Frequently Asked Questions
Click on one of the questions below for answers to your questions. Feel free to contact us via email at dohenyresidence@msmc.la.edu or chalonresidence@msmc.la.edu if you have a question that is not listed below or if you need more information.
General Residence Hall Information
Policies and Procedures
Residence Life Contact Information
Other useful links
When can I return to the residence halls in Fall 2008?
The residence halls will re-open on Saturday, August 23, 2008 at 9:00 am for New Freshmen and New Transfers. Returning residents and IPTs may move in starting 1:00 pm on Saturday, August 23, 2008.
Can I ship my boxes and belongings to school before I move in?
No, the Mailroom will not be accepting any boxes that arrive before move-in day. All packages that arrive before move-in will be returned to sender.
What is room and board?
The cost of your meals (also known as "board"), is included in the room and board fees. You may choose a meal plan that best fits your needs. Click here for more room prices. For more information about the different meal plans that are offered, contact the Food Services Office. For more information, click here for the Food Services page.
Are there different types of meal plans?
Food Services will be sending all residents a form to select a meal plan in early July. Student can change meal plans during the first 2 weeks of each semester. For more information, click here for the Food Services page.
What is the $30 FHA fee that is on my statement?
All residents pay a non-refundable $30 annual fee at the beginning of each academic year that is used for hall programming and events. If a resident is housed any time during the Fall semester, they will be charged the full $25 FHA fee. If a resident is housed anytime during the Spring semester, they will be charged half of the FHA fee.
Where do I get my mail? What is my new mailing address?
All residents will receive their mailbox number on the day they move in.
Chalon: The Mailroom is located on Brady Ground floor towards the back of the hallway. Your mailing address is as follows:
Your Name, 12001 Chalon Road, Box #___, Los Angeles, CA 90049
Doheny: Mailboxes are located in building 10 1/2. Your mailing address is as follows:
Your Name, 10 1/2 Chester Place, Box #____, Los Angeles, CA 90007
What if there is something wrong with my room?
If something in your room is not working (heater, windows, lights, etc.), please come to the Residence Desk (Chalon) or the Residence Life Office (Doheny) or contact your Resident Assistant to fill out a Work Order Request Form. Generally repairs will be made in a timely manner. Please make your requests as soon as possible. You may not place a Work Request to move furniture. Please contact Facilities Management directly to follow up on work orders that were submitted.
How do I set up my phone service?
Telephone service is available through MSMC. Students must use the MSMC phones that are provided in each room. All phones have voice mail and each resident has his/her own personal voice mail box. One telephone number is assigned to each room. However, roommates receive separate long distance codes and separate phone bills. Pay phones are located throughout campus. Additionally, residents may use calling cards on their room phones. For telephone information, please contact the Telecommunications Department.
What if I do not have a computer or a laptop?
Computers and printers are located in the residence halls for residents' use only.
Chalon: Computer labs are located on Brady 1st, Carondelet 1st, and Rossiter 1st. Computer labs have computers, printers, and paper. Residents must use their Access Key to get into the computer labs.
Doheny: Two computers, a printer, and paper are available in each lounge except in Hannon Hall.
What is there to do in the Residence Halls?
The Resident Assistants (staff living on each residence hall floor) within the residence halls provide evening and weekend activities. Excursions such as going to the beach, bowling alley, TV tapings, ice-skating, etc are arranged throughout the year. Click here to find out what is happening in the residence halls.
How safe is the campus?
For the safety and security of all MSMC students, Allied Security is contracted to provide security 24 hours a day, year round. Guards are stationed at the Circle and the main entrance to campus at the Chalon campus. Security guards are stationed at the main entrance by Building 8, and at 23rd Street. All cars will be required to stop at the entrance of the College to purchase a guest parking permit per day for a fee and give the guard their destination. Upon leaving, the parking permit must be returned to the guard to indicate that they have left campus. Security will allow guests on campus as long as the guest(s) provide the necessary information about the resident he/she is visiting and purchases a guest parking permit. Please note that in order to restrict a guest from campus, you need to file a campus restriction with the Residence Life Office or the Student Affairs Office. Click here for information on Campus Security.
What if I want to move to a different room?
Room change requests may be turned in during the first week of classes for each semester. Due to limited spaces in the residence halls, not all requests will be accommodated.
What if I no longer want to live in on-campus housing?
Incoming Freshmen and Incoming Transfer Students (those who have not yet started at MSMC): You must submit a letter in writing via email, mail, or fax stating that you are no longer interested in housing for 2008-2009.
Returning Residents (those who were living on campus and have been assigned a room for 2008-2009): You must submit a Termination of Residence form to the Residence Life Office. If you are terminating your housing for Fall 2008, the deadline to receive any part of your $100 housing deposit has passed. However, you may still terminate your housing. Termination of Residence Forms are available at the Residence Life Office (Brady 101 or Hannon Hall 1st Floor) or online at http://www.msmc.la.edu/pages/1355.asp.
When do I need to move out of the Residence Halls?
The Residence Halls will remain open during Thanksgiving and Spring Break.
All residents must move out for Winter Break by 11:00 am on Friday, December 12, 2008
All undergraduates must move out of the residence halls at the end of the academic year by 4:00 pm on Friday, May 8, 2009
All graduating students must move out of the residence halls at the end of the academic year by 11:00 am on Tuesday, May 12, 2009
What do I do if I do not get along with my roommate? What can I do? Who can I go to?
Living with a roommate is a unique experience as a resident in the residence halls. We provide each resident with a Roommate Agreement Form that each roommate signs and discusses at the beginning of the semester. You will have the opportunity to set ground rules for the room and get to know your roommate a little better. Our hope is that all of our residents have mutual respect for each other. If you are having conflicts with another resident, our Resident Assistants are available and trained in conflict mediation, so feel free to ask them for advice.
