Housing Policies

All rooms and apartments are inspected by staff at the end of each academic year. If an item is left behind or abandoned and determined to be of value or one that holds personal identification (i.e. passports, driver’s license, social security card, etc.) the owner and/or residents of the room or apartment will be contacted to retrieve the item(s). All other items abandoned or left in a room at closing or upon vacating a space due to a room change, cancellation, or withdrawal from the University will be donated or discarded.

Please do not leave or place personal items in common spaces.  Items left in common areas such as lounges, restrooms, and hallways may also be removed and discarded as necessary.  

The University assumes no responsibility for personal items left and reserves the right to immediately dispose of such property.

For safety, sanitary and aesthetic purposes, each resident of the residence halls or apartments is responsible for the cleanliness of their living area. No trash or combustible materials may be stored in a residence hall room, bathroom or within the residence hall. Common areas such as hallways, hall bathrooms, laundry rooms, lounges and apartment porches/patios are to be kept clean and clear at all times. These areas are not to be used to store students’ personal belongings or trash and includes non-UR Facilities recycling and/or donation drop boxes.

The Office of Residence Life & Undergraduate Student Housing will maintain records and sanction history separate from a student’s conduct file. This data will be used as a basis for determining violations/sanctions in subsequent years.

• First Violation = Warning
• Second Violation = $25 fine
• Third Violation = $50 fine
• Subsequent violations will result in additional sanctions as deemed appropriate 

Residents of a given floor in a residence hall will be assigned the cost of repairing any damages that occur to the common areas of that floor unless we are able to identify who was responsible for the damage.

We will assign the cost of common area repairs to the residents of the building. These damages are classified in two categories:

• Category One: Damages that are common to the area of a floor will be assigned to the residents of that floor.
• Category Two: Damages that are common to the building (lounges, laundry rooms, stairwells) will be assigned to the residents of the building.

Damages that are found to be in a room/apartment will be billed to the resident(s) of the room.

Students must notify the Director of Residence Life and Housing within 72 hours of being convicted of a felony or any crime requiring registration on the Sex Offender or Crimes Against Minors Registry or it they become subject to a protective or restraining order.

You must be a full time Undergraduate student (minimum 3.5 units) to reside in on-campus housing. Students who do not meet the requirement must have approval from the Director of Residence Life & Housing to remain in housing.

Students who complete their degree requirements in December are required to vacate their room/apartment at the end of the fall semester.

The removal of residence hall/apartment furniture from the room/apartment is prohibited.  This includes placing items in a hallway, lounge, common area, stairwell, or porch.

The Head Resident or RA may not authorize removal of furniture. Students who remove furniture may be charged $50.00 to their student account per incident, and may be subject to additional conduct charges. Residents will be charged the full replacement cost for any item of furniture missing from the room/apartment at the end of the academic year.

Furniture and accessories in the hall lounges are University property and may not be removed for any reason. Students who remove University property from the lounges will be charged $50 to their student account per incident as lounge furniture is communal use and the removal of it impacts the entire residential community.  Students may also be charged with theft.

Students may contact Dorms Direct to contract for the installation of a loft. Any other type of loft is prohibited. Ladders are not provided for use with the lofts. Bed frames must not be placed on desks, dressers or other furniture.

Bed risers of any type, including cinderblocks, are not permitted.

Residents are responsible for the behavior of their guests.

Overnight guests may stay a maximum of 72 hours. Any exceptions must be cleared in advance with the Director of Residence Life & Housing. Residents must have the approval of their roommate before inviting overnight guests. No roommate should be deprived of his/her right to privacy, study time, or sleep.

Guests staying in residence halls with hall bathrooms must use the bathrooms designated for their gender.

The possession or storage all weapons is prohibited, including but not limited to:

• Ammunition, BB guns, explosives, firearms, fireworks, pellet (soft or hard) guns, paintball guns, air or gas weapons
• Projectile devices such as arrows, bows, catapults, "potato guns", and sling-shots
• Knives, including axes, machetes, and sheath knives

Officially recognized sports clubs and academic organizations, under the supervision of a faculty or staff advisor, may be authorized to store prohibited items in designated areas. Approval will be granted on a case-by-case basis by the Vice President of Student Development

The University does not provide insurance or assume liability for personal belongings in the room, residence halls, apartments or in any other housing arrangement provided by the University. Student understands that they must provide their own insurance, and is encouraged to check with an insurance representative and/or their parent’s or guardian’s policy to ensure contents coverage is extended to University assigned housing.

