Lewis and Clark Village Policies

It is our desire to provide a living environment that promotes and is compatible with the academic success of students. This Resident and Community Policies Handbook is designed to orient you to your apartment community. By signing your agreement, you agree to abide by and support the standards of the community stated in your agreement and this handbook. All policies in this Handbook apply to residents, apartment occupants and their guests. Please remember and consider your neighbors and help us maintain a quiet, clean and respectful community environment.

Should you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact us:

Department of Residence Life

406-829-3728 (1 pm to 5 pm) 406-544-8724 (after hours and weekends) 

Occupancy Policies

Lewis and Clark Apartments
Resident and Community
Policies Handbook
April 1, 2004

OCCUPANCY POLICY

Who May Live in Lewis and Clark Village
Lewis and Clark is a No Smoking facility primarily designated for single students at the University of Montana without dependents who will have accumulated at least 60 credits hours by the time they move in to the apartments.

Prospective tenants may submit applications together with a requested roommate(s). If a tenant does not have a roommate preference, the Residence Life Office will assign roommates based on like gender, and as space allows will attempt to take into consideration other preferences such as age, smoking, alcohol consumption, and length of agreement.

All residents of the Lewis and Clark Village must be a currently enrolled student taking a minimum of 7 credits per semester with a minimum of 16 credits per year.

If a resident is no longer a student of UM, then the resident is in default of the agreement and must vacate the apartment. If a resident’s affiliation with the University ends before the expiration of the agreement term - i.e., they are no longer a student - then that resident must vacate the apartment within thirty (30) days. There will be an early move-out or cancellation fee.

If exigent circumstances exist, a student may seek an exception in writing from the Director of Residence Life. Exceptions are extremely rare. If, however, a resident whose affiliation has ended is able to find a replacement resident approved by the Residence Life Office and remaining roommate(s) for the remainder of their agreement term, then appropriate financial arrangements can be made so that the departing resident is only charged for an early move-out cancellation fee of $100.00 plus a prorated amount of rent and any damages that may have occurred..

These arrangements include but are not limited to: (1) the replacement resident pays the full security deposit to UM as required for occupancy or (2) the replacement resident pays the portion of the monthly pro-rated rent which would be unpaid by the departed resident.


Please note that the replacement resident may only live in the departing resident’s apartment for the remainder of the agreement term. This means that the replacement resident will have to vacate at the end of the agreement for which they are assuming responsibility. Renewal of the assumed agreement may be allowed if the apartment has not already been promised to another tenant. Renewal arrangements must be made with the Residence Life Office at least sixty (60) days in advance of the end of the agreement term..

Subletting
Subletting is only allowed with approval. If you would like to sublet your apartment during the summer months, you may want to contact the Lewis and Clark Village Office for a list of those interested in short term housing arrangements. The Lewis and Clark Villages Office is not responsible for any arrangements made between the sub-letter and sub-tenant. The original tenant will be held responsible for rent payment, damages, etc not the sub-tenant.

Occupancy and Moving Out

All residents must give a sixty (60) day vacate notice.

In order to receive a full refund of your apartment damage deposit, the following conditions and procedures must be met:

• Give a 60-day written advance notice by filling out the Resident’s Notice to Vacate form available from the Lewis and Clark Village Office or via e-mail. Telephone notice will not be accepted as notice to vacate. You must vacate the apartment on or before the day that is specified in your notice. If you do not vacate by that date, then you will be charged a daily rent rate for the extra days that you maintain possession of your keys. The day that Lewis and Clark Village Office is in receipt of your keys will be the day considered your vacate date.
• Pay all rent and charges for the month that you vacate. If your vacate notice has a date before the month’s end, pro-rated rent will be refunded after you move out.
• Remove all personal belongings from the apartment on or before the move-out date and follow the Move-Out Cleaning Instructions that are available from the Lewis and Clark Village Office.
• Provide the Lewis and Clark Village Office with a complete forwarding address for U.S. mail, in writing or via e-mail in addition to changing your address with the university in Cyberbear.
  
  

What is furnished in my apartment?
All apartments are furnished with a sofa, chair, refrigerator, range, microwave, stools and dishwasher in the living room-kitchen area. Each bedroom will have a built in closet, full size bed, mattress, desk, chair, bookcase, and chest of drawers. You must supply your own linens, towels, cooking utensils and other personal items. Waterbeds are not permitted in the apartments. The upkeep of the apartment is your own responsibility. The office will have vacuums to check out for your use; there are trash receptacles near each building for disposal of your garbage.

