Mather House Building Manager: Miguel Casillas, Jr.
Tel: 617-495-4826 E-mail: casill@fas.harvard.edu
Do-It-Yourself Maintenance
The College must insist that all maintenance be handled through the Building Manager's office. Even well-meaning do-it-yourself maintenance can cause serious damage and liabilities. For example, using over the counter caustic drain cleaners to open clogged drains can damage pipes and be a threat to the safety of maintenance personnel.
Reporting a Building-Related Emergency
Building-related emergencies (floods, black-outs, etc.) should be reported to the Building Manager's office, 495-4826. If the Building Manager's office is unattended, call the University Operation Center directly at 495-5560.
Window Screens, Drapes, Shades, Blinds & Doors
Do not remove any window screens, drapes, shades, blinds or doors, as they are easily lost or broken. Report any problem to the Building Manager. A charge for repair or replacement that can be attributed to neglect or student damage will be placed on your term bill.
Pest Problems
If you find cockroaches, ants, or other insects in your suite, the first thing to do is find the source that is attracting them. Make sure that absolutely all perishables are in sealed containers, that there are no spills or crumbs on the floor or empty unwashed beverage bottles. If the problem persists, report it to the Building Manager.
Supplies
Toilet paper, trash can liners are available at the Building Manager's office. Equipment such as vacuum cleaners, brooms, dustpans, may be borrowed from the Building Manager's office.
Please return the equipment borrowed on a timely manner so others can use.
Bed Boards
Students who wish to borrow bedboards (available basis) may do so through the Building Manager. There is a $50 charge for bed boards not returned to the Building Manager's office at the end of the academic year.
Keys
Students must request replacement keys from the Building Manager. Keys lost during the term cost $10.
Laundry Facilities
Ample washing machines and dryers are provided in the two laundries: Fourth floor B-entry and Tower basement. Click here
http://www.macgray.com/laundry/cs-laundry.cgi?password=HUH&Action=Pass
to report a problem with a washer or dryer.
Lock Outs
During business hours (M-F 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM), the Building Manager's office will let you into your room. From 4:00 PM to 8:00 AM the Security Guard will let you into your room. During the day on weekends and holidays, the Tutor-on-Call will let you into your room, though you might have to wait if he/she is away from Mather when you call. Contact information will be posted on the door of the Building Manager’s Office.
Mail
Mail is delivered daily, Monday through Saturday. The official Mather House mailing address is:
Student Name
Box Number, Mather Mail Center
Cambridge, MA 02138
Some mail carriers will not deliver to a box number, and in those cases you can use
Mather's street address (10 Cowperthwaite Street) IN ADDITION TO your box number.
Packages
In Mather House, you will be notified of any package, special delivery, flowers, etc. delivered to the Building Manager's office by e-mail. Please come by at your earliest convenience to pick it up.
Bathroom Cleaning in Student Suites
Tower bathrooms are normally cleaned every two weeks (Wednesdays - Thursdays) and the
Low-Rise bathrooms are normally cleaned on a weekly basis by Unicco Porter Program.
If your bathroom is not cleaned at this interval or to your satisfaction, please e-mail Miguel (Building Manager) at casill@fas.harvard.edu
Telephone Information
Your room is equipped with a red Harvard University telephone and on-campus/911 service. You may use your own phone if your prefer, but the red phone itself must remain in your suite. Please contact PaeTec Communications to activate local and long distance phone service. If you have questions you should visit www.campuslink.paetec.com/harvard.html or contact
PaeTec Customer Service at 800-960-6555.
Network Information
Please direct any questions about setting up or maintaining your network connection to the Computer Services Help Desk at (617) 495-9000 or help@fas.harvard.edu. You can also visit http://www.fas.harvard.edu/computing/kb/kb0128.html for more information.
Trash Procedures
Residents should bring trash to receptacles in the following locations:
- Low-Rise A Entry basement.
- Low-Rise B Entry Trash Room (at the bottom of the stairwell)
- Tower basement by the elevators
Liner bags for trash are available in the Building Manager's office.
Recycling Program
Mather House's recycling program depends entirely upon your cooperation. Please do not put trash in recycling receptacles, and pay attention to the specifications throughout the house. Remember: have respect for those who process your recyclables. Your carelessness will create more work for them. Receptacles for recyclables are situated near the trash stations listed in "Trash Procedures" (see above).
