Housing Contract

Wesleyan University believes that residential life represents an extremely important aspect of the overall college experience.  It therefore commits a great deal of its resources and energy to providing students with opportunities for their development as scholars, as social beings, and as individuals.  In order to get the most out of these possibilities, it is essential that students bring to residential life a spirit of understanding for, and generosity toward, all members of the community.  This spirit, accompanied by an active and enthusiastic willingness to share and participate for the good of all, virtually guarantees the realization of a successful and rewarding residential community.  In the spirit of creating and maintaining this unified community at Wesleyan, the University requires that all undergraduate students live on campus throughout their undergraduate career.

THE UNIVERSITY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE OR ALTER THE TERMS OR CONDITIONS OF OCCUPANCY DURING THE CONTRACT TERM FOR REASONS IT DEEMS NECESSARY.  RESIDENTS AGREE TO THE TERMS OF THIS CONTRACT WHEN THEY ACCEPT ADMISSION INTO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY.  THE CONTRACT REMAINS IN FORCE UNTIL THE STUDENT IS NO LONGER AN UNDERGRADUATE AT THE UNIVERSITY. 

Terms of Occupancy

Students have access to their rooms/units only during the time housing is open.  This date is set from year to year based on the academic calendar and is published on the university calendar each year.  Correspondence from the Office of Residential Life regarding opening and closing includes the dates university housing is available for students to move in and dates that students must have completed their move out. Exceptions cannot be made for academic extensions or make up exams. Failure to adhere to these dates will lead to judicial  charges with the Community Standards Board (CSB) for moving in early or moving out late without prior approval from the Office of Residential Life. The university will charge for key replacement at the occupant’s expense and  will discard, at the occupants' risk, any belongings left in the facility after the university housing closes. 

Students can petition Residential Life to arrive before or stay after the contracted dates by contacting the Office of Residential Life. Typically students are approved if they are an athlete for an in-season Division III University team, employed by a University Office, have been pre-approved for break housing, or have other circumstances the University deems appropriate. The University reserves the right to refuse permission for the student to live in a university residence beyond the contract dates, and may charge an additional housing fee to any student who resides in university housing prior to or after the published housing contract dates.

Liability

The University will not assume either risk or liability for loss of, or damage to, personal property.  Since Wesleyan University does not assume responsibility for loss of (or damage to) personal property of the residents caused by mechanical mishaps, theft, fire, wind, flood or other catastrophes, students are advised to maintain their own insurance for personal possessions. 

Damage to University Property

Residents will be responsible and charged for any damage made to university property within their room, apartment or building to which they are assigned.  Damage costs in common areas of units, apartments, houses and buildings will be assessed to all residents of the unit, apartment, house or building if specific individuals responsible for the damage are not identified.  See Physical Plant Housing Guidelines for more details. 

Operating a Business/Solicitation

Residents are not permitted to use any Wesleyan facilities or services for business or personal profit activities. This includes, but is not limited to buildings, telephone systems, and computer networks, hardware, or software, etc.  Only members of recognized student organizations, with permission from The Office of Residential Life, may conduct fundraising activities in the residences. Fundraising activities may not include door-to-door solicitation. No outside organization or person may solicit in campus residences.

Entry of Student Rooms

There are several circumstances under which student rooms may be entered by university personnel during the course of the academic year, including a request by the occupant(s) of the room, immediate concerns regarding the safety of any occupants, an emergency situation, or to check health or safety conditions.  Maintenance and custodial personnel may enter student rooms to provide services necessary to the upkeep of the units, and unannounced room inspections will be conducted by university personnel at random times during the year.

Animals

Pets are not permitted in any student housing with the exception of fish in 10 gallon tanks or smaller. No other pets or unauthorized animals are permitted in student residences at any time, even if for a brief visit. Students and their roommates who have a pet or animal found in their residence are subject to the following:

First Offense: $300 fine and referral to the Community Standards Board

Second and Subsequent Offenses:  $500 fine and further judicial action up to and including suspension

Regular follow up visits will be made to ensure the animal has been removed.

