Moving In

Check-in

Every resident must register with complex/hall staff upon initial occupancy. As part of the check-in process, each resident will complete and return an apartment/room inventory form, a registration card (which includes name and contact information for the person to be notified in the event a resident is missing), sign for receipt of keys, and receive other important information.

Your Room/Suite/Apartment

Decorations/Alterations

Residents are cautioned not to make any modifications–whether structural, electrical, or plumbing–to the facilities, nor to attempt any construction or remodeling, no matter how minor. No furniture may be removed from residents' rooms, including double rooms rented as singles.

Residents are not allowed to decorate any room/apartment wall or other surface with paint, wallpaper, paneling, or contact paper. If you believe walls need repainting, complete a maintenance request at your complex information desk or through your Scholarship Hall Director. The complex custodial supervisor will determine if such work is needed or can be scheduled.

Residents who wish to personalize their rooms must exercise good judgment to insure their personal safety as well as the safety of others living in the complex. The following guidelines should be observed:

1. Excessive amounts of burnable material should not be kept in resident rooms.
2. Construction, decoration, or arrangement of furnishings in a manner that hinders easy exit from a room is not permitted. No obstacle should prevent a door from completely opening. The arrangement of the room furnishings must not require maintenance personnel or roommates to lift or move heavy furniture in order to work on equipment or exit the room.
3. Decorative items and other paraphernalia such as cloth, fish netting, paper, parachutes, or any other highly combustible material may not be hung from the ceiling or from other overhead room structures.
4. Open flame decorations (i.e. candles, oil lamps, and incense) are prohibited.
5. Empty cereal malt beverage and alcoholic liquor containers which have been physically altered to serve solely decorative purposes are permitted with the prior approval of the Complex Director. See alcohol policy in "Policies and Procedures" chapter.
6. Decoration on the outside of the room door or on the room's window is permitted if it is not offensive or objectionable to members of the hall community, is not in violation of university guidelines, does not constitute a fire hazard, and if the adhering material(s) used does not cause damage.
7. Dry erase boards/white boards should be hung on the room door. Do not hang them on surrounding walls, as they will cause significant damage.
8. Nails should not be driven into the walls or furniture. Residents may hang room decorations from molding strips, which are provided in scholarship halls and some residence halls. Decorations may be hung with straight pins (on dry wall or plaster walls) or double-sided tape on block walls. If you have questions about the proper method of hanging items in your room, see your Resident Assistant or Scholarship Hall Director.
9. Roommates should agree on the decorations in their room, suite or apartment.

Holiday Decorations

Holiday decorative greenery and live trees represent a fire hazard and are not permitted in KU Student Housing facilities. Artificial trees and other decorative items should be flameproof. Caution should be exercised when using lights on metallic trees and in windows because of the increased potential for electric shock. Residents must remove and store all holiday decorations prior to leaving for winter break.

Furnishings

Furnishings provided must remain in the room/apartment.

Residence and Scholarship Hall Room

Each resident is provided with the following items:

• extra-long twin bed/mattress
• desk and desk chair
• closet space
• dresser space

Each residence hall room also has the following items:

• mirror
• network connection access
• venetian blinds
• cable TV hook-up
• trash can

Jayhawker Towers

Every apartment is equipped with a twin bed, a desk, and a desk chair for each resident. Closets and dressers are located in the bedrooms. The furniture must remain in the apartment for the duration of the contract. Cable TV, network connection access, and local phone service are provided. Residents are encouraged to collaborate with roommates when deciding upon living room furniture. A furniture rental option is available. Please contact the Department of Student Housing at 864-4560 for information.

Stouffer Place and Sunflower Apartments

Apartments in Stouffer Place and Sunflower Apartments are unfurnished except for kitchen appliances (stove and refrigerator) and ceiling light fixtures. The resident is responsible for providing furnishings as desired, although waterbeds are not permitted. A furniture rental option is available. Please contact the Department of Student Housing at 864-4560 for information. Sunflower Apartments have shades or venetian blinds provided in each room. Stouffer Place Apartments have no window treatments provided.

