Guide to Residential Living

Mission:

University Housing and Residence Life commits to creating a safe living environment which promotes collaboration, holistic learning and personal growth. Through our programs and services, we challenge students to be community-minded and academically successful.

Actions:

1. Create a Safe Living Environment
   • Staffing and Duty Structure
   • Policies-Quiet Hours, Visitation, etc.
   • Education through Programs
   • Outside Vendors and University Police
   • Maintenance and Facilities
2. Promote Personal Growth and Community
   • Social and Educational Programs
   • Room Assignments
   • Engage Students One-on-One
   • Conflict Resolution
3. Support Academic Success
   • Educational Programs
   • Collaboration with Departments of Academic Advisement and Student Success
   • Policies-Quiet Hours, Visitation, etc.
   • Conflict Resolution

Staff and Contact Information

The University Housing and Residence Life staff are committed to providing a housing experience that will help students achieve success at Armstrong Atlantic State University. We strive to achieve these goals through programs, services and efficient administration. The Office of University Housing & Residence Life is located in the Compass Point Annex, Building 7000. Two community offices are also open to meet the needs of residents. The Compass Point Community Office is located in a smaller building that sits in the middle of the Compass Point community. The Windward Commons Office is located in the Windward Commons Lobby. The following contact information can be used to reach us:

Phone/Fax
Office of University Housing & Residence Life: 912.344.2940 Fax: 912.344.3452
Compass Point Community Office: 912.344.3383
Windward Commons Office:  912.344.2722


Email
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Mail
Armstrong Atlantic State University
ATTN: University Housing
11935 Abercorn Street
Savannah, GA 31419

Visit
The Office of Housing and Residence Life is located on the second floor of the Compass Point Annex, Building 7000.

Professional Staff

The director of university housing is Kim Montague. Kim is responsible for using available resources to achieve the university housing mission. He plans and oversees all housing activities to ensure an educationally sound and secure environment for all students living on-campus. His office is located in the Office of University Housing & Residence Life.

The assistant director for housing facilities and operations is John Johnson. John is responsible for primary functions necessary for the efficient and effective day to day operations of university housing. John's office is located in the Office of University Housing & Residence Life.

The coordinator of resident education is Loren Johnson. Loren directly supervises the Graduate Assistants and indirectly supervises the Community Assistant and Desk Assistant staffs in Windward Commons. Loren oversees the residence life program within a newly constructed residence hall and implements Housing and Residence Life policies and procedures for the first traditional residence hall built at Armstrong Atlantic State University.  Loren partners with multiple areas of campus life to provide programming and student support to first year students living on campus.

Graduate assistant staff members are assigned to specific areas within Housing and Residence Life. The areas where our graduate staff assist students and staff include: graduate residence education coordinator for the Crossings/Terrace apartments, graduate residence education coordinator for Windward Commons, graduate residence education coordinator for Compass Point apartments, advisor to resident student association, office operations, assessment, and special projects, and facilities operations.

Student Staff

One of the most helpful and resourceful persons that students will interact with is their resident assistant (RA). The RAs are AASU students of sophomore standing or above who have been specially selected for this leadership position. Each RA's individual responsibility is to provide leadership, assistance, and support to students in his/her community. The RA is the resident's primary resource for information and assistance with any type of concern. A RA is responsible for (1) getting to know each person in the community, (2) familiarizing students with the residence hall and university rules and regulations, (3) assisting with the enforcement of these rules and regulations, (4) helping residents maintain an environment conducive to studying and learning, (5) acting as a liaison between residents and the Office of University Housing & Residence Life, (6) facilitating student to student and student to staff interaction, (7) assisting in the development of educational and social programming and, (8) being on duty in the evenings and weekends on a rotating basis. Two RAs are on call every night and can be reached by calling 912.429.9063 for the apartments or 912.398.4954 for Windward Commons.

