Housing Handbook

Gropius Complex and Hastings Hall

The Gropius Complex and Hastings Hall are not equipped with air conditioning. Temperatures are generally only warm during the first few and last few weeks of the academic year, during which some residents use fans to help circulate air.

North Hall and the HLS Apartments

North Hall and the HLS Apartments are equipped with seasonally-available air conditioning. There are individual thermostats in these rooms and apartments that allow residents to set temperatures within a limited range.  In May 2009, HLS adopted a school-wide temperature policy to promote energy conservation. In warm weather, buildings will be cooled to 74°F. In cold weather, buildings will be heated to 70°F. In July 2009, Harvard adopted a university-wide temperature policy in support of this range. Please keep this temperature policy in mind when considering whether the temperature in your room or apartment is too warm or too cold. Air conditioning is generally available between mid-May and mid-September. But please note that the availability of air conditioning in North and the HLS Apartments is contingent upon outside air temperatures.  In the fall and spring when variable temperatures occur, there may be occurrences where rooms or apartments are warmer than outside air temperatures, in which case residents are expected to use windows to allow cool air into their room or apartment.

To maximize the effectiveness of air conditioning, keep windows closed tightly and close blinds and/or curtains during the day to block direct sunlight. If after taking these steps your room still overheats, contact Facilities Management at 617.495.5521 or facmgmt@law.harvard.edu. Please note that you should always contact Facilities Management as soon as problems with cooling arise; this greatly improves the ease of determining the cause of the problem.

Thermostat Instructions
North Hall

• The thermostat must be in “auto” to control room temperature; this mode is controlled by the OFF/AUTO button.
• Press the up and down arrows to select a desired room temperature, or “set point.” For energy conservation, thermostat ranges are set in support of the HLS Temperature Policy (70°F in winter and 74°F in summer). In addition, an occupancy sensor (mounted on the door frame) will automatically adjust settings when the room is empty.
• Press DISPLAY to toggle between the room set point and the actual room temperature.
• Adjust fan speed by pressing the FAN button; fans help circulate air.

HLS Apartments

• Press the up and down arrows to select a desired room temperature, or “set point.” For energy conservation, thermostat ranges are set in support of the HLS Temperature Policy, and will automatically reset to seasonal limits of 70°F in winter and 74°F in summer.
• Fans must be running for room air conditioning to work. To turn air conditioning fan on or off, press and hold the sun/moon button for 3 seconds. There will be a 10-15 second delay before the fan turns on or off.
• Contact Facilities Management at (617) 495-5521 or facmgmt@law.harvard.edu as soon as any problems with room heating or cooling arise.

Window Air Conditioner Units

The installation of personal window-unit air conditioners is prohibited in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments. If air conditioning is a requirement due to a disability or medical/health need, the resident should select a room in North Hall.

Alcohol & Drugs

All Harvard Law School students are responsible for knowing and following all of the information delineated in the Harvard Law School Alcohol Policy. In addition, this Housing Handbook adds additional requirements concerning events and parties in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments, which can be found in the Events section.

Animals & Pets

 Animals and/or pets of any kind are strictly prohibited in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments, except for service animals provided as a disability accommodation and approved by the Dean of Students Office.

Appliances

Residents should not have any electronic device that exceeds 1,000 watts. The Massachusetts State Sanitary Code prohibits the use of any cooking appliance within a dormitory room (see page 5). Therefore, microwaves, microfridges, toaster ovens, toasters,  and hot plates cannot be used in individual rooms. Space heaters, pressure cookers and deep fryers are strictly prohibited from being anywhere in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments. The only appliance allowed in rooms is a mini-fridge (not microfridge) 4 cubic feet or smaller that does not use sulfur dioxide or other toxic gases as a cooling agent. Residents may bring their own mini-fridge or purchase one from the Harvard Student Agencies Dorm Store.

Please note that HLS reserves the right to enter any room at any time for any reason. Should a prohibited appliance be discovered a resident’s room, it will be removed and held until the conclusion of the academic year, at which time, the resident can retrieve the item. Resident Assistants are obligated to report the use of cooking appliances or any other prohibited appliance in a resident’s room to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office.

Arrival

Move-in dates are determined by program and year in program. For 2009-2010, the following move-in dates apply:

At move-in, residents of Hastings Hall should go to Hastings Hall, residents of North Hall and the HLS Apartments should go to North Hall and residents of the Gropius Complex should go to Gropius Courtyard on Everett Street, between Shaw and Ames Halls on their move-in date. While we encourage arrival between 9:30am and 4:30pm on the prescribed move-in day, check-in is still allowed anytime after as well. Residents arriving during business hours can go to the Facilities Management Office in Holmes Hall to check in. If arrival is during at night or during a weekend, should call HUPD at 617.495.1215 and ask for the HLS Security Guard to check in and provide keys. Please note that we are unable to honor earlier move-in dates or times due to the short turnover between summer program housing and fall move-in. The only exceptions we are able to make are for the Harvard Law Review, Harvard Legal Aid Bureau and Resident Assistant orientations.

Returning students will need to bring their HUID to receive their keys, while incoming students need a government issued photo ID (passport or driver’s license) to check in. Residents will be asked to sign a key receipt acknowledgement card in order to receive their room or apartment keys.

For additional details regarding frequently asked questions, please check out the move-in web page where we have done our best to anticipate all the questions you may have. The remainder of this Housing Handbook may also hold the answers to many of your questions.

Banks

There are several major banks and several smaller local banks in Harvard Square. There is also a Bank of America ATM on the HLS campus in Harkness Commons. The information below was last updated on 8.6.09.

Bathrooms

The bathroom arrangements vary depending on the building. There are no coed bathrooms; all the bathrooms are single sex. The Gropius Complex and Hastings Hall have common bathrooms, shared by 20-25 residents and 3-6 residents respectively. North Hall has private bathrooms in each room. For the HLS Apartments, each apartment in 1637 Mass Ave has a bathroom, while each bedroom in 3 Mellen St has a bathroom. In Baker Hall, there are three shared bathrooms.  While the common bathrooms in Gropius, Hastings and Baker are cleaned on weekdays by the custodial staff, residents are still expected to keep the bathrooms clean and free of personal belongings. Residents of North, 1637 Mass Ave and 3 Mellen Street are responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms.

Residents should be considerate of their residential community when determining what constitutes appropriate clothing to be worn on the way to and from the bathrooms for showering. Merely wearing a towel is considered inappropriate, so bathrobes are encouraged. Residents sometimes prefer to wear “shower shoes” or “flip flops” while showering.

Please do not wash dishes or hand-launder clothing in the bathroom sinks; use the common kitchens and laundry rooms respectively.

Bicycles

Residents who bring bicycles to HLS should register them with HUPD. There will be registration sessions in the Hark on Wednesday, September 2 and Thursday, September 3 from 11:30a.m. to 1:30p.m. For additional information or to register online go to http://www.hupd.harvard.edu/bike.php. Bicycles must be parked either on one of the many racks provided throughout campus or in your room. When using one of the bicycle racks, “U-locks” are encouraged to deter theft, which is unfortunately not that uncommon in Cambridge. Bicycles cannot be left in hallways or stairwells or locked to pipes, radiators, interior or exterior railings, gutters, drainpipes, access ramps, or outside entrances. Bicycles parked anywhere on campus other than on the aforementioned bicycle racks will be removed and donated to charity. 

Billing

All billing at Harvard University is coordinated centrally through the University Student Receivables Office. All students receive a monthly e-bill with any new charges and credits that have been applied since the previous e-bill. There are two ways to view billing information at Harvard. First, students have the monthly e-bill which is a static bill generated once per month showing any new charges and credits that have been applied since the previous e-bill. To see your e-bill click “View your e-bill or make an e-payment” at http://termbill.harvard.edu/. Second, students can view recent activity that has not yet been applied to an e-bill by clicking “View latest charges and payments on your account” at http://termbill.harvard.edu/.

