massart housing handbook 2010 - 2011

8/4/2019 MassArt Housing Handbook 2010 - 2011

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Residence Hall

Handbook2010 - 2011

Smith Hall The Artists’ Residence640 Huntington Ave 600 Rear Huntington AveBoston, MA 02115 Boston, MA 02115



TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.WELCOME 4

II.POLICIES AND REGULATIONS 5

III.COMMUNITY GUIDELINES 7

IV.RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES 7a. Conduct/Disciplinary Procedures 8b. The Disciplinary Hearing 8c. Determination of Violation 8

V.RESIDENCE LIFE Staff 10a. Residence Staff Directory 10

VI.RESIDENCE VIOLATIONS 11a. Intolerance, Physical Violence, and Harassment 11b. Alcohol Policy (Smith Hall) 12c. Alcohol Policy (Artists’ Residence) 12d. Illegal Drugs 13

e. Discrimination 14f. Guests 14g. Commuter Workroom Policy 15

VII.FIRE & PERSONAL SAFETY 16a. Fire 16b. Appliance Safety 16c. Art Materials 16d. Room Decorations 17e. Open ame 17f. Storage 17g. Bikes 17

VIII.COMMUNITY VIOLATIONS 18a. Hall Sports 18b. Quiet Hours and Noise 18c. Weapons 18

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WELCOME!

Welcome to residence life at Massachusetts College of Art and De-sign! Please review all of the information in this handbook, as youwill be held accountable for it.

MassArt is committed to the principle that learning occurs both inand out of the classroom. Living in a residence hall is a central partof the overall collegiate experience. The Housing and Residence Lifestaff strives to create a strong sense of commitment to the welfareof the group and responsibility to self and others. Please note thatpolicies and regulations in this Handbook are subject to change by

the Ofce of Housing and Residence Life or other administrativedepartments at MassArt. MassArt does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex,religion, creed, disability, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orienta-tion.

This Handbook is not intended to provide exclusive descriptions of

inappropriate behavior. Inappropriate conduct will be subject to dis-ciplinary action, even if conduct is not described specically herein.

Programs and activities in the residence halls are designed to helpstudents meet each other and create opportunities for the exchangeof divergent views and beliefs. The key to a successful residentialexperience is the willingness to get involved. You can have an impacton the direction of your residence hall and MassArt through your

participation in activities. We hope that you make the most of thisopportunity by accepting the challenge and responsibility of beingan active and concerned resident.

• MassArt is an educationally PURPOSEFUL community, aplace where staff, faculty, and students share academic goals andwork together to strengthen teaching and learning on campus, bothwithin and outside of the traditional classroom.

• MassArt is an OPEN community, a place where freedom ofexpression is uncompromisingly protected and where civility is pow-erfully afrmed.

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• MassArt is a JUST community, a place where the sacrednessof the person is honored and where diversity is aggressively pur-sued.

• MassArt is a DISCIPLINED community, a place where indi-viduals accept their obligations to the group and where well-denedgovernance procedures guide behavior for the common good.

• MassArt is a CARING community, a place where the well be-ing of each member is sensitively supported and where service toothers is encouraged.

• MassArt is a CELEBRATIVE community, one in which theheritage of the institution is remembered and where rituals afrm-ing both tradition and change are widely shared.

Adapted from: The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement ofTeaching (1990). Campus Life: In Search of Community.

POLICIES AND REGULATIONS

Most policies and regulations found at MassArt fall into three cat-egories. Therefore, the rationale for rules are centered around thesecategories and will be applied to individuals with regard to theirrights and responsibilities as part of the campus community andwithin the residential life system. Of course, there is no way to coverevery conceivable offense with a specic rule, but most are coveredwithin the following three interests of MassArt:

1. Health and Safety2. Property Loss or Damage3. Serious Disruption of the Educational Living Environment

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RESIDENCE LIFE ADMINISTRATIONThe Director of Housing and Residence Life, (Kennedy Building, 2ndoor) oversees housing operations and the overall department.There are two Residence Hall Directors (RD’s). One for Smith Halland the other for the Artists’ Residence. Their ofces are locatedon the rst oor of their respective buildings. The RD’s are respon-sible for the overall operation of their respective buildings; includingprogramming, discipline within the hall, maintenance, counseling,advising, and staff supervision. Both RD’s are full-time, live-in profes-sional staff.

Resident Assistants and Community Assistants (RA’s and CA’s) are

full-time resident students who have successfully completed an ex-tensive selection process and training. RA’s and CA’s are responsiblefor fostering a community atmosphere in the residence hall. Theyserve as counselors, advisors, facilitators of hall activities, and moni-tors of residential policies.

Residence Life Staff Directory:

Danielle Licitra— [email protected] of Housing and Residence Life 617.879.5104

Drinnan Thornton— [email protected] Hall Director, Smith Hall 617.879.5106

Andrew Doré— [email protected] Hall Director, The Artists’ Residence 617.879.7752

Nathan Sherman— [email protected] Coordinator 617.879.7750

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Health and SafetyMassArt is responsible for establishing community interests withregards to the Health and Safety of students, members of thecampus community in general, and to guests of MassArt as well.Policies and procedures have been developed to protect studentsagainst incidents or behavior that may jeopardize the physical,mental, and emotional health and/or safety of either the group orthe individual. As such, there is a need to limit certain rights ofthe individual for the common good of the community. There areseveral ways MassArt goes about doing this, such as employingPublic Safety ofcers, providing adequate lighting and facilities for

people, doing quarterly health and safety inspections, and imple-

menting policies designed to keep the campus community safe.

