status of students in residence. c. Eligibility for re-admission to residences is based on several factors, including responsible behaviour and positive contributions to the quality of life in residence. The Housing and Food Services Office maintains the right to refuse re-admission to any student.

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ROOM ASSIGNMENTS a. The Housing and Food Services Office will attempt to take into account preferences from the residence application process; however, we cannot guarantee requests for particular accommodation. b. Rooms in residence are intended for use by the number of students assigned by the Housing and Food Services Office. Dependents are permitted only in the Mature Student Residence, and must not exceed the maximum capacity designed for the apartment, which is 2 adults and 2 children under the age of 12. c. No more than the number of people assigned by the Housing and Food Services Office shall occupy the room. If during this term of occupancy, an agreement is terminated with respect to a resident in a multi-occupancy unit, the remaining students shall accept such roommate(s) as assigned by the Housing and Food Services Office.

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Residents may request a room change after moving into residence, provided they have completed the requisite forms and other steps as required by the Housing and Food Services Office. However, no change in room occupancy shall be made in the first month, and shall not be without the prior consent of the Housing and Food Services Office. There will be an administrative fee of $150 for processing a room change request, and is subject to availability. The Housing and Food Services office reserves the right to assign students to different rooms in the residence system after move-in or to terminate this agreement if such re-assignment or termination is advisable in the interests of health, safety, well-being of the student themselves, occupants and/or the residence community, discipline, maximization of resources or the administration of its residence program. In the case of re-assignment, the resident will be required to pay the residence fees stipulated for the new accommodation. If you have a need that requires physical accommodation, the Housing and Food Services Office will meet your needs to the best of our ability, provided that you communicate these accommodations to us well in advance of your arrival. Needs may include disabilities such as mobility, vision or hearing impairments. The Housing and Food Services Office will consult with the Accessibility Office at Laurentian to determine the most appropriate accommodations. The Housing and Food Services Office has a responsibility to reduce losses in revenue by filling vacancies which may occur throughout the year. Students in residence must be prepared to welcome a new roommate in the event that a vacancy occurs. Students remaining in the room are expected to remain in the space allocated to them and leave the vacated space readily available for an incoming new roommate(s). Similarly, if vacancies remain unfilled, the Housing and Food Services Office may need to consolidate rooms. The Housing and Food Services Office may effect consolidation when necessary by requiring a student to accept a new roommate or move to a new room. In some circumstances, and at the discretion of the Housing and Food Services Office, a student may be permitted to remain in their room for an additional fee. Advance notification will be given to those students affected.

7.

RESIDENCE MEAL PLANS a. With the exception of the Mature Student Residence, students living in residences are required to purchase a meal plan. More information and conditions regarding meal plans can be found on LUNet.

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CHECK-IN /CHECK – OUT REQUIREMENTS a. A resident is required to check in and check out formally at the beginning and end of occupancy at the Housing and Food Services Office or at the designated area. Unless the Housing and Food Services Office is notified of deficiencies either in the Student’s room, common-area, or with furnishings, it will be assumed that the room was in an acceptable condition; free from damage. b. Before moving out, a resident is required to remove all contents and refuse; leaving the room clean. All charges for additional cleaning required, for removal of personal property and for any loss or damage caused by the resident(s) will be billed to the resident(s). Belongings left behind upon move-out will be considered abandoned and will be disposed of by the Housing and Food Services Office with no liability.

9.

FEES AND CHARGES a. Residence fees are payable by specific dates as published by the University. Meal plan charges will be billed to the account and are subject to the terms and conditions of the meal plan contract. b. Residence fees are based on the type of room as designated by the Housing and Food Services Office and not on specific amenities, such as square footage, accessibility to floor kitchens/common rooms, furniture, etc. c. Residence fees may be refunded in limited circumstances as set out in item #4. In the event a student decides to break this contract, this does not imply any refund will be given. d. All fees and charges unpaid after the due date will automatically be subject to interest charges established and administered by the University. e. Non-payment of residence fees or meal plan fees may be grounds for cancellation of the Residence Contract with the resident. Overdue University accounts, including outstanding tuition may result in the termination of the offer and/or this contract. It is therefore incumbent upon the applicant to ensure that their account is paid in full, or that arrangements with the University are made.

10. RESIDENCE DAMAGE /INSURANCE a. The University shall not be liable for lost, stolen or damaged items of personal property, no matter how caused or wherever this may occur, including storage facilities. It is the responsibility of the student to arrange for insurance coverage for personal property brought into residence. b. The University will not be liable, directly or indirectly, for loss or theft of personal property, including food, or for damage or destruction of such property by fire, water or other causes (e.g. loss of utilities). Students are strongly advised to obtain personal insurance against such losses. The Housing and Food Services Office does not have such protection for personal property. Students can obtain coverage through a rider on the family’s tenant or homeowner insurance policy, which should include liability coverage for injury or loss caused by the student. Students must also take positive steps to ensure their safety by locking room doors and ensuring only authorized persons enter the building. c. The University shall not be responsible for any injury, damage or loss suffered by the resident, and/or his or her guests while in or about the residences which is caused by the negligence of the resident or his/her guests or results from violation of the policies, rules and regulations of the University and/or the Housing and Food Services Office. Students are jointly liable for all damage that is caused to their room(s) and apartment common areas. All students on a floor are jointly liable for all damage done on their floor. All students in a residence building are jointly liable for all damage done to the building and/or any furniture/furnishings/fixtures therein. d. Major damages caused by neglect, misuse, wilful negligence, or improper use that results in damages to other living and common areas will be the responsibility of the student. This includes, but it not limited to such actions as leaving windows open during the winter thereby causing pipes to break, or damaging or causing damage to the fire suppression systems.

11. ENTRY INTO ROOMS a. Residence staff and/or contractors have the right to enter a resident’s room for the purpose of cleaning, maintenance, inspection of facilities, health, safety, security or in the event of an

emergency or other University processes. Except in emergency situations, notice of such entry will be given in advance whenever possible. Submission of a “Work Order Request” constitutes permission to enter a resident’s room and to affect the repair without further notice. Students must not impede staff in the performance of their duties.

12. INTERNET USAGE a. Residents using the service provided or accessing the University’s internet services agrees to abide by the Internet Acceptable Use Policy and other policies as detailed by the Information Technology Department. Copies of these regulations and policies can be found on LUNet. 13. PARKING a. Parking of motorized vehicles on the University campus is strictly regulated. Paid parking for students is available by contacting the Parking Department at the Laurentian website, or by calling 705-675-1151 Ext 1545. 14. FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AND PRIVACY PROTECTION ACT STATEMENT a. The information on this form is collected by the Residence Office and Residence Life Office under the Authority of “The Laurentian University of Sudbury Act, 1960”. It is related directly to and needed by the noted offices and the University in order to process your application for residence. b. The Housing and Food Services Office uses and discloses your personal information to enable us to run an efficient and effective residence program. c. Within the University, we may share personal information with a number of units including the Registrar’s Office, Campus Security, Health Services, Counseling Services, Human Rights Office, IT, senior administration, and contracted food services providers. 15. CONTRACT CHANGES a. The University reserves the right to amend this agreement and may, from time to time, issue regulations concerning residences. Please note that specific sites, residence publications, policies, hours of operation, etc. are subject to change.