Living Off Campus
 

Off Campus Policy

Current students who wish to move off campus must submit an “Appeal to Live off Campus”   

For more information on the appeal to live-off campus please review the comp-lete policy to live off-campus (below), stop by the Campus Life Office in Coltrane Commons, or contact Beth Abrams 884-8159, Michael Cohen, 884-8366. 

Policy Philosophy
Brevard College has a general expectation that all students participate in the residential experience by living on campus while allowing for certain qualifying exceptions and appeals procedures. Therefore, Brevard College assumes that all students will live on campus, and those who do not wish to do so, must either meet a policy exemption (as outlined in the next section) or appeal to move off campus (see “Policy Appeal” section and “Policy Process” sections). Please note that any appeal submitted is merely a request, and students should not make plans to live off campus until the approval of the appeal is granted.

Exemptions to Live Off Campus
Every Brevard College student is required to live in campus residence unless he/she meets one of the following exemptions: 
  • Student is legally married and has a marriage certificate
  • Student is legally responsible for someone else (caregiver, parent, guardian, etc.) and has documentation demonstrating this responsibility (through a court order, power of attorney, etc.)
  • Student resides with a legal guardian (verified by Campus Life)
Policy Appeal
If a student does not meet one of the qualifications listed above, he/she can appeal to live off campus based on either of the following:
  • Student is at least 21 years of age at the beginning of the academic year the student wishes to live off-campus and must:
    • Have at least a 2.5 cumulative GPA and not be on Academic Probation/Suspension
    • Have no significant judicial history (verified by Dean of Students)
    • Have the approval of the Athletics Department (if the student is an athlete)
  • Student has a documented medical exemption. Appeals to live off campus on the basis of a medical need must meet the following criteria:
    • The medical need must be compelling, such as post-hospitalization with ongoing care
    • Requirements for special medical equipment which cannot be met in campus housing
    • The need for special care attendants to help the student

Issues such as social anxiety, mild depression, and cognitive impairment typically are not considered to be compelling reasons to gain approval to live off campus. Students wishing to pursue this avenue need to include letters from treating physicians and/or other medical professionals. They must also agree to full medical disclosure with Campus Life. The medical records from a treating physician must include a proposed treatment plan for ongoing care while the student is at Brevard College. Students without such recommendations will not have their appeal considered. Students who find the social environment of their living situation unsatisfactory should attempt to address the issue through Campus Life.

*Note—all students who are approved to live off campus may have their financial aid readjusted. In general, this may mean that the student will see a decrease in financial aid (conditions will vary by student and all students are encouraged to talk to personnel in the Financial Aid Office before submitting an appeal).

Policy Process

To assist with College projections of housing occupancy needs, current students who wish to appeal to move off campus must do so prior to pre-registration to avoid additional financial charges. Any appeals received after the pre-registration period each semester will not be reviewed. Additionally, all students who do not meet the exemptions to off campus will need to submit an “Appeal to Live off Campus” form each year for review. In other words, just because a student is approved to live off campus one year does not give him/her approval to live off campus in subsequent years. Any student who fails to gain official approval to live off campus will be charged for housing and a meal plan regardless of whether he/she actually resides in an on-campus housing facility.

To appeal to live off campus a student must:
Print the “Appeal to Live off Campus” form, complete it, and turn it in to Campus Life. Students who cannot access this form online can stop in to the Campus Life office to pick up a form.  An appeal form is only completed if all supporting documents are attached, signatures gathered, and is turned in on time. Appeals submitted after the deadline will not be reviewed.

Once the appeal is reviewed, Campus Life will notify the student, via email, on the status of his/her appeal. Appeals will be approved, denied, or denied for need of further information. Those needing further information will outline the information needed for completion. Students will then be given a new deadline to submit the appeal. Appeals that do not meet this new deadline will be denied.

Change of Residency Once Approved to Live Off Campus
Any student who has been approved to reside off campus may not change location of residency until written approval has been received from Campus Life. To request approval to change residence, a student must update Campus Life with the new residence information. If the change is approved, the student must report the change of address to the College Registrar’s Office as outlined in the Student Handbook. 

Once a student has been approved to reside off campus, the address that is provided to Campus Life is valid for one year only. Continuing enrolled students who do not submit an appeal to continue to reside off campus will have a hold placed on future class registration processes until approval is received (or may risk having their registration canceled).

Student Conduct Off Campus
Students who live off campus are expected to be good citizens. Students who violate College policy or local ordinances will be subject to the Social Code Review Process as outlined in the Student Handbook.  Throughout the semester, Campus Life will review the behaviors of students residing off- campus. Police reports generated by Brevard Police Department will be forwarded to the Dean of Students who will follow up with the students involved.