Co-op Housing 2022-2023 Terms and Conditions

Cornell University - Student and Campus Life
Cooperative Academic-Year Housing License: 2022-2023
Terms and Conditions for Single Student Housing

Your Housing License is a legal and binding agreement that creates a revocable license for you to occupy your University-assigned housing, subject to these Terms and Conditions for Academic-Year Housing: 2022-2023 (“Terms and Conditions”), and the Special Circumstances (COVID-19) Addendum (“Addendum”). The Terms and Conditions and Addendum are part of your Housing License, and any references to “Housing License” expressly includes all provisions of the Terms and Conditions and Addendum.

The Housing License is not a lease, and does not create a landlord-tenant relationship between you and the University.

EFFECTIVE DATE

Your Housing License is legally binding as of the date you accept your housing assignment in the StarRez system, and continues for the entire Term (see Section IV, Occupancy, below).

COMPLIANCE WITH LICENSE TERMS AND RULES AND REGULATIONS

Your occupancy of University housing is subject at all times to your compliance with the provisions of the Housing License, the Student Code of Conduct, all applicable University policies (expressly including but not limited to Policy 6.4: Prohibited Bias, Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual and Related Misconduct), and all applicable local, state, and federal laws and regulations. You also agree to comply with all House Rules or any other rules and regulations as the University may from time to time issue for the welfare of the community or for the general convenience or comfort of residents.

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for residence in University-owned cooperative residence during the academic year, you must be currently registered as full-time (minimum 12 credit hours) and maintain active status in a Cornell University academic-year special program; be participating in a University internship program; be an authorized employee/research assistant for a Cornell staff person/department; or be a University student employee authorized by the Student and Campus Life (“SCL”) to live in the residence halls. You must also remain current on all financial obligations to the University. The University reserves the right to require you to provide verification of your eligibility status that is satisfactory to the University in its sole discretion.

OCCUPANCY

You may occupy your assigned housing beginning on arrival date and time issued by University Housing, no earlier than 9:00 a.m. on August 15, 2022 through 2:00 p.m. on May 29, 2023 (the “Term). Dates subject to change. You could be reassigned to another cooperative during the winter break period, December 18, 2022-January 19, 2023.
You may not change your occupancy period from these dates without prior written approval from the University. All residents are required to vacate their University housing by 2:00 p.m. on last day of the Term.
You agree to occupy the housing assigned. Requests for room changes must be filed with the Office of Housing & Residential Life and the cooperative governing board. Approval of room changes for any University housing are at the discretion of the University.
Your assigned housing may only be occupied by you and any roommates assigned to the unit by the University and cooperative governing board. You may not permit anyone not duly assigned or approved by the University to share any part of your assigned housing or attempt to assign or transfer your assigned housing to anyone else. You may not prevent another student from occupying a shared housing assignment.
If you fail to occupy your assigned housing, or if you vacate your assigned housing during the Term, you continue to be liable for your University housing charges for the entire Term unless you are granted a cancellation of your Housing License as provided in Section VI, Cancellations
You may request a limited extension of the occupancy period, which the Office of Housing & Residential Life and the cooperative governing board may grant or deny at its sole discretion. Extensions of the occupancy period will only be granted in exceptional circumstances. There could be a daily charge before or after the occupancy period stated above.
Students may occupy the cooperative residence during official university recesses with permission of the cooperative residence officer.

