SPECIAL HOUSING ACCOMMODATIONS
In compliance with Section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Nichols students who are requesting accommodations of any kind must first be registered with either the Director of Health Services or the Director of Advising Services. All information received regarding requests for an accommodation is confidential. First Year Students are requested to have all of the information completed and submitted to the Advising Office by May 1st.Currently Enrolled Students seeking housing for the next academic year must fulfill all of these requirements and submit all paperwork by March 1st. Every effort will be made to accommodate late applicants.Accommodations are provided only for the student with the disability, not for a group including a student with a disability.The determination that the request for accommodations qualifies will be made by the Office of Housing and Residential Life in conjunction with the Director of Advising and the College's Health Service. A Request for Accomodations Form must be obtained from the Director of Health Services. It must be completed in full and the supporting documentation must be in writing from an appropriate provider (physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, etc.) who is not a relative. All documentation must clearly support the need for the requested accommodation(s). Responses, in written form, will be sent once a decision has been made.
RESIDENCE HALL POLICIES AND REGULATIONS
Students are required to sign a Housing Agreement before taking occupancy in the residence halls. Items that are strictly prohibited within the residence halls are:
All items that violate College policy will be confiscated, tagged, and may be retrieved at the end of the semester from the Public Safety Office. Items that will not be returned are candles, alcohol and alcohol paraphernalia, drugs and drug paraphernalia, weapons and any other item that is considered illegal in the state of Massachusetts. Pets that are confiscated will be given to a shelter or the Massachusetts Environmental Police.
Arson - Defined as the malicious burning of property, treated as a crime under the law. Included in this definition on the Nichols campus are such activities as setting fire to discarded furniture and similar items of personal or college property. Students found responsible will be subject to severe disciplinary penalties. Prosecution of perpetrators in accordance to the laws of the Commonwealth will be encouraged.
Bicycles - May not be stored in hallways or other public areas inside buildings. Storage inside of residence halls is limited to rooms occupied by students, with the expressed permission of all room occupants.
Ceiling & Wall Decorations - No more than 25% of any one may be covered. The ceiling may not be covered at any time. Tapestries covering lamps/lights are strictly prohibited.
Change in Housing Status - Resident students who wish to become commuters or commuters who would like to live on campus must complete a request in the Office of Housing & Residence Life. All requests must be in compliance with the housing requirements of the College as described in the current College Catalog.
Check-In Procedures & Checkout Procedures - Students are not permitted to report to the College before the official opening of residence halls unless specifically invited.
Common Area Furnishings - All furnishings located in common areas must remain in those areas and should not be removed. Damaged or missing furniture will be charged to the residents of an entire hall if individual responsibility cannot be determined. Moving common area furniture, including trash cans, will result in a Fine and/or disciplinary action.
Damage to College Property - Students who willfully damage College property, in one's room or hallway, of $300.00 or more may be suspended from housing for one full semester or may be prohibited from participating in the Lottery and Room Selection Process.
Exits - Exit doors may not be propped open at any time. The Fire exits are for emergency use only. Students in violation will be charged $75.00 and may be subject to disciplinary action.
Fire Alarms/Equipment - Nichols College is intent on keeping their students safe from fires. Hanging items from the smoke detector and/or sprinkler pipes is prohibited. Disconnecting the smoke detector is prohibited. Damaging smoke detectors, fire fighting equipment or fire extinguishers will also result in disciplinary action.
Failure to leave the residence hall when a fire alarm sounds and/or failing to obey the directions of a College official during the evacuation of the building will result in appropriate disciplinary action. In the event the identity of the person involved in unknown, fines will be passed along to the residents of the hall in equal shares via unassigned residence hall damage.
Students who are responsible for false alarms will be billed for costs incurred by the Town of Dudley (this might be over $500.00 per occurrence). Additionally, these students may be assessed a minimum fine of $250.00 to the College and may also be removed from the College. Prosecution through the criminal justice system for all fire-related violations will be sought. In the event the identity of the person involved is unknown, any costs and fines will be passed along to the residents of the hall in equal shares via unassigned residence hall damage.
Gatherings - Large gatherings of people, inside or outside, are prohibited except at sanctioned campus events. Gatherings will be dispersed. Failure to disperse will result in disciplinary action.
Identification - All students are expected to have their student "I.D." in their possession. Students should be prepared to produce it upon request of College officials acting in the performance of their duties, e.g. Residence Life Staff, Public Safety, dining hall entrance, etc. A student who fails to cooperate is subject to disciplinary action. Theft or misuse of a College I.D. is seen as a serious offense and is subject to disciplinary action. Neither Nichols College, nor Sodexho, is responsible for bison bucks or laundry monies that are stolen from a student's account. If a student ID is missing, it is the student's responsibility to report it to the Public Safety Office immediately.
Inspections - The College affirms the right to privacy of the individual, however, official personnel reserve the right of room inspection when an inspection is thought to be in the best interest of the resident and the common good. Authorized personnel or persons appropriately designated may enter a room at any time for reasons of health, safety, welfare, to retrieve College property or to repair/inspect the room or equipment. Room inspections are held normally on a monthly basis during the academic year. When possible and appropriate, advance notice will be given. Room searches may be conducted for violations of the Student Code of Conduct and/or residence policy violations.
Public Safety, Residence Life or other authorized personnel may do searches of student rooms under any of the following circumstances:
During authorized searches, any violation of College policies will be noted with appropriate disciplinary action to follow.