HLS Residence Halls

Students who were assigned their room prior to the end of June will see half of the 9-month housing fee on their July e-bill for the fall semester and the other half on the December e-bill for the spring semester. Students who are assigned rooms after June but prior to the start of school will see the first half of their 9-month housing fee applied on the next e-bill and the other half on the December e-bill for the spring semester. Residents who are assigned a room after school has begun will be charged a prorated fall housing fee on the next e-bill after their assignment and the spring fee on the December e-bill will continue to be half of the total 9-month housing fee. Exchange students, residents going on or returning from an approved medical leave of absence or approved leave of absence due to a study abroad program will be charged a prorated portion of the housing fee, with the timing of the billing contingent upon the dates of residency.

2009-2010 HLS Residence Hall Fees

HLS Apartments

Monthly rent for the HLS Apartments will be charged and paid according to the e-bill due dates prescribed by the Harvard University Student Receivables Office, beginning with a prorated August charge and continuing each month with a full month’s rent on each e-bill until May and June, which may have prorated charges depending on the lease termination date. 

2009-2010 HLS Apartments Rent

Other Requirements

All other fees associated with housing mentioned elsewhere in this Housing Handbook such as fees for lost keys, room changes, and cancellation penalties are all billed through the e-bill system.

All candidates for degrees must have discharged all indebtedness to Harvard University (including any fees due under the HLS Housing License or Lease) at least one week before the day on which degrees are to be voted by Harvard University, else the degree will not be voted on. 

Buildings

 Gropius Complex – The Gropius Complex consists of five interconnected residence halls (Holmes, Ames, and Dane Halls; Story* and Shaw Halls) for a total of 260 single furnished rooms. Gropius is traditional dormitory-style housing accommodating approximately 20 residents per floor with common lounges, shared kitchens and bathrooms. There are 6 types with the most prevalent being Type 1, 110 sq. ft. at $6,020 & Type 2, 120 sq. ft. at $6,700. The majority of the floors are coeducational with one single sex bathroom per floor. There is one all male and one all female floor.  *Story Hall will not be available in 2009-2010 due to the Wasserstein Hall, Caspersen Student Center, Clinical Wing Project.

 Hastings Hall – Hastings Hall, the oldest residence hall at HLS, consists of 56 suites accommodating 97 residents in five townhouse-style entryways. Hastings is often said to have the most “Harvard” style of the residence halls with its castle-like exterior, bay windows with built-in window seats, non-functioning fireplaces and bead board wood trim. The most common types are 3 Room Suites for 2 Residents (3FOR2s) – two bedrooms and a shared living room – at $9,980 per resident and 2 Room Suites for 1 Resident (2FOR1s) – one bedroom and a living room – at $12,860. There is a common kitchen located in the basement of Entryway 5. All the floors are coed with shared single-sex bathrooms in each entryway on every floor (shared by 3-6 residents) with the exception of the attic.

 North Hall - North Hall, a converted hotel, consists of 112 single furnished rooms with air conditioning, full-size beds and private bathrooms. North Hall is located one block north of the Law School campus. Residents have a great deal of privacy in North Hall; however, there is a large lounge on the first level where residents gather for social activities. There are common kitchens on the third and fifth floors. There are four room types with the most prevalent being the Standard, 240 sq. ft. at $11,980. All floors are coed. North is the only residence hall with elevators.

 The HLS Apartments - 1637 Massachusetts Avenue, 3 Mellen Street and Baker Hall are three Victorian period houses that were relocated from the site of the Wasserstein Hall, Caspersen Student Center, Clinical Wing Project and renovated as upper class apartment-style housing. There is a wide variety of apartment types and layouts, ranging from single studios to a 7-student apartment house. All apartments are fully furnished, include utilities and operate on a 9-month lease.

Cable Television - Comcast

The cable and television arrangements of the buildings vary, but if not provided automatically, each room or suite in the HLS Residence Halls and each bedroom in the HLS Apartments is cable-ready. Comcast will be on campus on Tuesday, September 1, 2009 from 10:00am to 3:00pm to set up accounts and upgrade service, or you can call 1.800.COMCAST or go to studentbundle.com (mention you are an HLS student to get discounted student pricing).

In addition, all of the common lounges throughout the HLS Residence Halls come equipped with large high-definition flat panel televisions and high-definition cable. Below are the cable/television arrangements for each building, but generally speaking, while students are certainly able to bring their own televisions, as it says in the Appliances section, no electrical device should draw more than 1,000 watts of power.

Gropius Complex –  Individual rooms are not provided with televisions or cable service automatically, so residents will need to sign up with Comcast if they wish to have their own. However, the lounges on Ames 1, 2, 3, 4, Dane 3 and Shaw 2 all have large high-definition flat panel televisions and high-definition cable.

Hastings Hall – Basic cable service is provided in each suite; however, residents will need to provide their own television. Residents who would like to upgrade to add premium channels or high definition will need to contact Comcast. Unfortunately due to the unique layout of this old residence hall, Hastings does not have a common lounge, so there is no common television for residents.

North Hall – Basic cable service and a small television are provided in each individual room. Residents who would like to upgrade to add premium channels or high definition will need to contact Comcast. The first floor lounge has a large high-definition flat panel television and high-definition cable. Please note that each North Hall room is provided with a remote control. The remote control must be in the room at the end of the year or the resident will be charged a replacement fee of $20.

HLS Apartments – In 1637 Mass Ave, individual apartments are not provided with televisions or cable service automatically, so residents will need to sign up with Comcast if they wish to have their own. 3 Mellen Street and Baker Hall are provided with large high-definition flat panel televisions, but residents will need to contact Comcast to set up service. Individual bedrooms in all of the HLS Apartments are cable-ready.

28 Wendell Street - Individual rooms are not provided with televisions or cable service automatically, so residents will need to sign up with Comcast if they wish to have their own. However, the lounge on the 1st floor does have a flat screen television and basic cable.

Cancellation Policy

HLS Residence Halls

Students who have selected or been assigned a room in the residence halls may be charged a penalty for canceling the room. The penalty fee will be applied to the Harvard e-bill and escalates throughout the summer.

• Prior to April 30: no penalty
• May 1 - June 30: $500
• July 1 and after: full academic year room fee until re-rental in which case the cost will be $500 plus the prorated fee.

Students are officially responsible for the room they select or are assigned upon receiving an email confirmation from the Dean of Students Office. If a confirmed room is cancelled after July 1, a penalty will be applied and the student will be responsible for the academic year's fee in full. This may be reduced to the pro-rated cost of the room plus the $500 penalty if the room is filled by another HLS student 

Exceptions to the cancellation penalties are made through June 1, 2009 for students who have a confirmed room in an HLS Residence Hall (not the HLS Apartments), but cancel because of securing an apartment in Harvard Real Estate Services'  Harvard University Housing 

HLS Apartments

Students who apply for and are confirmed for an apartment in the HLS Apartments (1637 Massachusetts Avenue, 3 Mellen Street and Baker Hall) are fully liable and responsible for the apartment once they have received a confirmation email from the Dean of Students Office and signed the lease, both of which occur during the spring term. Students who have received a confirmation email and signed the lease for an apartment and then decide to cancel are subject to the $500 cancellation penalty and the cost of the unit until re-rental. The HRES exception does not apply for rental of a unit in the HLS Apartments; neither do the tiered cancellations mentioned above for the HLS Residence Halls.

