Home > Student Handbook > Section 30: Student Life > 30.13 Residence Hall Handbook

30.13.0 Residence Hall Guide

Last Update: Saturday, July 1, 2023

The residence hall guide contains information specifically catered to students living in on-campus housing, but is not comprehensive of all policies that pertain to residential students. All campus policies that students are expected to abide by are located in the Student Handbook and must be reviewed in addition to the information shared within the residence hall guide to foster an understanding of a student’s rights and responsibilities while living on-campus and enrolled at SUNY Canton.

30.13.1 General Conditions of Occupancy

1. The residence hall license for all residence halls is binding for the entire academic year (both fall and spring semesters) as a student entering into the Housing License at the beginning of the Fall Semester at SUNY Canton. Note: A student residing in Kennedy Hall must remain in the building for the term of the License (Entire Academic Year). They cannot move to a different campus residence hall.
2. Any change of occupancy must have prior, specific written approval of the Residence Hall Director in charge of the residence hall to which the student or students are officially assigned by the College. Note: Students residing in Kennedy Hall may only move within Kennedy Hall.
3. The College reserves the right in all campus housing to:
   1. increase or decrease the designed occupancy of a room at any time to insure maximum utilization of residence hall rooms;
   2. move students within the residence hall system at its discretion for programmatic, financial or disciplinary reasons;
4. Residence Hall Guest Policy – A guest is anyone other than an authorized resident of the room in which they wish to visit. Students wishing to have guests must follow these guidelines:
   1. The resident student must register their guest with the residence hall staff (Residence Hall Director or Resident Assistant) upon the guest’s arrival to the residence hall. Guests may also be pre-registered with the RA or RD, but will have to provide identification to the residence hall staff for review when they arrive.
   2. Students must obtain permission from all roommates in advance of the guest’s arrival. If roommates, at any time, withdraw their permission for the guest to stay in their room, the guest will be asked to leave.
   3. No one under the age of 17 is permitted to be a guest in the residence halls at any time unless they are a registered, full-time student at SUNY Canton.
   4. Students are responsible for their guests at all times. If the guest violates the rules/policies at SUNY Canton, they may be asked to leave at any time and the student may be held accountable through the campus judicial system for any code violations.
   5. Guests are limited to a stay of no more than three (3) days/nights per month, and no longer than 48 hours at a time.
   6. Each room is only permitted to have one guest at a time unless special permission is obtained from the Residence Hall Director.
   7. Guests are not permitted during final exams week.
   8. Guests must carry identification on them at all times during their stay on campus, and must submit this identification for review to staff upon request.
   9. Guests who are not officially registered may be removed at any time from the residence hall and/or campus.
5. Children under 17 years of age are not permitted in the residence halls unless accompanied by a legal guardian, College employee or a sibling who resides in the residence hall who is at least 18 years old. Under no circumstances is an individual under 17 years of age allowed in the residence halls after 9 p.m. or before 9 a.m., unless they are participating in a College-organized program. An individual must be at least 16 years old and a full-time student to reside in the residence halls.
6. Residence halls are open only when classes are in session. During vacation periods residents are required to leave the facilities prior to 5:00 p.m. on the last day of classes. Only those students who have received prior permission from the Director of Residence Life will be permitted to stay during vacations. This costs an additional fee of $150 per week (not including international students).
7. Rooms must be vacated within 24 hours of withdrawal or suspension from the College.
8. All residents are required to contract and pay for an approved College meal plan unless specifically exempted therefrom.
9. This License does not automatically renew upon the expiration of the term hereof. If the student is interested in renewing the term of this License upon expiration, the student must pay their housing deposit and attend Room Reservation or Housing Lottery in the spring semester.   The Office of Residence Life may accept or deny any such renewal request at its sole discretion.
10. Release from Housing License - In the event that a student is no longer registered as a student at the State University of New York at Canton during the term of this License, the student shall use their best efforts to find alternative housing as soon as possible.  Within 24 hours of the date on which the student ceases to be a registered student,  the student shall notify the Residence Life Office of such cessation and include with such notice documentation from the Registrar’s Office verifying such change in status.  Within seven (7) days thereafter, the Office of Residence Life shall determine whether or not it will release the student from any further liability under this License and shall furnish the student with written notification of such determination.  If the Office of Residence Life elects to release the student from such liability, the student shall vacate the Room/Suite within 24 hours of the receipt of the Office of Residence Life’s determination As long as the student remains within the Room/Suite, the student shall remain responsible for the payment and performance of all License fees and other License obligations.