Property, Property Loss and DamageMassArt is responsible for keeping its property and the property ofthe members of the campus community safe and free from damage.People expect to live, work, and learn in a place where their belong-ings are relatively safe and secure. No community can be totally risk-free from incidents that cause property loss and damage. However,

care and protection of both community and personal property is ashared responsibility of all.

The Educational Living Environment:For large groups of people to live together successfully, each com-munity member must respect the needs and rights of others. Theestablishment and enforcement of rules that foster and encouragea proper campus living environment are necessary for the efcient

and successful operation of every residence hall. Throughout thisHandbook you will nd the expectations that MassArt has for all itsresidents All residents should remember that they are responsiblefor their own behavior and their guest’s behavior. They must abideby community standards in order to protect their rights, and therights of others.

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COMMUNITY GUIDELINESLiving in a close environment presents unique challenges as well asopportunities. The process of developing your community must bebased on listening, reasoned discussion, and negotiation. The follow-ing policies constitute parameters of acceptable behavior designedto ensure peaceful coexistence and personal freedom. You are en-couraged to discuss group living issues amongst yourselves and withyour residential staff to set whatever policies and limitations, withinthe established parameters, your group may feel appropriate (e.g.,vote to set quiet hours).

RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES

Within the residence hall community, guidelines for social conductare based on mutual respect. It is important to know the differencebetween your rights and the privilege associated with living inMassArt housing. For example, it is your right to ask a roommate toleave the room if he/she is being too loud. It is a privilege to haveguests in the building/room. If any right or privilege is violated, youmay be subject to a Discipline Hearing. Responsibility for proper con-duct is put upon you, the student, not the college. You are expected

to be honest at all times throughout a Discipline Hearing and toshare all the information you know. If you withhold information or liewhen being questioned, additional sanctioning may occur.

The Discipline process is designed to redirect the behavior of stu-dents into acceptable patterns, to protect the rights and privilegesof all students, and to encourage educational development. Studentshave the right to pursue their studies and to socialize in a safe and

pleasant environment. Students are also responsible for knowingand abiding by the guidelines of the MassArt community.

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CONDUCT/DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES

Guidelines and policies reect our commitment to an environmentthat allows common goals to be achieved. For instance, the guide-lines concerning quiet hours assure that study time has priority andthat students inclined to be more disruptive do so elsewhere. Abu-sive use of alcohol and other drugs, vandalism, violence, harassment,and other forms of misconduct are inappropriate and unacceptablebecause they contradict MassArt’s goals. All violations are reviewedindividually and independently from other cases. The Housing andResidence Life Ofce believes in consistency, honesty, and sanctionsthat are in keeping with the nature of the violation.

THE DISCIPLINARY HEARING

A Disciplinary Hearing is a formal conversation between a profes-sional Staff Administrator within the Department of Housing andResidence Life and the student to determine whether or not a stu-dent is in violation of any student conduct codes. Should a studentbe found responsible for the alleged incident, he/she may ultimately

be removed from the residence halls or MassArt. Therefore, carefuladherence to procedure is a large part of the hearing since the po-tential consequences are great. General practice during a hearing isthat the student who is being charged with a violation presents his/her account of the alleged incident.The professional Staff Administrator will be expected to listencarefully to all participants and critically assess all informationpresented. Witnesses may be invited, but may be limited to avoid

redundancy.

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DETERMINATION OF A VIOLATION

The professional Staff Administrator within the Department ofHousing and Residence Life will obtain all written documentation,question any and all students involved in the alleged violation, anddetermine whether the student is in violation of the Residence Hallsrights, rules, policies and regulations handbook. Determination ofpolicy violation can be ascertained by, but is not limited to the fol-lowing:

1. Written documentation: Written documentation is a detailed de-scription of the incident, observations made, and those involved.

2. Interviews: The administrator assigned to the disciplinaryhearing can seek out information from staff and administratorsto clarify information before the meeting with the student takesplace.

3. Disciplinary hearing meeting: The disciplinary hearing meetingprovides students with an opportunity to speak of their involve-ment in an incident and answer questions. Depending on the

information provided, there may be a number of meetings, whichmay include staff, students, and guests. The charged student maybe asked to set up another hearing time, if more information isprovided during the process/investigation.

The judicial process is designed to determine responsibility, ifany, when there is an allegation of a violation. Through the pre-sentation of evidence and critical review of such evidence, anadministrator must reach a decision regarding the allegations. In

determining responsibility for violations, the standard of proofthat hearing ofcers seek to establish is known as the PERPON-DERANCE OF EVIDENCE which means that a person is morelikely than not to be responsible for the alleged violation.

4. Sanctioning: The administrator will most likely determine anappropriate sanction depending on but not limited to: the stu-dent’s disciplinary history/behavior patterns, what student should

learn from the sanctioning, the particular violations and circum-stances, the needs of the individual and the community, and thetiming of the semester. For example, a ten-page paper on decision-making due during nals week may set the student up for failurein two areas. The successful sanction enables the student tounderstand self-responsibility and mature decision-making. Failingto complete a sanction may result in further disciplinary action.

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APPEALS PROCESS

1. A party to a Residence Hall Disciplinary Hearing may le an appealto the Director of Housing and Residence Life. If the Director was thehearing ofcer, appeals should be directed to the Dean of Students.

