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2011 Spring Check-Out

The Residence Halls officially close for the Spring Semester at Noon on Monday, May 16. The Office of Residence Life strongly encourages you to carefully read all information provided on closing.

Check-out Required 48 Hours After Last Exam

You must check out of your residence hall space no later than 48 hours after your final exam.

Exceptions will be made for graduating residents or for non-graduating students who are participating in Commencement as an usher, choir member, etc., or in some other official commencement activity, an intercollegiate athletic team obligation, or an academic requirement (e.g. law write-on). If you are involved in any of the above activities, you must be listed on rosters submitted to Residence Life by the administrator or faculty member coordinating your activity. These rosters must be received in Residence Life by the last day of classes (4/29), and it is your responsibility to confirm that you are on your group's list.
If you are a non-graduating resident NOT participating in an APPROVED activity, you are expected to check out no later than 48 hours after completing your last regularly scheduled exam. If extenuating circumstances prevent you from meeting this deadline you must submit a written request to your Area Director for approval to remain in your room. These written requests must be received by the Area Director by the last day of classes. If approved, you will be charged $20.00 for each day that you stay in your room after the 48 hour period. Your Area Director will approve or deny the request as quickly as possible. Any approval to stay late will not be considered official until your payment is received; refer to your Area Director for specific instructions regarding payment.
All residence halls will close at 12:00 noon on Monday, May 16 - the Monday immediately following Commencement.
To insure a smooth check out, please be sure to follow instructions listed here. Also be on the lookout for additional details to be provided by your GRA/RA.

Official Check-out

An official check out involves a Residence Life staff member coming to your room with your Room Condition Report (RCR) to note if there are any discrepancies in the condition of the room, furnishings, or fixtures since the check-in portion of the RCR was completed. The GRA/RA will explain these discrepancies to you, then ask you to sign the RCR and return your key(s). Once the staff member signs the RCR, you are officially checked out.

After your check-out, the GRA/RA will turn your RCR in to the Area Director, who will inspect your room/apartment and determine whether or not to assign a charge based on any discrepancies found. If you are the first person to check out of your room and/apartment the GRA/RA is unable to see parts of the room/apartment (for example, if your roommate's posters are still on the walls), he or she will note that on the RCR. The Area Director will not inspect the room/apartment until it is completely empty.

You can be held responsible for damages not visible when you checked out, so please caution your roommate(s) to do their part to leave the room/apartment in the best possible condition. Please understand that although the GRA/RA notes discrepancies, GRA/RAs do not assign charges. The Area Director will make the final decision whether or not to charge for a discrepancy.

Schedule for Check-out

A schedule will be posted in your area listing times that staff members will be available to check you out. If these times do not fit your schedule, make arrangements with your GRA/RA to set up an appointment.

Express Check-out Option

If you choose not to check out with a GRA/RA, you may utilize the express check-out option that entails returning your key(s) in the provided envelopes to the designated area/building location. If you wish to complete an official check-out it is your responsibility to make arrangements with a GRA/RA. Regardless of how and when you check out, you can avoid charges by following these guidelines:

Discuss with your roommate(s) the Closing Agreement (Undergraduate/Graduate) and decide who will take responsibility for which areas/tasks in the room.
Assure that all College furniture, including recycling bin, is present in the room/apartment and assembled.
Make sure to pay any common area damage charges to your Hall/Apartment Council representative. This will avoid a $15.00 administrative charge if you have to be billed by the College.
Remove all non-College furniture such as lofts, carpets, chairs, bookshelves, refrigerators, etc. Do not leave these items in stairways, hallways, or lobby areas. Remove trash and sweep floors.
Remove all posters, tape, stickers and nails from furniture, walls, ceilings, closets and doors. Remove all items from your room/apartment door bulletin board.
Rehang/reattach drapes, shades, screens, etc.
Close and lock your windows.
Return your key(s) the express envelope located outside your building's duty office.
Wipe down all surfaces in kitchens and bathrooms if applicable.
Make sure the door is closed and locked when the check out is complete.

The $75.00 Room Damage Deposit will be refunded to you within 30 days of termination of the Housing Contract, if and when the resident will NOT be residing in College residence during the subsequent semester and provided there are no damages to the premises and the student's college account is current. To help us process this deposit to you in a timely manner, be sure to put your forwarding address on the RCR only if it is different from your permanent address.

Sample Charges for Closing Items Billed by Residence Life
$ 25.00	Extra cleaning: kitchen	$ 25.00	Extra cleaning: room
$ 15.00	Extra cleaning: bath	$ 40.00	Extra cleaning: apartment
$ 60.00	Repaint ceiling *	$ 65.00	Repaint trim *
$180.00	Repaint walls *	$ 16.50	Replace window shade--small
$ 35.00	Replace 2' x 1.5' bulletin board	$ 24.00	Replace window shade--large
$ 45.00	Replace 2' x 3' bulletin board	$ 10.00	Reattach window shade
$ 5.00	Adhesive/Sticker Removal	$90.00	Replace window screen
$ 25.00	Replace overhead light cover	$ 15.00	Replace ceiling tile (one)
$10.00	Remove nails, tacks, tape, poster putty	$ 5.00	Each additional ceiling tile
$15.00	Reassemble bed	$ 35.00	Replace smoke detector
$ 30.00	Disassemble and remove loft	$ 20.00	Reattach smoke detector
$ 20.00	Remove non-College furnishings (each piece)	$ 40.00	Failure to return key by 12:00 noon the Monday after Commencement
$ 97.00	Mattress damaged or missing	$ 40.00
$20.00	Replace missing Recycling Bin

* Please note: These are estimates of charges. The actual charges may vary (higher or lower) depending on the extent of damages.

Touch ups are not encouraged; we recommend that residents paint the entire wall or ceiling from corner to corner to ensure a color match on the wall.
Rooms/apartments with NORMAL wear and tear (minor scuffs, etc.) will not be billed. Any markings that the Area Director feels are intentional, malicious, or beyond reasonable may be billed.
SMALL holes (tack, nail) can be repaired with spackle, but the college will not provide those supplies. LARGER holes, spackled or not, may be billable.
Students should make a thoughtful attempt to repair any damage, but any potential wall/ceiling damage should be discussed by roommates and responsibility should be indicated on a Closing Agreement Form and/or on the RCR and common area report.

Common Area Damage/Loss

It is understood that the residents are responsible for any damage or loss caused or non-routine cleaning or trash removal required to the common areas of the residence halls and their furnishings, including vending machines and other equipment placed in the residence halls as a convenience to the residents. Common areas include corridors, recreation rooms, kitchens, study rooms, living rooms, laundry rooms, public baths and lounges. When damage occurs, the student(s) will be billed directly for the repairs. Individual Hall Councils have the authority (along with Residence Life Staff) to assess and assign charges for these damages. Common Area Charges that are assigned by the Hall/Apartments Councils will be collected directly by Hall/Apartments Council representatives prior to the end of the semester. Residents are expected to provide payment to the Hall/Apartments Council representative. If at the end of the year charges assigned by the Hall/Apartments Council have not been paid, Residence Life will bill the student directly with the addition of a $15 administrative charge. Damages may also result in College judicial action. Those students who are responsible for vandalism or theft may be removed from and/or denied future housing in College residence halls.

Checking out 4,400 students in such a short time is a major task and requires our working together to make it as smooth and fair as possible. Please remember that RAs and GRAs are students and they, too, are working on papers and preparing for final exams.

Thanks in advance for your patience and cooperation. Have a great summer!!!

Breaks, Moving In & Out