Window Measurements

• Living room 90 inches wide by 72 inches long
• Master bedroom 66 inches wide by 59 inches long
• Bathroom 26 1/2 inches wide by 32 inches long

Traverse Rod Measurements �| Traverse rods for draperies are on the living room and most bedroom windows; otherwise a cafe' rod is provided:

• Living room 105–110 inches wide, 91 inches to the floor, 32 inches to the window sill.
• Master bedroom 77 inches wide, 85 inches to the floor, 52 inches to the window sill.
• For making curtains for the living room, you will need at least 14 yards of pleater tape and 5 widths of material 45 inches wide. Total yardage will vary according to desired length.

Floor Tile

Where present, the floor tile in your apartment/room has been cleaned and waxed prior to your arrival. To keep it in good condition, it should be swept and lightly damp-mopped. Do not flood the floors with water because it will cause the tiles to loosen.

Lofted and Bunked Beds

Each residence/scholarship hall has beds that bunk or loft.

Residents of Ellsworth Hall may request safety rails and/or ladders for their lofted beds. Safety rails are also available for Hashinger Hall residents. The Department of Student Housing works collaboratively with a company that supplies a rental loft option that fits the bunk beds found in many of the other residence halls. Please contact the Department of Student Housing for information about the rental option.

You may bring your own freestanding loft provided that it does not hinder exit from the room and that the distance from the floor to the top of the sleeping surface is not greater than five feet. Lofts may not be affixed to or supported by the walls of the room/apartment. No bed or portions thereof may be removed from the room. Contact your Complex Director if you have questions.

Air Conditioning/Heating, Residence Halls, Scholarship Halls, Jayhawker Towers

All Student Housing facilities are adequately and appropriately heated. Unless provided by the Department of Student Housing, no space heaters are permitted. Residence halls, Jayhawker Towers, Sunflower Apartments, and all of the scholarship halls are air-conditioned.

Air conditioning in most residence halls and Jayhawker Towers are provided by a two-pipe system: one pipe carries water that has been centrally heated or cooled; the other pipe returns condensate from your room to the boiler/cooling tower. Maintenance staff consult a 5-7 day weather forecast to determine when they will begin the two- to three-day process of changing buildings from heating to cooling mode (or vice versa).

Fan coil units in each room distribute warm/cool air (you control the fan speed). Some residents have attempted to warm the air tem��perature in their rooms by opening windows. We advise against this because it may result in condensation in your room.

Renovated residence halls and some scholarship halls feature heating/cooling controls in each suite.

Students in Corbin Hall have window units installed by the Department of Student Housing. Steam heat is activated when the long-term forecast predicts constinuous cool weather.

Air Conditioning/Heating, Stouffer Place and Sunflower Apartments

Central air conditioning units are provided in each Sunflower Apartments duplex by the Department of Student Housing.

In Stouffer Apartments, the renovated apartment buildings have central air conditioning. A 220-volt outlet is located in the master bedroom of all standard apartments. This is the only room in which you can use a 220-volt air conditioner. Never run an air conditioner on an extension cord. This can damage the air conditioner and creates an unsafe condition that could result in fire or electrical shock to you or a member of your family. If the cord on your air conditioner is not long enough to reach the outlet, a longer cord should be installed on the unit by a qualified electrician. 110-volt air conditioners may be installed in the master bedroom, a second bedroom, or living room windows where 110-volt outlets are located near the window. Residents are responsible for installing their own air conditioner. Please give maintenance 24 hours notice when requesting removal or replacement of a window sash in order to install an air conditioner. Then follow these guidelines:

1. Unit is to be flush-mounted with the interior wall line of the building. In other words, the unit is to be on the outside of the apartment with a slight downward tilt for drainage.
2. 2. The resident assumes full responsibility for damages to Stouffer Place property during the installation and removal of the unit. Due to the age of the windows and the difficulty in removing and replacing them, you may not remove the air conditioner unit at the end of each season. You are responsible for storing the window. The opening should be weather- and water-proofed. Provisions should be made for the proper collection of the moisture that accumulates from condensation. Install the air conditioner in the window closest to the outlet.
3. No additional electrical wiring is permissible.

Thermostats, Stouffer and Sunflower Apartments

The thermostat controls the temperature of your apartment. Depending on the model, turning the dial in the center will raise or lower the temperature. An indicator (pointer) will move as you turn the dial, showing the temperature you desire. Another point, which will move with the dial, indicates the temperature in the room. Do not turn the dial past 80 degrees. Do not cover or hang anything from the thermostat. Most thermostats have some degree of variation, perhaps as much as five degrees. If this is the case in your apartment, allow for it when you select a setting.