2. An appeal hearing is limited to a review of the initial hearing andsupporting documents. The appeal hearing will take place only forone or more of the following purposes:

• To determine whether the original hearing was conducted fairlyin light of the charges and information/facts presented, whether

the hearing was in conformity with prescribed procedures, andwhether the hearing gave all parties a reasonable opportunity toprepare and present.• To determine whether the decision reached regarding the ac-cused party was based on the weight of the information/facts,that is, whether the information/facts in the case demonstratedthat it was more likely than not that a violation of the CommunityStandards occurred.

• To determine whether the sanction(s) imposed was appropriateto the violation of the Community Standards. Only an accusedstudent can use this as a basis for appeal.

3. A detailed, written appeal must be submitted within ve (5) classdays after written notication of the sanction. The student mustwrite an appeal letter that specically addresses the reason for theappeal. The written appeal must be sent via email, postal mail us-

ing delivery conrmation or some other means of acknowledgingreceipt, or hand delivered to the attention of the Director of Housingand Residence Life.

4. The Director of Housing and Residence Life, within ve (5) classdays of receiving the appeal, will make a decision whether the ap-peal shall be heard based on the detailed written appeal and willinform the original Hearing Ofcer, who will notify the student on

the status of the case.

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5. The Director of Housing and Residence Life (or Dean of Students ifthe Director was the initial hearing ofcer) may either: afrm the de-cision of the Hearing Board and determine that there are no groundsfor the appeal; or reverse the decision of the disciplinary hearingand, consistently with its doing so, take such other actions as are ap-propriate in that regard.

6. In the event a request for an appeal hearing is granted, parties tothe original hearing are informed of the time and place of the appealhearing and may attend it. The nature of this hearing is not to rehearthe original case but to allow the accused student to articulate onlythe reasons for the appeal.

RESIDENCE VIOLATIONS

Resident students are responsible for abiding by the policies out-lined in this handbook as well as the MassArt Code of Conduct. TheCode of Conduct may be found online at:http://inside.massart.edu/Campus_Life/Student_Handbook/College_Policies/Community_Standards.html

The following behaviors constitute misconduct for which disciplinarysanctions may be imposed:

INTOLERANCE, PHYSICAL VIOLENCE, AND HARASMENT

MassArt is composed of a variety of people with different sexualorientations, racial and cultural backgrounds, and other unique

qualities. Any act that is intolerant or disrespectful of others andcan be interpreted to be harmful or distressing to a member ofthe community may be determined as a violation. Any behaviorthat victimizes an individual on the basis of race, ethnicity, reli-gion, gender, disability, or sexual orientation is inappropriate andseriously detrimental to the community.Acts of intolerance, physical violence, and/or harassment will notbe tolerated and may be considered grounds for dismissal. While

the term “physical violence” is commonly understood, the termharassment is not. Harassment is a form of violence. It is theinvasion or violation of a person’s basic rights and may be racial,sexual, or personal in nature. It may be perpetrated orally or bynotes, grafti, telephone, or other means. Disciplinary action,including dismissal from housing, and if appropriate, civil actionmay result from any such incident.

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ALCOHOL AND ILLEGAL DRUGS

1) ALCOHOL – SMITH HALL

Alcohol is NOT permitted in Smith Hall. This applies to residents aswell as guests. If you are intoxicated while in Smith Hall, regardlessof your age, your safety becomes the responsibility of the staff. Pub-lic Safety and Residence Life staff will not compromise your healthand safety. You will be detained until a Public Safety Ofcer or amember of the Residence Life staff determines a course of action.Disciplinary action towards a student may take place due to any oneof the following situations:

• Entering the building intoxicated or under the inuence of asubstance.• Involving staff, and/or Administration during consumption ofalcohol or use of illegal drugs in Smith Hall and/or on MassArtproperty.• Possessing, consuming and/or distributing alcohol or illegaldrugs to anyone within Smith Hall.• Excessive consumption that involves an Administrative assess-

ment and/or hospitalization.

2) ALCOHOL – ARTISTS’ RESIDENCE HALL

Alcohol is NOT permitted in the Artists’ Residence Hall for anyoneunder 21 years old. Alcohol is permitted in the Artists’ ResidenceHall based on the following criteria. The resident student must beregistered with the Residence Hall Director and provide proper

identication. Only one open container per 21-year-old is allowed. Allresidents are expected to cooperate, when asked by staff member toshow identication. All guests follow the same guidelines as the hostresident and are the responsibility of the host resident.

All residents under the age of 21 who are in possession of and/or consume alcohol or illegal drugs will be subject to disciplinaryaction. If you enter the Artists’ Residence intoxicated, your safety

becomes the responsibility of the staff. Public Safety and or a mem-ber of the Residence Life staff will not compromise your health andsafety. You will be detained until a Public Safety Ofcer or a memberof the Residence Life staff determines a course of action.

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Disciplinary action may take place in any one of the following situa-tions:

• Entering the building intoxicated or under the inuence of asubstance.• Involving staff, and/or Administration during consumption ofalcohol or illegal drugs in the Artists’ Residence Hall and/or onMassArt property.• Possessing, consuming and/or distributing alcohol or illegaldrugs to minors within the Artists’ Residence Hall.• Hosting an illegal gathering by offering underage residents/guests alcohol or illegal drugs in your apartment/room or allowingunderage residents/guests to consume alcohol or use illegal drugsin your apartment/room.• Failure to register with the Residence Hall Director or Director ofHousing and Residence Life.• Excessive consumption that involves an Administrative assess-ment and/or hospitalization.• Having more than one (1) open container per resident of legaldrinking age.• Refusing to show staff proper identication of legal drinking age

and/or being non-compliant during requests.