What can I do if I don't have a car?
Transportation Services, in conjunction with Residence Life, will be introducing an improved STOPTrans shuttle service that will run 7 days a week. The shuttle will take all current students to various places in the Santa Monica/Westwood area. Schedules can be picked up on the bulletin board in front of the Residence Life Office or online at www.msmc.la.edu/pages/422.asp.
What if I need assistance in the middle of the night? Who can I call?
Two Resident Assistants are available on weekdays (Monday - Thursday) from 4:30 pm to 8:00 am the next morning and on all weekends from Friday at 4:30 pm to the following Monday at 8:00 am. Additionally, the Residence Life professional staff (Director, Associate Director, Assistant Director, Graduate Housing Assistant, and Head Resident Assistants) is trained and available to assist in emergency situations.
Residents can page the RA on duty at x6002 (Chalon) or x6048 (Doheny) from any campus phone for after-hours assistance.
What if I lose my keys or get locked out of the room or building?
Chalon: Residents must go to the Residence Desk during Res Desk hours (generally Monday through Sunday, 9:00 am to 9:00 pm.) Please check the Res Desk schedule located right outside the Residence Desk for exact times. Residents must page the RA on duty at x6002 if they are locked out during non-Res Desk hours.
Doheny: Residents must go to the Residence Life Office during regular office hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm). Residents must page the RA on duty at x6048 if they are locked out during non-Office hours.
If you are locked out of your room while the Residence Desk (Chalon) or the Residence Life Office (Doheny) is open, a staff member will loan out a key for 15 minutes. Residents have 3 free lock outs for the academic year. After you use your 3 free lock outs, you will be charged $1 each time you borrow a key. If the Residence Desk is closed, and you have to page the RA on duty between 9:00 pm and 8:00 am, you will be charged $5 (free lock outs do not apply).
If you lose your keys, you must report it to the Chalon or Doheny Residence Life Office immediately for security purposes. If you lose your keys, you will be charged for a door lock change ($65) plus the cost of keys ($10 per key).
What items can I bring to the residence halls?
Residents should bring sheets, pillows, and other linens. Residents may also bring a mini-refrigerator (1 per room), posters, desktop or laptop computer, a television (1 per room), and other items from home.
Residents will not be able to bring some of the items they are accustomed to having at home due to fire codes and safety precautions in the residence halls. Please read the Residence Life Policies and Procedures Handbook before moving in for a complete list of items that are and are not allowed in the residence halls.
What can I do to decorate my room?
Posters and pictures are great ways to personalize your room. Please note that you can only use painter's tape to put up your posters and pictures on the walls. Painter's tape (also known as blue tape) can be found at your local hardware store, Target/Wal-mart, or any drugstore. Plants, rugs, and other personal items can make your room feel like home. Please read the Residence Life Policies and Procedures Handbook before you go back to school shopping (particularly the "Interior Design and Furniture" policy and the "Electrical Appliances" policy).
Can I have guests stay in my room? How often?
Residents must abide by the guest visitation policies. Guests of the same sex, ages 12 and older, may stay with a resident for no more than 3 consecutive nights a month.
Can I have a pet in my room?
Except for fish in aquariums, animals are not allowed in the residence halls at any time. The aquarium may not exceed a five-gallon capacity per room. The College also has a strict no-pet policy, so students, staff, faculty, and guests may not bring their pets on to campus. Pets include: turtles, frogs, hamsters, dogs, birds, cats, and reptiles.
Is there a curfew?
There is no "curfew" for resident students. However, one essential component of on-campus living is consideration demonstrated by keeping noise levels low during specified hours. During the following hours, the halls are to remain quiet for study and sleep:
Sunday through Thursday: 10:00 pm to 8:00 am, Friday and Saturday: 12:00 am to 8:00 am
Courtesy hours will be in effect during the times not covered by quiet hours. The Houses (Yates and Aldworth) abide by a 24 hour quiet hour policy along with a 24 hour guest escort policy. The CASA has a 24-Hour Quiet Hour Policy while using the outside patio.
When can guests of the opposite sex visit?
Residents may have guests of the opposite sex in the residence halls during the following times:
- Sunday through Thursday between 10:00 am and Midnight
- Friday and Saturday between 10:00 am and 2:00 am
Male residents and male guests are not permitted in Rossiter, Carondelet, Brady, and the Houses before 10:00 am. This includes fathers, brothers, or any other male relative.
Female residents and female guests are not permitted in the Casa or the Apartments before 10:00 am. This includes mothers, sisters, or any other female relative.
What if I am a commuter and want on-campus housing?
Commuters must contact the Residence Life Office (Chalon: Brady 101, x4325 or Doheny: McIntyre 1st lobby, x2661) to put their name on the Housing Pending Status list. Housing is not guaranteed. Students must be registered full time, cleared with the Business Office and Student Financing, not have any holds on their account and be in good standing with the College in order to be considered for on-campus housing. Commuters will have to pay a $100 Housing Deposit after they are cleared to be a resident.
Residence Life Contact Information
- Chalon Residence Life Office: Brady 101, (310) 954-4325
- Residence Desk (Chalon): Brady 1st floor, (310) 954-4324
- Doheny Residence Life Office: Hannon Hall 1st floor, (213) 477-2661
- Chalon RA On-Duty: (310) 636-6250 or x6002
- Doheny RA On-Duty: (213) 501-7908 or x6048
- Chalon Security (Circle): (310) 954-4321
- Chalon Security (Main Gate): (310) 954-4123
- Doheny Security (#8, Mansion): (213) 477-2501
- Doheny Security (Main Entrance): (213) 477-2502
Other Links:
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