Residence and Housing
Frequently Asked Questions
General
Applying
For Parents
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Is there someone my son/daughter can go to if they have a problem?
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Are long distance phone calls included in the Residence fee?
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Are refunds issued if my son/daughter decides that Residence just isn't for him/her?
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Will my son/daughter be evicted from the residence if he/she doesn't keep their grades up?
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What should my son/daughter do if there is a conflict with their roommate?
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How do I go about withdrawing my son/daughter from residence or from the waiting list?
What happens if I lose my keys?
Lost room keys have a replacement fee of $125, as we change the lock on the room door for safety. Front door key-tags and mailbox keys can be replaced at a cost of $15 per key. When keys are lost, please report this to the Residence Office immediately.
Where can I park my car? My bike?
Parking permits, for the lot located directly in front of the building, are available at a cost of $200 plus HST per academic year.
Storage lockers located in residence are available at an additional cost. There are also bike racks located outside the Residence.
What is security like in and around residence?
Security is provided 24 hours a day at the main college. Residence Security is from 9:00 pm- 3:00 am Sunday through Thursday and from 9:00 pm- 5:00 am Friday and Saturday nights.
Residents are allowed to keep a small fish in small tanks (under 20 L) in their rooms. Residents are not permitted any other type of pet.
Can I have guests stay overnight in my room?
When having guests stay overnight in your room you must follow the guest policy in the Ray Lawson Handbook. Residents may have an overnight guest for a maximum of 4 nights per month.
When will I find out who my roommate is?
You will be told who your roommate is when you arrive for move in. Please do not call the residence office asking for your roommates name or e-mail address as we are unable to disclose personal information.
What should I bring when coming to residence?
When moving into residence, there are a wide variety of things which you may want to bring to make your room your own. We have put together a list of things that previous students have found helpful to have in residence.
What costs are associated with living in residence?
Once the residence fees are paid completely, the student's costs throughout the year are kept to a minimum. Additionally, students my choose to sign up for long distance service at a rate of 5 cents/minute, which will be billed monthly.
What if students or guests are disruptive in residence?
Residents and guests are expected to abide by both the Ray Lawson Handbook and the Sault College Student Code of Conduct. Failure to abide by these community standards may result in consequences ranging from a warning to a fine to eviction from residence. Further information can be found in the Code of Conduct and the Ray Lawson Handbook.
Are there any quiet hours in residence?
Quiet hours are enforced at Ray Lawson Hall from Sunday to Thursday 10:00 pm to 8:00 am and Friday and Saturday from 1:00 am to 8:00 am.
During the months of December and April "22 Hour Quiet Hours" are enforced to ensure that students are able to study for exams. Reasonable noise is permitted between 5pm - 7pm.
The fees are due in three instalments. The first is a $50 application fee due in April. The second is a $300 damage deposit, which is due in June. The remainder of the cost is due in full in August and will vary depending on the type of room allocated. Further information and exact prices can be found here.
Fees are payable by cheque, money order or credit card and should be sent to:
Ray Lawson Hall Residence
Sault College of Applied Arts & Technology
PO Box 60- 443 Northern Ave.
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
P6A 5L3
Cheques should be made payable to Sault College.
During the weeks prior to Move-In Day, we are still very busy cleaning and moving out our summer guests and conferences, so students are not able to move in prior to the official Move-In Day. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause, however many hotels near the college offer discounted rates for Sault College students and their families.
Do I need to purchase the meal plan?
The meal plan is mandatory for all students living in residence with no exceptions. Any balance remaining at the end of the year is non-refundable.
The rooms in residence vary slightly in size but the approximate sizes are 16 ft x 12 ft (approx.) in a double or super single room and 10 ft x 9 ft (approx.) in a single room. These sizes have proven to offer a very comfortable lifestyle for our students.
You will find out your roommate when you arrive to move in. We cannot disclose that information sooner as our room assignments are not finalized until shortly before your arrival.
What safety features does the residence offer?
Our residence has many features that improve the safety of all students.
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There are 6 Residence Advisors, or RAs, who are student staff members that live in the building with the students and go through extensive training to help prepare them.
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Access to the building is limited to the main entrance, which is staffed by a security guard Sunday - Thursday, 9pm - 3am, and Friday - Saturday, 9pm - 5am.
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A full-time manager lives in the building
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All residents are assigned a key-card for access to the front door of the building, as well as individual keys for their room and, if applicable, their suite area.
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Security cameras are located throughout the common areas of the building and are monitored by office staff and security.
Can my son/daughter have guests overnight or during the day?
Residents may invite guests into the residence; however, during the evening, visitors to the residence must sign in at the front desk. In addition, to promote a strong community within the residence, over-night guest limitations have been put in place. Check the Ray Lawson Handbook for details.
