Madrid Campus Housing Regulations

Students living in SUMC accommodations have the following rights:

1. The right to silence and rest.
2. The right to privacy.
3. The right to confidentiality.
4. The right to free expression of opinions.
5. The right to respectful and dignified treatment.
6. The right to exercise their freedoms, without infringing on the rights of others.
7. The right to receive all stipulated services.
8. The right to be duly informed regarding all matters related to their situation in University housing.

In Shared Apartments, Suffolk University encourages students to establish their own rules for community life, which allow them mutual respect. Thus, students are free to determine their own schedules for cleaning, use of bathrooms, garbage removal, and use of appliances. In all cases, the rules established for shared apartments must meet and comply with the minimum requisites of these Regulations.

In families, students must be committed to respect and participate actively in family life, behaving as one more member in the family and taking part in domestic chores as much as possible.

In residences, students must comply with the internal regulations and Suffolk University Housing Rules.

Students will need to complete the housing inventory checklist form (which will be provided by our Housing Coordinator after orientation), noting the condition of the room and its furnishings, and return it to the Housing Coordinator within 5 days of moving in. This inventory form is for the student’s own protection and it helps to establish the condition of the housing assignment at the time of arrival.

Residents must comply with the following requisites, at all times being fully responsible for the consequences which result from their actions:

• Students must make every effort to integrate into the spirit of residences, shared apartments and families, and actively collaborate in community life, promoting activities and participating in those that are organized.
• Students must respect all Suffolk University Regulations.
• Students must demonstrate behavior which reflects a spirit of academic, social and civic responsibility, both within and outside of University housing.
• In the common areas students must use adequate attire that will not be offensive or embarrassing to others.

It is against SUMC regulations to:

• Tamper with fire or other safety equipment.
• Possess flammable items, appliances or other items that may be considered a fire hazard in any way.
• Smoke in any part of a SUMC-sponsored housing or building including common areas such as hallways and elevators.
• Start or cause a fire in any SUMC-sponsored housing or building.
• Cause a false fire or safety alarm in any SUMC-sponsored housing or building.
• Possess weapons or items that resemble weapons.
• Throw objects or any substance from, into, or onto SUMC-sponsored housing windows, doors, walls, terraces, ledges, roofs or other areas.
• Bring unauthorized furniture into your SUMC-sponsored housing or building.
• Tamper with devices and furnishings, such as windows, doors, shutters, cranks, stops, locks, door and smoke detectors, or closing devices.
• Install an unauthorized lock on a bedroom, bathroom, or front door.
• Leave residence room doors open when not present in the room and/or fail to lock the room door.
• Enter without authorization, or contribute to the unauthorized entry of another individual, into SUMC-sponsored housing. This includes fraudulent attempts (misrepresentation, using false identification, etc.), to enter or to allow another individual to enter any SUMC-sponsored housing.

Failure to abide by the Housing Guidelines for the student’s assigned SUMC-sponsored housing, or any others related to Housing in Section 4, Student Conduct, of this Handbook will result in disciplinary actions, including expulsion from SUMC housing facilities and/or the University.

The student has a period of 7 days to carefully examine the facility and ask for a change of housing. After this period, if there is no formal complaint, it will be assumed that s/he agrees with all conditions of his/her housing assignment. S/He accepts that s/he will not be moved to another housing facility by Suffolk University Madrid, S.L.U., during the academic period, except in case of Force Majeure (serious household breakdowns, such as ongoing general power outages, insect infestation) and he/she will not be entitled to a refund of the housing fees.

In any of the preceding cases, the student will channel any Change of Housing Request in writing to the SUMC Housing Coordinator, who will reach a final decision within 5 days of receiving the request. This decision will be final.

If a student leaves the housing assignment without a justified cause, s/he will be responsible for compensating the host family, according to the terms of the signed housing contract.

A housing change is allowed only when justifiable reasons exist (see a) above), there is available space, and when students and the Housing Department reach an agreement, following the moving procedure or by signing a document that excludes SU liability. Students are not allowed to change housing assignment on their own, and if they proceed to do so without SU formal authorization, they will be responsible for co compensating the landlord/owner of the housing facility.

Each student is responsible for his/her own belongings. The University cannot be responsible for any loss or damage caused to student property, or any property lost or stolen.
At the end of the academic year or the semester, the residents will vacate their rooms, taking with them all of their personal possessions. Storage of property will not be allowed in the residences or apartments. The Housing Department will take full possession of any abandoned property, with the assumption that the resident has renounced its possession.

The student understands and accepts that authorized University personnel may enter student rooms or other areas of the housing facilities without notice for the following reasons: fire, health and safety inspections, inspection for damage, and/or or other emergency purposes. The University also reserves the right to enter a student's room/common area if there is a reasonable cause to believe that violation of University policies, rules or regulations or of the law has occurred. Housekeeping staff may enter each room on a regular basis for cleaning purposes.

The areas of management and economic mediation of SUMC university housing are overseen by the University Housing Department. If keys are lost, residents must pay for their replacement and for all other necessary expenses. The University is not responsible for any objects or money that might be stolen within the housing premises. It is recommended that residents not leave their property in the common areas.

Students who leave University housing will need to communicate this to the SUMC Housing Coordinator. When a student withdraws from the University, cancelling his/her registration from all of his/her courses, it is understood that he or she is also leaving University housing on the date stated in the withdrawal form submitted to the SUMC Director.
If the student is expelled from University housing for disciplinary reasons, no refund of the Housing Fee will be issued.
The following schedule is based on the date of withdrawal on the withdrawal form:

Students in SUMC-sponsored housing are expected to treat their accommodations with respect and, at departure, to leave them as they found them.

All students in SUMC-sponsored housing are equally responsible for damages caused to the property at the facility where they live. Students sharing the same facility will be charged equally for any damages caused, unless there is any evidence of the person/s who has/have caused them, as per their respective housing guidelines. If a student loses the key of a housing facility and the property owner decides to change the lock, the student will be charged for the total cost of the replacement.

Students who withdraw from University housing before or during the semester will forfeit a percentage of their housing fees, according to the published calendar.