Entry & Suite Doors
Entry doors are not to be propped open at any time. Doing so constitutes a breach of security. The majority of thefts each year occur in suites where the door to the entry has been left unsecured.
Security
A centrex phone is located at the main entrance gate of Mather House.
For your safety and that of the Mather community, please follow these guidelines.
* Do not prop open or leave your suite door unlocked.
* Do not copy or lend your keys to anyone.
* Do not allow anyone access to the House unless you know him/her or he/she can show a Harvard identification card.
* Report all faulty locks and burned out lights to the Building Manager's Office.
• Report any suspicious looking or acting persons immediately to the University Police at
495-1212.
* Do not leave your keys unattended (particularly when accompanied by an identification card) as this creates a safety threat to you and your roommates.
Lock Changes
If your keys have been lost or stolen and you have reason to believe that your security is threatened, you and your suitemates may request to have your suite door lock changed.
There is a charge of $100 for replacing the lock and keys.
Emergency Exit Doors
The new fire door locks emit a very loud alarm when the door is open. They can only be turned off with a key carried by the Building Manager and the guards. This primary alarm is local and will not initiate a response from the Fire Department, but everyone in your entryway will hear it, so please don’t try to open these doors.
If you wish to open a fire door between two suites on a permanent basis in order to expand into a larger suite, all residents on both sides of the fire door must request in writing that it be opened and the Building Manager can disarm the alarm. State law requires that these passages be kept clear at all times.
Fire Safety
Please read all fire safety information that is given to you during the orientation conducted in your entryway. Familiarize yourself with the locations of emergency exits and fire extinguishers. Evacuation procedures are posted on the inside of each suite door.
Tampering with fire extinguishers (including breaking the seal on the handle) is viewed by the College as a disregard for the safety of fellow occupants. Individuals deemed responsible for tampering with or altering emergency equipment will be charged for service and repairs and will face college disciplinary action.
Cooking Appliances
City of Cambridge ordinances and Harvard College regulations forbid cooking in any room or apartment not equipped with permanent cooking facilities. Cooking equipment (toaster ovens, hot plates, microwaves, electric coffee makers, tea kettles, etc.) is prohibited in such places. Please don't bring them; we can't let you keep them.
Suite Inspections
Suites will be inspected periodically during the year and at the end of the academic year. The purpose for inspections is to make sure all rooms comply with safety regulations, to check for needed repairs and that the guidelines noted in this booklet are being followed. Inspections during the academic year will be conducted with proper notice.
Decorating Your Suite
Please make yourself familiar with the following guidelines:
* No nails, tacks, picture hooks, or other objects that create holes in may be used on walls, doors, moldings, ceilings, or floors.
* No masking tape, scotch tape, two sided tape, glue-backed corkboards, or other adhesives may be used.
* Only College-provided poster gum ("HOLD IT"), or molding hooks and picture wire may be used in these rooms.
These supplies are available in the Building Manager's office. The cost to you of filling in nail or tack holes, sanding and spray-painting one wall will be a minimum of $100 and could be more than $200. These rules will be strictly enforced.
Painting of Suite
Residents will not be permitted to paint their rooms or suites. If there is a section of a suite that is in particularly bad condition, the Building Manager may arrange to have it painted at his discretion. Please note that any change to the fabric of a suite or apartment will be considered damage subject to charge.
Furniture
Each student is allocated one bed (including mattress), one desk, one chair, one lamp, one built –in dresser and one bookcase. Only beds may be removed from your suite and taken to the storage area designated by the Building Manager. DO NOT leave furniture in entries or hallways because it is a fire hazard. Beds removed from your suite must be returned to your suite at the end of the year or a charge will be assessed to your term bill.
Space Heaters
The use of space heaters is strongly discouraged because they are fire hazards and are an inefficient use of energy. Ideally, they should not be necessary; if your room is overheated or cold, bring it to the attention of the Building Manager so that the necessary alterations can be made
Refrigerators
Students may keep a refrigerator in their room for personal use if the unit meets the following specifications:
Size: not to exceed 36" high x 24" wide x 24" deep.
Weight: 85 pounds or less.
Defrosting: if there is a freezer, try to obtain an automatic defrosting mechanism.
Refrigerators must be thoroughly cleaned before storing for the summer.
Pets
Cats, dogs, birds, reptiles, or any other animal may not be kept in Mather House.