All inquiries should be directed to the Director of Residence Life and Housing and the Director of Risk Management.

If you have lost your key, email Jacob Lowman. The lock will be changed and new keys cut. The student account of the resident who lost the key will be charged as follows:

Atlantic/Pacific/Law Rooms - $20.00
UFA Apartment - $45.00 (as applicable)

Students are not allowed to install personal locks on any door in their room or apartment and are not allowed to duplicate keys. Any changes to the locks will be converted back to the University lock system at the student’s expense.

Students may be charged for a lock change/new keys if keys are not returned to the Office of Residence Life and Housing.

• If Student participated in room selection and/or has a room assignment for the fall term, Student must submit a request to move off campus, in writing, to the Director by no later than June 15. For Student assigned a room after June 15, Student will be granted five (5) business to submit a request to move off campus, in writing, to the Director.  If the request is approved, the $300 housing deposit is not refundable. If Student was issued a deposit waiver, the $300 housing deposit will be charged to Student’s account. 
• Late requests may be accepted and if approved, will incur the following:
  • Requests submitted after June 15 - Student must submit a Petition for Housing Cancellation Request form. If approved, Student will incur a $500 cancellation fee charged to Student’s account and Student’s housing and food for the academic year will be cancelled. Additionally, the $300 housing deposit is not refundable. If Student was issued a deposit waiver, the $300 housing deposit will be charged to Student’s account. 
  • Requests submitted between August 1 and start of fall term, Student must submit a Petition for Housing Cancellation Request form.  If approved, Student will be responsible for the full room charge associated with the fall semester Additionally, the $300 housing deposit is not refundable. If Student was issued a deposit waiver, the $300 housing deposit will be charged to Student’s account. The Student’s fall meal plan, spring housing assignment and meal plan will be cancelled.

New/Incoming Students:

• Student must submit a request to move off campus, in writing, to the Director by no later than August 1. If the request is approved, the $300 housing deposit is not refundable. If Student was issued a deposit waiver, the $300 housing deposit will be charged to Student’s account. 
• Late requests may be accepted and if approved, will incur the following:
  • Requests submitted between August 1 and start of fall term, Student must submit a Petition for Housing Cancellation Request form. If approved, Student will be responsible for the full room charge associated with the fall semester Additionally, the $300 housing deposit is not refundable. If Student was issued a deposit waiver, the $300 housing deposit will be charged to Student’s account.  The Student’s fall meal plan, spring housing assignment and meal plan will be cancelled.

New/Incoming & Returning Spring Students: (for new spring assignments only – does not apply to students with fall assignments)

• Student must submit a request to move off campus, in writing, within five (5) business days of notification of assignment to the Director. If the request is approved, the $300 housing deposit is not refundable. If Student was issued a deposit waiver, the $300 housing deposit will be charged to Student’s account. 
• Late requests may be accepted and if approved, will incur the following:
  • Requests submitted after December 31 must submit a Petition for Housing Cancellation Request form. If approved, Student will incur a $500 cancellation fee charged to Student’s account and Student’s housing and food for the academic year will be cancelled. Additionally, the $300 housing deposit is not refundable. If Student was issued a deposit waiver, the $300 housing deposit will be charged to Student’s account. 

Any furniture item supplied to you by the university in your apartment needs to stay in your apartment at all times. This also includes as any furniture (couches / chairs / futons) you may have purchased, clothes, shoes, garbage cans, recycling bins, etc.

The only items that are permitted on patios (UFA only) are:

• Patio furniture

• Grills

• Bikes

Residents in Gateway Village are not permitted to store or place items (to include patio furniture, grills, and bikes) in stairwells, landings, common areas, or adjacent to any building due to safety concerns. Bikes must be placed and stored in the designated area(s).

Pets (including fish) are not permitted in the residence halls or apartments.

• First violation: A warning and the student must remove the pet from on-campus housing within 24 hours.
• Additional violations: Referral to the Student Conduct Administrator.