PAYMENTS

You agree to pay all required fees, charges, and penalties associated with your assigned housing.
Initial housing charges for continuing Cornell students will be billed through their University bursar accounts. All other fees, charges and penalties related to your assigned housing, including but not limited to cancellation fees, room change fees, and any charges for losses, damages, and other costs you cause the University to incur will be charged to your University bursar account. A security and key deposit will not be required.
The Office of the Bursar’s policies on payment of finance charges for late payments and other penalties for failure to make timely payments apply. See https://finance.cornell.edu/bursar/students-parents/paying-your-bill

LICENSE CANCELLATIONS

The Housing License is binding for the entire Term. The University may permit you to cancel your Housing License under the following circumstances:

If you withdraw or take a voluntary leave of absence from the University during the Term;
If you are granted a medical withdrawal or leave, or an academic internship, graduation or study in absentia during the Term;
If the University determines that there are adequate other grounds for cancellation.
The University retains sole and absolute discretion over all cancellation determinations.
You may request a cancellation by submitting a written petition to: housing@cornell.edu.
You will be charged a per diem rate for each day you occupied your assigned housing. You will be required to notify your cooperative housing officer of your effective cancellation date. You will be required to vacate your assigned housing and turn in your keys within 24 hours of the effective date on your notification.

LICENSE REVOCATIONS AND HOUSING REASSIGNMENT

1. The University may immediately revoke your Housing License, reassign you to other University housing, and/or pursue disciplinary action in its sole discretion, if:

You fail to comply with terms and conditions of the Housing License, including but not limited to the requirements of Section II, Compliance;
You engage in or threaten acts or behavior that in the University’s sole opinion, may endanger public order or property, threaten the personal safety or security of yourself or others (by acts of physical or mental harassment, self-harm, or other means) or disrupt other students;
You refuse an evaluation by Counseling and Psychological Services staff, following your hospitalization for psychiatric reasons;
You cease to meet the eligibility requirements in Section III;
You make a materially false statement in your housing application; or
For any other reason that the University, in its sole discretion, deems to be good cause.

If your Housing License is revoked under 1.a – f, you will continue to be liable for all housing charges and fees for the entire Term; no refund will be provided. You will also be charged a $100 revocation fee. The University also may refuse to allow you to occupy any University housing in the future.

2. The University further reserves the right to terminate your Housing License or reassign you to other University housing based on:

Damage to your assigned housing that results in it being unfit for occupancy, in the University’s sole opinion;
To prepare for or to conduct renovation, repair, construction, or demolition;
To respond to unforeseen circumstances or emergencies, including but not limited to epidemics or other public health and safety reasons.

If your Housing License is revoked under 2.a – c, you may be entitled to a prorata refund of your housing charges paid as of the date you vacate, in the University’s sole discretion.

3. You will be provided with written notice of any revocation of your Housing License or reassignment to alternative housing. You are required to vacate your assigned housing as of the date specified in said notice, in compliance with the Check-Out requirements in Section IX.

4. If you are reassigned to different University housing in lieu of License revocation, for any reason, you will remain liable for all housing charges and fees for the entire Term. You will not be entitled to moving expenses or any other kind of compensation or refund.

RIGHT OF ENTRY

The University reserves the right to enter your assigned housing at any time, without notice, in times of emergency; to make repairs; for planned facilities-related project work, for housekeeping purposes, to inspect for compliance with health, fire, or building codes; enforcement of University and University Housing policies or regulations; for law enforcement purposes; or for any other health, safety, or security purpose as determined by the University in its sole discretion.

RESIDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

Check-In and Check-Out Requirements

Each cooperative residence is responsible for plans to check in and check out residents. Any costs associated with damage will be assessed by the cooperative residence officer and may be charged to your bursar account.
When checking out, you must remove all your personal property and all refuse and discarded material, and leave your assigned housing empty and as clean as when you checked in. Charges for additional cleaning required, removal of abandoned personal property or refuse, and for any loss or damage you have caused will be billed to your University bursar account. Personal property not removed within 24 hours of check-out shall be deemed abandoned and may be disposed of by the University in its sole discretion.
You must check out of your room by the closing time specified by the Office of Housing & Residential Life for the end of each semester.

Check-out is not completed until you have vacated your assigned housing and residence hall and have turned in all keys.