Students who defer, withdraw, take a leave of absence or otherwise will not be enrolled in 2009-2010

Students who have a confirmed room or apartment, but will not be enrolled at Harvard Law School during 2009-2010, may be granted an exception to the cancellation penalties.

• deferring admission to Harvard Law School
• withdrawing or declining admission to Harvard Law School
• an approved leave of absence
• study abroad/joint degree program, which will cause the student to not be in attendance at Harvard Law School

Students must contact the Dean of Students Office at housing@law.harvard.edu promptly in order for the penalty fee not to be charged.

Canceling Your Room

Students may submit a request to cancel their residence hall room by completing the HLS On-Campus Housing Cancellation Form. If you are uncertain about the financial consequences for early withdrawal or pre-term cancellation, please contact the Dean of Students Office at 617.495.1880 or at housing@law.harvard.edu for clarification

Cleanliness

As rooms and apartments are part of a residential community, residents are required to keep their space clean and sanitary. Residents should not sweep, throw or dispose from any doors, windows, balconies, porches or other parts of the building any dirt, waste, rubbish or other things into any parts of the building or outdoors, except in proper trash and recycling receptacles. For more information on the location of trash and recycling receptacles and what can and cannot be recycled, please see Trash and Recycling.

In the event that adequate health and safety standards related to cleanliness are not maintained, HLS may have the room or apartment professionally cleaned at the resident’s expense. Recurring cleanliness problems may be referred by Resident Assistants to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office 

Clothing

Cambridge has significant temperature variance across the seasons, ranging from below 0 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter to above 90 degrees during the summer, so please plan your wardrobe and bedding/linens appropriately

Computers – Internet & Network Access

All residents of on-campus housing can access the Internet and HLS network via a wired jack in their room or wirelessly anywhere in the residence halls. When you turn on your computer and open a web browser for the first time, you will be automatically directed to log into the FAStAccess Device system at https://autoreg.fas.harvard.edu/index.html with your HUID and PIN. The system will walk you through the registration process including securing your computer. You must do this for each device you intend to connect to the HLS network. If you have any questions or problems, you should contact the Student Help Desk coordinated by Information Technology Services (ITS) at help@law.harvard.edu or 617.495.9576. Here are some helpful ITS Web Resources:

• ITS Computer & Network Usage Agreement
• ITS Student Services
• Admitted Students: Things To Do Before You Arrive On Campus
• Jack Repair Request Form
• Wireless Access Problem Form

Residents who bring laptops to HLS should register them with HUPD. There will be registration sessions in the Hark on Wednesday, September 2 and Thursday, September 3 from 11:30a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For additional information or to register online go to http://www.hupd.harvard.edu/laptop.php.

Cooking

There are fully equipped kitchens, including refrigerators, stoves, microwaves and toaster ovens in every building: Ames 3, Dane 1 and 2, Holmes 2, Shaw 2 and 3, Hastings Basement beneath Entry 5 and North 3 and 5. Each unit in the HLS Apartments has a fully equipped kitchen, including a refrigerator, stove, and microwave. Residents may bring their own cooking appliances such as coffeemakers or rice cookers, but they must be stored and used in the kitchen. Please note that in the HLS Residence Halls, unless properly labeled, cooking appliances may be subject to use by other residents. Primary responsibility for keeping the kitchens clean belongs to the residents who are required to clean up after themselves after using the kitchen. Dirty dishes should be washed immediately and counters should be wiped after cooking.

When cooking in the kitchen, residents are absolutely required to remain in the kitchen with their food AT ALL TIMES. Any time a resident has food on the stove, in the oven or in the microwave, the resident is obligated to be in the kitchen. The vast majority of fire alarms result from burned food because the resident left the kitchen while cooking. When these fire alarms sound, the entire building must be evacuated and the Cambridge Fire Department will arrive. Residents who leave food unattended, especially if a repeated incident, may be referred to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office for potential disciplinary action and termination of their Housing License.

All food stored in common refrigerators must be wrapped and labeled with the resident’s name, room # and the date the item was placed in the fridge using the labels provided. If you intend to cook a lot and will buy a lot of perishable food, it is advisable for you to purchase your own mini-fridge to keep food in your room. On a quarterly basis, the common refrigerators are emptied, cleaned and unlabeled or expired food is discarded. Notification will be given before the quarterly refrigerator cleanings.

The Massachusetts State Sanitary Code prohibits the use of any cooking appliance within a dormitory room (see page 5). Therefore, as the Appliances section indicates, microfridges are prohibited from individual rooms; only minifridges are allowed. Resident Assistants are obligated to report the use of cooking appliances in a resident’s room to the Dean of Students Office. Food should only be prepared in the kitchens.

In the Gropius kitchens, residents are asked to be quiet, particularly late at night and during the early morning, as the kitchens are adjacent to rooms and residents can often hear what’s going on in the kitchen if too loud.

Construction

North Hall

In 2009-2010, we may begin some construction work at the end of the spring term that will require all graduating North residents to change rooms after exams conclude (Friday, May 14, 2010), moving out of North Hall and into an empty Gropius room. Movers will be available to assist with the move. You will be required to sign a waiver acknowledging your awareness and acceptance of these conditions in order to be offered a license to be a North Hall resident 

Wasserstein Hall, Caspersen Student Center, Clinical Wing Project

The Wasserstein Hall, Caspersen Student Center, Clinical Wing project will transform student life and learning at Harvard Law School. Comprising approximately 250,000 square feet on the corner of Everett Street and Massachusetts Avenue, this new complex will dramatically improve the teaching environment, provide new spaces for student activities, and significantly strengthen the learning community.  It will also enhance the surrounding neighborhood by providing an attractive northern gateway to the Law School and to the Harvard University community. Wasserstein Hall, bordering Massachusetts Avenue, this academic center will feature a range of classrooms and other learning spaces designed for 21st century legal education. The Caspersen Student Center, adjacent to Harkness Commons, will be a central gathering place for students and will serve as a home for student organizations, journals, and social activities. The Clinical Wing, on the Everett Street side of the site, will house the School's expanding clinical programs – the educational ground where theory and practice meet. For additional information regarding the impact of the project, go to http://www.law.harvard.edu/about/nwc/project_benefits.htm.

This year is expected to be one of the most exciting for this project as the work will move from the below ground excavation of the parking garage to the steel skeleton of the building and the stone that will surround it being assembled. With the activity moving above ground, the project will certainly become more visible. Most notably, for most of the fall a large tower crane will be located in the center of the project site. This is used to pick up the pieces of steel and put them in place throughout the emerging building. While this process in particular is not anticipated to generate much noise, laying the corrugated steel sheets that are the surface upon which concrete is poured to create each floor may result in some noise.

Harvard Construction Mitigation exists to answer your questions and concerns regarding construction projects around the University. If you have an immediate question or concern, call their hotline at 617.496.0857 or email nwcorner@law.harvard.edu. To receive a weekly email with the latest updates on WCC construction, visit the mitigation listserv page.

Contract – Lease or License Agreement

Students living in the HLS Residence Halls sign a License Agreement with Harvard Law School, whereas students residing in the HLS Apartments sign a Lease with Harvard Law School. Your housing contract will be sent to you within two business days of your room selection and you must mail the signed copy to the Harvard Law School Dean of Students Office within one week of the date the contract was sent to you.

Crimson Cash Card

Crimson Cash is a convenient way to pay for various services or buy food on and off campus. Money can be transferred to your Harvard I.D. or Crimson Cash Card from a Visa or MasterCard account at transfer sites located throughout the campus or by visiting the Crimson Cash website. Your Harvard I.D. or Crimson Cash Card can then be used for purchases from copy machines, laundry washers and dryers, dining services, the Coop and even many off-campus restaurants.

