Residence Halls

Campus Residences

David L. Lawrence Hall

The former 21-story Sherwyn Hotel houses approximately 420 residents. The ninth through the twentieth floors are residence hall floors. Rooms in Lawrence Hall are single, double, or triple occupancy. Each room is equipped with furniture, a private bathroom, Cable TV/Ethernet hookups, and wall-to-wall carpeting. Telephone service is not provided. Lawrence Hall is a smoke-free building.

Clara Thayer Hall

A 10-story traditional-style residence hall, it accommodates approximately 135 residents. The fifth through eighth floors are residence hall floors.
Rooms in Thayer Hall are single, double, or triple occupancy with two community bathrooms on each floor. Each room is equipped with furniture, an individual heating/air conditioning unit and Cable TV/Ethernet hookups. Telephone service is not provided. Please be aware that Thayer Hall does not have overhead lights in the rooms. You will need to provide your own lighting for your room. Thayer Hall is a smoke-free building.

Conestoga and Pioneer Suites

Conestoga and Pioneer Suites are suite-style housing. The floors are co-ed, but the each suite is gender neutral.
Each suite consists of two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room, and a kitchenette. Each bedroom has a loft bed, a dresser, a standing closet, a desk, and a chair for each resident. The living room is furnished with a couch, chair, coffee table, entertainment center, and a table with chairs. The kitchenette is supplied with a microwave, under-counter refrigerator and cabinets. Each suite has Cable TV/Ethernet hookups. Telephone service is not provided. Each suite is air-conditioned, and both Conestoga and Pioneer are smoke-free buildings.

Boulevard Apartments

The Boulevard Apartments are directly across the street from the new dance complex. There are four apartments per floor; two 2-bedroom and two 3-bedroom. The apartments are co-ed, but each bedroom is gender neutral. Each bedroom has its own separate bathroom. The living room is furnished with a couch, chair, coffee table, entertainment center, and a table with chairs. The kitchen is supplied with a microwave, full-size refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher. Each apartment has cable TV/Ethernet hookups. Telephone service is not provided. Each apartment is air-conditioned and smoke-free. Laundry and trash facilities are located on each floor.

Housing Guidelines

Insurance

The University is not responsible for theft or destruction of personal property. Information about insurance is available through the Office of Campus Life. It is highly recommended that valuables be covered by homeowner's or renter's insurance.

Room Assignments and Occupancy

The University agrees to consider the information on the Housing and Food Service Contract and Roommate Questionnaire when assigning rooms. However, no there is no guarantee of a specific assignment.
Returning residents are assigned prior to assigning any new residents. Priority in assigning new residents is based on the date the Housing and Food Service Contract and room deposits are received.
Roommate preferences are honored only by mutual request; however, there are no guarantees. The University reserves the right to make room assignments as deemed necessary.
Failure to occupy the assigned room before noon of the second day of classes without prior notification to the Office of Campus Life of a delayed arrival will result in the loss of assigned accommodations, and the student will be liable for the $150 cancellation fee.
In order to reside in Point Park University housing, you must be a full-time student. The Assistant Dean of Campus Life/Director of Housing and Occupancy Management will make exceptions if space allows.

Room Cancellation/Termination of Contract

Continuing students who have room assignments for the fall term have until May 1 to cancel without penalty. After May 1 they will be charged a cancellation fee of $150. Students who have room assignments for the spring term have until December 1 to cancel without incurring the $150 fee.
Cancellations after taking occupancy of the room will be subject to the Refund Schedule for Campus Life Charges.

Refund Schedule for Campus Life Charges

Any student who moves out of the residence halls after taking occupancy of the room and prior to the end of the term will be subject to the following refund schedule:

• First calendar week - 90%
• Second calendar week - 75%
• Third calendar week - 50%
• Fourth calendar week - No refund

Reinstatement Fee

A student who cancels/terminates the Housing and Food Service Contract and reinstates it during the same semester will be assessed a $25 reinstatement fee.

Vacations Periods

The residence halls are open during the Thanksgiving, Spring, and Easter breaks. Students who prefer to remain in the residence halls during these periods may do so.
Students may stay in the residence halls during the Christmas break and the month of August, (for those taking summer classes) providing they will be resident students the following semester. A nominal fee will be charged for this time period. Those living in the suites and the apartments will not be subject to any fees.
Residents may leave their personal effects in their rooms during vacation periods if they are returning to the same room. The University will take reasonable precautions during these periods, but WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDENT LOSSES.
When students leave the residence halls for the summer break they must remove their personal property from the room. Point Park University does not provide storage.