Storage
Each individual apartment has a storage room near the door to your apartment which will be shared by all residents in that apartment.

Inventory of apartments - Assignment to an apartment at Lewis and Clark Village places a responsibility upon the resident for the condition of the apartment and its furnishings. The resident acknowledges this responsibility for lost or damaged property and/or furnishings. The resident also agrees to report further damages immediately. Please pay very careful attention to the condition of each item and rate them appropriately on the check-in inventory. Any condition NOT reflected at check-in will be assessed as damages that have occurred during the resident’s assignment in the apartment. To avoid charges at checkout, please give this inventory your undivided attention at check-in.

INVENTORY CONDITION RATING DESCRIPTION

While completing a room inventory, one of the following condition codes MUST be assigned to each item listed on the room inventory. An “X” is not sufficient information. Always note the quantity and or size of the damages recorded.

MAKE SURE ANYTHING UNUSUAL IS NOTED ON THE INVENTORY

Change of Roommates
If there is a roommate situation whereby one of the roommates needs to vacate for any reason, then that departing roommate may do so with only a agreement cancellation fee if the departing roommate and/or remaining roommate is able to locate a replacement roommate that is suitable and agreeable to the remaining roommate(s). Further, any replacement roommate must be a student at UM and be authorized by the Lewis and Clark Village Office. The replacement roommate will pay to the Lewis and Clark Village their portion of the security deposit plus any applicable pro-rated rent. All current, departing and potential roommates must meet with the Lewis and Clark Village Office and sign the appropriate legal document that transfers, relinquishes and assigns responsibility for the remainder of the agreement term. Until such a document is signed, all parties to the original agreement remain completely and jointly liable for the complete execution of the agreement. After payments for security deposit and rent and execution of a agreement by the replacement roommate are completed, the departing roommate will get a refund as applicable.

It must be further noted that if all original agreement signers move out before the end of the agreement, the replacement roommates may stay in the apartment until the end of the agreement. Renewal of the agreement will depend upon availability of space at that time.

Other Occupants and Guests
Your apartment may only be occupied by you and the person(s) listed as occupants per your agreement. Any person not listed as an occupant in the agreement may not stay in the apartment for more than three (3) consecutive days without prior written consent and approval from the Lewis and Clark Village Manager. Failure to do so is a violation of your agreement terms.

Residents will be held responsible for the actions, damaged or missing property potentially caused by guests and will be held responsible for restitution.

Transferring or changing apartments will be handled the same as changing roommates. There will be a transfer fee of $100 charged when moving from one apartment to another.

SECURITY MONITORING
For the safety and security of The Lewis and Clark Village complex and its residents, the area will be monitored by security cameras


STUDENT CONDUCT – GENERAL BEHAVIOR
The University of Montana has a code of conduct that is expected of the members of the campus community. The Conduct Code is available for review at http://www.umt.edu/sa/VPSA/index.cfm/page/1321

ALCOHOL USE
The Lewis and Clark Village rules regarding alcohol follow the University of Montana, and state and federal statutes regarding use of alcohol. The use and possession of alcohol is permitted in the privacy of the apartments. Keggers and parties involving large amounts of alcoholic beverages which would involve large numbers of people and an excessive amount of noise are prohibited. This type of activity is disruptive to the environment necessary for residents to pursue their academic goals. Disruptive behavior will be dealt with under the Student Conduct Code, city ordinances and/or state statutes.

HEALTH INSPECTIONS
Life safety and health inspections will be held once each semester. Residents will be notified in advance of the inspections times. The staff will be looking for such things as destruction of property; fire hazards (ie. Spare tires, overloaded outlets, fireworks, flammable liquids, black powder), health hazards (ie. Odors, filth, accumulation of garbage), pets or signs of animals, signs of unauthorized guests, weapons which have not been reported, etc.

STAFFING
A vital component of the Lewis and Clark Village complex is your staff. The staff is concerned with helping you maintain a healthy and safe living environment within the community. They are here for the benefit of the tenants. Seek them out whenever you have a question or want to talk to someone.

MAIL
The United States Postal Service delivers mail to the community mailboxes near the Community Center. To receive the key to open your mailbox, please go to the main post office at 1100 W. Kent.

Please do not identify your apartment address with the "The University of Montana," since U of M has a different zip code listing. Follow the sample mailing address for your apartment complex.

