ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY Fell & School Street Apartments Handbook Updated August 2017 1

I. INTRODUCTION Welcome to Apartment Living Illinois State University operates 40 apartments at 209 N Fell, 211 N Fell, and 302 N School to accommodate single graduate students and single undergraduate students who graduated high school at least two years prior. University Housing Services strives to provide residents with comfortable living quarters while maintaining economical rental rates. This handbook has been prepared by the Apartment Living staff in order to familiarize residents with the facilities and the services available. This handbook will also introduce residents to the apartment regulations that are to be observed during the contract period. Please read this material carefully. It is an important supplemental document to your University Housing Services contract. This information is provided to help maintain a positive community environment. The contents are intended to promote residents' participation and assistance in keeping operating costs, and consequently apartment rates, as low as possible. Please direct all housing related inquiries to the Community Aides (CAs), Apartment Coordinator, or to the University Housing Services central office. CAs and Apartment Coordinator positions Two Community Aides (CAs) and the Apartment Coordinator serve as liaisons between the Central Office Staff of UHS and the residents. The CAs and Apartment Coordinator inform residents of major issues, policies, and procedures and act as resources for residents. Complaints and maintenance concerns may be directed to the CAs or Apartment Coordinator. Check-ins, publication of the monthly newspaper, and support for programming activities are all encompassed in the CA and Apartment Coordinator positions. University Housing Services staff members participate in an on-call rotation to ensure that if you have an urgent concern you may receive assistance. You may call (309)438-9267 at any time 24 hours a day/7 days a week to report a concern. This is not intended to take the place of 911 or the Illinois State Police Department (309)438-8631. II. FINANCIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS 1. Payment Period and Conditions A. Apartment charges (including damages) are added to each student s University account. Payments may be made in full or in four installments per semester. Payments are made on a specified due date according to the Student Account s Office unless otherwise specified on a billing issued under Student Account s System. The payment may be made in person, through Campus Mail, or through U.S. Mail to Student Accounts office. Do not send cash by mail. The resident's name, university ID number, and apartment address must be on the face of the remittance. B. Students receiving scholarships, grants, or loans are to use those funds to pay in full their outstanding debts, charges, or penalties with the University. Refunds originating from overpaid University accounts will be applied to the resident's account. C. If balance due is not paid by the due date, residents may be blocked from future class registration. Records and transcripts may be placed in a "hold" status for delinquent accounts. Failure to pay charges as indicated above may result in the termination of your University Housing Services contract. Appeals of any charges, cancellation fees, repair charges, cleaning charges, or other assessments must be received, in writing, by University Housing Services within 30 days from the date of written notification that such charges have been assessed. 2. Repair and/or Cleaning Charges A. Residents are responsible for any damage to the apartment during occupancy. Normal wear and tear is expected. B. New residents inspect the apartment and review a check-in sheet with a CA at the time keys are received. 2