Residence Hall Features

Armstrong Atlantic State University features three on-campus residential communities. All on-campus communities are located a short distance from academic buildings, the Lane Library, the Student Union, and other student support services. A bed, dresser, study desk and chair are provided for each resident in their bedroom. A couch, armchair, dining table and dining chairs are provided for use in the common areas. Standard amenities for each community are central heat and air, basic cable for the living room and each bedroom, and Internet connect ability. Listed below are details about each community. For access to floor plans, please visit http://www.armstrong.edu/Departments/housing_and_residence3/housing_choices_rates.

Compass Point

Compass Point is a community with eight buildings and 560 residents. It features four-bedroom and two-bedroom floor plans. There are 125 four-bedroom units and 30 two-bedroom units. The smaller building in the middle of the community houses the Compass Point Community Office, a multipurpose room, a laundry room, mailbox area and two restrooms. The multipurpose room has a pool table and other games. It can be reserved for meetings or used for study space as well. There is a second laundry room located on the right side of Building 6000.

University Crossings

University Crossings is a community with ten buildings and 104 residents. It features two-bedroom/one-bath units and two-bedroom/two-bath units. There are 12 two-bedroom/one-bath units and 40 two-bedroom/two-bath units. The smaller building to the left of Building 100 houses the University Crossings Community Office and a laundry room.

University Terrace

University Terrace is a community with four buildings and 192 residents. It features two-bedroom/one-bath units and four-bedroom/four-bath units. There are 48 two-bedroom/one-bath units and 24 four-bedroom/four-bath units.

Windward Commons

Windward Commons is an all freshman community and 567 residents. It features private and semi-private units. There are approximately 199 private units and 106 semi-private units.

Residence Hall Services

Maintenance and Repairs To report a maintenance issue, please submit an on-line maitenance work order. Give your name, apartment number including bedroom and an accurate description of the issue. Maintenance requests are submitted to the Department of Plant Operations for completion. Please be patient as many requests may come in one day. Requests are prioritized by importance. For example, a leaking air conditioning unit will be repaired before a towel rack is replaced.

Cable Service
To report issues with your cable service, please submit an on-line cable work order. Give your name, apartment number including bedroom, Cove ID,  and your contact phone. Cable requests are submitted to Computer Services and/or Comcast, depending on your Housing community. Please be patient as many requests take up to 48 hours.

Laundry Facilities
Laundry facilities are provided in each community. To report issues with the washers/dryers, please call your area office with the machine number and location of the broken machine.

Pest Control
University Housing & Residence Life contracts with an outside vendor to provide pest control services to our communities. If you are experiencing issues with pests, please call or stop by the housing office to report it. Your apartment will be added to the list for the next visit. A technician will treat on a monthly basis.

Mail Service & Deliveries
Mail is delivered after 4 p.m. Monday-Friday.  University Mail Room staff distributes the mail. Please allow adequate time for the mail to be distributed each day. It typically takes 1-3 hours depending on the amount of mail received per day. When a package is received, a "You've Got Mail" slip is put into your mailbox indicating your package is ready for pickup. You may pick up your package in the Mail Room (Suite 25 of the Armstrong Center) Monday through Friday between the hours of 12:30 and 4:30 p.m. ID must be provided to pick-up a package. Please note that the University Housing & Residence Life or Mail Room staff will not sign for certified mail or anything that requires a signature from the receiver.

Light Bulbs
The replacement of light bulbs, excluding Windward Commons residents, is the responsibity of the resident. University Housing will provide working light bulbs at move-in and residents should be sure lights are functional at that time. Any light bulbs that are not functional at move-in should be reported to Main Housing within 48 hours  from receiving assignment keys or become the responsiblity of the resident.
 
Community Expectations
In a group living environment, it is important for students to understand their rights as a student and their responsibilities to others. The rights to study and sleep are considered primary in the residence hall environment. A student's major purpose is to pursue an education. Excessive noise may infringe on those rights to sleep or study. It is each student's responsibility to make sure they and their guests are not inhibiting another person's rights.