Ways to Add Crimson Cash:

• Go to https://cash.harvard.edu.
• Call 617.496.6600.
• Go to one of nine Value Transfer Stations (VTS) on campus.
• Stop by the Crimson Cash office at 65 Winthrop Street 

Decorating/Wall Hangings

Although we want you to feel as though your room, suite or apartment is your home, no painting or decorating of a permanent nature is permitted in residence hall rooms. Residents are not permitted to use nails or screws or anything else that would cause holes in the wall. Neither can tape and other adhesives that leave permanent marks on painted walls be used. We recommend 3M Command adhesive or similar products. Students will be held liable and fined for all damage done to rooms, suites or apartments, furniture and for all other acts that damage or deface the premises.

Dining On Campus – Harkness Commons

Harkness Commons (the Hark) serves as a campus center, until the Wasserstein Hall, Caspersen Student Center, Clinical Wing building is complete. It contains the main HLS dining area and cafeteria as well as a more lounge like seating area with a large flat screen television, a pool table and newspapers on the second floor. On the first floor, there is a small café that serves coffee, sweets and pre-made sandwiches. There is no meal plan at Harvard Law School. Students pay as they go and typically add money to their Harvard I.D., which is known as Crimson Cash.

Elevators

Only North Hall has an elevator, so residents of Gropius, Hastings and the HLS Apartments need to use the stairs to come and go from their room, suite or apartment. Please note that if a fire alarm is sounding, residents should NEVER use the elevator, only the stairs.

Emergency Information

Emergency Exits and Hallways - Emergency fire doors should not be blocked on either side by furniture or other obstructions. Occupants are not allowed to place objects on outside windowsills, ledges or fire escapes.

Fire - See Fire Safety Regulations section.

Medical Emergencies - Should a resident require immediate medical attention, the Harvard University Police can arrange for transportation to and from the hospital emergency room. Dial Harvard University Police at 617.495.1212. Resident Assistants are in place to help call Harvard University Police and help coordinate getting injured or seriously ill residents to the hospital emergency room.

Phone Numbers

• 911
• Harvard University Police Department           617.495.1212
• Operations Center (facilities emergencies)      617.495.5560
• University Health Services                              617.495.5711

Resident Assistants - While we encourage residents to call 911, HUPD, or UHS immediately in the case of an emergency, Resident Assistants can also help residents get the appropriate emergency personnel to you or vise versa. Resident Assistants are also able to get in touch with staff from the Dean of Students Office in the case of an emergency.

Text Message Alert System - Harvard has a university-wide text message alert system that enables administrators to send messages to students’ cell phones in the case of an emergency. You can register at https://messageme.harvard.edu/. This system requires subscribers to re-register each year in order to maintain an accurate database of cell phone numbers, so returning students who registered last year will need to re-register.

Web Pages

• Harvard University’s Emergency Communication webpage is http://www.emergency.harvard.edu/.
• Harvard Law School’s Emergency Information webpage is: http://www.law.harvard.edu/current/student-services/emergency-information/hls-emergency-info.html.

Energy Use Guidelines

• Turn off your computer every night and enable power management settings to conserve energy and help laptop batteries last longer. Apply recommended settings from the Office for Sustainability by visiting these fact sheets for Windows and for Macs. 
• Turn off lights when leaving a room and when otherwise unnecessary; utilize natural lighting whenever possible.
• Don’t overload refrigerators; they operate more efficiently when air circulation is not restricted.
• Do not prop open exterior doors, even for short periods of time.
• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs in desk lamps. To obtain bulbs, contact your Green Living Representative.
• Turn off personal fans when you are not in the room. Fans only circulate air; they do not cool it. If you can’t feel the fan, it is not helping you stay cool.

Escort Program

The Harvard University Campus Escort Program (HUCEP), operated by Harvard University Police, provides trained walking escorts to students, faculty and staff from 10:30p.m. to 2:00a.m. Sunday-Wednesday and 10:30pm to 3:00a.m. Thursday-Saturday. They cover the Yard, River, and Quad areas. HUCEP teams are easily identifiable by their brightly-colored vests, which are clearly labeled with “HUCEP”. You can request an escort by calling 617.384.8237 or 617.38.HUCEP 

Event Policies

The host(s) in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments must read and agree to abide by the policies below. For the purposes of these policies, an “event” is any gathering in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments. Hosts must be residents of the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments and must be present for the duration of the event. These policies, which apply at all times in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments, represent minimum standards. On a case-by-case basis, the Dean of Students Office may require additional steps to be taken. Violations of the policies below will be referred to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office and may be subject to disciplinary action by the Administrative Board. In addition, damages and added clean-up needs will be the financial responsibility of the host, and will be billed to that resident’s e-bill.

A unit is defined as a room or suite in the HLS Residence Halls or an apartment in the HLS Apartments.

Admission

Events in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments can only be open to residents and their guests. Common rooms and lounges are prohibited from being used for events open to the general public. Admission fees cannot be charged for any events in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments. Since events cannot be open to the general public, advertising is prohibited; all events must be organized by personal invitation only 

Alcohol

• All Harvard Law School students are responsible for reading and complying with all of the information delineated in the Harvard Law School Alcohol Policy.
• Alcohol may not be consumed by any person in any part of a residence hall except in a room, suite or apartment or at a registered and approved event.
• Requests to host an events in any part of a residence hall except an individual resident’s unit where alcohol will be served will be made to the Resident Assistant and then forwarded to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office for approval.
• The host(s) of the event has responsibility for abiding by this policy. The Housing Administrator will address individual consumption or possession violations using potential sanctions depending on the context and severity of the violation up to immediate termination of on-campus housing privileges and/or referral to the Administrative Board for potential disciplinary action.

Building Access

The host(s) must ensure that no entry doors are propped open, as this presents a security risk to all residents residing in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments. If non-resident guests are expected, the host(s) must have a door monitor with a guest list. Guests should not knock on other residents’ windows or the door for access.

Condition of the Lounge

The host(s) is responsible for ensuring that the condition of the space is the same as it was before the event. All trash and recycling should be collected and placed in the appropriate receptacles. Floors should be cleaned by vacuuming, sweeping or mopping as necessary. This includes other rooms used as a result of the event such as kitchens, bathrooms and hallways. If the lounge or other spaces used by guests are not restored to their original condition, the additional cost of cleaning will be charged as a fee to the host(s). Hosts who abuse common rooms or lounges may be restricted from hosting future events and may be referred to the Housing Administrator for potential disciplinary action.

Conduct

It is the responsibility of the host to ensure proper conduct of all guests. If the host needs assistance, he/she should contact their Resident Assistant, Harvard University Police, or University Health Services. The host(s) is obligated to take appropriate steps to obtain medical assistance for any guest that appears to need it.

Events in Individual Units

Events must be confined to that space and cannot overflow into the hallway or other rooms. Despite being contained in an individual unit, events must not violate the Noise Policies and Quiet Hours. Noise should not be audible outside the unit during quiet hours.

The Resident Assistants have the authority to shut down an event in an individual unit because of a violation of any of the policies described in this Events section and the Handbook overall. Harvard University Police may be called if a resident refuses and the matter will be referred to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office for potential disciplinary action. If you have any questions or concerns about events in individual units, please contact the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office, housing@law.harvard.edu or 617.495.1880.

Kitchens

Kitchens cannot be reserved, but hosts may use the kitchen as part of an event with the understanding that other residents are permitted to use the kitchen at the same time 

Lounge Reservation

The lounges of the HLS Residence Halls are intended to be shared by all residents of the halls. In most cases, these lounges serve as the hub of the residential community and as such it is expected that residents are respectful of their fellow residents and the community at large when using the lounges, particularly in terms of noise, cleanliness and sharing the space.