Students who, because of a disability, seek approval for a support or assistance animal must request a reasonable accommodation through Accessibility Services. This is a formal process that requires appropriate supporting documentation. A determination is then made regarding whether it is reasonable for the animal to be on campus. Students must not bring the emotional support animal to campus until they have received approval from Accessibility Services and Residential Life.  Any student who has an animal in residence prior to approval is subject to a fine and judicial action. For policies regarding service animals, please contact Accessibility Services.

Housing Guidelines

Students are responsible for basic care and upkeep of their residential area in accordance with the Physical Plant Housing Guidelines. A Room Condition Report form should be completed within 10 days of their move to report any damages or issues with their room or unit. Residential areas that are not found to be in acceptable condition will result in mandatory professional cleaning at the student’s expense, a referral to the Community Standards Board, and/or possible relocation. Students will be held individually responsible for damages or guideline violations in their assigned room and may be held collectively responsible for damages or guideline violations that occur in the shared common areas of their living unit or building. Restitution charges will be billed to the student’s account.

Room Assignments

Only those students who have accepted contracts for University housing and to whom a particular room or unit has been assigned may reside therein.  Students who have been granted permission to live off-campus may not live in any housing owned by Wesleyan University. The University reserves the right to assign roommates, to consolidate vacancies within the same unit, to change room assignments for reasons of health, safety, incompatibility or other conditions seriously affecting the general welfare of the residents involved, and to make room assignments wherever there are vacancies.  Students and/or guests are not permitted to reside in common areas, attics or basements unless such areas are designated as bedrooms by the Office of Residential Life.

Room Changes and Exchanges

Students may request room changes by filling out a Room Change Request form and submitting it to the Office of Residential Life.  Room changes begin two weeks after classes begin and end four weeks before the end of the semester.  Room changes will not be granted from single-occupancy residence hall rooms to entirely empty double-occupancy or other single-occupancy residence hall rooms.  All students involved in room changes must obtain written permission, in advance of the change, from the Office of Residential Life. 

Students can request room exchanges within a wood frame house or an apartment starting when housing opens each semester until the week before finals. Students can go to the Office of Residential Life and obtain the Exchange Request form. Students cannot move until they receive permission from the Office of Residential Life. Students must exchange rooms before finals begin. This helps Residence Life to be clear on which spaces are empty for cleaning purposes. Students have to exchange rooms within two business days of approval from Residential Life.

Unauthorized room changes and exchanges may result in a referral to the Community Standards Board  (CSB) for each person involved.  In addition, each person may be required to return to their original assignment.

Students are responsible for keys and any damage to their assigned room.  Residential Life will not retroactively change room assignments to avoid damage fees or incorrect key charges.  In addition, students will only be provided access to their official assignment, should they be locked out.

Guests

Guests must remain in the company of their host(s) at all times and should properly identify themselves upon request by a university official.  A guest’s failure to identify themselves or depart campus when directed to do so by a university official may result in a loss of visitation privileges for that individual. Violations of the guest policy may result in the loss of guest privileges and/or judicial consequences for host students.

Overnight guests must be registered prior to or upon arrival on campus.  The guest registration form is available through the student electronic portal.  Guests may not remain in residence for more than three consecutive nights.   Students are expected to respect the rights of their roommates, housemates, or apartment mates whenever guests are present.  All guests under the age of 18 should submit the online visitation form no less than 48 hours before their scheduled visit and should present a signed copy of the parent agreement portion of the form upon their arrival to campus to Residential Life (before 5:00 PM EST.) or to Public Safety any time after Residential Life hours of operation. 

Keys

At the time of check-in, students receive the key(s) to their residence.  All keys must be returned to the Office of Residential Life at the time of check-out.  Students who fail to return their keys(s) to the Office of Residential Life within 24 hours of the termination of the housing contract or of checking out will incur a charge for a lock change.  Students who misplace their key(s) but believe they can locate it, may borrow key(s) from the Office of Residential Life.  Key(s) must be returned  to the Office of Residential Life within 3 business days, after which the lock(s) will be changed. The student is  financially responsible for all associated lock change expenses.  Both the duplication of keys by students and leaving keys in door locks is prohibited and is considered to be a serious violation of the Code of Non-Academic Conduct.  