Rate Schedule

If the Housing and Food Service Contract is signed before the end of the second week of classes (14 consecutive days from the first day of classes), full rates for Housing and Food Service Contracts will be charged. If a transfer from one room to another occurs during this period, the full rate will be charged for the room to which the resident transfers, providing that there is a rate differential.
If the Housing and Food Service Contract is signed after the second week of classes (14 consecutive days from the first day of classes), charges will be on a pro-rated share of the remaining days in the term.

Room Changes

The Office of Campus Life will consider room and/or roommate changes only after the student(s) involved make every effort to resolve current issues. The Assistant Dean of Campus Life/Director of Housing and Occupancy Management must approve requests for room changes. No room changes will be approved during the first two weeks of the semester.

Consolidation Policy

At times, for various reasons, a consolidation may need to take place. This means that students from one room or floor may need to be split up or moved to another room. This may be for reasons of discipline, safety, health, irresoluble differences, or to achieve maximum space considerations. You will be notified at least forty-eight hours in advance before required moving, unless emergency circumstances dictate otherwise.

Move In/Move Out Procedures

Check in procedures are mailed to students' homes approximately two weeks prior to the start of the term. New student move in begins on the Wednesday prior to the first day of classes. Move in for all returning students begins on the Saturday prior to the first day of classes. Any student arriving to move in before or after the scheduled hours will be assessed a $25 fee. Exceptions may be made by contacting the Office of Campus Life prior to moving in.
Before moving out, a resident is to have his/her room checked by the Community Facilitator and turn in the room key and University ID card. Failure to return the room key and University ID card will result in an $80 charge. A resident is to remove all refuse and discarded material and must leave the room clean. All charges for cleaning or removal of personal property will be billed equally to the residents. Belongings left behind will be considered abandoned and will be discarded.

Community Living

Community Standards Initiative

The residence halls at Point Park University are devoted to establishing positive living and learning communities for our residents. Each floor in the residence halls will develop its own set of community standards at its initial floor meeting through a community compact. The community compact will address issues such as quiet hours, guests, and general day-to-day activities on the floor. In addition to the community compact, each room in the residence halls will have a roommate agreement. The roommate agreement is a mutually agreed upon contract ratified by those who occupy any given room. Just as in the community compact the roommate agreement will outline the living standards for that room.

Rights and Responsibilities

Remember that you have rights and responsibilities within the University community just as you would in the outside community. By exercising your rights, with respect for the rights of others, and by taking your responsibilities seriously, you will do your part to make campus living a pleasant experience for everyone.

Your Rights

1. The ability to sleep, read, and study free from undue interference, unreasonable noises, and other disturbances.
2. Personal privacy within the limits of the residence halls and the respect of others for your personal belongings.
3. A clean living environment and unrestricted access to your room and residence hall.
4. Freedom from harassment, especially acts of racial or ethnic prejudice, hazing, or discrimination based upon race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual preference, age, or disability.
5. Assistance and support from the Campus Life staff.
6. The right to associate with whomever you please.
7. The right to confront another's behavior when it infringes on your rights.

Your Responsibilities

1. Express your understanding of your individual rights to fellow residents in a calm anddiplomatic manner.
2. Treat fellow residents and Campus Life staff with respect, consideration, and consistent cooperation.
3. Make every effort to understand and comply with all University and Campus Life policies and regulations.
4. Exercise an individual commitment to personal and community security.
5. Avoid damaging the public areas and their furnishings, and elevators.
6. Give every resident the personal dignity he/she deserves.
7. Observe quiet hours, keep your stereo and your voice at a reasonable volume, and remind others that you expect the same from them.

You and Your Roommate(s)

Honesty, consideration, mutual respect, discussion, compromise, and understanding are keys in learning to live with roommates. If you experience initial difficulties in adjusting to a new roommate, remember you are not alone. The following information should be helpful in dealing with roommate situations.

Your Rights as a Roommate

1. The right to read and study free from interference in one's room. Unreasonable noise levels and other distractions inhibit the exercise of this right.
2. The right to sleep at a reasonable hour without disturbance from noise, guests, roommates, etc.
3. The right to a clean environment in which to live.
4. The right to expect that a roommate will respect your personal belongings.
5. The right to free access to one's room and facilities without pressure from a roommate.
6. The right to personal privacy.
7. The right to be free from fear of intimidation, physical, and/or emotional harm.