Lounge reservations are typically coordinated by the Resident Assistants, but occasionally involve the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office depending on scope, size, serving of alcohol and unusual circumstances. Residents who intend to have a gathering in the lounge should email their Resident Assistant at least one week prior to the event with the information below:

• Date of Event
• Start/End Time
• Host Name and Email (hosts must be residents of the HLS Residence Halls or Apartments)
• Description of Event
• # of Guests Anticipated
• Will alcohol be served?

Please note that in North and Shaw Halls, the lounge serves the entire residential community of that building and as such the Resident Assistants of the entire building will review and approve lounge reservations.

All lounge reservations are obligated to abide by the Events Policies. Reservations of a lounge where alcohol is served will be forwarded by the Resident Assistant to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office for approval.

The Resident Assistant or Housing Administrator will notify the host if the event has been approved and confirm requirements for the event such as wine and/or beer and bartending services from Restaurant Associates or a Harvard University Police detail.

Please be considerate of other residents and honor the lounge reservation system. The Resident Assistants have the authority to shut down an event in a lounge for which approved reservation was not sought or because of a violation of any of the other policies described in this section or the Housing Handbook generally. Harvard University Police may be called if necessary and the matter will be referred to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office for potential sanctions. If you have any questions or concerns about lounge reservations, please contact the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office, housing@law.harvard.edu or 617.495.1880.

Noise

Large-scale events and parties both in common spaces and in individual rooms, suites or apartments cannot be scheduled on nights prior to regularly scheduled class days. Nor can they be scheduled during reading or exam periods. Noise should not be audible outside the room, suite or apartment during quiet hours, which are 11:00pm-7:00a.m. Monday-Friday and 12:30a.m.-9:00a.m. Friday and Saturday. Any Resident Assistant, HLS Administrator or Harvard University Police may shut down an event if they deem it to be excessively noisy or due to disorderly conduct.

Extension Cords

Only standard twin cords meeting National Electric Code requirements may be used in residence hall rooms. Cords must be mechanically and electrically in good condition and cannot exceed 10 feet in length. Extension cords cannot be plugged into another extension cord. Extension cords and outlets cannot be overloaded. Power strips with built-in circuit breakers are preferred and provide a safer option. Cords of any type cannot be permanently fastened to any part of the residence hall building, or run through partitions or doorways or under rugs. No spliced cords are permitted 

Fire Safety Regulations

The following items are prohibited in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments:

• Candles, incense, matches, or any other sources of open flame.
• Cooking appliances of any type but specifically, microwaves, toaster ovens, toasters, hotplates cannot be used in individual rooms. Pressure cookers and deep fryers are strictly prohibited from being present and used anywhere in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments.
• Halogen lamps
• Space heaters
• Tapestries
• Flammable, combustible or explosive liquids, gasses or solids including but not limited to fuel, propane, lighter fluid, butane lighters, charcoal, flammable cleaning products
• Firearms are strictly prohibited on the Harvard Law School campus 

Room Decoration Policies

• No ceiling decorations (tapestries, fish nets, posters, fabrics, etc.) are permitted.
• Wall decorations, including but not limited to pictures, posters, tapestries, and curtains, may only cover a maximum of 10% of the total wall area.
• Tapestries, curtains, and other fabric decorations must have a tag that shows proof of fire resistance, must be hung vertically and must be at least 18 inches from any heat source (electric outlets and/or switches, lights, etc.).
• Tapestries, posters, fabric and light may not be draped from walls, but should instead be fastened securely and tightly to the wall.
• At least six inches of space must be left between wall decorations 

Lounge Policies

• Fire escapes are strictly for emergency evacuation in case of a fire only; residents are otherwise prohibited from being on the fire escapes. Fire escapes cannot be used as smoking areas.
• Residents are prohibited from tampering with or using fire extinguishers.
• There can be no obstructions impeding use of any fire exit, including hallways, fire escapes, emergency exit doors and windows. Nothing can be left in the hallways at any time including but not limited to mattresses and furniture to bicycles, boxes and items even as small as shoes.
• Hallway doors must be closed at all times. They should never be propped open.
• Emergency exits must not be blocked.

Smoke Detectors, Sprinklers and Fire Alarms

Smoke detectors must never be obstructed, disabled, altered, adjusted or otherwise tampered with in any way. Inspections will be conducted throughout the year to ensure detectors are in place and working. The detector’s red light should be on at all times; this indicates that it is functioning properly. If you notice that the light is off, please call Facilities Management at 617.495.5521 immediately 

Residents may not tamper with the automatic sprinkler systems in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments. It is dangerous, and therefore forbidden, to use sprinkler heads and piping for drying or hanging clothing. Sprinklers should never be painted. Students who cause the unnecessary discharge of a sprinkler will be referred to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office and Administrative Board for potential disciplinary action and will be charged for replacement of sprinkler heads and for cleanup costs. If such discharge causes damage to other rooms, students will be held responsible for costs for property and room damage 

Any smoke or heat detector in a stairwell or corridor can initiate the building alarm when a predetermined concentration of smoke or heat reaches it. This alarm sounds like the manually-initiated alarms. When a building fire alarm sounds in a residence hall, all occupants must evacuate the premises. Go to the nearest stairway and do not use the elevators. For your safety, fire drills are held in all HLS Residence Halls and Apartments at least once each year. All students in the buildings at the time of the drill must participate.

Furniture

All rooms in the HLS Residence Halls and bedrooms in the HLS Apartments are equipped with a bed, desk, desk chair, bookcase and/or bookshelves, dresser and/or closet, a trash can and recycling can. Some buildings have additional furnishings, which are listed on each building's web page. The Gropius Complex does not have dressers, but instead has large closets with shelves. Residents are not allowed to remove HLS furnishings from their rooms or apartments, and HLS furnishings cannot be replaced with personally-owned furniture therefore no furniture should be placed in the hallway or lounge to be taken away. Resident Assistants are obligated to determine in which room, suite or apartment the furniture belongs and instruct the resident to return the furniture to their room, suite or apartment. Residents are not allowed to bring HLS common room furnishings out of those shared spaces and into their rooms or apartments. Residents are not permitted to switch furniture from one room, suite or apartment to another for any reason.

Residents who have requests related to furniture removal due to a medical or health need or disability will need to submit the Disability Accommodation Request Form and have a letter sent to the Dean of Students Office from a licensed physician indicating the diagnosis, the functional limitations it presents, a recommendation for a specific accommodation, and the duration of the condition.

Other Furniture Guidelines:

• Lofted beds and water beds are strictly prohibited from the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments.
• Students are not permitted to hang items outside of their room or in their room window.
• Personal furnishings must be maintained in a reasonable state of repair.
• Residents are not permitted to place any furniture outside on porches, patios, stairs, sidewalks or lawns.

Guests/Visitors

Residents may have occasional guests for temporary visits of up to three days, without special permission. If you would like to have a guest for longer than three days, you will need to get permission from the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office. Residents are responsible for the behavior of their guests at all times, and guests may not use common areas of the HLS Residence Halls when the resident host is not present. HLS does not provide keys to guests, so the resident host will be responsible for letting their guest in and out of the residence hall and their room. No guest may stay in the HLS Residence Halls or Apartments for a period of time when the official resident will not be present. In other words, residents cannot turn their room over to others, and others cannot live in the room with the resident. Children under the age of 18 are not allowed to stay overnight in the HLS Residence Halls 

Heating

In May 2009, HLS adopted a school-wide Temperature Policy to promote energy conservation. In warm weather, buildings will be cooled to 74°F. In cold weather, buildings will be heated to 70°F. In July 2009, Harvard adopted a university-wide temperature policy in support of this range. Please keep this temperature policy in mind when communicating with the Housing Office and with Facilities Management about dorm temperature issues.