Public Safety is available 24 hours a day and may be reached at617.879.7800. A member of the Residence Life Staff or Public Safetyshould be notied immediately if someone is dangerously intoxi-cated.

3) ILLEGAL DRUGS

The use, possession, or distribution of any non-prescription drug orcontrolled substance within the residence halls is forbidden. Ad-ditionally, any paraphernalia that could reasonably be assumed tobe used in relation to controlled substance abuse is not permitted.Violations will result in conscation, disciplinary action, and if appro-priate, civil/criminal action. MassArt offers no safe environment for,or protection of, any individual subject to criminal investigation, and

cooperates with the authorities.

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DISCRIMINATION

Any member of the MassArt community who believes he/she is avictim of discrimination due to race, religion, disability, or sexual ori-entation may initiate an informal or formal complaint process as out-lined in the Student Handbook (see Discrimination Complaint Proce-dures). Further information or advice may be obtained by contactingthe Civil Rights Compliance and Diversity Ofce at (617- 879-7060).

GUESTS

Having guests is a privilege and that privilege may be revoked at the

discretion of the Residence Director if the guest policy is violated.All guests must report to the security desk of the building and willnot be allowed in a residence hall unless accompanied by a residentof the building. All guests are subject to the rules laid out in theResidence Hall Handbook and College’s Code of Conduct. Hosts areresponsible for the behavior of their guests.

The following are the Guest Policy guidelines:

1) Day Guests:• Day guests must be signed in and out of a residence hall by theirhosts. When a guest is signed into a hall, the guest must providea valid form of ID that will be held at the desk until the guest issigned out. The resident must present their MassArt ID so theirinformation can be noted in the guest log. A guest who cannotprovide a valid ID (i.e. Drivers license, school/college ID, military

ID, etc.) may not be given access unless the Residence Directoragrees. Non-photo IDs and expired IDs will not be accepted asvalid ID.• Each resident may have no more than three (3) day guestssigned in at any one time.• Each guest must be accompanied by his/her host at all times. Atmidnight, day guests are no longer allowed. Your guest becomesan “overnight guest”, and the host needs to sign out all but one

guest. (See overnight guest section).• The host resident is responsible for informing his/her guest of allresidence hall policies. You are expected to report any residencehall infraction by your guests to the Residence Director.• Guests are prohibited from bringing in or drinking alcoholicbeverages in Smith Hall.Family Members are considered guests.

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2) Overnight Guests:All the rules of day guests apply to overnight guests with the addi-tion of:

• A resident may sign in only one (1) overnight guest unlesspermission is given by the Residence Director and the resident’sroommate(s) 48 hours in advance.• No overnight guests may be in a residence hall for a continuousperiod exceeding three (3) consecutive nights per week, nor maythey spend more than fteen (15) nights per semester, unless per-mission is given by the Residence Director and roommate(s).Roommate(s) must grant permission for their beds to be used byguests as well as give their consent for guests to stay overnight.

3) Commuter Workroom Policy:Special exception from the guest policy will be given to commuterstudents who are using a designated Commuter Student Workroomwithin the Artists’ Residence (workroom will be established on ayearly basis). Students who are using the Commuter Student Work-room will have previously completed a workshop with the ResidenceDirector and the Foundations Studio Manager and signed a contract

for its special usage. They will be allowed to enter the building with-out a resident student escort. However, they will be required to signin and out of the Artists Residence and may only go to the designat-ed studio space. The designated students may also utilize the spraybooth on the 9th oor only when/if their project requires the use ofany spray mediums.If students are found to be wandering through the building or oth-erwise abusing the privileges they have been given, they will face

interim loss of access to the studio/building pending the outcome ofa Discipline Hearing conducted by the Residence Director and/or theDirector of Residence Life. Abuse of privileges by commuter stu-dents may result in sanctioning which may include permanent lossof all visitation privileges to all MassArt Residence Halls.

•Commuter workroom hours will be from 10am to 11:30pm unless oth-erwise noted by the Foundations Studio Manager and the Residence

Director. 24-hour access to the commuter workroom will not occur.•Commuter workroom users will be held to the same damage policy,workroom ethic, and residence life alcohol/drug and quiet hour poli-cies as those students living in the residence halls.•Commuter Workroom users may visit the Residence Halls when theyare not using the workroom. They must follow the day guest and/or

overnight guest policies at that time.

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FIRE AND PERSONAL SAFETY

Fire safety is a very serious issue in any residence hall. Violations ofre safety rules carry stiff penalties and are grounds for dismissal.In any environment, where students live in close proximity to com-bustible materials, the potential for an accident is high. MassArt isvigilant in ensuring that the residential environment is as safe fromre as possible. The following guidelines have been developed tosafeguard the community.

1) APPLIANCE SAFETYDue to Boston re regulations, and for the safety of all residents,

all cooking appliances (outside of an on-campus apartment kitchen)including microwaves, hot pots, popcorn poppers, electric blankets,sun lamps, halogen lamps, and electric heaters are prohibited.