Keys, Cards, and Lock-Outs

You may request that a house manager give you access to your assigned housing. You may be charged a fee. This service is provided at the convenience of the University; excessive use will cause limitation or removal of this service. You must report lost keys to the Service Center and file a report with CU Police within 24 hours. You will be charged for replacement lock core and keys.
If you lose your ID card, you must report it as a “lost card” with the University Registrar’s Office.
If you lose your ID card, you must borrow a temporary building card for access into your cooperative, and if you do not return this card within 72 hours, you will be charged $25 for this card.
You must not duplicate cooperative/room keys.

Damages

You are liable for any damage or loss you cause to your assigned housing (including furnishings), the cooperative, or any other University facility. The costs of such damage or loss will be added to your University bursar bill. Damage or loss must be reported promptly to your cooperative officers.

Alterations and Decorations

Asbestos-containing materials may be present in walls and ceilings of buildings. Additional information may be found at ehs.cornell.edu.
You may not make any alterations (including but not limited to painting) to your assigned housing, residence common areas, or other University property. Without limiting the foregoing, you may not use cinder blocks or homemade lofting equipment to elevate furniture or shelving.
Requests for alterations may be submitted for consideration and approval by SCL Facilities Management via the online maintenance request system (housing.cornell.edu).
Decorations: Pictures, posters, and other materials must be hung from picture moldings, tack strips, or bulletin boards only. Nails, tacks, screws, tape, glue, and other adhesives may not be used on walls, ceilings, wardrobes, woodwork, doors, or furniture. Natural evergreen trees, wreaths, or boughs are prohibited.

Commercial Activities

No commercial business or activity may be conducted in or from any University housing. Using residence telephones, internet and wireless connections for profit-making purposes is prohibited. If you violate this provision and the University incurs tax liability as a result, then in addition to University’s other rights and remedies under this Housing License, you will be responsible for the costs of such taxes.

Room Care

You are responsible for cleaning your assigned housing; removing waste materials regularly; placing recyclable materials in designated containers; and maintaining satisfactory sanitation and life-safety standards as determined by the University in its sole discretion. If you do not maintain your room in a sanitary condition, the University reserves the right to clean it at your expense, and/or assess other fines.

Removal and Storage of Furnishings

You may not remove University-provided furnishings from your assigned housing without the written permission of the Office of Housing & Residential Life. If you do, you will be charged to have them moved back to their proper location.
Unauthorized removal of furnishings from common areas or from the building constitutes theft, and may subject you to disciplinary action in addition to the University’s other remedies under the Housing License.
Storage space for University-owned room furniture and/or students’ personal belongings is not available.

Noise and Other Disruptive Behavior

You and your guests may not make excessive noise or otherwise disrupt the residence community or adversely affect other residents.

Guests

You may have overnight guests for not more than three (3) nights in a 7-day period, and only if it is convenient for the other residents living in your room/apartment.
Guests must observe all University rules and regulations. You are responsible for the behavior of your guests and for any damage they do. Guests must be escorted by a resident at all times while in the building, whether staying overnight or not.
The cooperative residence may not have overnight guests or individuals in the cooperative residence for an extended period of time, claiming to be overnight guests for a number of individuals or the cooperative itself.
Residents and guests are not permitted to sleep overnight in common areas.

Common Area/Hallway Use

Playing sports or sleeping in any common areas is prohibited.
Personal property or trash cannot be stored in common areas.
In addition, if common areas are damaged and the responsible parties are not identified, the University reserves the right to hold all residents of the floor, unit, hall or complex responsible for the cost of repair and/or replacement of damaged items.

Prohibited Belongings

Due to their excessive weight, waterbeds and hot tubs are prohibited in all University housing facilities.
Possession or use of weights (except small dumbbells under ten pounds) and other weight-lifting equipment in the cooperative is prohibited, except in designated areas.
Air conditioner units are prohibited in University residence halls and houses.

Food Storage

You may store food in your room at your own risk. All food must be kept in tightly closed containers to help ensure effective pest control.