Your Name

Lewis and Clark Village Apt (Your number such as A11)

3000 South Higgins Avenue

Missoula, MT 59801

MAINTENANCE REQUESTS
If you require repairs or maintenance, please notify the Lewis and Clark Village office. The repairs will be handled based on their emergent need.

Non-emergency maintenance requests will be completed in a timely manner per your agreement and must be submitted in writing or by e-mail to the Lewis and Clark Office. Such requests will be addressed between 8:00 am and 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding University holidays.

Emergency requests after hours must be reported by calling 406-544-8724. We define emergencies as situations which present:

A danger to people, such as:

• Fire
• No electricity
• No water
• Broken exterior doors, locks and windows
• No heat (if the outside temperature is below 50 degrees)
• Toilet not working
  

A danger to property, such as:

• Flooding
• Broken Pipes
• Any damages, plumbing problems, vandalism, etc. caused or created by a resident, occupant or their guest(s) will be the financial responsibility of the resident(s).

For purposes of safety, sanitation and general upkeep the University reserves the right to maintain and make repairs in the apartments anytime during the school year. Management and maintenance staff may enter any apartment for the above purposes whether the residents are present or not. However, when this is necessary a reasonable effort will be made to have one of the residents present.

The contact information for maintenance is the Lewis and Clark Village office:

Phone: 406-829-3728 (1 pm to 5 pm)

e-mail: rtucker@mso.umt.edu

Emergency, after hours beeper: 406-544-8724

Closed University holidays

EMERGENCIES, INSURANCE AND SECURITY GUIDELINES

FIRES
IN CASE OF FIRE, CALL 911
Fires are potentially a serious problem in all apartment communities due to the high concentration of individuals living in each building. Most fires are begun due to carelessness. At the top of the list is cooking related fires. Next on the list are fires that are caused by cigarettes. Please use caution and common sense to avoid a disaster.
Prevention can save your life and the life of others. Explore your community and familiarize yourself with all exits. Keep exits and access areas clear of all debris and storage. This includes:

• Keeping sidewalks, porches, common hallways and outside landings clear of all items including trash, furniture, toys, appliances, car parts and exercise equipment. Failure to do so will result in a cleaning/removal fee that will be charged to the offending apartment resident.
• Not using balconies, porches, fences, sidewalks or any common area as a laundry drying area.
• Not chaining bikes, motorcycles or trailers to gas piping, stair rails, electrical conduit or plumbing pipes. Keeping Bar-b-que grills at least 10 feet away from all buildings, landings or porches.
• Bar-b-que grills (propane or briquette) are not permitted on the second and third floor balconies due to fire hazard.
• Permanent grills have been installed on the grounds for your convenience.
• Test your smoke detector(s) once a month. Notify maintenance if you have any problems with it.
  

Prohibited Items Include:

--No Halogen Lamps, Candles or incense

--No Smoking inside the apartment. Smoking is allowed outside the buiilding at least 25 feet away.

Failure to comply with the above regulations is not only a violation of the terms of your agreement, but is also a violation of local fire codes and could result in fines and/or possible eviction.

REMEMBER, IN CASE OF FIRE, CALL 911

FREEZING WEATHER
In the event of severe, freezing weather, “FREEZE ALERT” signs will be posted or distributed. Please follow these instructions as soon as you see or receive these signs:

• Drip all the faucets in your apartment – both hot and cold. Leave the faucets dripping until the “FREEZE ALERT” signs are removed.
• Turn your heat on to a minimum of 50 degrees.
• Open your closet and cabinet doors to expose plumbing fixtures so that these spaces will be heated.
  

If you are going to be away for an extended time period during the winter months, please alert the Apartment Maintenance office. Be sure that your windows are closed and DO NOT TURN OFF YOUR HEAT. Instead, leave the thermostat on 50 degrees. These precautions are essential in order to avoid substantial damage to your apartment from broken pipes. If you negligently fail to take these precautions, you may be held liable not only to the damage in your own apartment, but also to any damage to your neighbor’s apartment.

LOSS, THEFT AND INSURANCE
Residents should immediately report any missing property to the Resident Assistant, providing a complete description of the items and their value, where they were located, when was the last time the item was seen and is any person suspected of the theft. Any theft should also be reported to the Campus Safety Office.

As stated in your agreement contract , UM is not responsible for any personal losses due to theft, fire, water damage or any other incidences specifically mentioned in the agreement. For this reason we strongly urge you to:

Obtain renter’s insurance coverage for your personal belongings.
If you own an automobile or bicycle, make sure that you have adequate coverage against loss, vandalism, etc.