It is also the responsibility of each student to keep the living area clean and sanitary. Trash must be taken out in a reasonable time and may not pile up in the room. Random health and safety inspections will occur throughout the year to ensure the living areas are up to standard. If living areas do not meet expectations, a certain time frame will be mandated to meet expectations. Automatic fines are issued for pets, candles and smoking in the room.

When a student signs a university housing contract, they are agreeing to abide by the policies, procedures, rules and regulations of Armstrong Atlantic State University. Please be sure to familiarize yourself with these.

Housing Contract

Every resident by submitting an applicationt to the Office of University Housing & Residence Life is signing into a legally binding contract. A non-refundable application fee of $250.00 is required. Rooms are assigned based on preference of roommate and/or questions found in the application. The University Housing & Residence Life staff makes every effort to match people with similar interests. Please see the "Your Roommates" section for more information on strategies to have a pleasant roommate experience.

Moving-In/Moving-Out

During Move-In, you will be issued room keys and a mail key. You will also complete a Room Condition Report (RCR). This form is what determines if damage charges are to be billed to you when you check out of your room. The staff will be available to welcome you and assist you with any questions. Move-In days are typically the Friday before the first day of classes.

During Move-Out, you must schedule an appointment with the Main Housing Office. You and a RA will go through your room and record any changes to your room on the RCR. You will turn in all keys issued to you at that time. Please note the end date of your contract now so you will be prepared to move out on the correct date. Only those with classes and exams are excused to stay past the contract end date. To verify, please submit a class or final exam schedule to Housing and Residence Life.

Break Periods

All communities, except for Windward Commons, will remain open for all University holiday break periods. Windward Commons closes only for the winter holiday season.

Room Changes

Students may request room change. Students interested in a room change must complete a Room Change Request Form. All room changes must be approved through the Office of University Housing & Residence Life, even if you are just switching bedrooms. Illegal room changes will result in a fine and moving back to the original room. If a conflict occurs between roommates, both parties should consult with their area's RA who can help to resolve conflict. It is important to remember successful roommates communicate, compromise and are respectful of each other's feelings.

Damages

Damages to the rooms and apartments are responsibility of the resident. Damage charges will be assessed during move-out and health and safety inspections and charged to the student's account. In order to prevent confusion, it is suggested that students inspect their rooms thoroughly as soon as they check in. Damage to common areas is more difficult to assess. Damage charges will be shared equally by all roommates unless residents provide written notice to their RA indicating that they are taking responsibility for damage.

Damage charges are used to assist in repairing or replacing damaged items. Faulty equipment and damage should be reported to a staff member. If there is damage in a room, do not attempt to repair it yourself because this can often increase the cost. University personnel are available for that purpose and can remedy the situation in a reasonable time period.

Renewing Your Housing Contract

Students, who wish to return to on-campus housing for the following year, must sign a new contract. The Office of University Housing & Residence Life will publish information about the specific deadlines. Please remember to pay attention to the deadlines. If a student does not renew by the deadline, they may be unable to keep their same room or be guaranteed the room of their choice. Please make sure you are ready to commit to another year before signing a new contract.

Housing Contract

You are responsible for knowing all information contained in the housing contract.  A copy of the 2010- 2011 contract is available online at:  http://www.armstrong.edu/images/housing/2010-2011_AASU_Housing_Agreement_and_Application_4-9-10.pdf?AASUSTID=d0ebc4907592df599a79edbba26208fc

Rules and Regulations

You are responsible for knowing all rules and regulations. A complete copy of the rules and regulations are available online at:
http://www.armstrong.edu/Departments/housing_and_residence3/housing_rules_and_regulations

Brief Overview of Most Common Violations

Trash: All trash and garbage will be placed in designated trash receptacles located in the community's parking lot. Resident agrees to place trash directly into such receptacles and not leave in the units, common areas, hallways, breezeways or similar areas. AASU Housing reserves the right to impose a reasonable charge for violation of this provision as well as for littering by resident.

Tobacco: Use of all tobacco products is prohibited in the buildings, porches and breezeways. Students may smoke in gazebos or at least one hundred (100) feet away from an exit/ entrance.