Motor Vehicles

You may not store or park any type of motorized vehicle—gasoline, propane, electric, battery-operated—in or at any residence hall/cooperative/apartment, nor may you store any such power source. This includes hover boards. Vehicles in violation will be impounded without notice, at the owner’s expense.

Bicycles

Non-motorized bicycles (including unicycles) must be stored in designated bicycle racks so that all exits and windows remain clear and unobstructed. Vehicles in violation will be impounded without notice, at the owner’s expense.
All bicycles brought to campus must be registered with Transportation Services.

Exterior Aerials, Antennae, and Displays

You may not place exterior aerials, antennae, flags, or other display materials in or on your assigned housing, common areas, or the cooperative.

Weapons

Possession or use of rifles, shotguns, pistols, and other firearms or of ammunition, archery equipment, gunpowder, fireworks, air rifles, air pistols, and other dangerous instruments is prohibited.

Smoking, Tobacco Use, and Electronic Cigarettes

Smoking is not permitted in your assigned housing or in any other portion of the building, including common areas. Smoking is only permitted outside at least 25 feet from any University building. The use of electronic cigarettes and hookahs in your assigned housing or inside any University building is prohibited.

Drugs and Alcoholic Beverages

You and your guests must obey federal, state and local laws as well as University regulations on alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs. Additionally, residence rooms, suites, apartments, and common areas carry additional restrictions. The possession, use, or distribution of cannabis is prohibited on University property.

TELEPHONES/DATA/CABLE CONNECTIONS

Data services are provided by Cornell Information Technologies (CIT) in 302 Wait Avenue, Von Cramm, and 150 Triphammer cooperative residences. All other University-owned cooperatives have individual data service through Spectrum. Some cooperatives have central phones for emergency use. Long distance costs are your responsibility. Misuse of pin codes issued by the University can result in disciplinary action.
Cable television service is provided in common areas of some cooperative residences. You must arrange individually for cable service in your room.

PETS

Residents may keep up to 10 small pets (e.g., fish, insects, geckos, newts, etc.) or two (2) larger pets (e.g., hamsters, birds, gerbils, rabbits, chinchillas, parrots, snakes, etc.) provided they can live safely in a water-filled aquarium no larger than 10 gallons, a dry aquarium no larger than 30 gallons, or a cage no larger than 25 cubic feet. Dogs, cats, and turtles are not permitted.
If you violate this condition or the University Pets on Campus Policy, the pet may be confiscated and you may be subject to disciplinary action, in addition to the University’s other remedies under the Housing License.
Service animals (as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act) are permitted in University housing. Emotional support animals are permitted in University housing if approved by Student Disability Services as a reasonable accommodation for a disability. Residents with service animals or approved emotional support animals must comply with Policy 2.8: Pets on Campus.

REFRIGERATORS AND OTHER ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES

The University has an approved vendor that rents refrigerators and microfridges. Only microfridges from the approved vendor are permitted. Minifridges may be purchased and brought to campus, provided they meet required specifications.
Fire-safety requirements prohibit cooking in University housing, except for when using approved appliances. Approved appliances include microfridges rented by the University’s approved vendor, and other small appliances with self-contained, thermostatically controlled heating elements with automatic shut-off features. You may not use any non-thermostatically controlled electrical cooking appliance in any University housing and any such appliances shall be confiscated.
During any official University recess in which the housing units are closed for more than four days, you must remove all food from your refrigerator, disconnect it, and leave the door open. All other electrical devices must be turned off during any official University recess.
You may use electrical devices such as radios, computers, printers, hair dryers, razors, and clocks provided they are plugged into outlets in your room and do not exceed the amperage limits of the circuits in the room. Spider lamps and halogen lamps are prohibited.
Constructing computer connections between rooms is prohibited as is running an electrical cord from your assigned housing to a corridor outlet. You may not splice internal cables and run them into a room/apartment.