In order for your room to be properly warmed and/or cooled, air must be free to flow from the heating/cooling unit; do not obstruct airflow with beds, desks, books, etc.

When the heat is on…
Keep windows tightly closed.
Keep blinds and curtains closed for insulation, especially at night.
If your room overheats, do NOT leave your window open; call Facilities immediately.
Wear warm layers for additional insulation.

Space Heaters
Space heaters are not permitted in Harvard housing, as they are both fire hazards and inefficient producers of heat.

Contact Facilities Management at (617) 495-5521 or facmgmt@law.harvard.edu as soon as problems with heating or cooling arise Please note that you should always contact Facilities Management (617.495.5521 or facmgmt@law.harvard.edu) as soon as problems with heating arise; this greatly improves the ease of determining the cause of the problem.

Holiday Breaks/Vacations

The HLS Residence Halls and Apartments do not close during academic recesses such as Fly-Out Week, Thanksgiving Break, Holiday Break and Spring Break. Residents who plan to remain on campus during these breaks should be aware that many administrative offices, including the Dean of Students Office and Facilities Management, may have reduced hours or be closed and Harvard and Law School buildings (I.E. Harkness Commons, Langdell library) may operate on reduced schedules. Temperatures in some buildings, including the residence halls, may be slightly scaled back to conserve energy with most students away from campus, but all will remain within the legally obligated 68 degrees Fahrenheit/21 degrees Celsius during the day and 64 degrees Fahrenheit/19 degrees Celsius at night. Residents will receive notification of any changes in space availability or temperature ranges in advance of any breaks.

Insects/Pest Control

Bugs and vermin are introduced into buildings by various sources, but there are things that residents can do to minimize the problems:

• Keep food in tightly-covered containers.
• Discard spoiled food.
• Wipe up water, spills and crumbs.
• Empty trash to trash rooms or closets regularly.
• Sweep and/or vacuum regularly.
• Do not leave damp clothes, sponges, etc. in cabinets or closets.
• Do not feed squirrels, chipmunks or birds or leave food on windowsills 

For pest problems, please contact Facilities Management at 617.495.5521 or facmgmt@law.harvard.edu immediately upon identifying the issue.

Inspections

The City of Cambridge conducts semi-annual inspections of the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments for violations of health, fire, and safety rules. The Dean of Students Office and the Facilities Management Office will make every effort to advise you of these inspections.

The University respects the privacy of residents, but reserves the right to enter rooms, suites or apartments during reasonable hours for any reason, although University will attempt to give notice and give residents an opportunity to be present if they would like. This is not always possible though as sometimes entry is needed for emergency service and safety. The University may also enter to conduct room condition inspections.

Insurance

Articles of personal property are brought onto the premises of Harvard Law School at the sole risk of the owner. Some residents have coverage for their belongings in the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments through the homeowner’s or renter’s insurance that serves their permanent address. Check existing policies for more information, but if not, student property insurance is available through many private insurers.

Keys

At the beginning of the academic year each resident is issued a set of 2-3 keys: an exterior building key, a room/apartment key and (with Gropius excluded) a mailbox key. Gropius mailboxes are operated by a combination that is issued on the key packet envelope students receive when they move in. In order to receive keys, students will need to have previously signed their housing license or lease, present a Harvard I.D. or photo I.D. such as a passport or driver’s license, and sign the key receipt acknowledgement card that reiterates the guidelines contained in this section

For security purposes, no other student or relative can be given access to a resident’s room without specific written permission emailed to housing@law.harvard.edu from the resident of that room. The duplication of any key issued to you for the HLS Residence Halls or Apartments is strictly prohibited. Nor should residents ever loan their keys to anyone else. Key duplication and loaning are serious security breaches that may result in disciplinary action including fines and/or termination of your housing license or lease and may be referred to the Administrative Board.

Lockouts

Many of the rooms and apartment doors lock automatically, so be sure to take your key with you whenever you leave your room or apartment. Residents who lock themselves out of their room should first seek their Resident Assistant, who has a set of master keys for just such a purpose, or if unavailable, another Resident Assistant in the building. Residents can also stop by the Facilities Management Office in Holmes Hall 4 to temporarily check out a key, which they will need to return immediately after getting into their room and retrieving their own keys. If it is outside of normal business hours and no Resident Assistant is available, residents should call Harvard University Police at 617.495.1215 and ask for the Law School Security Guard to be dispatched to let you back in to your room or apartment.

Please note that students who have repeated lockouts may be sanctioned with a lockout fine and will be referred to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office. Each time a resident is locked out it will be recorded on their key receipt acknowledgement card. Residents with more than two lockouts will be charged a $20 fine billed on their next e-bill for each time they are locked out thereafter.

Lost Keys

Residents who have lost their keys may obtain a temporary replacement key from the Facilities Management Office during regular business hours. Residents should actively try to find their lost keys and return the replacement keys to the Facilities Management Office promptly. If the original keys are not found within one week, the original keys are assumed to be lost and the Facilities Management Office will change the lock core to the room and issue a new room key to the resident at the expense of the resident. This fee is $150 billed on the next e-bill for the cost of a new lock core, keys and locksmith labor. Should the original keys be found after the change has already occurred, the resident should return the keys to the Facilities Management Office immediately and the fee will be reduced in half to $75. Keys play a vital role in the security of HLS Housing, so it cannot be emphasized enough how important it is for residents to take care of their keys.

Laundry

Laundry rooms, equipped with washing and drying machines that accept both Crimson Cash and coins, are located in the basements of 3 Mellen Street, Baker Hall, Dane Hall, Shaw Hall, Hastings Hall, and North Hall and the first floor of 1637 Massachusetts Avenue. You can view the current status of the machines (available, in use, out of order) via the web by clicking on the following links: 3 Mellen St, 1637 Mass Ave, Baker, Dane, Shaw, Hastings, and North. There are a number of dry cleaners in Harvard Square and along Massachusetts Avenue. The closest dry cleaner to HLS is Rite-Way Dry Cleaners at 4 Hudson Street, a few blocks north of the HLS campus up Mass Ave on the left. Harvard Student Agencies, Inc. offers a wash/dry/fold, dry cleaning, and linen service 

Please have courtesy for your fellow residents when using the laundry rooms and adhere to the following guidelines:

• Do not bleach or dye clothes in the washing machines.
• Promptly remove clothes from washers and dryers, so that other residents may use the machines.
• While we discourage anyone from removing someone else’s laundry, if it must be done, do so with care and consideration.
• Consult the energy efficiency guides listed on the machines when considering which options to select for washing and drying.

Linens

Linens are not provided. You should plan to either buy your own, buy them at nearby a department store such as Target in Somerville, buy them online and have them shipped to HLS, or buy them from Harvard Student Agencies. Cambridge has significant temperature variance across the seasons, ranging from below 0 degrees Fahrenheit during the winter to above 90 degrees during the summer, so please plan your wardrobe and bedding/linens appropriately 

Lost and Found

The official Lost and Found for Harvard Law School is located in the Facilities Management Office, Holmes Hall 4.

Mail & Package Services

The HLS Residential Mail Center, located in Pound Hall, Room 106, receives mail and packages for on-campus residents.