Lockouts

On weekdays during Residential Life business hours (8:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST), all students can retrieve loaner keys from the Office of Residential Life free of charge.  Loaner keys must be returned to the Office of Residential Life by close of the business day on which they are checked-out. Students living in the following areas: Bennet Hall, the Butterfields, Clark, Nicolson, and West College should contact the Resident Advisor on duty for their area when locked out from 8:00 PM to 8:00 AM.

Public Safety will handle lockouts from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM (M-F), 12:00 AM - 4:00 AM (Sunday-Wednesday) and 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM Saturday and Sunday in the above noted areas.  Public Safety will handle lockouts for all other areas not mentioned above when the Office of Residential Life is closed.  

Check Out

Unless prior approval has been granted, a student must vacate University housing by noon the day following termination of their student status in the event of withdrawal, resignation, graduation, completion of credit requirements, their last final, official leave or disciplinary action; or by the last day of the contract term.  Failure to do so may result in the student having to pay additional room charges and/or a referral to the CSB.  Upon vacating their room, the student must follow established check-out procedures as provided by the Office of Residential Life and the Physical Plant Office.

Year-Round Housing

Housing is available outside of the dates specified in the housing contract to students conducting university business during break periods or those who demonstrate a need. The University recognizes that housing needs may change over time. Students experiencing housing insecurity should indicate their need for long-term housing to their class dean. Once approved, students will work with the Office of Residential Life to identify appropriate housing accommodations. 

Contract Cancellations

In the event of a contract release, a refund will be prorated to the date of the return of the key and the release (whichever is later), in accordance with the Student Accounts Refund Policy.   It is University policy that students in University housing do not sublet their rooms at any time during the contract term.  The University reserves the right to cancel the contract of any student who does not check into their room by the first day of classes or notifies the Office of Residential Life prior to that date that they will arrive after that date. 

The contract guarantees housing to the student, but it does not guarantee a specific assignment requested by the student.  The Office of Residential Life reserves the right to enforce an administrative move if continued residency by the student at the existing location is determined by the Director of Residential Life or the Dean of Student Services to be detrimental to any part of the university or Middletown community.  The University may terminate the housing contract without notice in the event of an emergency that would make continued operation of University housing not feasible.  The University reserves the right to terminate the housing contract/lease for reasons of conduct in violation of the Code of Non-Academic Conduct.  

Off-Campus Status

Students whose needs are not met by the University’s existing housing options can request release from the housing contract. Off-campus status is viewed as a break of the residency agreement at Wesleyan.  A student can only obtain this by successfully obtaining off-campus status through the housing selection process.  Typically, the only students who are released to off-campus status meet at least one of the following criteria: 25 years or older, married, have children, or require a specific housing-insecurity need or medical accommodation which cannot be met by campus housing.  

Appeals to off-campus status should be made to the Associate Dean of Students. The housing selection process is only conducted once a year during the spring semester. Students must request off-campus status each year they wish to live off campus.  

Students who attempt to break the residency agreement without being authorized by Residential Life will be subject to judicial action taken by the Community Standards Board (CSB), in addition to being charged the full Food and Housing Fee. Students released from the University Housing Contract are responsible for securing their own housing. Release from campus housing is independent of students’ contractual dining obligations which need to be negotiated directly with Auxiliary Services.  

Lead Paint Disclosure

Housing built before 1978 may contain lead-based paint. Lead from paint, paint chips, and dust can pose health hazards if not taken care of properly. Lead exposure is especially harmful to young children and pregnant individuals. Before renting pre-1978 housing, landlords must disclose the presence of known lead-based paint and lead-based paint hazards in the dwelling. The University recognizes that any housing built prior to 1978 may contain lead-based paint and/or lead-based paint hazards. Tenants must also receive a federally approved pamphlet on lead poisoning prevention. By accepting this contract, you are affirming that you have reviewed the pamphlet Protect Your Family from Lead In Your Home. 

All Wesleyan housing was built before 1978 with the exception of the following:  Bennet Hall, Fauver Apartments, 19 Fountain Avenue, 20 Fountain Avenue, 25 Fountain Avenue, 231 Pine Street, and 14 Warren Street.