SECURITY
IN AN EMERGENCY, DIAL 243-4000
FOR NON-EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, DIAL THE UM POLICE
DEPARTMENT 406-243-6131

Anything that seems unusual or “out of place” could be criminal activity. Every resident has a responsibility to report any suspicious behavior, working as a partner with the police. Not every stranger who enters your property is a criminal, but criminals do take advantage of activity in apartment communities by pretending to be legitimately involved in sales, repairs and service. If you see any solicitors in your community or suspect that any service or repair person is involved in illegal activity, please contact either the Lewis and Clark Village office and/or the UM Police Department.

Never attempt to apprehend a person committing a crime or to investigate suspicious activity. Leave any confrontations or investigations to the police.

SECURITY
IN AN EMERGENCY, DIAL 243-4000
FOR NON-EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, DIAL THE UM POLICE
DEPARTMENT 406-243-6131

Anything that seems unusual or “out of place” could be criminal activity. Every resident has a responsibility to report any suspicious behavior, working as a partner with the police. Not every stranger who enters your property is a criminal, but criminals do take advantage of activity in apartment communities by pretending to be legitimately involved in sales, repairs and service. If you see any solicitors in your community or suspect that any service or repair person is involved in illegal activity, please contact either the Lewis and Clark Village office and/or the UM Police Department.

Never attempt to apprehend a person committing a crime or to investigate suspicious activity. Leave any confrontations or investigations to the police.

Additional security pointers:

Do not allow strangers into your apartment. UM does not allow solicitation of any type on campus or in the apartment community. If you are bothered by solicitors, please contact the UM Police Department.

REMEMBER, IN AN EMERGENCY, DIAL 243-4000
FOR NON-EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, DIAL THE UM POLICE
DEPARTMENT 406-243-6131


GENERAL POLICY INFORMATION
LATE FEES/RENT may vary depending upon the term of your agreement (monthly or semester)

Rent is due on or before the 1st of each month and will be posted to your student account with Business Services. Rent is late after 5:00p.m. on the 1st. There will be a $25 late fee assessed to those residents who have not paid by the 1st of the month. Payment of rent is the responsibility of the resident(s). UM is under no obligation to contact residents regarding overdue rent.

OUTSTANDING BALANCES
Outstanding balances which are not paid will be subject to (but not limited to) the following consequences:

Agreement termination (eviction) and/or action under the UM student conduct code No invitation to renew your agreement Deduction of the outstanding amount from any security deposit refund Assessment of Interest by Business Services for outstanding balance each month Assessment of $25.00 late fees on the 1st of each month Inability to register for classes or obtain a transcript
Your account being turned over to a collection agency

PARKING
Parking for the Lewis and Clark Village is regulated by the UM Police Department. As parking stickers are required, all residents should go to the Lewis and Clark Village Office and get a parking decal. Cars without decals will be towed.

NOISE
All residents must keep all noise to a low level so as not to disturb or bother neighbors. Missoula City Ordinance requires lowering of noise level at 10:00 PM

If you do have a noise complaint concerning a neighbor, we recommend the following procedures:

First, we recommend getting to know your neighbors as soon as possible. That way if there is a problem you can approach them as a friend, not as a stranger. When the problem arises, go talk to them and try to reach an agreement. If the noise problem is extremely disruptive or is after normal business hours, contact the RA on duty at 406-544-8724.
Contact the Lewis and Clark Village Office via e-mail of the problem at rtucker@mso.umt.edu

PETS
Pets or animals, except certified Service Animals, of any kind are strictly prohibited in the Lewis and Clark Apartments. This includes pets belonging to visitors. Pets will not be permitted to "visit" or be on the premises for any reason. Violation of this policy will result in eviction procedures being implemented and the tenant will be given 30 days notice to vacate. The entire damage deposit will be automatically forfeited if a pet is found on the premises. Additionally, any damages incurred above the deposit will be billed to your student account.

Services animals must be registered and approved through the Disability Services Office of UM.

Do not feed stray animals. Stray animals may carry disease or bring fleas and other pests. It is for our residents’ safety that we restrict feeding animals.

The only exception to the no pet policy is fish. A fish is defined as anything that can live completely submerged underwater for 35 minutes or longer. Fish must be maintained in a fish tank of 20 gallons or less.

TRASH
All trash must be properly disposed of timely in the dumpsters provided. Trash must not be set beside the dumpster or outside of your apartment door(s). If the dumpster is full, then take the trash to another dumpster. If trash is discovered in the common areas of buildings and/or outside your door and has to be removed by the Lewis and Clark Village Maintenance personnel, the responsible apartment resident(s) will be charged the appropriate clean-up/removal fees.