The Office of Residence Life’s decision to release the student from further liability hereunder shall be within the Office of Residence Life’s sole discretion and may be conditioned, at a minimum, upon any one or all of the following:  (a) student moving out of the Room/Suite within 24 hours of receipt of notification of the Office of Residence Life’s determination; (b) student paying SUNY Canton in full for License fee for any time prior to student moving out of the Room/Suite; and (c) student reimbursing SUNY Canton for any damage to the Room/Suite or Complex deemed to be the responsibility of student not covered by the Office of Residence Life’s housing deposit. If student has prepaid any of the above amounts, the Office of Residence Life shall reimburse the student for these prepaid amounts less items mentioned in the preceding sentence. If the Office of Residence Life grants the student a release, then the student shall be entitled to a refund based on the College’s refund schedule as stated in the Student Handbook.

30.13.2 Duties, Standards & Obligations

1. Residents shall be held responsible for and charged with full knowledge of all applicable rules and regulations contained in the current Code of Student Conduct and all Office of Residence Life publications. Students are considered adults and, therefore, are expected to obey all laws and take personal responsibility for their conduct.
2. The resident agrees to conform to generally accepted standards of decent and considerate behavior, including respect for the privacy of others and the maintenance of an atmosphere conducive to study and harmonious living, in keeping with the function and purpose of each room, lounge, or other area of the residence hall.
3. Quiet hours are in effect from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday and Midnight to 10:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Morgue hours are in effect from 10:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday and Midnight to 10:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. A four-hour break occurs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Morgue hours begin approximately one week prior to final examinations and remain in effect through the end of the semester.
4. Courtesy hours are in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The goal is to empower residents to take control of the environment in which they sleep, study and live. Residents are expected to cooperate with reasonable requests from other residents and staff members. Doing so will create a more positive atmosphere and will make for a more enjoyable living environment.
5. The privilege of using alcoholic beverages is governed by State law and College policy as detailed in the Student Handbook. Irresponsible and/or illegal use of alcoholic beverages and/or the resulting inappropriate behavior is strictly prohibited.
6. Refrigerators of 1.7 cubic feet are permitted in student rooms. Larger refrigerators are also acceptable, AS LONG AS the TOTAL cubic footage of refrigerator(s) in each individual student room does not exceed 3.4 cubic feet. Note: Individual refrigerators are prohibited in Kennedy Hall.  Each suite has a full-size refrigerator in its kitchen area.
7. The resident further agrees to comply with any and all further rules, regulations and directions of residence hall staff which the College may prescribe for the safety, cleanliness and care of each room, lounge or other area in the residence hall, and the furniture, fixtures, furnishings, and equipment provided therefore by the College and residence hall as a whole, for the preservation of good order therein; and for the privacy, quiet, comfort, and convenience of all occupants of each room and the residence hall as a whole
8. All students residing in the residence halls must carry a minimum of 12 credit hours. If a student drops below 12 credits during the academic year, they will be required to move from the residence hall unless approval is given by the Director of Residence Life.
9. The following are strictly prohibited anywhere in a College residence hall:
   1. the possession, sale or use without a physician’s prescription of any controlled substance under the laws of the State of New York and College policies as stated in the Student Handbook;
   2. smoking is prohibited in all areas of the residence halls;
   3. gambling;
   4. the possession of any explosive device, dangerous chemical, firearm or weapon, including air guns, BB guns, soft air guns, paintball guns, and archery equipment or any weapon in which the propelling force is spring, piston, or CO2 cartridge, or any deadly weapon as defined in the New York State Penal Law or any object that can be construed as a dangerous instrument. The College requires that all firearms or weapons brought on campus be surrendered at the University Police Department, where they will be stored. They may be picked up by the owner when they desire to use them off-campus. Handguns are never allowed on campus;
   5. the possession of any dangerous knife designated in the NYS Penal Law (including gravity knives) and, in addition, any sheath knife or butterfly knife or any other knife that can be construed as a dangerous instrument;
   6. the possession of open electrical appliances, air conditioners; ovens or cooking appliances of any type; halogen torchiere floor lamps; tube, coil or string lighting; Note: Students residing in Kennedy Hall can have cooking appliances in their kitchen area that supplement the stove and oven;
   7. the possession of engines, motors, and mechanical equipment;
   8. the possession of waterbeds;
   9. the possession or harboring of any birds, cats, dogs, snakes or other pets or animals, except for those approved in advance to live in The Pet Wings or Dog Floor;
   10. the throwing of snowballs, Frisbees, and footballs in and around residence halls. Sports are not allowed in the residence halls;
   11. the use of water guns and water fights in and around residence halls;
   12. the possession of stereo speakers, subwoofers or amplifiers.
10. Commercial use and solicitation in any part of a residence hall is strictly and expressly forbidden except as may be specifically authorized by the Director of Residence Life.
11. Damages – The student(s) residing in a room or suite are responsible for completing the College’s Room Condition Form when moving into or out of a room or suite. This form will be used by the Office of Residence Life to determine damages billable to the student(s). Student(s) are liable for damages in their bedroom as well as any common area damages. Students shall make no alteration to the Room/Suite or any of the amenities of any nature whatsoever without the Residence Hall Director’s prior written consent.

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