Furnaces should be serviced only by Student Housing maintenance personnel. Keep the access to the mechanical room clear at all times. The pilot light should be left on at all times to prevent moisture build-up inside the furnace which would cause it to rust. If a hole rusts through the firebox, gas fumes may escape. All furnaces will be checked and serviced annually. Filters will be changed at that time. Please keep the cold air return in the living room open and clear of furniture. This provides the necessary cold air return to the furnace for proper heat circulation. Blocking the return vent reduces the heating efficiency and will cause the furnace motor to burn out. It is the resident's responsibility to see that adequate heat is provided to prevent freezing of pipes during holiday periods or any other period when the resident is absent from the apartment.

Electrical Appliances

All UL-approved appliances with fully enclosed heating elements and/or electrical wiring are permitted. These are prohibited in residence hall and scholarship hall rooms: Toasters, toaster ovens, electric fry pans, George Forman grills, or other appliances with exposed heating elements and appliances that could cause a fire if left unattended. The total electrical requirements added to accommodate decorations, light��ing, and appliances should not exceed that which can be provided by one surge protector strip per electrical outlet. Window air conditioning units are not allowed except as provided by the Department of Student Housing or as specified above for Stouffer Place. Use of multiple socket plugs, running extension cords under carpeting, and direct splicing into the electrical outlet is prohibited. However, UL-approved surge protection strips are encouraged and recommended. Halogen lamps are discouraged. Washers, dryers, and dishwashers are not permitted in apartments, unless provided, because the size of existing drain lines cannot accommodate the additional demands of these appliances.

Care of University Property

The resident is responsible for keeping university-owned equipment and furnishings in good condition. Residents should carry personal proper��ty and liability insurance. The University of Kansas assumes no responsibility for losses, damages, or injuries of any sort occurring to persons or property in university residential facilities.

Damage

Students will be held financially responsible for any damages, lost property, or unusual service or repair to their rooms caused by accident, neglect, or intent. When more than one resident occupies the same room and responsibility for damage or loss in the room cannot be ascer-tained by the Department of Student Housing, costs will be assessed and divided equally between the residents of the room.

Residents must complete an inventory form when they check into their room, suite or apartment. This form will record in detail the condition of the accommodation at check-in time. Residents also are liable for any and all damage caused by a guest during the course of a visit.

Insurance

You are encouraged to have a renter's insurance policy. Insurance carried by the Department of Student Housing covers university property only.

Your Roommate

Roommates can be fun. In fact, you and your roommates may develop a lifelong friendship. Most people enjoy the company of others and want the opportunity to share opinions, interests, good times, and educational experiences.

Residents may request a roommate by name on the housing application form. The request must be mutual and the applications must be received early in order for both residents to be assigned to the same room/suite/apartment. An effort will be made to place residents with the roommates of their choice.

Whether you live with a roommate you've known for years or take "the luck of the draw," learning about each other and living with your differ-ences can benefit you both. The best suggestion we can offer to help roommates get along is for all to be courteous, thoughtful, and consider-ate. If things don't go well, there are staff members who can help. In the residence halls and apartment communities, Resident Assistants (RAs) are available. In scholarship halls, the Scholarship Hall Director (SHD) and Proctor are available to offer guidance and helpful suggestions. Staff members can help you work out those stresses that may arise between individuals who have different schedules, habits, and lifestyles. Every now and then a problem may arise that can only be resolved through a change of rooms. If this is the case, please contact your RA or SHD for correct procedures. Most of the time significant roommate problems don't occur. Consideration and effective communication help prevent the most common problems. You will be asked by your RA or Proctor to complete a Roommate Agreement during one of your first meetings to help you and your roommate talk about issues that will be important to your ability to get along.

Helpful Hints:

Sit down with your roommate(s) during the first few days of school to decide what you will do about the following:

• visitors to the room
• setting and turning off the alarm clock
• anticipated bedtime
• sleeping patterns: darkness in room, radio to sleep by, etc.
• study patterns: is music on or off during study time?
• how do you feel about sharing belongings?
• how do you feel about food in the room?

Make an agreement about who cleans what and when. Divide all the cleaning responsibilities. If someone isn't doing his or her part, don't wait around for a change. Talk with your roommates immediately. Don't make demands or write complaining notes. This just creates problems rather than solving them.