WINDOWS
Do not remove screens from windows and do not throw any objects out of the windows. Doing so could endanger the health and safety of others. If you discover that you have a missing screen(s), please contact the Apartment Maintenance office in writing.

LAUNDRY
Coin operated laundry rooms are provided on the 1st floor of each building for the convenience of all residents. Please report any problems or needed repair to the Lewis and Clark Village Maintenance office promptly. Additionally, please follow these guidelines:

Help keep the laundry room clean by properly disposing of all trash.
The laundry rooms are for the use of residents of Lewis and Clark Village tenants only.

MOVE OUT
In order to receive a full refund of your apartment security deposit, the following conditions and procedures must be met:

Fulfill the complete term of your current agreement contract. Give a 60-day written advance notice by filling out the Resident’s Notice of Intent to Move Out form available from the Lewis and Clark Village Office or via e-mail. Telephone notice will not be accepted as notice to vacate. You must vacate the apartment on or before the day that is specified in your notice. If you do not vacate by that date, then you will be charged a daily rate rent for the extra days that you maintain possession of your keys. The day that UM is in receipt of your keys will be the day considered to be the day that you have vacated. Pay all rent and charges for the month that you move out. If your vacate notice has a date before the month’s end, pro-rated rent will be refunded after you move out. Remove all personal belongings from the apartment on or before the move-out date and follow the Move-Out Cleaning Instructions for Apartments that are an attachment to your agreement. Additional copies of these instructions are available from the Lewis and Clark Village Office. Provide the Lewis and Clark Village office with a complete forwarding address, in writing or via e-mail in addition to changing your address in Cyberbear.

WEAPONS AND FIREARMS
After registering your firearms with the Lewis and Clark Village office you may store them in your apartment. No firearms, explosives, explosive devices or unlawful weapons of any kind are permitted on or in any other University property or facility or at any University function.

Weapons of any kind are strictly prohibited on the UM campus. Violators will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law.

FIREWORKS AND COMBUSTIBLES
Fireworks, gunpowder and other combustible materials or substances which endanger health and safety in the Lewis and Clark Village area are not permitted.

UTILITIES
All utilities (cable TV, electricity, natural gas, water, garbage and sewer) are provided as a part of your rental rate. Please be conservative and do not excessively use the lights, water or heat. These costs are calculated as a portion of your rental rate and future rates will be impacted by the utility cost. Internet access and telephone are your individual responsibility for connection, monthly amounts and disconnection.


Griz Card
The Griz Card is your official student, faculty and staff color photo ID card. Every student must have a Griz Card to be able to obtain services at various locations on campus. The Griz Card will be used on the Lewis and Clark Village complex to unlock the outside door of the apartment, the laundry facility and the storage units. If your Griz Card is lost, stolen or misplaced, you must report it immediately so that no one else can use your access or your balance of debit dollars. You are responsible for any transaction which takes place on your card, until you report it lost or stolen. Replacement Griz Cards are available from the Griz Card Office in the UC. Temporary access to your apartment can be obtained by getting a temporary card from the Lewis and Clark Village office. Call 243-6943 to report a lost or stolen card immediately.


KEYS AND DOOR ACCESS CARDS
All outside doors (including the individual apartments and storage units and laundry facilities) will be equipped with a keyless lock system which will be activated using an encoded Griz Card. A temporary card will be used for a limited time to accommodate the resident getting their personal Griz Card and have it correctly encoded to allow access to the rented apartment. Keys will be issued for each individual bedroom within the apartment.

If you are locked out of your apartment, you may contact the office to make arrangement for a temporary card and key. From 8:00a.m.-5:00p.m. on Monday through Friday, go to the Lewis and Clark Village office or call 406-544-8724. They will check a temporary card or key out to you for no charge. If you need to be let into the apartment immediately and maintenance personnel are required to go let you in, you will be charged a $10.00 lock out fee. After hours, page the on-call person at 406-544-8724. There is a $10 cost for after hours lockouts.

If a temporary card/key is not returned within 48 hours, Lewis and Clark Village will assume the key/card is permanently lost or misplaced and will order a key/card change. Card replacement cost will be $15.00 and a room key replacement will be $60.00

Only those persons listed as tenants or a sub-tenants will be allowed to check out temporary cards or keys or be given access to the apartment.