Alcohol and Drugs: Alcoholic beverages are not permitted in university housing. No alcoholic beverages may be brought to, stored, displayed (empty, partially full or full), or consumed in any residential community. Any person, regardless of age, found in violation of this policy will be subject to legal action and judicial sanctions. In addition, the manufacture, distribution, sale, possession or use of marijuana, controlled substances or dangerous drugs in an unlawful manner is a serious threat to the public health, safety, welfare and academic achievement of residents living in the residence communities of the university. In addition, the university prohibits drug paraphernalia.

Visitation and Guests: Guests are defined as family members, friends, or other persons related to or affiliated in any way with the resident. Residents are responsible for the behavior of their guest(s) and must inform them of the terms and provisions of the Housing Agreement, the Housing and Residence Life Rules and Regulations and the AASU Code of Conduct. The resident is responsible for the actions of his/her guests and invitees while they are on campus. This covers the apartments, laundry room, parking lot and all common spaces. The host resident must escort guests in the apartment or common areas at all times. Residents are not permitted to host any individual who has an active trespass restriction prohibiting access to AASU and/or Housing and Residence Life. Residents are permitted to have guests of the opposite gender during the following hours: 10 a.m. - 12 a.m.

Overnight guests of the opposite gender are not permitted. Same gender overnight guests are only allowed with the consent of the other roommate(s). Subject to the prior agreement of the other roommate(s), guests are restricted to a maximum stay of two nights at any one time, and no more than a total of four nights of overnight visits per month. AASU does not allow coed occupancy of rooms/apartments. Cohabitation is defined as having a guest who spends more than 20 hours per week in resident's apartment/room or a member of a different gender in resident's apartment/bedroom after midnight. Guests who violate the visitation policy are subject to criminal prosecution for trespassing. It is important for roommates to discuss their preferences with respect to all visitors in the apartment, whether overnight or not. Visitation or overnight guests of one roommate should not infringe on the rights or access of the other roommate(s).

Pets: Pets/animals are not allowed to live on or visit premises. Up to ten-gallon fish tanks holding non-carnivorous fish only will be allowed. If fish tanks are not cleaned routinely, become a nuisance to other residents or pose possible damage to the premises, the resident will be given written notice to remove the tank within 72 hours.

Personal & Fire Safety

Emergencies Most "emergencies" (injuries, abdominal pain, localized burns, indigestion, etc) need immediate attention, but are not life-threatening situations. Call the health clinic during operation hours, 9 a.m. — 5 p.m. After hours, emergency medical care is available at one of the local hospitals. Students are responsible for all cost incurred for emergency transportation and hospital care.

At all times, life-threatening emergencies should go directly to the most convenient emergency room. Should the student need assistance in being transported to the emergency room (EMS), call University Police at 912.344.3333. University Police will determine the best way to proceed once the call is made.

Severe Weather Procedures

Tornado Watch Weather conditions are favorable for a tornado to occur during the next few hours. A specific watch area is usually given. During the watch period, stay turned to radio/TV for further information. Your CA may have instructions for you in the event that the "watch" becomes a "warning".

Tornado Warning A tornado has been sighted or noted in the immediate area. This type of alert allows you only minutes to take emergency actions. The safest place in during a tornado is the hallway between the rooms and bathrooms. Your CA will notify you when the warning is over.

Hurricane Watch Conditions are favorable to threaten the immediate area. The CA will hold a mandatory hurricane building meeting. At this meeting the CA will inform residents of the situation and determine if any students will need hurricane assistance if an evacuation is ordered. Students should contact parents and begin to make plans to leave if necessary.

Hurricane Warning An official university hurricane warning means that it is likely a hurricane will strike land near the Savannah area. All students will be required to evacuate campus. University Housing and Residence Life staff will conduct walkthrough of campus housing. Those that need evacuation assistance will be taken to the gym at East Georgia College.