• Radios, tape recorders, stereos (recommendation: bring head-phones), televisions, reading lamps, personal computers, andportable hair dryers are permitted in the residence halls.• Refrigerators four cubic feet or less, with an outside dimensionnot exceeding 48” either in length or width), are permitted in the

residence halls. You must maintain (including cleaning) all appli-ances.

2) ART MATERIALSBecause of the health issues related to particular art-making pro-cesses, certain materials are not allowed in living quarters, andrestrictions are placed on what types of artwork may be done.Flammable materials may not be stored in rooms. You may not use

processes that give off harmful fumes or particles (i.e., spray paint,spray mount, air brushing). Residents are supplied with a copy ofRestrictions on Use of Art Materials in the Residence Hall.

3) DECORATING AND USING YOUR ROOMYour residence hall room will be your home for the year and we wantyou to feel comfortable. Because residence hall rooms are combina-tions of living, sleeping, and studying areas, they contain all sorts of

combustible materials. To minimize the risk of re, please adhere tothe following:

• Fire ignition sources (high intensity lamps, hot glue guns, hairdryers, etc.) should be kept away from combustible materials.• The room’s heating unit or radiator must be kept clear of com-bustible materials.• If you use posters/wall hangings to decorate your room, do so in

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moderation. Entire walls may not be covered, as this ensures therapid spread of re. Decorations must be afxed at against wallsso that ames cannot reach both sides. A good rule of thumb is toleave about 70 percent of the wall surfaces uncovered.• Absolutely no cloth, paper, or ammable material (includinglampshades) may be hung from the ceiling, as this poses a hazard.If you choose to use your own curtains, you must be able to showproof that they are re retardant.

4) OPEN FLAMECandles, oil lamps, reworks, blowtorches, or any sources of opename are not allowed in any part of the residence halls. Meltingparafn, or other ammable materials, is prohibited in the residencehalls.

5) STORAGENo items (furniture, bicycles, etc.) may be stored in the hallways,stairwells, or entrances of the buildings except in specically desig-nated areas. No posters, projects, or other student work should beleft in the hallways. At no time should posters, paper, or ammable

materials be hung from the ceilings of the hallways or workrooms. Ifthis occurs, the materials will be removed and thrown away.

6) BIKESNo bicycles are allowed in either Residence Halls. Bike racks arelocated near Public Safety.

COMMUNITY VIOLATIONS

1) HALL SPORTSBecause of the potential for noise, damage to the building, andpersonal injury, the hallways and the public areas of the residencehalls are not to be used for playing sports (including skateboarding,bicycling and rollerblading). Water pistols are also prohibited. Use ofwater pistols can trigger false re alarms. Please restrict your sport-

ing activities to appropriate outside areas.

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2) QUIET HOURS AND NOISEIn order to create an environment conducive to studying and individ-ual well being, residents should refrain from creating loud or unnec-essary noise at all times. Noise, including music and TV, should beconned to an individual’s room. You should be aware of the effectyour noise has on others. If noise can be heard outside a suite door,it may be a violation. Items may be conscated if they continuallycreate a nusance within the community.

Quiet hours include the quiet room, TV lounge, and workroom areas.If you are bothered by noise, you should speak with the individual(s)creating the noise. Residents should honor the request of anotherresident to restrict their noise. Ask your Residence Life staff for helponly when a request to reduce the noise level has gone unheeded.Courtesy hours are in place 24/7.

Quiet Hours are as follows:

Sunday — Thursday 10:30pm — 8:00amFriday and Saturday: Midnight — 8:00am

3) WEAPONSWeapons and rearms are banned from MassArt and the residencehalls. Any person found with a weapon will be reprimanded and/or removed from the residence hall. This decision will be made bythe Dean of Students and Director of Housing and Residence Life inaccordance with proper judicial procedures. Weapons include, butare not limited to, rearms, B-B guns, air ries, knives, switchblades,

swords, brass knuckles, martial arts weapons, explosives, reworks,and bows and arrows.

Firearms of any type, assembled or disassembled, ammunition,knives, machetes, javelins, martial arts devices, clubs, or any devicethat can be considered hazardous to the welfare of members of theuniversity community are strictly prohibited on campus. Any viola-tion of state laws or city ordinances prohibiting the manufacture,

sale, purchase, transportation, possession, concealment, or use ofrearms, cutting instruments, explosives, incendiary devices, orother deadly weapons may result in prosecution and will be subjectto disciplinary action, up to, and including, dismissal from MassArt.

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EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE/EVACUATION AND HEALTH ANDSAFETY CONCERNS

1) FIRE SAFETYIf the re alarms sound, you MUST leave your room immediately.WALK down the stairs and exit the building. Do not take the elevatorand do not re-enter the building until you are given permission to doso by staff. NEVER assume the alarm is false.

• Tampering with re-ghting equipment, alarms, or making bombthreats may result in immediate suspension from the residencehall.• A resident who fails to evacuate the residence hall during a re

alarm or refuses to cooperate with staff and security personnelmay be suspended from the residence hall.• In addition, if the Boston Fire Department assesses a charge toMassArt for a false alarm, that cost may be passed along to theentire hall/oor if the offender cannot be identied.

2) FIRE EVACUATION PROCEDURESPlease familiarize yourself with exit routes (posted in each room). If

you are in your room, feel the door rst to see if it is hot. If it is, donot open it. Otherwise, open it slowly. Construction and furnishingmaterials emit highly toxic gases when burning. Sudden sources offresh air can cause a slow burning re to explode. If you encounterheavy smoke or excessive heat in the hall, return to your room andclose the door and place a towel under the door to keep the smokeout. Try to attract attention from your room window and wait forhelp. Do not attempt to break the glass or open the window, since

additional air may accelerate the re.

3) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE (MAIN DESK) – SMITH HALLCourtesy Ofcers staff the residence hall twenty-four (24) hoursa day/7 days a week. An Ofcer is stationed at the main desk onthe rst oor. If you need help, contact the guard immediately at617.879.7809. Please be respectful of the Courtesy staff at all times.Courtesy Ofcers may detain students if they believe a violation is

taking place. There is a rst aid box at the main desk for minor cutsand burns. Public Safety will transport anyone in need of medicalattention to a local hospital. Smith Hall also has an on-call system toensure that a Resident Assistant or the Residence Director is avail-able during the evening and nighttime hours and weekends.

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4) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE (MAIN DESK) - ARTISTS RESI-DENCECourtesy Ofcers staff the Artists Residence hall twenty-four (24)hours a day/7 days a week. An Ofcer is stationed at the main deskon the rst oor. If you are in need of emergency assistance, con-tact the guard immediately at 617.879.5111. Please be respectful ofthe Courtesy staff at all times. Courtesy Ofcers have permissionto detain students if they believe a violation is taking place. Thereis a rst aid box at the main desk for minor cuts and burns. PublicSafety will transport anyone in need of medical attention to a localhospital. In addition, the Artists Residence hall has an on-call systemto ensure that a Community Assistant or the Residence Director isavailable during the evening and nighttime hours and weekends.

5) ENTRY INTO ROOMS/APARTMENTSThe College reserves the right to enter residential rooms in the fol-lowing instances: (A) when there is sufcient reason to believe thatyou may be physically harmed or endangered or College property isbeing endangered; there exists any other emergency; or College pol-icy is being violated; (B) to make periodic health, safety, and mainte-

nance inspections; or (C) to make routine physical repairs to Collegeproperty. If there is some specic reason to suspect that a criminaloffense has taken place or that evidence of such an offense may besecured on the premises, College personnel will enter the room onlywith your permission or pursuant to a warrant. If in the course ofany entry made pursuant to this section, illegal materials are foundin plain view, they will be removed and the affected resident(s) willbe notied of the conscation and face possible disciplinary action.

The College will have the option to repair, replace, clean, or other-wise deal with any damaged items and shall invoice you for any suchcharges, including a reasonable charge for the management over-head as a result of said actions with respect to any matters otherthan reasonable wear and tear, and you shall pay within fourteen(14) days.

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SECURITY

Because the residence halls are located in an urban area, all resi-dents should be aware of safety and security concerns and shouldexercise caution and good judgment. After dark, residents areencouraged not to travel alone. Please be cautious and do not takeany undue risks. Acts that compromise building security should bebrought to the attention of the Residence Director/Director, PropertyManger of the Artists’ Residence, and/or Public Safety immediately.

In order to promote and maintain a safe environment, the residencehalls are secured twenty-four (24) hours a day. All outside doors

are locked, except for the main entrance during the daytime hours(Smith Hall only). Emergency exits are alarmed at all times. Entryinto and exit from the residence hall must be through the main en-trance.

Residents should safeguard their belongings by keeping their roomdoors locked at all times. Do not admit unknown persons into theresidence hall or your room/apartment. Residents should report

theft and/or vandalism immediately to the Residence Hall Director orPublic Safety.

COLLEGE PROPERTY

Furniture and accessories are provided in various common areasfor everyone’s use. Do not remove these items. Any common areaproperty (including signs and furniture) found in a resident’s room

will be removed immediately. Residents may be subject to disciplin-ary action.

1) ROOM FURNISHINGSFurniture may not be moved from individual rooms or commonsareas (lobbies, lounges, etc.). No furniture is permitted outdoors.Removal of furniture from public areas may be reported as theftof state property. The furniture in your room has been designated

for use in your room only and is inventoried when you move in andwhen you move out. You are nancially responsible for any missingfurniture.

2) UPHOLSTERED FURNITUREUpholstered furniture is not allowed on the MassArt campus unlessit complies with re safety regulations of the Commonwealth of Mas-22



sachusetts. Upholstered furniture means any futon, bed, chair, sofa,or any part of a pillow, mattress, cushion, etc., that contains aninternal or external, decorative or functional, covering or paddingmade of any kind of fabric, plastic or rubber foam, cotton or woolticking, etc. The upholstered furniture must have a label that indi-cates its compliance with the re retardency rules.Anyone who owns or possesses furniture that does not meet reretardency rules and that is not properly labeled, will be asked toremove it from the college within a reasonable length of time (e.g.two weeks), or the furniture will be removed without further noticeby the college.

3) WINDOW, SCREEN, DOORS, AND ROOF POLICYThe damage, loss, or removal of a window or window screen fromstudent rooms or public areas is prohibited and may result in aninstallation and/or replacement charge and disciplinary action. Drop-ping or throwing objects from windows, sitting on, standing on, lean-ing out of windows, and accessing the roof are prohibited. Studentsare responsible for any damage to the outside of their room/apart-ment doors.