Address

Your mailing address will be as follows (### is your room number; include the A/B if applicable):

• Ames Hall – 1### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• Dane Hall – 2### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• Hastings Hall – 3### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• Holmes Hall – 4### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• North Hall – 5### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• Shaw Hall – 6### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• Story Hall – 7### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• 1637 Massachusetts Avenue – 8### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• 3 Mellen Street – 9### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• Baker Hall – 10### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138
• 28R Wendell Street – 11### HLS Residential Mail Center, Cambridge, MA 02138

A street address is not needed to send mail; however, occasionally some package shipping services require a street address. If that occurs, use the street address of Pound Hall, where the HLS Residential Mail Center is located: 1563 Massachusetts Avenue (not your building address).

Mail Service

Mail services are provided for residents of the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments only off campus residents looking for a mailing address other than where their apartment is should consider a P.O. Box at The U.S. Post Office, UPS or similar store. Mail (except packages) is delivered directly to the mailboxes located in the residence halls and apartments Monday-Friday; Saturday mail is added to the Monday mail delivery. Residents that live in the Gropius Complex will receive a combination code at move-in to access their mailbox, while residents of Hastings Hall, North Hall and the HLS Apartments will receive a key. A mailbox is located outside of Pound Hall or there are nearby U.S. Post Offices located at 125 Mt. Auburn Street (near Harvard Square) and 1953 Massachusetts Avenue (near Porter Square). Residents are prohibited from allowing anyone else from using their mailing address, including students living off-campus. Residents who intentionally damage or improperly attempt to enter resident mailboxes will be reported to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office and be subject to possible disciplinary action by the Administrative Board.

Package Services

Package services are provided for residents of the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments only. Packages sent to dormitory residents via U.S. Postal Service and other vendors are delivered to the HLS Residential Mail Center. Staff will sign for and store these packages until the resident picks them up. Residents will receive an email notifying them that a package has arrived for them. U.S. Postal Service letters requiring a signature upon receipt are treated in the same manner as packages. Airline tickets are also handled in this manner. Residents may pick up their packages at Pound 103 Monday-Friday between 9am and 5pm. Residents picking up packages must show proper identification (Harvard I.D. or driver’s license) and will be required to sign for all packages. Residents may pick up their own packages only 

Package Shipping

Individuals may arrange shipment of packages through the HLS Residential Mail Center. There is a scale in the HMC that can be used to weigh packages to be shipped. Individuals must contact UPS, provide them with the required information (including weight of each package), arrange for payment, and leave the packages to be shipped. UPS will pick up packages at that location. For more information please ask the staff.

Summer Mail Forwarding

First-class mail received after a resident moves out through August 31, 2010 will be forwarded, provided the resident completes the Summer Mail Forwarding Form. Only first class mail (bills and personal letters) will be forwarded. Non-first class mail (magazines and junk mail) that arrives during the summer will be discarded. Those who do not complete the Summer Mail Forwarding Form will have their mail returned to sender. Residents will not be able to stop by the HLS Residential Mail Center during the summer to pick it up. All first class mail received after August 31, 2010 will be returned to the sender.

After graduating residents move out they should notify any organizations, companies or people who will be sending you mail of your new address. Completing the change of address form with the U.S.P.S. will not work, so you must complete the form in order for your mail to be forwarded. Graduating residents are advised to make direct notification regarding change of address to family, friends, banks, credit card companies, law firms and other important persons or businesses to ensure faster processing of summer addresses and to prevent interruptions or delays in receiving mail.

Maintenance

For general non-urgent maintenance requests, contact the Facilities Management Office in Holmes Hall 4 at 617.495.5521 or facmgmt@law.harvard.edu. If you email, please include a description of the problem, location of the problem (building and room number), your name and a phone number where you can be reached. For urgent maintenance items (for example, an overflowing toilet, malfunctioning smoke detector, etc.) please call 617.495.5521, so that Facilities Management can page the appropriate personnel. Do not email the Facilities Management Office after business hours and during the weekend with urgent maintenance needs as that email account will not be checked until the next business day at 9am. Even after hours or on the weekend, you should call 617.495.5521 and an option will be presented to forward your call to the Operations Center, which is open 24 hours a day.

Throughout the academic year, Facilities Management may need to make improvements to fixtures, appliances, building controls, etc for the purposes of energy conservation. Changes may include, but are not limited to, improvements to showerheads, plumbing, lighting, thermostats, and thermostat instructions. Should these projects take place, residents will be informed in advance of changes, and an effort will be made to minimize disruption.

Move Out

Move-out dates are determined by program and year in program. For 2009-2010, the following move-out dates apply:

• Sunday, May 16, 2010 5:00pm – all non-graduating residents
• TBD – students participating in the annual Harvard Law Review Competition
• Friday, May 28, 2010 5:00pm – Graduating residents

Residents are expected to move out of their room and leave it in the same condition as it was when they moved in. All personal belongings and trash should be removed and furniture should be restored to the original configuration. Residents should return all of the keys they were issued to the Facilities Management Office. Residents should not leave them with a friend or a Resident Assistant. Residents whose keys are not returned will be charged the lost keys fee of $150. The U.S. Post Office comes annually to set up for a few days in Harkness Commons if you would like to ship belongings home. Residents can also have mail forwarded through the summer.

For additional details and common topics, please check out the move-out web page where we have done our best to anticipate all the questions you may have.

Musical Instruments

Drums, pianos, organs, violins, cellos, and electric guitars are not permitted. Other musical instruments may be played at a volume that does not disturb other residents. There are practice rooms available through the Music Department. Please review the Noise section for additional guidelines.

Noise

In keeping with the attitude of mutual respect expected in the dorms, please respect your co-residents’ concerns regarding noise. Please show regard for other residents and keep all sound within reasonable limits. There should be no excessive noise at any time in any part of the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments. Residents having events or gatherings in individual rooms should keep noise levels down. Residents should also mind their alarm clocks, particularly when leaving HLS overnight or longer. Should an alarm continue to sound and it seems as though the resident is not present, a Resident Assistant or staff member in the Facilities Management Office or Dean of Students Office will enter the room to turn off the alarm.

Ideally, every resident should be able to produce as much noise as one would like in one’s own room, suite or apartment, but in a residential community, residents are obligated to be sensitive to the needs of others. It is expected that residents will respect their fellow residents’ concerns when asked to lower the volume of any noise.

Residents should be mindful that hallways are not an ideal gathering space, particular late at night and early in the morning. Conversations in kitchens and lounges should be kept at reasonable volumes since these spaces do neighbor individual rooms.

Quiet Hours

Quiet hours are from 11pm-7am Sunday through Thursday and 12:30am-9am Friday and Saturday. 24-hour quiet hours are in effect during reading and exam periods. If a resident is using a common room or lounge during quiet hours, noise should not be audible within any of the neighboring rooms, suite or apartments. During quiet hours, noise from a room, suite or apartment should not be audible outside that room, suite or apartment 

Resolving Noise Complaints

If a resident is disturbed by noise produced by a neighbor, the resident should first communicate that concern directly to the neighbor. It may be that the neighbor is unaware that the noise is as loud as it is or that it could be bothering other residents. If the problem persists after communicating with the neighbor, the resident should inform their Resident Assistant.

Parking & Cars

Parking in Cambridge is very limited. Students are strongly discouraged from bringing vehicles to campus. Students choosing to bring their car to campus are not guaranteed a parking space. If you need parking or use of the disability shuttle for disability reasons, please contact Cathleen Segal at 617.496.2437 or csegal@law.harvard.edu. Application for student parking permits is made at fall registration. There is a fee for using Harvard’s parking facilities. Current prices and other information are available by visiting the Parking Office 

Roofs

Residents of the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments are prohibited from the building roofs.