Fire Alarm Procedures

General Fire Safety Guide / Evacuation Procedures

• If you see or smell a fire, call University Police at 912.344.3333 and inform them there is a fire.
• Evacuate in a quick and orderly fashion. Stand outside the building, out of the way of emergency personnel.
• Close and lock all doors on your way out, if safe to do so.
• After emergency personal approves re-entry, the resident will be allowed to re-enter.

Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers should be used only for small fires that you are confident can be extinguished safely. Your first priority is personal safety. You should be familiar with the location of the fire extinguisher in your unit and how to use it. The fire extinguishers are dry chemical extinguishers and will put out three types of small fires: Class A, Class B, and Class C.

These classes are defined as:
Class A: Ordinary combustibles (wood, paper, etc.)
Class B: Flammable liquids (gasoline, etc.)
Class C: Electrical (appliances, electrical panels, etc.)

To operate a fire extinguisher:

1. Pull the pin
2. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire
3. Squeeze the handle
4. Sweep the nozzle from side to side

Fire Sprinkler System
To ensure proper functioning of the sprinkler system, please observe the following:
1. Sprinkler heads should never be obstructed or tampered with in any manner.
2. Items should not be hung on or attached to the sprinkler head or piping.
3. Items should not be hung or stored within 18 inches of the sprinkler head.  
4. Balls, Frisbes and other items that can damage the sprinkler head are not to be thrown in rooms, hallways, or other public areas.

Tampering with the fire sprinkler system is a violation of State law and University regulation and will result in University disciplinary action, including fines, removal from the residence hall, and /or possible legal action. Residents who tamper with the fire sprinkler system and cause damage will be responsibile for all cost to repair the system. Residents who tamper with the sprinkler system and cause a sprinkler head to activate will be subject to disciplinary action, including fines and possible removal from the resedence hall and also be responsible for all damage to resident and University property.

Smoke Detectors
Smoke detectors are provided in every apartment and are battery or electrically operated. Individual units smoke detectors will not activate general complex alarms. Do not remove or tamper with the smoke detectors. Problems with smoke detectos should be reported to Main Housing and Residence Life as soon as possible.

Local Medical Facilities

Urgent One - Savannah Mall
14089 Abercorn Street
Savannah, Ga. 31406
912.350.2121
Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., every day

St Joseph's Hospital
11705 Mercy Blvd
Savannah, GA 31419
912.925.4100

Memorial University Medical Center
4700 Waters Avenue
Savannah, GA 31404
912.350.8000

Computer Usage

Network:
Armstrong Atlantic State University provides network services to the students. These services are comprised of a University System of Georgia Internet connections solution for Compass Point and a Comcast solution for all other areas. The network services are provided for academic usage. Any student who misuses these services for, but not limited to, compromising foreign or internal systems, phishing attacks, unsolicited email, virus propagation, warez servers, distributed denial of service, pornography or file sharing may be subject to disciplinary action through established channels, up to and including expulsion. Upon the approval of Computer Information Services or university housing, both judicial and legal actions can and will be used against individuals who repeatedly or who are deemed intentionally violating this policy. Misuse or inappropriate configuration of home grade network appliances is subject to device confiscation or revocation of network privileges.

Support:
Armstrong Atlantic State University support Windows 2000 and newer and Mac OSX 10.2 and higher. Any machine running an out of date operating system will not receive support by any Armstrong technicians. Hardware requirements for supported operating systems are listed on the vendors' sites. PCI or PCMCIA 10/100 Ethernet cards are recommended for desktops and laptops respectively.

Armstrong Atlantic State University will provide support for network connectivity issues in Armstrong controlled environments. The presence of viruses or spyware may warrant an entire system restore which will be performed by the owner or a third party. Recommended approaches or solutions are going to follow a machine diagnosis which fall outside the policy on network connectivity issues. University Housing and Armstrong Atlantic State University do not provide warranty for computer hardware or software that is not directly owned by the University. Additionally, University Housing and Armstrong Atlantic State University will not warrant nor is responsible for malicious network traffic intended for your computer or subnet. At times, malicious software and unapproved network appliances can create issues on the AASU network. If a machine, due to malicious software, is deemed to be in an inappropriate condition for use on the network or an unapproved network appliance causes outages, the line in the room will be disabled. The line will not be enabled until the machine or unapproved network appliance has been checked through or removed respectively. This will be done by appointment and all machines must be considered properly running and malware free.