***Service and Comfort Animals must be approved through Disability Services.***

Residents of on-campus housing (“Residents”) may place postings or decorations on the exterior of their room or unit doors. Residents are not permitted to post, hang or display any items in or from their windows.  The projection of images, messages, or signs on University buildings or other private property is prohibited. 

All holiday decorations must be removed prior to campus departure for break or within one week following the holiday, whichever is sooner.

The posting of materials provided by a University department/office/student organization will be limited to the following locations:

• Public bulletin boards
• Laundry Rooms
• Bathroom stalls and walls

This policy is intended to establish reasonable time, place, and manner guidelines for all postings in residential areas that are neutral with respect to the viewpoint or message intended to be conveyed.  Any posting determined to be in violation of this policy will be removed by University staff.

The right to sleep or study always supersedes the right to make noise. As such, all students should observe 24 hour courtesy hours and be respectful of peers and the academic environment in the residential areas on campus. Quiet hours are to be observed and respected from 12am to 8am Sunday through Thursday and from 2am to 8am Friday and Saturday during each academic semester. During the final exam period, quiet hours will be extended to 24 hours a day beginning with study day and ending after the last exam.

All undergraduate students living on campus have 24/7 access to their residence hall and access to all other residence halls from 8:00 am to 2:00 am each day.

University employees may access rooms/apartments in accordance with university policies and procedures, which may be amended at the sole discretion of the University.

University employees may enter the room for reasons deemed necessary, including but not limited to, emergencies, maintenance, inspections, repairs, inventory, reclaiming University property, health and fire safety inspections, rearranging furniture to accommodate new roommates, removal of abandoned belongings, resolving unsafe or unsanitary conditions.

Some residence halls have a storage area. If you need an item stored, please contact your RA to place items in the storage area. Be sure to label each item with your name.

All furniture must remain in the room. Room furniture may not be placed in storage rooms. Do not set furniture in the hall or other common areas.

Summer storage is not available on campus, but students may contact summer storage companies to secure an off-campus storage units.

The sale of items or solicitation in the residence halls/apartments is limited to recognized campus organizations. Groups must have the approval of the Director of Residence Life and Housing.

Students are not permitted to run/operate a business while living in on-campus housing.

Withdrawal and Termination: Contract will be terminated at the time of withdrawal or termination from the University. Refer to the University’s Refund Policy at: http://controller.richmond.edu/tuition/refund/policy. Student agrees to vacate room within 48 hours unless an extension is approved by the Director. Additional days will be charged on a prorata basis for room and board. If Student remains in room without permission, a fine of $200 will be charged. Failure to vacate the room will result in the University removing personal belongings and initiating trespassing proceedings against Student, as necessary. Student understands that the University is not bound by the Virginia landlord tenant laws with respect to on-campus student housing and is not obligated to follow civil court proceedings relating to the removal of Students or Students’ property from on- campus housing upon termination of the Contract.

Submission of False Information: The University may terminate contract if student submitted inaccurate, incomplete or false information on the housing application may result in termination.

Violation of the Contract, Applicable Rules or Policies: The University, in its sole discretion, may terminate Contract if Student breaches the terms of the Contract or violates University rules, regulations or policies.

Criminal Conviction or Threat of Harm: The University may terminate contract if Student is convicted of a felony, a misdemeanor involving assault or non-consensual sexual contact, a crime involving moral turpitude, a crime requiring registration on the Sex Offender or Crimes Against Minors Registry and/or if Student becomes subject to a protective or restraining order or if the University determines that Student poses a threat of substantial harm to persons or University property.

Students must vacate their room/apartment according to the terms of the Housing Contract. Failure to vacate will result in a $50 fine per day and immediate removal from campus.

Apartment/room keys must be returned to the Residence Life & Housing Office. Students will be charged for a lock change/new keys if keys are not returned.

Students are responsible for removing all of their personal belongings when vacating their room. The University assumes no responsibility for personal items left and reserves the right to immediately dispose of such property.

Personal belongings do not need to be removed from the room during breaks, but do need to be removed at the end of the academic year or at the time of withdrawal from on-campus housing.

All rooms are inspected upon departure and resident will be charged for any damages incurred.