When and why are damage charges assessed?
According to the terms of the housing contract, you are responsible for the condition of your room and any shared spaces. The Residence Life & Housing Professional Team makes every attempt to attribute damage and vandalism charges to the individual(s) responsible, but when those responsible are not identified, all members of a unit, room, or floor may be charged equally for damages. It is our hope that affected residents will cooperate with the Residence Life & Housing professional team to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
Excessive cleaning or damage charges are assessed when cleaning or damage extends beyond facilities management staff's standard duties. Examples of excessive cleaning or damage include, but are not limited to: clean-up of trash/recycling that was not disposed of in the designated container(s); bodily fluids in public/private areas; debris from fire extinguishers being discharged; food and beverages in public/private areas; confetti/glitter; removal of graffiti; residue from adhesive-backed decorations; repair of carpet and upholstery damage; painting and repairs required from use of scotch tape, duct tape, colored putty; and/or replacement of furniture removed from a unit, room, or lounge. Refer to the damage and cleaning costs chart for specific rates.
Traditional Checkout vs. Express Checkout**
**For Spring 2022 end of semester move-out, all students will utilize this Check-Out Process. Resident Assistants will not enter student spaces until all students assigned to a room have moved out. The ONLY accepted check-out process will involve returning your key enclosed in a "checkout envelope" along with additional steps including completion of the RoomRez Housing Portal "Self-Checkout Form." Students will only be able to appeal their damage charges if all steps are completed as directed.**
For reference, below is our traditional process...
Residents may choose to go through a traditional checkout with an R.A. during scheduled closing shifts. During this process, an R.A. accompanies the student to their unit to complete a room inspection, and the student completes a Traditional Checkout form. Residents may also choose to go through an express checkout process. During this process, the student collects an Express Checkout envelope from their respective area office, completes fields on the envelope, and submits the envelope to the designated area/location. Residents who use the express checkout process waive their right to appeal any damages charges.
Housing Damage Charge Appeals Process***
***For Spring 2022 end of semester move-out, all students interested in submitting a damage charge appeal will utilize a separate form provided at a later date. Please note, students will only be able to appeal their damage charges if all steps are completed as directed in our Check-Out Process.***
For reference, below is our traditional process...
Important Note: The housing damage charge appeals process has no correlation with the appeals process for student code violations.
The process for determining housing charges includes assessing damages and the cleanliness of your unit (common area, kitchen, bathroom and bedroom, etc.) and the community as whole (lobbies, lounges, floors/corridors, etc.).
The deadline for the damage charges appeals process is emailed to residents at the end of the academic year. All appeals submitted after the deadline period will not be considered.
Appeals must be submitted via email as instructed below. Phone calls, messages, and letters will not be considered an appeal. Appeals cannot be submitted by parents or guardians, they must be submitted by the student who lived in the space as this allows our staff to have an informed and educational connection with the student.
All residents who submit an appeal before the deadline will receive notice within two to three weeks regarding the status of their appeal. Once a decision has been communicated regarding the appeal, the decision is final.
The department of facilities management is responsible for all repairs and determines the cost of any damage. These amounts are predetermined and are based upon charges for time, labor, and materials. Residence Life & Housing professional staff are responsible for assessing damages in units and conducting inspections after every student has departed the unit.
Grounds for a Housing Cleaning/Damage Charge Appeal
- If you believe that you have been billed incorrectly or in error.
- If your claim is that another individual is responsible for the damage. The responsible party would need to come forward and accept responsibility in writing before you can be found not responsible. Without this documentation, the appeal will not be granted. The responsible party would need to step forward before the appeal deadline expires.
- Important Note: If you checked out through the “Express Check-Out" process or you did not properly check out at all, you waived your right to appeal any charges (this information is also noted in all closing communication).
How to Submit a Housing Cleaning/Damage Charge Appeal
To appeal a housing cleaning/damage charge, please do the following:
- Reply to the email that you received (outlining your charges) and type “Appeal” at the end of the subject line.
- In the email, identify the charge(s) that you are contesting and fully explain why you believe you have been billed incorrectly or in error.