Housing FAQs

Housing contracts function just like a lease or rental agreement for the duration of the academic year. A student remains financially liable for the housing contract for as long as they are enrolled as a full-time student at the university.

A  STUDENT may request release and termination of the Contract if one or more of the following criteria are met and verifying documentation is provided:

• Official Withdrawal from the university including Transfer
• Graduation
• Active Military deployment
• Participation in an approved academic program which requires off-campus residency
• The existence of a documented medical problem indicating a specific change in medical circumstance after the time the Contract was signed, which cannot be accommodated within the residence hall system
• The existence of a documented financial hardship indicating a specific change in financial circumstance after the time the Contract was signed, which cannot be reasonably alleviated by the Financial Aid Office
• Legal marriage after the time the Contract was signed
• The student does not enroll for a full-time course load each semester

The UNIVERSITY may terminate this Contract if one or more of the following conditions exist:

• The student has an unpaid balance to the university two weeks prior to the beginning of the Fall or Spring semester
• The student has not complied with university immunization requirements
• The student has been academically dismissed or suspended from the university
• The student has been found in violation of university rules and regulations related to conduct that constitutes a risk to the health, safety, or general well-being of the university community.

NOTE: No refund of housing fees will be given to individuals removed from the residence halls by the university for disciplinary reasons.

On the first day of classes each semester or any day thereafter, students interested in changing rooms should see their Resident Director to be placed on the central room change request list.  Any students in temporary housing will take priority - after that, room change requests are processed on a first-come, first-served basis using the room change request list and the list of vacant spaces.

A room change freeze is in effect for the first two weeks each semester.  We must ensure everyone who has paid for a space will be attending the university in that first two week period each semester. While you may know a roommate is not coming, until official paperwork comes through the Housing Office, the student is still assigned in that space. Sometimes students arrive late by choice or a given circumstance; therefore we must have the official paperwork before we reassign a space.

Communication is essential.  If you have a concern or conflict with your roommate or apartment mate, you should arrange a quiet time to have a constructive conversation.  Utilizing the roommate or apartment agreement tool may help facilitate the conversation.  Your RA has this document.  If after you have tried to meet and discuss, and concerns or conflict remain, then ask your RA to mediate a conversation with all involved.  If necessary, you or your RA should involve the building’s Resident Director in the discussion to reach a mutually beneficial roommate resolution.

If you are locked out, seek assistance from your RA or another RA in your building.  Your hall’s Resident Director may also be in the office any Mon-Fri between 9:30am-4:00pm.  Residence Hall staff names and room numbers are posted in the lobby of each building.  Each night at 7pm, RAs begin duty and can be reached at the desk located at the entrance of each building.

At the end of the fall semester, just prior to winter break (Intersession), all residents must turn in their keys.  This serves to inventory keys and facilitate security on campus.  When residents return in late January they pick up their keys once again. Residence halls close for Thanksgiving and Spring Break, but students may keep their assigned keys for these shorter breaks.

Students can self-report a facilities problem in their room.  Log into our Campus Facilities work order system and complete the questions/prompts. Go to Facilities and click on "Facilities Service Request" to put in a work order.

The cost to repair damage or vandalism caused accidentally or maliciously by an individual(s) will be billed to that individual(s).  If the individual responsible cannot be identified, the cost of the damage will be billed equally among members of the defined residential community (floor, suite, section, or hall).  This is called community billing.

Students can report washing machine/dryer problems to MacGray electronically or by phone.  The contact info is posted in all laundry rooms.  Be sure to reference the machine type and #.  Your RD can also assist in communicating with MacGray who provides service to the machines Monday - Friday.

Mail and packages should be addressed:

Joe Samplename - Ivy 5501
285 Old Westport Rd
Dartmouth, MA 02747

To avoid any unnecessary delays by the Post Office, please do not address the mailbox as a P.O. Box.

In times of limited lines or characters, most important that the student first and last name and room information be on the mail or package.

Housing and Residential Education hopes to create an environment in which the resident is a self-advocate.  With this goal in mind, the resident may respectfully ask his/her neighbors to lower the volume coming from their room.  If a resident is not comfortable doing this on their own, we recommend that you approach your RA or the RA on duty regarding the noise concern.  It is best to report the problem when it is happening so it can be addressed immediately.

Quiet Hours are in effect Sunday through Thursday from 10:00pm-8:00am; Friday and Saturday quiet hours are from 1:00am-10:00am the following morning.

Additional quiet hour areas are designated in some residence halls. Hours are posted in the hall office area of each building.

At all other times, Courtesy Hours are in effect.  During final exam periods, 24-hour quiet hours are in effect.

Residence halls are designed to be locked 24/7/365.  There is a camera at each residence hall entrance, and throughout the parking lots and community center entrances at Cedar Dell. 

This is a safety precaution to make sure that unsafe or unwanted items are not entering the building; thus insuring a positive sense of community and safety for students and staff living in the building.

A desk attendant is assigned to the desk at the main entrance of each hall each night from 7pm until 6am the next morning.  From 7pm until 10:30pm, the person assigned is likely a student employee.  From 10:30pm until 6am, the individual assigned is likely contracted security personnel.  If you have a concern about the service or response you receive from a desk attendant, you can report your concern immediately to an RA or the next business day to your building’s Resident Director.  Providing the date and time of the specific concern will allow us to better address the specific issue.

The furniture provided by the University meets certain state and federal requirements for life safety (fire, health, etc).  Individual furniture brought in by a resident may not meet the requirements for life safety within a residence hall setting. 

Residents of Balsam & Spruce Halls will receive two bills.  The UMass Dartmouth bill will include tuition, student fees, dining, etc… which are viewable on the COIN Account.  The Housing bill for a student’s room can be viewed on the Entrata ResidentPortal.