LAUNDRY

Laundry facilities vary by cooperative residence. Please see your cooperative officer.

FIRE SAFETY

On-campus housing facilities are equipped with fire suppression systems and/or sprinkler systems in all residential rooms.
You and your guests must immediately evacuate the building and follow all residence staff directions if a fire alarm sounds. You are responsible for knowing where the fire alarm boxes are located in your building. Fire extinguishers are for use by trained personnel only.
The University is subject to fire and safety inspections by various agencies. If the University incurs a fine as a result of your failure to comply with the terms of your Housing License or with any request from cooperative officers or other University staff, you will be responsible for payment of the fine.
You must not store hazardous, explosive or flammable substances in any portion of University housing. The use or storage of candles, incense, and any other open flames in your assigned housing is prohibited.
You may not hang anything from sprinkler pipes or any part of the fire sprinkler system.
You must not activate false alarms, interfere with the proper functioning of the fire-alarm system, or tamper with or remove smoke detectors, fire hoses, extinguishers, or fire-fighting equipment. Violators may be subject to disciplinary action under the Campus Code of Conduct or state or local law.

SECURITY AND SAFETY

You must keep exterior entrances to cooperatives locked at all times. Temporary exceptions may be authorized by an SCL staff member.
You may not place yourself or others at risk by offering access to any cooperative residence or locked building to strangers or unauthorized persons. Residents purposely violating security policies by propping exterior doors or modifying latches may be subject to disciplinary action.
You are responsible for maintaining the security of your assigned housing. Your assigned housing should be kept locked when you are not present. All windows in unoccupied space must be closed and latched.
You may not alter or replace the present locks or other security devices or install additional locks or other security devices.
Neither you nor your guests are permitted on roofs, ledges, or overhangs. Neither you nor your guests are permitted to climb the exteriors of any University building.

SOLICITING, CANVASSING, AND LEAFLETING

Soliciting, canvassing, and leafleting are generally not permitted in any University housing. SCL may grant permission if requests are made in advance. Petitioning is not permitted in cooperatives except in certain cases with prior notification to the cooperative leadership organization. See House Rules for additional information.

LIABILITY; RENTER’S INSURANCE

The University shall not be liable or otherwise responsible, directly or indirectly, for any loss or damage to any article of your personal property or your vehicle occurring anywhere on University property, whether caused by fire, water, steam, the elements, insufficient heat, loss or surges of electricity, theft, the actions of third persons, or any other reason. Your personal property is not covered by University insurance. The University strongly encourages all occupants to obtain renter’s insurance.
In the event of a court determination of any University liability to you in connection with this Housing License, the aggregate amount of damages to be paid by the University shall not exceed the sum you paid under this Housing License.

FORCE MAJEURE

The University assumes no responsibility for failure to perform any terms or conditions of this Housing License due to fire, earthquake, flood, act of God, weather events, strikes, work stoppages or other labor disturbances, riots or civil commotions, litigation, war or other acts of any foreign nation, terrorism, epidemics, pandemics, power of governments or governmental agencies or authorities, national emergencies, or any other cause that is beyond the control of the University, regardless whether such a cause is similar or dissimilar to the foregoing examples, and regardless as to whether the subject event or cause was conceivable or foreseeable.

MISCELLANEOUS

Execution of the Cooperative Academic-Year Housing License is not a commitment of admission to or continued enrollment in the University.
Any waiver by the University of its rights under this Housing License shall not be deemed a continuing waiver.
If any provision of this Housing License shall be found to be invalid, the remaining provisions hereof shall continue in full force and effect.
This Housing License represents the complete agreement between you and the University regarding your University housing, and supersedes any prior contracts or understandings, whether oral or written. It may not be amended in any way without the prior written permission of the University in each instance.
The Housing License is subject to the laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflicts of laws or principles. You agree to submit to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts in Tompkins County, New York State, for the resolution of any disputes arising under the Housing License.