Remember, if you continue to communicate and respect each other, most problems are easily solved. Having a roommate is one of the greatest experiences of living on campus. Enjoy your roommate relationship and benefit from it.

Roommate Reminders

• Try to be appreciative of alternative lifestyles.
• Talk about your feelings. A roommate cannot react to unexpressed feelings. Don't leavenasty notes; talking is much more effective.
• Don't pretend that everything is fine if it is not. If you wait until a situation gets really bad, you may overreact to a minor situation.
• Make sure that you replace anything you borrow (or break).
• Make every effort to keep your living space clean, comfortable, and pleasant. Be sure todo your share.
• Be careful of practical jokes; the intent could be misunderstood.
• If necessary, have your community facilitator assist you in settling disputes.
• If you expect your roommate to respect your rights, you must do the same!

Community Facilitators

Community facilitators are upper class students who have been hired based upon their level of maturity, social skills, and desire to serve the University community. They are trained in the co-curriculum devised for all freshmen: conflict/dispute resolution skills, self-assessment skills, and academic persistence. The community facilitator's primary concern is to establish a positive living and learning community for Point Park University residents to utilize and take advantage of the opportunities that the Living and Learning Communities offer.

Residential Hall Policies

All residents are responsible for the behaviors that occur in their residence hall room. For the safety and well-being of all residents, resident students are expected to ensure that the actions of their room visitors do not violate University policy.

Access to Facilities

Authorized representatives of the University may enter any University space at any time to inspect facilities or carry out repairs and maintenance. Such inspections will normally be conducted according to announced schedules but the University may authorize entrance to an accommodation if convinced that a clear and present danger or violation of the University's regulations requires such entrance. Any maintenance issue that requires the Physical Plant Department to enter a room will be accompanied by a form left in the room. The form will state why and when the room was entered, and by whom.
The University reserves the right to enter any room for the following reasons:

• In the case of an emergency
• For safety or health reasons
• To make repairs or supply services
• To do periodic inspections during the year and at the end of each term closing
• To assure compliance with federal, state, and local laws, and University policies
• Whenever there is cause to believe a violation has occurred or is taking place

Courtesy Noise Policy

Although each residential community creates their own quiet-hour guidelines, the residence hall environment should always be conducive to study and sleep. If asked by another student or staff member to adjust the noise volume, a student is expected to comply. Excessive or unreasonable noise levels are not acceptable.

Furniture

Residents may arrange the furniture in their rooms in a reasonable manner. Furniture must remain in the room and may not be moved from room to room. Furniture must be reassembled and rearranged prior to departure. You and your roommate(s) are responsible for the furniture in your room. If furniture is broken you will be assessed a fine for replacement. Furniture provided to the student lounges are public areas and may not be moved to residents' rooms.

Guests

Students are responsible for the actions of their guests. Guests may be current Point Park University students, or non-students. The following guidelines have been established to ensure a comfortable and safe community environment in the residence halls:

1. All guests, regardless of their designation, must abide by Point Park University policies, as well as the Student Code of Conduct.
2. Visitation must always be with the consent of roommates. Additionally, where visiting hours are determined by a community compact or other University directives, these policies must be followed.
3. Visitation must not interfere with the sleep and study of roommates and neighbors.
4. Guests are not permitted in the residence halls without a resident host or hostess. Guests must always be accompanied by a resident host or hostess.
5. Guests, including overnight guests, will not be issued keys by University staff or by their hosts or hostesses.
6. Residents will be held responsible for the behavior of their guests and of their guests' adherence to University rules and regulations.
7. Guests must carry valid photo identification at all times, and must produce that identification upon request by any security or residence hall staff member.
8. Guests in violation of University policies may be escorted from the premises and barred from further entry into the residence halls.
9. Any guest may be asked to leave by a roommate. Such a request must be met with complete compliance.
10. A residence hall may be closed to non-residents at any time in order to insure the safety and welfare of the resident population.
11. Additional sign in procedures, which may include requests to show additional forms of identification, may be put in place in any residence hall where it is deemed necessary to maintain a safe and secure environment.