Room Assignments

This section is forthcoming, but for additional information please go to the Lottery/Room Selection Process web page 

Room Changes

Due to the high demand for on-campus housing, room changes are not always possible, but we do our best to accommodate a request for a change when we can. While requests can be submitted beginning as soon as the end of room selection, no requests are reviewed until the conclusion of all the on-campus housing lottery and room selection processes in early June. Requests are considered by the Housing Committee and evaluated based on availability. During the academic year, requests for room changes are considered and offers are made during the last week of each month beginning the end of September with the last room change requests considered the last week of March. To submit a request for a room change, please submit the HLS On-Campus Housing Change Request Form.

Room Condition

This section is forthcoming.

Safety and Security

The Harvard University Police Department (HUPD) is committed to providing the Harvard community with a safe and secure environment. Although reported crime (predominantly property crime) at Harvard is low, it is important for students, faculty, staff, and visitors to remember that we are located in an urban setting; therefore, we share many of the crime and safety issues that exist in any city. In partnership with the community, we work to prevent crime and solve problems that affect students, faculty, and staff. The safety and security of the University is the combined responsibility of the entire community 

Over the last five years we have recorded approximately 500 thefts annually. Almost all of the thefts involved the taking of unattended property from public spaces or from unsecured offices and residences. Thefts from offices and residences usually were perpetrated by individuals with no connection to the University who entered locked buildings illegally by piggybacking or entered unlocked buildings.

In order for the HUPD to maintain a safe and secure environment for the students, faculty, and staff of the University, it needs the help of the community. The HUPD can not do it alone! As noted below, take precautions to protect your property by never leaving it unattended in public and by locking your room or office when you leave it even for a moment, and maintain your safety while traveling throughout campus by walking with others on well-lit streets and by using the shuttle bus, escort van or Harvard University Campus Escort Program (HUCEP).

In addition, we need you to serve as our eyes and ears. You are in a better position to identify behavior and activities that are out of the ordinary in your residence or workplace. When you do identify suspicious behavior, we need you to call the HUPD. You should trust your instincts. If something doesn’t seem right, it probably isn’t. Don’t ignore it or keep it to yourself; call HUPD – even if you are unsure about what is occurring. We are not encouraging community members to intervene or take actions on their own. We just need you to take a moment to call us to alert us to the situation. We will then dispatch officers immediately to investigate the situation and take appropriate actions 

Your Role in Preventing Crime and Staying Safe.

Keep yourself, your residence, your office, and your car safe by incorporating safe behavior into your daily routine.

• When you leave your room, office, or vehicle, even for a moment, always keep your doors and windows locked.
• Never leave your purse, wallet, book bag, laptop, or other property unattended, even for a moment.
• When locking your bicycle, use a steel “U” lock rather than a cable lock. Lock the frame and tire together to a stationary object.
• Trust your instincts. Be careful when people stop you for directions, request money, or ask you for the time. Always reply from a distance; never get too close to the car or the person. If you feel uncomfortable about someone near you, head for a populated area and call the HUPD at 617.495.1212.
• Know the locations of blue light emergency phones on campus.
• If you are out after dark, use only well-lit routes or Designated Pathways, make use of shuttle buses, the escort van, and HUCEP, and travel in groups when possible.
• Look confident when you walk. Make eye contact with passersby, and keep a firm grip on your property.
• Carry your keys in your hand so you can quickly get into your car or home.
• In your vehicle, keep possessions out of sight (in the trunk).
• Although it seems courteous to open doors for others, especially persons carrying groceries or packages, do not open any doors for strangers.

For more detailed information on safety and security, please read the Harvard University Police Department’s “Playing it Safe” booklet, which can be found at www.hupd.harvard.edu/prevention_handbook.php

Smoking

All HLS Residence Halls and Apartments (and furthermore all HLS buildings) are smoke-free buildings. Smoking is prohibited anywhere in the building or on the grounds including the nearby grounds, the stoops, porches and staircases, walkways, patios and ramps.

Storage

Limited space is available for the storage of your personal belongings. Please tag items to be stored with stickers (available at Facilities Management Office) marked with your name, address, cell phone number. Please do not store computers or other valuable items in student storage. Harvard Law School and the University are not responsible for your stored possessions. Articles not properly tagged or items left in storage by students who are not residents of the HLS Residence Halls and Apartments will be discarded. Please store only items placed in boxes and neatly stacked (three-box limit).

In Hastings Hall, the storage room is located in Entry 1 on the fifth floor. For North Hall, the storage room is located in the basement. In the Gropius Complex, storage rooms are located in the basements of Dane and Shaw Halls. The Resident Assistants in each residence hall will have keys to the storage areas or keys can be obtained from the Facilities Management Office. Every year a number of independent storage companies advertise around campus. Please be sure to carefully check out the legitimacy of a company before entrusting your belongings – students have lost possessions due to unscrupulous vendors 

Sustainability Commitments

Harvard University is committed to reducing campus greenhouse gas emissions 30% below Fiscal Year 2006 levels by 2016, including growth. This goal was set based on the recommendations of a Task Force of faculty, students, and senior administrators which was established by President Faust in the spring of 2008. 

Harvard is also committed to a number of broader “sustainability principles,” which include the environmentally responsible management of energy, water, waste, emissions, transport, building design and renovation, and procurement. To learn more about the University’s GHG Commitment, sustainability principles, and green building guidelines, visit http://green.harvard.edu/commitments.

Harvard’s commitments to sustainability greatly influence a variety of Law School housing policies, guidelines, and expectations

Telephones

All rooms in the HLS Residence Halls and bedrooms in the HLS Apartments are equipped with individual telephone outlets that are active with local and University service; however, residents must provide their own telephone. In order to make long distance calls, students will receive a Personal Billing Number (PBN) through PaeTec Communications, the telephone provider for Harvard University. PaeTec can be reached by phone at 617.495.4900 or 800.960.6555 or online at https://www.campuslink.paetec.com/harvard.html. For other local calls, dial 9 first, then the area code and number. For long-distance calls, dial 9, then 1, then the area code and number.

Each residence hall has a Centrex phone near its entryway that permits visitors to call into the building. For campus calls with the Centrex phones, dial the last five digits (beginning with a 5, 6, 3, 4 or 9); this applies to all 495, 496, 493, 384 and 998 exchange numbers. (For security reasons, we ask that residents never “piggy-back” into residence halls when visiting, but rather use the phone to call in and have your friend let you in.)

Transportation

This section is forthcoming. For additional information, see the Transportation web page.

Trash and Recycling

This section is forthcoming.

Vacuum Cleaners

Each Resident Assistant is assigned one vacuum for his or her residents to use. You will need to provide your I.D. to check out the vacuum from your R.A. and once it is returned you will receive your I.D. back. Should the vacuum be lost, the resident who last checked it out will be charged the replacement cost. If a vacuum is not working properly, return it to your R.A. and he or she will exchange it for a working model from Facilities Management, while the broken vacuum is repaired.

Vending Machines

Vending Machines containing an assortment of candy, chips and other snacks or soda, juice and other beverages can be found in several locations in the HLS Residence Halls. There are two vending machines in the lobby of North Hall, the kitchen of Hastings Hall and for Gropius residents in the first floor of Holmes Hall. If you lose money in a vending machine or find one that is not adequately stocked with snacks or beverages, please contact Facilities Management at 617.495.5521 or facmgmt@law.harvard.edu.

Weapons/Firearms & Explosives

Residents may not store any fireworks in the HLS Residence Halls of Apartments, and their use is prohibited anywhere on campus. Guns, ammunition, air rifles, paintball and pellet guns, BB guns, Tasers, knives, and other weapons of any type are strictly prohibited. Violations are taken very seriously and will be referred to the Housing Administrator in the Dean of Students Office for potential termination of the housing license or lease and the Administrative Board for other potential disciplinary actio