Letter from the Executive Vice President for Student Affairs

Dear Student:

Welcome to our newest students and welcome back to our returning students! I
hope this letter finds you ready for a productive new academic year. Your positive
experience and success at the College are of the utmost importance to me.

This Handbook is designed to share with you many of the policies and procedures
which apply to you as a student at CofC. The information provided is designed to
guide your experience as a productive member of our academic community. We
expect you to embrace and adhere to these guidelines and come forward with any
suggestions for review or improvement. Please contact my office if you do have
suggestions.

As a member of the College of Charleston community, you are also a member of the greater Charleston community. Whether this year finds you living on or off campus, you are also a resident of a local neighborhood. We have high expectations for you to be a productive contributor to our greater community and we take great interest in how you represent yourself and the College. As more of our students take rooms and apartments in the neighborhoods adjacent to campus or in more distant neighborhoods, and others interact frequently with local residents, problems between students and permanent residents are likely to surface. If there are difficulties, they are typically a direct result of poor communication between neighbors or insensitivities to neighborhood rules and expectations. To help prevent such problems, I encourage you to follow these suggestions:

Soon after moving in, take the time to meet your neighbors.

Since many local houses are very close to each other, be conscious of noise level, particularly during the week. Your neighbors may need to study or get to sleep in preparation for class or work the next day.

Tell your neighbors ahead of time if you are expecting more than just a few guests, let your guests know where they should properly park, and share neighborhood expectations that might apply to them as visitors.

Make sure that you and your landlord maintain the appearance of your house or apartment so that it meets neighborhood standards. Learn your rights and responsibilities as a tenant in South Carolina, for you and your landlord share many responsibilities.

Know and obey local and state laws and ordinances. No matter your level of awareness of these
mandates, you will be expected to abide by them. You can find a list of key local ordinances on the webpages of Residence Life and Public Safety.

I thank you in advance for your cooperation. Please understand that to your neighbors, you are more
than individuals; you are the College of Charleston. While it is my desire for you to have a great experience in college, please represent us well. If there are any ways in which I may be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me. Have a fantastic and rewarding year.

Sincerely,

Alicia Caudill, Ph.D.

Executive Vice President for Student Affairs