Insurance - College insurance does not cover the personal property of students. Students are urged to provide necessary protection against fire and personal loss. This coverage may be obtained through Renter's insurance or your parent(s)/guardian(s) homeowner's insurance policy.
Keys/Access - Every resident is issued a key to his/her room at the start of occupancy and an ID/access card. In some cases a supplemental key is issued at this time as well (front door key/card). A fee will be assessed for lost or stolen keys and lock changes. Keys are the property of Nichols College and duplication of a College issued key is prohibited. Keys are due for return immediately upon termination of occupancy. Students are not permitted to give their key/card to any other person for any reason. A fee of $25.00 will be assessed for lost or stolen ID cards.
Maintenance and Repairs - All requests for repairs or improvements in the residence halls must be submitted to the residence hall staff. The sooner a problem is reported, the sooner it will be repaired. To insure the effectiveness of our process and avoid duplicate requests, students are not permitted to call the Buildings & Grounds Department themselves.
Parking - A resident student bringing a vehicle to campus must register it with the Department of Public Safety. This should be done within 24 hours of the arrival of the vehicle on Nichols College property.
Quiet Hours - Students are required to keep noise at a minimum so as to respect the rights of others wishing to engage in study or sleep. The term "quiet hours" designates a specific period of time allotted to enhance the atmosphere conducive to studying. During this time period noise that can be heard outside of your room, as examples but not limited to, excessive noise such as loud stereos, boisterous talking, and rowdiness in the halls or any action creating noise inside or outside the residence halls will not be tolerated. Quiet hours will be in effect Sunday through Friday morning 11:00pm - 9:00am and 1:00am - Noon on Saturday and Sunday. During reading days and final exams, 24-hour Quiet Hours will be in effect.
Noise in student residences should always be at an acceptable level, often termed "Courtesy Hours."
Students are encouraged to ask their peers to quiet down. Staff members are available to assist them if they are uncomfortable doing so or have not been successful.
Residence Hall Damage - Implicit in the assignment to a College residence hall is an agreement on the student's part to be jointly responsible with other residents for the protection of the hall, its furnishings and equipment, and to share in the payment of damages sustained. Damage to common areas and individual room damage other than fair wear and tear is assessed throughout the academic year. Any room damage due to vandalism must be reported to Public Safety within 48 hours. Failure to file a report in a timely manner may result in the occupants being billed for the damage.
The Office of Housing & Residence Life, through the Business Office, will bill individuals who are identified as responsible for damage accordingly. Unassigned damages to common facilities will be shared by the students who use the facilities. Students changing room assignments to another building during the academic year are subject to prorated damage charges from their former place of residence.
Roofs - No student is permitted on the roofs of the residence halls at any time. It is an unprotected area that was not designated for use by residents. A fine of $200.00 will be assessed for non-compliance with this regulation. Residents of the room, through which access was gained, may also be charged this fine.
Room Care - You and your roommate are responsible for cleaning your own room. The contract cleaning service is responsible for the bathrooms, halls, and common areas. Please direct any complaints regarding the cleaning service to the appropriate residence hall staff member. (Note: Shamie Hall, Kuppenheimer Hall and Remillard Hall residents are responsible for their private bathrooms.)
Room Changes - Students who are considering room changes must complete a Room Change Request Form, which is available in the Office of Housing & Residence Life. All room change requests must be approved by the Office of Housing & Residence Life prior to any move. Unauthorized room changes will result in disciplinary action. The College reserves the authority to change room assignments when deemed necessary for the overall good of the resident community. There will be no room changes during the first and final 2 weeks of each semester.
Room Furnishings - Furniture must be left in the rooms to which it has been allocated. The painting of rooms is prohibited. Care should be used in attaching items on doors and walls, as damage will be assessed and billed at the end of the semester.
Smoking - Nichols is a "smoke-free" environment. Smoking is not permitted in any College facility, including all residence halls and students' individual rooms. Violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action. Students are permitted to smoke outside of any College facility but are asked to smoke at a distance of 25 feet from the entrance way and any walkways.
Vacation Periods - Students are not allowed in student housing during the Thanksgiving, Winter, Spring and Summer vacation periods without the permission of the Office of Housing & Residence Life. Students who do not vacate by the posted time or return to campus before the official opening of the residence halls will be subject to disciplinary action and fines.
Vending Machines - Snack and beverage machines are provided in most residence halls for the convenience of the students. Any problems should be reported to the Resident Director.
Visitation Policy - Visitors to the campus are welcome and subject to all civil laws and College policies. Visitors in student housing must be guests of students. The host is held responsible for the conduct of his/her guest(s), to include escorting them while on campus. While there is no limit on the number of guests, students are cautioned regarding excessive numbers. Frequently, these situations lead to incidents where host are unable to exercise supervision and control. Guests (to include students who commute) are limited to staying two nights per week. Requests for approval for longer stays must be made with the Office of Housing & Residence Life. Motor vehicles owned by guests should be registered with the Department of Public Safety. In addition the following rules apply:
Washers and Dryers - Washers and dryers are available in the basements of all major residence halls. Please consider others and do not monopolize machines. If a machine is out of order, report it by calling the number listed on eth poster in the laundry room. Washers and dryers are currently free of charge. Please remember that washers and dryers work best when not overloaded.
Windows - Screen and storm windows are not to be removed and no item is to be thrown from a window. The use of windows for entering or exiting rooms is strictly forbidden. Objects should not be thrown or dropped out or off (inside or outside) a College owned building, as serious injury may occur to persons below.