Students have until Monday, June 10, 2024 to cancel the residence acceptance and receive a full refund of the Residence Advance Payment (RAP). Cancellations received between Tuesday, June 11, 2024 and Monday, July 15, 2024 are entitled to receive a refund of $350. No refund issued for cancelations received after Monday, July 15, 2024.

If the student account balance is zero and you are entitled to a full/partial RAP refund, the funds will be placed back onto the card used to make the payment. It may take five to 10 business days for the funds to appear back on the card.

If fees are owing on the student account, the RAP refund will be placed as a payment towards those fees and will not be refunded back to the card.

Please note if the residence/meal plan fees have been posted to your student account, it will take two to four business days for them to be removed after we receive your cancellation.

Students who have paid the Residence Advance Payment (RAP) to secure a room in residence that cancel on or before Monday, July 15, 2024 are entitled to receive a refund of $350. No refund issued for cancellations received after Monday, July 15, 2024.

If the student account balance is zero and you are entitled to a full/partial RAP refund, the funds will be placed back onto the card that was used to make the payment. It may take eight to 15 business days for the funds to appear back on the card. 

If fees are owing on the student account, the RAP refund will be placed as a payment towards those fees and will not be refunded back to the card.

Please note if the residence/meal plan fees have been posted to your student account, it will take two to four business days for them to be removed after we receive your cancellation.

Upper year students who have paid the Residence Advance Payment (RAP) to secure a room in residence that cancel on or before Wednesday, May 15, 2024 are entitled to receive a refund of $350. No refunds are issued for cancelations received after Wednesday, May 15, 2024.

If the student account balance is zero and you are entitled to a partial RAP refund, the funds will be placed back onto the card that was used to make the payment. It may take eight to 15 business days for the funds to appear back on the card.

If fees are owing on the student account, the RAP refund will be placed as a payment towards those fees and will not be refunded back to the card.

Please note if the residence/meal plan fees have been posted to your student account, it will take two to four business days for them to be removed after we receive your cancellation.

Definitions

1. ‘Disability’ has the same meaning as in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the Ontario Human Rights Code, 1990.
2. ‘Handler’ refers to the person who has charge of the service animal. This would typically be the person whom the service animal is assisting with a disability.
3. ‘Owner’ refers to the legal owner of the service animal.
4. A “pet” refers to any domestic or tamed animal kept for companionship or pleasure that is not a service animal.
5. An animal is a ‘service animal’ for a person with a disability if (as outlined in the Regulation 191/11: Integrated Accessibility Standards under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005):
   1. The animal can be readily identified as one that is being used by the person for reasons relating to the person’s disability, as a result of visual indicators such as the vest or harness worn by the animal; and
   2. The person provides documentation from one of the following regulated health professionals confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability. This includes:
      1. A member of the College of Audiologist and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario
      2. A member of the College of Chiropractors of Ontario
      3. A member of the College of Nurses of Ontario
      4. A member of the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario
      5. A member of the College of Optometrists of Ontario
      6. A member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
      7. A member of College of Physiotherapists of Ontario
      8. A member of the College of Psychologists of Ontario
      9. A member of the College of Registered Psychotherapists and Registered Mental Health Therapists of Ontario

Residents requesting the use of a service animal in residence should contact the Housing and Residence Life Services (residence@carleton.ca).

Residents will be required to provide the following:

• A personal letter with specific details regarding the reasons why they need to bring a service animal to residence;
• The completion of a detailed form by one of the listed health professionals that verifies the service animal need. The form will be provided by Housing and Residence Life Services for the resident to give to the professional to complete and return to the Department.
• If approval is granted, documentation from a certified veterinarian with proof that the service animal’s vaccinations are current, in good health and has an appropriate preventative medicine program (e.g. parasite control, etc.)

Acceptance of a Service Animal Behavioral Contract including responsibility for its health including waste management; hygiene of the service animal and its environment; to maintain control of the service animal at all times ensuring it is not disruptive to residents.

Residents with an approved service animals will be issued an identification card that will include the name, species and size of the animal, the name or the resident and emergency contact information.

While it is not a legal requirement, it is highly recommended that the service animal wear some type of easily recognizable symbol (i.e. harness, backpack, special collar or scarf) that identifies it as a service animal.