4) WORKROOMSIndividual oors are equipped with workrooms for residents. Youmay use these areas, provided that you observe the contract yousign at your rst oor meeting. If you use the workroom, you mustclean up after yourself. If a violation occurs, the workroom will belocked with a notice explaining the violation. Students must comeforward within 48 hours to take responsibility and/or clean the area

or the entire oor will be billed. “Works in progress” must be labeledas such. Be conscious of space limitations and be considerate of oth-ers’ needing to use the workroom. Deliberate grafti is not permit-ted. Spray paint, spray mounting, and airbrushing are prohibitedin and around Smith Hall but may be used on the 9th oor of theArtists’ Residence. You may use also spray paint in the designatedspace in the Tower Building on the tenth oor.

5) KITCHEN (SMITH HALL)The kitchen is located on the rst oor near the lounge area. It islocked 24 hours, and has a sign-in/sign-out procedure with security.Students who use the kitchens must leave it in a neat, clean, andorderly fashion after every use. Using the kitchen for purposes otherthan food preparation is prohibited. Custodial staff will throw awayany food items or dirty dishes left on the counter.

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OPERATIONS

1) ELIGIBILITYYou must currently be enrolled or accepted at MassArt as a full-timematriculated student (at least 12 credits), in order to occupy a Mas-sArt residence room. The Assistant Dean of Students and ResidenceLife may make exceptions for part-time students. Bills must be paidin full prior to occupancy.

2) LICENSE AGREEMENTThe Residence Hall License Agreement sets forth the basic termsand conditions for living in the residence halls. It contains the

MassArt housing policy, explains room assignment and billing pro-cedures, species the duration of the agreement, withdrawal andrefund policies, rules and regulations, and contains informationregarding meal plan options and policies. All residence hall studentsmust submit a signed copy of the Residence Hall License Agreement.This is a binding document for the entire academic year. Residentsare released from the yearlong contract only under certain, specialcircumstances explained in the License Agreement and with the

permission of the Assistant Dean of Students and Residence Life.Submitting a request to be released from the License Agreementshould not be considered an automatic acceptance of release. TheCollege will make decisions to terminate a License Agreement in atimely manner. Please note that the License Agreement does notconvey a tenancy or other property interest to you; it creates a licen-sor/licensee relationship subject to the terms and conditions in theAgreement, in this Handbook, in the Student Handbook and in the

Student Code of Conduct.

3) MAINTENANCE REQUESTS FOR SMITH HALL AND THE ART-ISTS’ RESIDENCE

PROCEDURE FOR MAINTENANCE REQUESTS

Maintenance requests will be completed in a timely manner. Non-

emergency requests will be completed between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00p.m., Monday–Friday, excluding holidays. Should you have a Non-Emergency request for maintenance service, you may ll out a WorkOrder at the Courtesy Desk. Be as specic as possible with yourrequest to assure that all necessary repair work is completed to yoursatisfaction.

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Your handwritten request is permission for the maintenance person-nel to enter your apartment in your absence. Maintenance will al-ways knock on your door and announce themselves prior to enteringyour apartment. If you request maintenance service, please notifyyour roommates so they will expect a visit from the maintenanceteam. A copy of the service request will be left in your apartmentafter the completion of the request. Our goal is to complete any ser-vice requests within twenty-four hours. But, if your request neces-sitates us having to contact an outside contractor, that may extendthe time required to complete your request.

EMERGENCY MAINTENANCE REQUESTSMaintenance requests will be handled after ofce hours only if theyare emergencies. We dene EMERGENCIES as situations whicheither:Present a danger to people:

• re• lack of electricity• broken or non-working doors, locks, windows• lack of heat (when outside temperature is below 50 degrees)

• lack of air conditioning (when outside temperature is above 90degrees)• lack of water• toilet not functioning (when there is only one in an apartment)

Present a danger to property:

• ooding• broken pipes

After scheduled maintenance staff hours, emergency maintenancerequests can be reported to the Courtesy Desk, located in the lobbyarea on the rst oor. The Courtesy Desk is staffed 24 hours a day.The Courtesy Ofcer will contact the on-call maintenance employee,who will respond as quickly as possible.

4) LAUNDRY ROOMThere are coin-operated laundry machines on the rst oors of

Smith Hall and the Artists’ Residence for your use. The cost is $1.50/washer and $1.50/dryer. The machines only accept quarters or youmay use your ID card loaded with Fenway Cash. Both a change ma-chine and information on how to load money on your ID are providedfor your convenience. Please notify staff if the machines are notworking properly.

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5) AiR CONDITIONING AND HEATINGYour room is equipped with an air conditioning and heating unitthat may be regulated by adjusting the wall unit controls. The A/C isturned off in October and turned on in mid May.

6) CUSTODIAL SERVICESCustodial staffs are responsible for the daily cleaning of public areas,removal of trash from designated areas, and routine minor repairsto maintain the residence hall. They are not responsible for cleaningextraordinary messes, resident rooms, or bathrooms and hallwayswithin a suite. Students may be assessed a service charge whenexcessive maintenance is required. Custodians work hard, so pleaserespect what they do and make the effort to get to know them.

7) DAMAGE POLICYAll residents share in the responsibility for the condition of thepublic areas of the building. You are responsible for the care of yourroom or apartment. At check-in, residents will be asked to sign aRoom Inventory Form that outlines the condition of the room he/she will be moving into. It is important to go over the inventory form

carefully with an RA/CA to ensure accuracy. The form is used toassess damages to the room when you move out. The nal damagereport is determined by maintenance, the property manager, and theResidence Hall Director of the Artists’ Residence or the ResidenceHall Director of Smith Hall.

