Housing Policies

Maintenance

Repairs and Maintenance Requests

Once a work request has been submitted, the maintenance supervisor will prioritize your request and the work will be done as soon as possible. If Facilities Management staff members have been in your apartment to make a repair, they will leave a work status sheet that tells you they have been there and lets you know the status of the repair. Facilities Management staff also conducts routine pest control that requires access to apartments. Use this link can be used to submit a maintenance request.

Maintenance Emergency

A maintenance emergency is anything that is likely to affect the safety of students or cause immediate harm to property. Examples are: a major water leak, no heat when it is freezing outside, or a broken window. Call the 24-hour desk in your community and report the emergency situation. The desk assistant will contact the appropriate staff and will take steps to see that the emergency is resolved. If the situation is not an emergency, front desk staff will suggest that you complete a maintenance request. Use this link to complete a maintenance request.

Trash Removal

There are three trash rooms located on the first level of  Founders Green. Meyerhoff House is equipped with several trash rooms. Trash receptacles for the Mount Royal apartments are located behind the apartment units. Gateway trash rooms can be found on each floor. Students are responsible for carrying their trash to the designated trash areas. Trash should not be allowed to build up in apartments, as it represents a health and pest risk. To meet health requirements and to control unwanted pests, all trash must be bagged and discarded in the trash receptacles in the trash rooms. Residents who leave their trash on balconies, stairwells, hallways or walkways will be asked to place their trash in the trash rooms. Residents who fail to bring their trash to the designated centers will be charged a $50 trash-removal fee for each bag or item of trash.

Empty Alcohol Containers

In areas not authorized for consumption, empty alcohol containers are considered possession and will be subject to disciplinary action. Therefore, empty containers are only allowed in the possession of those residents 21 years or older. In the event that a resident wishes to use any form of prohibited paraphernalia, including empty alcohol containers, as any part of artmaking, this must be discussed in advance with the Residential Coordinator for that facility. Approval must be given in writing before it is appropriate to collect these materials, and the resident must be able to demonstrate that this is a legitimate artistic response to a defined classroom or studio assignment. It is likely that the Residential Coordinator will help the resident determine an alternative space to their apartment, such as the residential studios, to secure and hold these items for the duration of the assignment.

Recycling

All residential facilities support single stream recycling. Each apartment has a recycling can. All facilities have designated recycling drop-off points that are clearly identified, usually found in the trash rooms. All recycling should be placed in clear trash bags and placed in the proper area of  your residence hall. Food contamination-such as soiled pizza boxes and other cardboard food containers-should not be included in your recycling bag. Facilities Management staff will generally empty these drop-off points once per week. In addition, there is a container in the Founders Green parking lot behind Spear Hall to collect glass, plastic and metal recycling that may not fit into a bag or the trash room.

Damage Appeal Process

If damages are assessed to a room, each student held responsible and charged will be sent a Damage Appeal Form. The appeal process deadline is included in the letter sent to each student from Residence Life. All appeals submitted after the deadline will not be considered. Damage appeals will not be accepted via telephone, fax or e-mail.

All appellants will receive notice within three business weeks of the appeal deadline regarding the status of their appeal. The Appeal Process Board's decision is final and cannot be appealed. If the cost of damage exceeds your $250 damage deposit, a hold may be placed upon your student account if the payment is not made by the indicated deadline.

Residence Life, Facilities Management, and Building Services are responsible for all repairs and determine the cost of the damage. These amounts are pre-determined and are based upon charges for time and materials. The cost to repair or replace fixtures in rooms may not be appealed.

Final apartment inspections are not conducted by R.A.s at the time of check out. Residential Coordinators of each community, Facilities Management and Building Services staff are responsible for assessing damages in apartments and conduct inspections within 48 hours of departure.

The housing damage deposit will be used by the College in its discretion to repair damages in the student's housing space or the general common areas caused by the student or to perform maintenance necessitated by the negligence of the student. Damage, maintenance necessitated by negligence of the student as determined by the Residential Coordinator or vandalism for which no person assumes responsibility will also be billed to all students who have responsibility for that space.

Grounds for Filing a Damage Appeal

  • You were billed for damage that you believe to be a result of “normal” wear and tear; reasonable wear and tear is generally defined as unavoidable deterioration in the dwelling and its fixtures resulting from normal use. For example, a hole in the wall is not normal wear and tear, however marks on the floor from the door opening and closing are considered normal wear and tear. (Source: U.S. Legal Definitions, uslegal.com/r/reasonable-wear-and-tear/)

  • 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 student responsible will need to sign a Damage and Cleaning Deceleration Form, which will result in the responsible party being billed. Without this documentation, the Appeal Process Board will not reverse the charges.

All Appeals must be sent via standard mail to the following address:

Attention: Damage Appeal Board

Residence Life & Off-Campus Housing

1300 W Mount Royal Ave

Baltimore, MD 21217