Service animals in training may visit the university grounds with permission; however, these service animals are not approved to live in residence until their training is complete.

From the beginning of the fall term to Wednesday, September 18, 2024, you may change your meal plan option for unlimited number of times* (including opting out for residents of Leeds and Frontenac). After this date and until the end of the fall term, you may only increase your meal plan.

From the beginning of the winter term to Monday, January 20, 2025, you may change your meal plan option unlimited number of times.*  After this date and until the end of the winter term, you may only increase your meal plan.

Meal plan fees will be adjusted accordingly to your student account and will be prorated based on when we receive your meal plan change form in StarRez. Unused dining dollars expire as of Sunday, April 27, 2025, and are nonrefundable.

* The first meal plan option change made in each of the fall and winter terms is free of charge. A $25 administrative fee applies for any subsequent meal plan changes.

Students requesting to change from a traditional to suite style, or from a double to a single should be aware there is a cost difference. Should you accept a space in one of these options, the fee difference is prorated to the date you move to your new room. Please note single rooms for students in first year are limited and it is infrequent for room change requests to result in single rooms.

Starting Monday, September 30, 2024, if you wish to be considered for a room change, please email Housing and Residence Life Services and provide a short description of why you wish to change rooms in order to receive access to the Room Change Application form.

Before you request a room change application, please review the policy for detailed information about the procedure.

Carleton University and the Department of Housing and Residence Life Services endeavors to create a safe and diverse environment for students that is conducive to both living and learning. We also understand that some interpersonal conflict is inevitable considering that the majority of our students live in a shared accommodation for the first time in their lives. We work to create an environment where it is acceptable to disagree, as this is where deep learning may take place. Bearing that in mind, we recognize that some situations cannot be reconciled even after all parties involved have given their best efforts.  

As a student in Residence, when considering a Room Change, I am expected to…

• Speak with my current roommate in an attempt to resolve issues through listening, understanding, and compromise;
• Meet with my Residence Fellow in an attempt to mediate issues between my roommate and myself;
• Meet with my Residence Manager in an attempt to establish a plan to resolve roommate issues;
• Make efforts to reach a compromise in order to foster a healthy roommate relationship;
• Cooperate with my Residence Fellow/ Residence Manager and roommate when working to reach a compromise;
• Understand that my request will be ranked by priority level;
• Understand that a Room Change is not guaranteed;
• Understand that a Residence Manager has the right to deny a Room Change;
• Understand that there is a Room Change freeze until Monday, September 30, 2024 and during the exam period of both terms; and
• Understand that this process may take up to two weeks to explore all reasonable alternatives to a Room Change.

If you are interested a Room Change, the following procedure must take place before a request is granted:

1. When a student is interested in a Room Change, they are required to connect with their Residence Fellow (RF) and discuss their concerns. The RF will provide support as well as multiple perspectives to help generate some solutions to the issues.
2. The student coming forward with their concerns should make attempts to connect with the other parties involved.  The students may request a mediation facilitated by RF to provide some structure.
3. If the concerns are not resolved, the RF will forward the information Residence Manager. The RM will connect with all parties at this stage and all options will be explored to resolve the issue, including a mediation. If this process is still unsuccessful, the RM will deem the situation low, medium, or high priority (see below). The Manager, Accommodations Services or a designate will then continue the process while aware of the situation’s priority level.
4. The student looking for a change will be provided a new room and be informed of the next steps to take.

The decision to which the situation is ranked is at the discretion of Housing and Residence Life Services Staff Members, including but not limited to Residence Fellows and Residence Managers. The Room Change Priority Ranking guide follows:

Low priority: These are the living conditions that may not be ideal, but that can be dealt with through conversation and compromise.

• Differences in personality
• Differences in friends
• Wishing to switch residence buildings
• Wishing for a different room style (single, double, suite, pod)

Medium priority: These are any behaviours that occur through normal interactions. While there is still room for compromise or mediation, a Room Change is viable.

• Sleeping habits
• Cleaning habits
• Noise levels

High priority: These are the living conditions that generally need to be addressed by Residence Managers swiftly to ensure our students’ safety and wellbeing. This includes but is not limited to any actions that are not in alignment with the Rights and Responsibilities of students in residence.

• Severe allergies or other serious health concerns
• Physical safety
• Inclusion