PreCollege Welcome Kit

Housing & Dining

    • Student Release Form:
      - The Parent/Guardian must complete this request on the behalf of the student. When a student wishes to leave campus, their parent/guardian must complete and submit a Student Release Form at least 24 hours in advance of the departure. Students will only be granted permission to leave campus if it is during free time, and does not impact an academic component of the program (including class, field trips, studio time and guest speakers). Students may not be released on their own, and the approved individual picking them up must be 25 years of age or older. Students will only be released to the individual on the request form, after a PreCollege staff person has confirmed with the parent/guardian they grant permission. All students must return to the residence hall by 9pm same day.

    • Guest Visitor Request Form
      The Parent/Guardian must complete this request on the behalf of the student. All guests must be age 18+ and have prior approval ​of the PreCollege Coordinator at least 24 hours in advance, in order to visit a PreCollege student. This includes visits from family members (If a sibling under the age of 18 wishes to visit, they must be accompanied by a parent/guardian at all times). All guests are subject to the same rules as residents and upon arrival, including any COVID-19 health protocols, and will be required to show ID and wait for verification of their visit. All guests must be escorted by their student resident the entire duration of their stay. If guests are found anywhere on campus without their escort, including common areas, they will be escorted from the premises. Guests may not bring alcohol, illegal substances, or weapons onto campus. All guests are required to leave by curfew at 9pm; NO OVERNIGHT GUESTS ARE PERMITTED. Students and guests may not visit apartments belonging to any other residents on campus.


    • Dining Services

Meal Plan
Students in the PreCollege program will have a meal plan, which is included in the program fees. This plan covers breakfast, lunch, and dinner during the week, and brunch and dinner on the weekends, except for field trips, at the Meyerhoff House Dining Room. On days that students attend a field trip, they will be provided with a boxed breakfast on the bus, but are responsible for purchasing their lunch. ​We suggest bringing about $25 cash per meal on field trips.

Allergies and Dietary Restrictions
It is critical that if a student has a food allergy that they include detailed information on their Health Information form. If they have a specific question about ingredients, preparation, or avoiding an ingredient due to an allergy, they should notify PreCollege staff in writing prior to the start of the program. Additionally on move-in day the Chef of Parkhurst Dining will be available for families to speak with directly about food allergy needs. Students are responsible for following any specialized dietary restrictions or protocol set up to ensure their safety and health. Students should ensure their plate includes safe options before ingesting, and should ask the food service manager on shift if they are unsure or concerned. Students with significant allergy concerns can also request in advance a bagged lunch from our dining hall for field trips as well.

Apartment Kitchens
Since each student has a meal plan, students should not need to cook in their apartment kitchens. Some students may choose to keep snacks and beverages in their apartments, and we recommend ones that do not require heating or cooking. Please see the packing list of what to bring for more details on what is provided and suggested. Kitchens do not have microwaves, but one is located in the PreCollege Office on site.

Purchasing Additional Food on Campus
Students can put money on their MICArd Flex Account to purchase additional food on campus, or at vending machines. This is not included in their meal plan. See the Coming to Campus webpage for instructions on adding funds to a Flex Account.

  • Housing Policies & Details

Housing is apartment-style. Apartments are three or four bedrooms, accommodating three to four students total. Each apartment contains a shared living room, kitchen and bathroom. 

Same Sex or Gender Inclusive Housing
At the time of applying to the Pre-College program, applicants selected their preference for housing, with parental/guardian approval.​ ​Same-sex housing places students within apartments based on the sex listed in their application (M, F). Students who select Gender Inclusive housing have the option of being housed with apartment mates of any gender identity or gender expression. There are some students for whom traditional, same-sex room assignments are not ideal or appropriate, and MICA believes it is important that housing policies evolve to meet the needs of students to create an inclusive, diverse, and safe environment. Gender inclusive housing provides options for a variety of students that includes but is not limited to: students that feel uncomfortable rooming with members of the same sex, transgender students in the process of discovering their gender identity, students who feel they would be more compatible with a roommate of a different sex or gender, and students who do not want sex or gender to be a primary factor in choosing an apartment-mate.

Roommates
We cannot guarantee accommodation requests for specific roommates, but if interested in rooming with another PreCollege student, both families (parent/guardian) must make this request in writing by emailing precollege@mica.edu. (Or students could have selected this at the time of applying) Students may not make changes to assignments once finalized without the approval of a coordinator. Students are not allowed in the bedrooms of other PreCollege students, except those assigned to their same room, at any time. MICA reserves the right to move students, re-assign rooms or apartments when necessary. Residents in an apartment with vacant space may have new students assigned to their space at any time and are responsible for keeping it ready for immediate occupancy.

Apartment Agreement
To help PreCollege students learn how to communicate their needs and expectations, each group of apartment mates will complete an apartment agreement that specifies the rules and norms they decide to live by, in addition to program policies. We encourage students to discuss preferences for noise, cleaning schedules, sharing food and possessions and other common areas that could be sources of conflict. If conflict arises, we ask students to discuss concerns directly with one another first. Students may also ask a PreCollege CA or coordinator for assistance. It is expected that all students treat each other with respect and and uphold MICA’s inclusive community standards.

24 Hr Security
The residence halls front desks are the central point for information for safety and security concerns. MICA staffs each front desk with a campus safety officer 24 hours a day. There are also campus safety officers that patrol campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Anyone may call or visit the desk at any time, day or night, if there is a concern or information needed.