Find out how your roommates feel about lending things to others. This can include items such as clothes, money, stereo, cars, etc. Some people don't mind lending things to their roommates, but do mind lending to other people. Find out, and let your roommates know your feelings, too.

Always strive to keep the lines of communication open. Listen. Chances are good that if something is bothering you, it is also bothering your roommates. So talk about it, be tactful, and remember that roommates are human, too.

Find out what the visitor situation will be like. If you have a roommate with friends who stay up late or socialize when you like to sleep, you may be in a situation where a compromise will have to be negotiated.

Spend time with your roommates so that you can get to know each other better. This will assist you when and if problems arise later. Find out what common interests you have and build on them. What kind of music do you each prefer, and at what volume? What kind of entertainment/activities do you enjoy? Have you ever shared a room before, perhaps with a brother or sister?

Respect your roommate as an individual. Don't depend on him/her to satisfy all your emotional and social needs. Make other friends, too, and get involved in some activities that are interesting and pertinent to your needs. Most importantly, realize that you are sharing. If one person tries to make another conform to his or her own style, it usually causes bad feelings. Think of your roommates and yourself as a household and agree on conditions in which you can all live comfortably.

Internet Connection, Cable and Phone

Voice, data, and cable services are provided to students living on campus through ResNet www.resnet.ku.edu. Rooms and apartments in the residence halls, scholarship halls and Jayhawker Towers have active phone and cable connections. Residents need only to connect their equipment to obtain service.

Wireless connectivity is possible in residence hall common rooms, scholarship halls and Jayhawker Tower A. All students seeking direct connection to the campus network must register online through ResNet. ResNet offices are located in the Burge Union. With a ResNet account, residents may access the wireless network.

Residents must refrain from engaging in any activity such as downloading or sharing files that will violate a copyright holder's copyright.

Stouffer Place residents establish their own account with ResNet for voice, data, and cable connections.

Using the campus phone system: When calling an administrative number on the university telephone system, press "4" followed by the last four digits of the phone number. When calling a campus residence on the university telephone system, press "2" followed by the last four digits of the phone number. When calling an off-campus number, press "8" and then the phone number. Residents may use a personal calling card when making long distance telephone calls from their telephone. Collect calls may not be accepted for billing to any student housing facility line.

If you prefer that your telephone number not be given to inquirers, you must complete a request to place restrictions on the release of information to public inquiry through the Office of the University Registrar and notify the Department of Student Housing in writing.

Parking

All residents who own motor vehicles should purchase a parking permit to park in the lots assigned to their living community. Limited metered slots are available at the residence halls; however, their purpose is to provide parking spaces for visitors to the hall. For current parking informa-tion, consult the University of Kansas Parking Regulations or contact 864-PARK. The regulation of parking is a serv-ice provided to the university and its visitors. Parking lots are closely monitored by KU Parking and Transit.

Residents are expected to observe speed limits on area streets and should not park in a manner blocking the street. All vehicles must display current license tags and parking permits. Park between the painted lines when using parking stalls. Gasoline-powered vehicles (such as motor scooters) may not be parked close to or inside the building or be driven on sidewalks. When maintaining vehicles, please refrain from draining your motor oil into the storm sewer drain. Batteries, tires, motor oil and other miscellaneous parts must be disposed of according to city ordinances.

Utilities (Stouffer Place and Sunflower Apartments)

All utility charges are paid by the resident (water is provided at Sunflower Apartments); the Department of Student Housing is not responsible for any utility charges accrued while you have possession of the apartment. Each apartment is metered separately. It is the resident's responsibility to contact the utility companies and have service accounts set up in your name prior to occupancy. A security deposit may be required. Sunflower Apartment residents may choose to set up phone service with the provider of their choice.

Local utility companies are:

Westar Energy (Electricity), 1-(800)-794-6101

City Water Department, 1-(785) 832-7878

Black Hills Energy (Gas), 1-(800)-303-0752

Sunflower Broadband (cable, optional phone), (785) 841-2100

Public School Information for Stouffer Place & Sunflower Residents

Information about bus service for public school-age children is available from the Lawrence school district offices. Information about Lawrence schools serving Stouffer Place is available at http://www.usd497.org.