Is there parking available for residents?
Residence its own large parking lot. Please note that parking passes for the Residence Parking Lot may only be purchased through the Residence Office. Parking applications are available online. click here.
Please see our rates for residence fees.. Fees include accommodations, phone with local calling, voicemail and caller ID, full cable, laundry, utilities, 6 live-in staff, close proximity to the campus and a residence community of students, most of whom are experiencing post-secondary school for the first time. A meal plan is mandatory for all students living in residence.
Yes, visitor parking is available in the coin-operated parking lot, located just next to the Residence Parking Lot. The cost is $2.00/entry.
Will there be someone on site that my son/daughter can go to if there is a problem?
Six Residence Advisors (RAs) live in the building with the students. All of the RAs participate in extensive training to prepare them to be a leader for the students. The primary responsibility of an RA is to facilitate the growth of the residence community and help each student achieve their personal goals, which is assumed to include academics. Full-time staff are also available to support the residents and provide guidance.
Are there laundry and kitchen facilities in the residence?
Yes, there are laundry facilities on every floor. Two washers and two dryers are located in each laundry room. Kitchens are also on each floor, and include an oven, fridge, sink and microwave. These facilities are available to all members of the residence community.
How much does the washer and dryer cost?
The cost of laundry is included in residence fees. Students just need to provide the detergent!
Do the accommodations come with a meal plan?
Yes. Meal plans are included in the Residence fees.
Are long distance phone calls included in the Residence fee?
Long distance phone calls are not included in residence fees. Students are given the option of signing a long distance agreement with the college at a rate of $0.05/minutes. Students using the college long distance plan will receive a bill every month outlining their long distance calls. Students may also elect to use long distance calling cards.
Are refunds issued if my son/daughter decides that Residence just isn't for him/her?
A student is financially responsible for the full term of the Residence Contract until a suitable replacement, not currently living residence, takes over the financial responsibility for the term. The Residence Handbook contains further details.
Will my son/daughter be evicted from the residence if he/she doesn't keep their grades up?
A Resident has to be a student at Sault College. If a student is not allowed to continue at the College for academic reasons, then they will be required to leave the Residence as well. In other words, if a student maintains grades satisfactory to their Faculty, and they remain a student, they may continue to live in the residence. Grounds for eviction from residence are outlined in the Ray Lawson Hall Handbook.
Is the Residence wheelchair accessible?
The Residence has four barrier-free rooms that have been designed for a person using a wheelchair.
At times a residence environment can have a higher noise level than an apartment building of comparable size. This results from the fact that a residence is a dynamic community of students. Whereas most people in an apartment building remain in their own area, students in a residence are encouraged to interact for the purpose of making friends, learning and developing a community on campus. This leads to many benefits and on occasion increased noise. In an effort to control the amount of noise, standards outlining acceptable noise have been developed and are included in the Ray Lawson Hall Handbook. The
RAs on each floor monitor the community and from time to time will step in to ensure noise remains within acceptable levels.
To assist in maintaining a balanced environment, quiet hours are in
place beginning at 10pm on weeknights and 1am on weekends.
It should be noted that noise affects each person in a different way. Some individuals may require an environment with less noise than others, which may mean residence, is not the best place for them to live. While the vast majority of students can handle or adapt to the noise in a residence, some may find it very difficult. Careful consideration should be taken for how one will cope with the environment. Should a student have a problem with the noise it is best to approach their
Residence Advisor to explain the problem.
Are there security cameras in the residence?
Cameras are located in common areas of the Residence and are monitored by security and the Residence staff.
What should my son/daughter do if there is a conflict with their roommate?
Nearly every relationship encounters conflict at some point. Hopefully, all of the parties involved can find an equitable solution to the issues at hand. In an effort to facilitate conflict within the residence and to promote a positive community, the RAs have been provided with conflict mediation training. If the people involved cannot find a solution initially, than it should be brought to the attention of a RA. It should be remembered that everyone involved in the conflict has to work together to provide a lasting solution.
How do I go about withdrawing my son/daughter from residence or from the waiting list?
A letter or fax containing the student's full name, student number, signature and request must be sent in to have a student's name removed from the residence waiting list or to cancel their residence space before the start of the semester.
Where can I find other options for off-campus housing?
Off Campus housing listings can be found on our website at: Off Campus Housing
Will there be anyone willing to help us move in?
In order to make Move-In Day as smooth as possible, all residence staff are on hand to check students in, find their room, and answer questions. We also hire senior students to offer assistance to anyone who would like unloading their car or maybe carrying your mini-fridge up the stairs. We strongly encourage every student to have all belongings well labeled and packaged to aid the move-in process.