Term Time Storage
There is no term-time storage. You must keep everything you bring in your suite. Items (including bicycles) left in hallways, stairways, and basements will be removed at the student's expense.
Bicycle Racks
Bicycle racks are located outside by the Tower. Bicycles locked to handicapped ramps, stairs, or in any of the common areas of the House (other than the bike racks) will have their locks cut and will be removed, we will not responsible for the damage to your lock.
You are urged to register your bike with the University Police Department online or at HUPD headquarters at 1033 Massachusetts Avenue. The registration sticker on your bicycle will ward off many prospective thieves, it will give you a way of proving that you own the bike (should you, for example, lose the key to your lock and need to get it removed), and it will also greatly improve the chances of locating and identifying your bicycle should it be stolen.
Postering
Poster and distribution materials meeting the criteria outlined in the Handbook for Students may be posted on House bulletin boards only. Postering on corridor walls, stairwells, suite doors, entry doors, windows and dining room tables is prohibited.
Distribution
Any Harvard University publication may be placed in the Distribution Center located in the main lobby. Paid subscriptions to daily newspapers may be distributed to students' doors. Harvard publications with written approval by the Dean of Student's office and the Building Manager, may also be distributed in the baskets on students' doors. Organizations may obtain the distribution permission form from the Dean of Student's office in University Hall 4.
Heat Information in Suites
Mather House is heated by circulating hot water. To prevent rooms from overheating each radiator has an automatic control valve that may be adjusted by the occupant. This valve is meant to give you control of the heat level in your room and to prevent the wasting of energy.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR OPERATING RADIATOR CONTROL VALVES:
1. Locate the gray or white handle dial protruding from the valve. The valve is attached to the radiator and the handle is mounted on the radiator board/cover.
2. Select the setting between 1 (lowest temperature) and 5 (highest temperature) on the dial at which you are most comfortable. Forcing the valve beyond the maximum setting will not produce more heat but may damage the valve.
TO ENSURE YOUR ROOM IS COMFORTABLE AND NOT WASTING ENERGY:
1. Please check that all windows and storm windows are closed tightly. Windows should not be open during the heating season. Lock windows to minimize drafts.
2. Remove furniture, clothes and books from around radiators to allow air to circulate.
3. Please contact the Building Manager if your room is overheating and you feel it is wasting energy or if your room feels too cold.
4. Set the gauge on the snowflake symbol when you know your room will be unoccupied for 2 or more days.
5. Take advantage of curtains, drapes and blinds to keep the cold out and heat in by closing them at night. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP IN REDUCING ENERGY COSTS.
Moving Out
The "move out" deadline is announced in late April in the House Newsletter. Students are typically asked to vacate their suites 24 hours after the College's last scheduled spring term final examination. Seniors and those students who belong to undergraduate organizations given permission from the Dean of Students are allowed to extend their stay through Commencement.
Move Out Guidelines
Following the guidelines below should make moving out a relatively painless experience:
* Send items home as early as possible. Complete information about shipping will be available beginning in May from the Building Manager's office.
* Arrange to have your phone service disconnected
* All rooms must be broom clean before vacating the suite.
* Lock your suite door and turn in your keys in the envelope provided.
Change of Address/Mail Forwarding
Prior to moving out for the summer, visit http://www.uos.harvard.edu/smfc
to set up mail forwarding.
Keys
After vacating your suite, be sure to return your original coded keys to the Mather House Building Manager's office. An addressed envelope will be provided for you to return your keys. If you do not return all the keys assigned to you a charge of $25 per key will be added to your term bill.
Summer Storage
The college will store students' belongings on campus for the summer under the following conditions: Students who live within 150 miles of the College will not be permitted to store. Students who take a leave of absence, withdraw from the College, or graduate, may not store any belongings at the College. All articles are stored at the Student's risk. The University assumes no responsibility for loss or damage. Students are strongly urged not to store items of significant value, or to insure them if they must leave them. Each student is limited to store up to six boxes of the approximate size: width = 1', length = 1', height = 2' or equivalent to 12 cubic feet. Oversized articles (such as sofas, lamps, etc.) may be accepted for storage in addition to boxed items, on a space-available basis only (first come first served). No access is permitted to stored belongings until the House opens in the fall. If articles are not picked up by the last day of storage (storage schedule), they will be treated as abandoned property. As such they may be discarded, destroyed, used by the College for its own purposes, or sold for the College's account without any obligation to the student for its disposition or the proceeds thereof.