If you are experiencing network connectivity issues with your computer, please check that you have done the following before contacting us about scheduling an appointment.

• Have you rebooted your computer?
• Have you performed an update on your operating system recently?
• Have you installed antivirus software?
• Do you have an active subscription service with your antivirus manufacturer?
• Have you updated and scanned your computer for malicious software?
• Have you tried to do an online scan? One can be found at http://www.trendmicro.com.
• Is network connectivity restored if you try another network jack in the apartment?
• If you have checked on all of these and network connectivity is not working, please contact the helpdesk (Compass Point only).

ITS HelpDesk Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Friday
912.344.2518
Email: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Online Form: http://www.armstrong.edu/Departments/cis/cis_problem_report_form

In University Terrace I&II and University Crossings network connectivity issues should be reported to your community office.

Judicial Procedures

When a violation occurs, students involved will receive a letter or be required to meet with the appropriate staff member. If a resident refuses to meet with the staff member, an administrative hold can be placed on the student account until the meeting has taken place. During a meeting, a student will be given a sanction depending on the nature and the number of times the violation has occurred. If the student refuses to complete the sanction, he/she is immediately subject to eviction and/or additional fines.

Students who have been found guilty of violating the AASU code of conduct for possession and/or use of alcohol or drugs during the course of a calendar year will be required to complete the drug and alcohol counseling and education classes. Failure to complete these classes by the assigned deadline will result in further sanctions, including a $150 fine.

A first offense drug violation may result in immediate eviction from the residence halls, $200 fine and will result in parental notification. A second offense drug violation will result in suspension from the university. A student believed to distribute and/or sell drugs will be suspended and arrested, regardless of a first or subsequent offense.

Your Roommate(s)

Living with roommate(s) is easy for some and not so easy for others. It will take some work, but it is not hopeless. The most important thing is to COMMUNICATE early and often. The more you know about your roommate(s), the better you can work out conflict if it arises. Be realistic with expectations of one another. Be considerate and courteous at all times. Below is the "Roommate Bill of Rights" and may be helpful when discussing compromises.

Roommate Bill of Rights

• The right to sleep and study free from unreasonable noise, guests and other distractions that inhibit this right
• The right to be free from fear, intimidation, and physical/emotional harm
• The right to a clean room and common areas
• The right to have one's belongings respected
• The right of access to one's room and common areas without pressure from a roommate
• The right to have guests when they will not disturb one's roommate's right to sleep or study
• The right to privacy
• The right to redress grievances or conflict

If conflict arises and cannot be solved by the roommates, request that your CA do a Roommate Agreement Contract. This process helps bring about better communication, assertiveness when needed, and honesty.

Residential Student Association (RSA)

All residential students of Armstrong Atlantic State University are automatically members of this organization. They may attend meetings and relay ideas and opinions to their community delegate. The purpose of this organization is to represent the residential population in all aspects of campus life, to create opportunities for students to interact and to provide leadership for change in accordance with the goals of the students. The RSA is also organized to facilitate communication and cooperation between communities, to seek solutions to problems facing residential students and residential communities. The RSA will serve, as needed, to relay and confer pertinent information with the appropriate student, faculty or staff.

There are many ways to get involved with the Residential Student Association. One way is to represent your community at the meetings once a month. If you get involved and decide you want to take on a bigger role, an executive position may be for you. There are five executive officers who lead this organization including a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and national communications coordinator. Start your leadership experience at AASU with this organization! The benefits of joining this organization are:

• Develop leadership skills that will enhance your overall experience in college
• Coordinate and plan events that are fun for all three residential communities.
• Meet new friends!
• Develop personal relationships with administrators, faculty and staff
• The chance to make a lasting impression on the campus of AASU!