C. The University will inspect each apartment when it is vacated and will complete repairs and cleaning, if any is required. Repairs and/or cleaning charges above normal wear and tear will be billed to all the residents who lived in that apartment during the specified billing period. Cleaning and repair charges will become part of the University account; nonpayment of such charges will be handled via the Student Account s Office. The University may cancel the contract and may refuse new registration to the student until University housing charges are paid. D. You may appeal any charges in writing to University Housing Services, Campus Box 2600, Normal, IL 61761, Attn: Apartment Appeal. 3. Conditions under which the University has the right to cancel the housing contract A. Failure to make payments as outlined in the University Housing Services Terms and Conditions. B. University dismissal of the resident. C. Withdrawal from the University by the resident. D. Failure to abide by the regulation concerning housing of pets in the Illinois State University Apartment Living Complex. E. Infliction of unreasonable damages against person or property by a resident or guest of a resident. F. Default or breach of the University Housing Services Terms and Conditions 4. Vacating A. Contract will terminate on June 30 of each year if it is not renewed. B. Cancellation requests are due by the dates outlined in section F. of the University Housing Services Terms and Conditions. III. GENERAL POLICIES 1. Regulations All residents are subject to the regulations as outlined in the University Housing Services Terms and Conditions, the University handbook, all provisions and policies of University Housing Services, all university regulations, and all state, federal and local laws. A complete list of Fell and School policies can be found here: https://housing.illinoisstate.edu/about/policies/ 2. Eligibility Requirements Priority for assigning a space in University housing is given to full-time degree-seeking students. Full-time is defined as 12 or more credit hours for undergraduates and nine or more credit hours for graduates. Part-time is defined as less than 12 credit hours for undergraduates and less than 9 credit hours for graduates. The University may deny a contract or cancel a part-time student s University Housing Contract at its discretion. Students assuming part-time status after they have occupied their space must submit a written request to continue their University Housing Contract. If the University cancels a student s contract due to change in status, the student is still responsible for all cancellation charges pursuant to the contract; the charges will be assessed on the same basis as if s/he had withdrawn from the University as of the date of the cancellation. University Housing Services reserves the right to deny or cancel a University Housing application-contract to students whose past or current behavior and/or criminal conviction indicates a possible risk to the safety, health, or life of any person, and/or to the safety of public or private property, and/or disruption to the University housing community or living-learning environment. If a decision to deny University housing is made prior to the first day of the contract period, the student will be financially responsible for the nonrefundable application fee. If a decision is made on or after the first day of the contract period, the student will be responsible for all cancellation charges pursuant to the contract; the 3

charges will be assessed on the same basis as outlined in Section F. Any charges for damage to the room or apartment, and the application fee will also be included. 3. Winter Absences University Housing Services requests that apartment temperatures be kept between 65 and 75 degrees. Even if you plan to be away from campus, please maintain this temperature range. Thermostats should be set at 65 F or higher during the winter months in order to prevent freezing water pipes in the buildings. If freezing temperatures occur outside and thermostats are set to temperatures lower than 65 F, water in the building s pipe could freeze, which could in turn cause the pipes to burst, possibly causing damage to the facilities and personal property. Illinois State University and University Housing Services assume no liability to personal property due to pipe bursts. In the summer, it is important to stay in this range to avoid humidity issues within the complex. Residents with concerns about heating should contact University Housing Services Staff immediately. The Illinois State University Police will watch your apartment if you plan to be away for an extended period of time. In order to request this service, contact the ISU Police Department at (309) 438-8631. IV. MAINTENANCE INFORMATION 1. Identifying Maintenance Concerns A. In apartments, identifying maintenance requests is the responsibility of the whole community including Community Aides, Professional Staff, Apartment Living Central Staff, the residents, and Facilities staff. The major purpose of maintaining an attractive and well-maintained environment is for the benefit of the occupants living in the Complex. It should be the goal of everyone to share the responsibility of taking care of the Complex living environment. 2. Maintenance Repair Service A. All requests for ROUTINE repairs and maintenance are to be submitted via the online work order system. B. To request EMERGENCY service, please call 309-438-8611 or 309-438-9267 (after hours). C. Emergency maintenance requests include but are not limited to: broken pipes, clogged sinks, overflowing toilets and bathtubs, fires, noxious odors, electrical service interruption, and all items that threaten the life, health and safety of the apartment residents. 3. Entry Policy Staff may enter the premises for the purpose of determining general cleanliness, to treat for pest extermination, to make repairs, to decorate or remodel, and to enforce general University rules and regulations. 4. Keys Each resident will receive a key that opens the main building entrance as well as the front door of the apartment. Residents will also receive a key to their assigned bedroom. Each resident of the apartment will also be issued a mailbox key. If a student becomes locked out of their apartment, they can go to the Vrooman Front Desk located in Hewett and Manchester and request a temporary tag key. Failure to return this key by 8:30am the following morning will result in a core change. Additionally, whenever an individual reports that an assigned apartment key is not in his/her possession, the Apartment Living staff must request a core change. This means that if a resident s key is temporarily not in that individual's possession, the Apartment Living staff must assume that the resident is no longer in control of that key and a core change will be requested. A regular core change shall be made unless the resident requests an "emergency" core change to be completed after the end of the normal working day or on weekends. A regular core change ($75.00) will result in a core change during normal working hours by the end of the next working day. "Emergency" core changes will result in a charge of $150.00 to the resident. Once a core change request has been reported to Facilities Management, it will not be cancelled, regardless of whether the resident subsequently locates his/her apartment key. Contact the Apartment Living staff at 309-438-9267 to request a core change. 4

