Buyout/Appeal Housing Contract

NOTE: The Buyout/Appeal process will begin on Wednesday, Aug. 21 at noon. Deadline to submit your request is Wednesday, Sept. 11 at noon. The online forms can be found under the Forms/Requests link on the homepage.

*Students who apply for campus housing after the contract release date of June 15 at 5 p.m. for fall and December 31 at 5 p.m. for spring have 48 business hours from the time the assignment notification is sent to eagle mail to cancel online in order to be released from the housing contract lease agreement. Please see housing contract for further details. 

The University of Southern Mississippi considers the Department of Residence Life Housing Contract Lease Agreement to be a legally binding document on the part of the student and the university. Students who wish to leave university housing during the contract period are given two options: (1) Buyout or (2) Appeal.

• Buyout Option - Allows registered students to leave university housing during the contract period using the following procedures: Seek Residence Life assistance as needed (hall staff, administrative staff available); Check out of the residence hall prior to buyout request (if canceling after residing in the residence hall); Submit online buyout request form by noon on Wednesday, Sept. 11; and Pay the buyout for the semester of canceled contract. *By selecting the buyout only option, the student agrees to accept the buyout without appeal.
  
  
• Appeal Option - The Department of Residence Life offers an appeal process by which a resident may request to be released from the housing contract lease agreement or be given a reduced buyout. This option allows registered students to leave university housing during the contract period using the following procedures: Seek Residence Life assistance as needed (hall staff, administrative staff available); Check out of the residence hall prior to submitting appeal (if canceling after residing in the residence hall); Submit online appeal request form by noon on Wednesday, Sept. 11; Provide all supporting documentation to be considered for the appeal (i.e. bills, medical records, work/class schedule) prior to the Sept. 11 appointed deadline; Pay the buyout for the semester of canceled contract (students are responsible for the buyout portion of the contract unless released by the appeals committee - processing fee is nonrefundable and not considered part of the room rate); and Attend mandatory appeal meeting once scheduled (hearing will take place after notification to students who are appealing the buyout fee). 

Once an appeal petition is submitted, it is first reviewed by the Department of Residence Life then forwarded to the Residence Life/Dining Services appeal committee. A hearing will be scheduled to review testimony and documentation. Attendance is mandatory. Students failing to appear for the scheduled hearing will forfeit the right to appeal and will remain responsible for paying the fee for campus housing and dining services. Petitions are generally decided based upon the factors of the circumstances and steps taken to resolve. Appeal hearing decisions are final.

By selecting the appeal option, the student agrees to accept the buyout unless full release or reduced buyout is granted by the appeal committee after the mandatory hearing. Note: The processing fee is nonrefundable and not considered part of the room rate.