Housing policies

The following policies are an excerpt. For complete housing policies, students may refer to the Housing License Agreement located in MySCAD.

Room changes

Students living in residence halls may request room changes through MySCAD beginning the first business day of the second week after the start of the quarter. If the request is due to a roommate conflict, mediation and/or a meeting with the community director may be required before the room change is approved. Room change requests are granted based on availability and may be limited during the final three weeks of each quarter. If a student changes rooms outside of the appropriate process, a fee may be assessed, the move may be denied and/or a student conduct hearing may be required.

Room consolidation

Due to the high demand for student housing, SCAD reserves the right to consolidate spaces by reassigning residents into rooms with open spaces to accommodate the housing needs of all students requesting housing. If consolidation is necessary, students will receive necessary information with at least 48 hours’ notice, including the date of the move, the new location, and the name(s) of the student's new roommate(s).

Billing for damage to common areas

If damage occurs in common areas such as lounges and hallways, the commuity director works with the students and staff to determine, if possible, who is responsible for the damage. If the responsible parties are not identified, all residents of the wing, floor, or hall are billed for the cost of repairs and/or replacement of damaged items. If the bill is to be divided among residents, the staff notifies those residents of the cost per person.

Break closings and storage

Residence hall rooms are occupied and vacated according to schedules published by the SCADhome office. 

During winter break, all residence halls are closed. The academic calendar lists annual dates of winter break. Students may leave their belongings in their rooms; however, they are encouraged to take their valuables home. Dining halls are closed and SCAD transportation is unavailable during the winter break.

The halls remain open during spring break, but overnight guests are not permitted. Move-out dates are at the end of the academic year in May and at the end of the summer quarter in August. On-campus storage space is not available to students.

Personal property insurance

As with any housing rental agreement relationship, students and their parents are strongly encouraged to purchase insurance against loss or damage of personal property. SCAD is not responsible for the loss or damage of personal property in student rooms. For more information, see the housing license agreement.

SCAD has partnered with GradGuard™ to offer a renter’s policy as an option for students living in university housing. Learn more at the GradGuard™ website.

Maintenance and housekeeping

The university maintenance and housekeeping staff provides a variety of functions to help maintain a clean, safe, and comfortable environment for students living at SCAD. The staff is responsible for the general maintenance and cleanliness of the hallways and common areas of the residence halls. Students are responsible for maintaining the cleanliness of their own rooms and bathrooms and must provide their own toilet paper and cleaning supplies.

Drug and alcohol policy

The Savannah College of Art and Design is in full compliance with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Amendment of 1989 (Public Law 101-226), 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 40: Procedures for Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing; 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 382: Controlled Substances and Alcohol Use and Testing and the Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 and is committed to a program that discourages the illegal use and abuse of alcohol and controlled substances by students and employees. In addition, the possession and consumption of alcohol on campus is not permitted, regardless of age.

SCAD prohibits the unlawful possession, use, manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of alcohol or controlled substances by students or employees in college buildings, on grounds or property, or as part of any college activity. Any full- or part-time student or employee found to be in violation of said policy is subject to disciplinary action in accordance with the policies and laws of the college, the city of Atlanta or Savannah, the state of Georgia, and the U.S. federal government.

Pets

Pets are not permitted in any residence hall with the exception of freshwater, non-flesh-eating fish kept in a properly maintained aquarium of 10 gallons or fewer. Pets must be taken home or removed from the residence halls over the winter break.

Approved assistance animals are also permitted in the residence halls, to include both service animals and emotional support animals. Unlike a pet, an emotional support animal (ESA) is an animal that provides emotional support and alleviates identified symptoms or effects of a resident’s documented disability. Before an ESA can be brought into university housing, an accommodation request must be submitted and approved by the office of disability resources. The student will be responsible for any and all damages caused by the presence of the emotional support animal that result in damage to the residence or to other students’ belongings.

SCAD has the right to require the student to remove the assistance animal from SCAD property if the assistance animal is not housebroken, if the assistance animal is out of control and the student does not take effective steps to control it, or if the assistance animal bites or demonstrates unprovoked aggressive behavior toward another person or animal.

Quiet hours

Strict quiet hours are in effect 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. daily and 24 hours a day during the final two weeks of each quarter. In addition, courtesy hours are in effect 24 hours a day, every day. Residents are expected to show consideration for others by minimizing excessive noise.

Tobacco, vape, and smoke-free environment

Smoking, vaping, or using any tobacco product is prohibited on university property, in all SCAD buildings, and throughout residence halls including rooms, courtyards, parking garages, and pool areas.

Electrical outlets

There are a limited number of electrical outlets in each room, and these may not be altered for any reason. No more than two appliances may be plugged into a double electrical outlet at any time. Only one U.L. surge protector extension cord (no longer than six feet with built-in circuit breakers) is allowed per resident. The U.L. code must be printed in the plastic of the surge protector or designated by the manufacturer on an adhesive label. Longer cords may be approved by housing staff based on the needs and design of the building. Surge protectors may not be plugged into one another. These are the only type of extension cords allowed in residence halls. Non-U.L. surge protector extension cords of any kind, multi-plug adapters, and power strips are prohibited.

Appliances

Prohibited appliances include, but are not limited to, sun/heat lamps, heaters, toaster ovens, individual microwaves, ice makers, slow cookers, rice cookers, hot plates, or other kitchen appliances. For traditional residence halls including Chatham, The Hive, Montgomery House, Oglethorpe House, River, FORTY FOUR, and Turner House, as well as suites in FORTY, FORTY FOUR, and FORTY FIVE, microwaves are permitted only as part of the MicroFridge® rental program through Collegiate Concepts. Students in these residence halls are permitted either one MicroFridge® unit or one approved compact refrigerator (up to 4.4 cubic feet) per two residents. Microwaves are provided in individual apartments in Barnard Village, Boundary Village, Sand at Victory Village, and the apartments in FORTY and FORTY FOUR. Microwaves are not provided in pods in SCAD House or FORTY, but students may bring one microwave per pod or apartment.

To accommodate multiple appliances, students in all residence hall facilities are allowed one U.L. approved six-foot surge-protected extension strip per student. Appliances permitted in residence hall rooms include but are not limited to personal computers, radios, fans, electric blankets with automatic shut-off, clocks, blow-dryers, stereos, televisions, DVD players, video game consoles, coffee makers with automatic shut-off, and compact refrigerators up to 4.4 cubic feet.

Visitation policy

Visitation hours in the residence halls are 9 a.m. to 2 a.m., seven days a week. All guests must vacate rooms and apartments at 2 a.m. We advise residents to consult their roommate(s) prior to having guests over or stay the night. Roommates’ rights take precedence over visitation privileges. Residents are responsible for their guests' behavior. All guests must be escorted out of the residence halls by the end of visitation hours. Students who abuse or do not comply with the visitation policies may lose their visitor privileges.

Overnight guests

Overnight guests may stay a maximum of three consecutive nights and no more than seven nights per academic quarter. Students must obtain an approved overnight guest pass prior to their guest's arrival. The pass must be completed online and submitted to the SCADhome office a minimum of 48 hours in advance. Overnight guests must be approved in advance by all residents of the space. Overnight guests are not permitted during winter or spring breaks, during weeks one or ten of the quarter, or for students in temporary housing assignments. All overnight guests must be at least 18 years old, have a valid photo ID, and be escorted at all times. Students who abuse or do not comply with the overnight guest policies may lose their overnight guest privileges.