Damages are assessed on an individual room basis. Where individualresponsibility for damages is not possible to ascertain, the cost will

be divided among the residents of the suite, apartment, oor, orthe entire building. Residents who incur individual damage chargeswill be required to pay within thirty (30) days of the receipt of thebill. Extraordinary un-cleanliness, vandalism, theft, damage, or lossof college property will be billed directly to the resident. In seriouscases, a resident may be removed from the residence and face dis-ciplinary action. Contested damage charges can be appealed to theAssistant Dean of Students and Residence Life. The appeal must be

as specic as possible and must be made in writing. These appealsmust be received within thirty (30) days of the damage bill beingsent to the resident’s address.

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8) KEYS AND DOORSResidents who do not return a room key upon check out will becharged accordingly. Keys are the property of MassArt and areloaned to residents. Keys may not be duplicated or given to others.You will be issued a key and MassArt ID that you should carry withyou at all times. IDs must be shown upon entry to all MassArt build-ings. You should also carry your key at all times. If you are lockedout of your room, notify the ofcer at the main desk, who will ar-range to have your room door opened. Keep your doors locked at alltimes, even if leaving the room for brief periods. Never leave a doorpropped open. If you lose a key, you should get a replacement assoon as possible. Report a lost key to the Residence Director imme-diately. For security reasons, we are required to change a lock if thekey is lost. You will be billed accordingly.Your room door and residence hall door are supplied with high secu-rity locks. Please remember that these doors are to be kept securedat all times. Avoid the temptation to leave your door unlocked oropen for “just a minute.” Unfortunately, in a minute, someone couldremove your property from your room.

9) PETSPets are not allowed in the residence halls. Pets of the ResidenceDirector, and seeing eye dogs, are the only exceptions to this rule.

10) MAILMail is delivered daily (except weekends, federal holidays and vaca-tion breaks). The mail address is:

Student name Student nameSmith Hall Room #_____ Artists’ Residence Box # _____640 Huntington Ave 600 Rear Huntington AveBoston, MA 02115 Boston, MA 02115

Mail that is addressed to MassArt’s main address (621 HuntingtonAvenue) will take an additional 2–7 days to reach you, because itmust travel through the campus mail system.

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11) PARKINGResident students are prohibited from having cars, motorcycles, andmopeds. MassArt assumes no responsibility for cars of visitors to thecampus.

Guest Parking:There is NO GUEST PARKING available Sunday at midnightthrough Friday 5pm. Weekend parking is available through theCapstone Management Ofce. To register for weekend parking youmust register by noon on the Friday of the weekend you wish to usethe lot. Bring a check for $15 payable to the Artists’ Residence, tothe Capstone Management Ofce (room 120) in the AR. Your StudentID will be activated to allow access to the lot. You must hang yourhangtag on the vehicles rear-view mirror to avoid towing. Capstonewill not reimburse any towing costs if the hangtag is not properlydisplayed.

Any questions should be directed to Capstone at 617.879.5105.

12) POSTING

All postings must conform to MassArt’s posting policy, and must beposted on designated bulletin boards. The Residence Director orDirector of Residence Life must approve all postings. They reservethe right to remove any notices that are not in compliance with thispolicy, and that are improperly posted on walls, woodwork, in stair-wells, or windows. All outdated notices will be removed.

13) ROOM CHANGES

Changes of room assignment are sometimes necessary or desirablein order to make the residents’ living conditions as conducive toacademic achievement as possible. Generally, room changes are notallowed during the rst two weeks of a semester. During the thirdweek of each semester, room change requests may be submitted. Ifyou wish to initiate a room change request, contact your RA/CA forinformation. No requests will be approved unless all affected par-ties have freely agreed to the proposed move. After the designated

period (the third week of each semester), room change requests willbe approved only if the Ofce of Housing and Residence Life deter-mines that the change is critical to a resident’s success and well be-ing. Residents who change rooms without approval will be requiredto return to their original assignments. MassArt reserves the right tochange a room assignment at any time.

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14) TELEPHONE AND CABLEStudents will receive information regarding the telephone/cablesystem and costs prior to their arriving on campus. Each room isequipped with phone, cable, and data jacks. Students must providetheir own telephones. MassArt will also provide information aboutlong distance vendors. Please activate your phone. It is the only waythe security or courtesy desk can reach you.

15) TRASHResidents must maintain reasonably clean rooms. Excess trash in aroom can present sanitary and re safety problems. SMITH HALLRESIDENTS: Bring trash to the Trash Room on the rst oor next tothe laundry room. ARTISTS’ RESIDENCE: Bring trash to the hallway“trash room.” Custodial staff empty the trash bins daily.

16) VACATION PERIODS AND SEMESTER BREAKS (SMITH)Smith Hall is closed during periods of ofcial college recess. Theresidence hall may not be occupied or entered during this time, un-less permission is granted by the Housing and Residence Life Ofce.These periods are not covered by the occupancy agreement or the

room charge. Any student with permission to stay during vacation orsemester breaks will need to pay an additional fee.

17) VACATION PERIODS AND SEMESTER BREAKS (ARTISTS’RESIDENCE)The Artists’ Residence is open during breaks. There is no charge tostudents.

18) VENDING MACHINESSoda and snack machines are located on the rst oor of both SmithHall and the Artists’ Residence .

Updated: August 201029

massart housing handbook 2010 - 2011

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