If the mailbox key is lost, a local locksmith will be contacted to replace the lock and key. In this instance, the resident(s) will be billed the rate of the local locksmith. 5. Insect Extermination A. The Pest Control Technician will be in the buildings once a month to treat each apartment. Residents will be notified of the pest control treatment schedule. (Dates may vary without prior notice.) B. If roaches/bugs (see C below for ants or spiders) have been seen, please prepare your apartment for treatment, on your regular service date, according to the following guidelines: Room Kitchen Living Bathroom Bedroom Hallway Preparation Required Remove everything from all cabinets, drawers, pantry, and closets, including items on shelves and floor. Remove everything from the closets. Remove everything from the cabinet and from under the sink area. Remove everything from the closets and drawers. Remove everything from the hall closets. C. If ants/spiders have been seen, please remove everything from immediate area only. It is not necessary to remove everything from closets, cabinets, drawers, pantries, etc. IF YOU WISH TO CLEAN, PLEASE DO SO BEFORE TREATMENT. Place a note on the front door for the Pest Control Technician to indicate where the roaches/bugs have been seen. Allow three weeks for the treatment to work. If roaches/bugs are seen after three weeks, repeat the above procedures on the regular service date following that month. If you have any questions about the above or if you need to have your apartment treated between monthly services, please contact the Apartment Living Staff at 309-438-8611 during normal business hours. If you have allergies or another condition that will prevent your apartment from being treated for pest control, please contact Student Access and Accommodations at 309-438-5853. 6. Drains A. If a bathtub or sink drain becomes sluggish or clogged, you may attempt to unclog the drain using a plunger. DO NOT USE ANY CHEMICAL DRAIN SOLVENTS. If the plunger does not free the drain, submit a work order or contact the Apartment Living Staff. If emergency service is needed, see the Maintenance Repair section of this handbook. Sweepings, matches, rags, towels, cigarettes, bottle caps, coffee grounds, bones and other obstructing materials may not be placed or flushed in any plumbing fixture. Any damage to plumbing caused by misuse will be repaired at the residents expense. 7. Alterations, Additions, or Improvements to an Apartment A. An alteration to an apartment can be made only after written approval is obtained from the University Housing Services Apartment Living Staff. B. If the resident alters the apartment, without prior written approval, it will be considered damage. The resident will bear the cost of returning it to its original condition. C. Any material added/attached to the apartment, interior or exterior, without written University approval will be considered an alteration and treated accordingly. D. Hanging pictures does not constitute an alteration. 8. Proration Financial charges relating to the damage or theft of University property in the apartment complex are billed to the specific resident whenever such individuals can be identified. 5

When damage to or theft of University property in public areas of the apartment complex cannot be assigned to specific individuals, the charges for such damages or theft are divided equally (prorated) amongst the specific building that the damage is present; or to all residents when damage is in common areas to all (i.e. hallway or stairwell). V. UTILITIES A. Electricity Included in cost of apartment. B. Cable Television Basic Cable service is provided at no additional charge. Problems with the cable service should be reported to Comcast at 800-934-6489.* C. Internet Basic Internet service is provided at no additional charge. Problems with the internet service should be reported to Comcast at 800-934-6489.* *Note: Residents will need to visit the Comcast Service Center in order to pick up any equipment necessary to use cable and internet service. Basic equipment is available from Comcast at no additional charge. COMCAST Address 1202 W Division Street Normal, IL 61761 Phone Number 866-594-1234 or 800-934-6489 Hours Mon-Fri: 9:00am-6:00pm 6