Guest Sign In

1. Students must sign in and sign out all guests at their respective security stations.
2. All guests must be accompanied by their host or hostess during sign in.
3. Guests must have a valid photo ID during sign in. Students without valid photo ID will not be permitted into the residence halls; no exceptions will be made.
4. Guests whose names appear on the Persona Non Grata (PNG) List will not be permitted into the residence halls. If a guest happens to share a name with, but is not, someone on the PNG List, the guest must show proof of birth date to verify that they are not the banned individual.
5. A student may not host or allow a person access to the residence halls who is on the PNG List.
6. All guests must sign out. Hosts or Hostesses will be held responsible for those guests failing to sign out.

Overnight Guests

1. Guests may not remain in a residence hall more than three nights per month.
2. No overnight guests will be permitted during examination periods or during vacation periods.
3. Conflicts regarding visitation and infractions of the guest policy will be handled through disciplinary action, as appropriate.

Hall Sports

The playing of sports (i.e. baseball, basketball, football, soccer, hockey, golf, Frisbee, etc.) in the hallways and public areas is prohibited. The riding of skateboards, roller skates, rollerblades, etc. is also prohibited. If such an item is used within the University, it could be confiscated.

Lock Out Policy

Each resident will receive two free lockouts. In the event that a resident is locked out of his/her room, he/she will call the Office of Campus Life for the office assistant/key manager to unlock the door. After a resident has used their two free lockouts, the following charges* will be enforced:

• 3rd occurrence $25 fee
• 4th occurrence $50 fee
• 5th occurrence Re-core and student will bear the cost, plus $50 fine
• 6th occurrence 2nd re-core-cost to student, as well as $100 fine

For any occurrence beyond the sixth, the student will meet with Community Director to further address the problem, and disciplinary action may be taken by the University.
*Lockout fees are used by the Office of Campus Life to hire student workers for this duty.

Lofts

Lofts are permitted in the residence halls if built of fire-retardant wood and able to hold 500 pounds. Lofts are not permitted to be left in your room over the summer months or when you terminate from the residence halls. The University does not provide tools to build or dismantle a loft.

Lost Keys

If you lose your key, report it immediately to the Office of Campus Life and a lock change will be ordered for your room. There is a $55 fee for all lock changes.

Pets and Animals

Possession, care, or harboring of all animal or insect life forms, with the exception of fish and documented, pre-approved service animals, is strictly prohibited in the residence halls. Evidence of pet care such as pet food, terrariums, etc. is also prohibited. If an animal or insect is found in a resident's room, the resident will have twenty-four hours to remove it or be assessed a $25 charge per day until the animal or insect is removed from the residence hall.

Resident Identification Card

Residents are expected to carry their Point Park University ID card at all times. Residents must present their ID card to Security, Community Facilitators, or any other University official upon request. You must have a valid ID card to gain entrance to the residence halls floors. Your ID card will access all residence hall floors from 7:00 a.m. to midnight. After midnight you will only have access to your floor. Lost or stolen ID cards can be replaced through the ID Center. There is a $25 replacement charge for a new ID card.

Room Changes

The Office of Campus Life will consider room and/or roommate changes only after the student(s) involved make every effort to resolve current issues. The Director of Occupancy Management must approve requests for room changes. No room changes will be approved during the first two weeks of the semester.

Room Decorations

While every person likes to personalize his/her space in order to feel at "home," the residence halls are governed by certain local fire safety ordinances. It is necessary for residents to be aware of the following guidelines:

• Students are not permitted to paint, renovate, or modify their rooms in any way.
• Furniture must not obstruct smoke detectors or sprinklers or impair a quick exit from the room.
• Students are permitted to hang decorations (pictures, posters, etc.) in their room, however, any damage that necessitates painting and/or repairs will be at the resident's expense. Decorations must not be hung from or cover smoke detectors or sprinklers.
• Candles, incense, and halogen lamps are not permitted.
• Live-cut trees are not permitted in the residence halls.
• Students may hang minimal decorations on their room door. If door hangings are determined to be a fire hazard, students will be required to remove such decorations. The Office of Campus Life reserves the right to deny any decorations that are deemed inappropriate or offensive.
• Alcohol bottles, binge drinking paraphernalia (i.e. beer pong tables, beer funnels, etc.), and drug paraphernalia are not considered decorative items. Students possessing these items may be charged with a violation of the University's alcohol or drug policy.

Room Occupancy

For noise, fire, and safety reasons, you cannot host large gatherings in your room. Room occupancy is restricted to the number of residents, doubled, plus one. For example, for a triple room, the capacity would be 7 people-3 (number of occupants) x2 (doubled) +1 = 7.