Building Access
Everyone entering a campus building will be required to swipe/tap their MICA ID at the security desk card reader before being allowed beyond the entry point. Even if you swipe/tap on the exterior card reader to gain entry into the building, you will still be required to swipe/tap at the security desk. Thus, it is imperative that everyone carry their MICA ID with them at all times. Failure to show your valid MICA ID may result in your access being temporarily denied or your entry delayed. If your ID was lost, stolen or misplaced, please contact campus safety immediately at 410.225.2245 to file a report and to make arrangements to get a replacement, which costs $25.

Keys and Apartment Lock-Outs
Students should use the provided lanyard to keep their keys and MICA ID’s on them at all times. Students should never leave their apartment unlocked, or leave without their keys. Although MICA has made every effort to make the environment secure, students are expected to ensure security by locking their apartment door, even if going to visit another apartment or to dispose of trash. If locked out of their apartment, students should first try and find an apartment mate to let them in. If no apartment-mate is available they should contact the PreCollege Office or staff member on call for assistance. ​The first lock out is free, but if additional lock out’s occur, students may be charged $5 for the second, $10 for the third, with an additional $5 added for each additional lock out.​ For safety reasons, when residents lose their keys, the core lock will have to be replaced. The estimated charge for a lock replacement is $250. If a student loses their keys, they must report it immediately to the PreCollege Office, or staff member on duty. Students must turn in their keys on move-out day. Failure to return keys will result in a key and lock replacement, with an estimated charge of $250​.

Care of Personal Property
We recommend against bringing precious personal property to PreCollege. If students choose to bring valuable items, they are responsible for keeping those items secure at all times. ​The Maryland Institute College of Art is not responsible for any items which are lost, stolen, or damaged.

Internet Access

MICA has a wireless network that covers the entire campus. Students can connect with any wi-fi capable device using their MICA log in credentials. 

Check Out/In Policy
All students must sign in and out every time they enter and leave the residence halls, for any reason, in addition to swiping their MICArd. No one may sign in or out on behalf of another individual. All people must enter and exit the residence halls through the front door. All other exits are for emergencies only.

Check-in and Curfew
Students are required to check-in with staff at a designated time and location on all class days, between class and dinner (4:30pm), and again at curfew(9pm) and again at apartment tuck-in (10pm). All PreCollege students have a curfew, and are not permitted to leave their apartments after tuck in, and are not allowed to stay overnight in another apartment. Apartment doors should be closed and locked to ensure safety after curfew, and door checks will take place nightly by the PreCollege staff.

Quiet Hours
Quiet hours will be in effect in every building from 10pm until 8am, Sunday through Thursday and 11pm until 9am on Friday night through Sunday morning. During that time, any noise must be at a level that confines the sound to a student’s bedroom. Noise in public or shared spaces should be kept to a minimum. Because residents are living in a community, respect and courtesy for others is essential in creating a comfortable environment for everyone. The college expects that at all times residents will respect each other’s needs for a calm, quiet living space and will not make unreasonably loud noise. The college expects that, if asked, students will turn down the volume of whatever noise is concerning others.

Parking
PreCollege students are ​not​ permitted to have vehicles on campus. Approved guests must register with the PreCollege office and Security Desk to receive a temporary parking permit for their vehicle and may park in the residence hall lot once approved.

Trash Removal/Recycling
Students are responsible for disposing of trash in designated trash rooms throughout the residence hall. To meet health requirements and to control unwanted pests, all trash must be bagged, not allowed to accumulate, and discarded in the designated trash receptacles. Residents who leave trash on balconies, in hallways, stairwells, or walkways ​may be charged a per bag $25 trash-removal fee​.

Laundry
Available on-site at Founder’s Green, these facilities are operated by quarters only. The cost per load is $1.50 wash, $1.50 dryer. 

Solicitation
Soliciting is not permitted on campus or in the residence halls. Students should report anyone attempting to solicit to Campus Safety immediately.

Animals
Animals are not permitted in MICA housing. MICA supports the use of service animals on campus as a reasonable accommodation for students with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (“Section 504”). Any questions about the use of service animals should be directed to the Office of Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS) (lrc@mica.edu, 410-225-2416).

Housing Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
The Office of Accessibility and Disability Services (ADS)  supports students by providing equal access to educational opportunities to qualified students with documented disabilities in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. In order to request a disability accommodation, a student must submit an ​online request form​, along with ​supporting documentation that meets MICA’s guidelines​. Requests should be submitted at least one month before the program start date. Requests submitted after this time may not be able to be implemented prior to the program start date. Any questions should be directed to the ADS (lrc@mica.edu, 410-225-2416).

Health and Safety of Apartments
Members of the PreCollege staff may conduct general inspections of apartments at any time throughout the program. These inspections are made to check for compliance with fire and safety codes, necessary maintenance repairs, and general cleanliness of the apartments, which, if dirty, may pose health risks and attract pests. A safe and healthy community requires that students maintain adequate cleanliness and health standards, particularly in kitchens and bathrooms. The health and safety inspections will occur, even if no residents are present. ​Students are expected to immediately report any maintenance needs or apartment concerns to appropriate staff.​ Any program policy violations encountered during an inspection will be addressed, and consequences or charges may be applicable. If students have damaged the apartment, they should not make any attempt to repair, but should notify staff immediately. Facilities Management will repair damages and the residents responsible will be charged for the repairs. This includes improper use of homasote boards.

Recreational Equipment
The residence halls have basketballs and other shared games, or equipment for check out. Students should visit the PreCollege Office to check out equipment and are required to leave their ID’s. Students who damage, lose, or fail to return equipment will be charged replacement costs.