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Current Students > Division of Student Life > Residence Life & Housing > Residence Hall Policies
Disclaimer: ABOUT THE STUDENT HANDBOOK AND THIS WEB LINK The Thiel College Handbook is published to inform students of the Thiel College community about the expectations, guidelines and services of Thiel College. The Residence Life Programs and Policies can be found in the handbook. Bellow you will find a reproduction of the portion of the handbook that pertains to Residence Life. Please be advised that at the time the handbook went to print, all the information contained in it was correct. Because the document is prepared so far in advance of the academic year, changes may occur. If this happens, you will be informed and this link will also be updated. Questions regarding the Handbook should be addressed to the Division of Student Life (also referred to as Student Services), 1st floor, HMSC, or by calling (724) 589-2125.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Residence Life Policies 2007-2008 The following policies have been established to preserve the condition of the residence halls, townhouses apartments and theme houses, as well as to provide safety and security to the residential community. The rules and regulations under which you live are designed to promote individual and group responsibility, as well as to establish acceptable community standards. We count on students to hold each other responsible for their behavior. If, at any time, a student becomes aware that another individual is responsible for inappropriate behavior, we expect that student to a) confront the individual to stop the behavior, and b) to report it to the Residence Life Staff or Public Safety. It is expected that you know what constitutes acceptable behavior without a written rule to cover every situation. Any violation of these policies will result in appropriate charges and disciplinary action to the person(s) involved. A. Bathrooms. Guest bathrooms are provided for guests of both sexes in each hall. Therefore, students and guests are prohibited from using a bathroom designated for members of the opposite sex. B. Bicycles. Bicycles may be stored in an outside rack or in residents’ rooms with the approval of roommates, but not in hallways, stairwells, or access ways. Bicycles are not to be used on the tennis courts behind Passavant Center. C. Break Periods. The residence halls and theme houses will close at 7:00pm the last day of classes/exams for vacations and recess breaks. Halls will re-open at 12:00 noon the day before classes following all vacation periods. Students needing to stay on campus during break periods due to special circumstances should make arrangements through the Student Services Office in advance, according to advertised policy. Students arriving early or requesting an extended stay will be billed $50/day. For safety and security reasons, students may also be required to consolidate to a central location on campus. Note: Electronic locks will be changed in the main entrances of each residence hall during all breaks. Therefore, students will not be able to access their rooms unless they notify Thiel Public Safety. A $50.00 fee will be assessed to anyone who needs to enter halls/houses during break periods after the core locks have been changed. Following the final examinations of each term, all students are required to leave campus housing within 24 hours of their last examination or by 7:00 p.m. on the day of the last scheduled final exam. If a student must stay beyond that time, arrangements must be made with the Student Life Office at least 24 hours in advance. Students requesting an extended stay will be billed $50/day. For safety and security reasons, students may also be required to consolidate to a central location on campus. Any student remaining in campus housing without prior approval will be asked to leave by Thiel Public Safety and will be reported to the Student Life Office. D. Cable Hookups. Individual cable hookups are provided for each student in their rooms. Anyone found splicing and stealing illegal cable to their room will be fined and must remove the connection. E. Class Attendance. Residents living in campus housing must show that they are making an attempt to succeed academically through attending classes, and if applicable keeping scheduled meetings with the Academic Success Center, Academic Advisor, and/or tutors. Failure to do so may result in removal and/or suspension from campus housing. F. Damage to Common Areas. Residents of a residence area are jointly responsible for the care, cleanliness, and protection of the common areas of their space, including bathrooms, hallways, lounges, etc. If an incident of uncleanliness, damage or vandalism occurs and the person(s) responsible is not reported, all residents of that floor/wing/house/apartment must remedy the situation or they will be fined. Damages will be charged to students living in that area, or the residents of the entire building, if assessment to specific individuals cannot be determined. G. Doors. Entrance/Exit doors are not to be propped open. H. Driving on Lawn. Because of the potential damage to the lawn, students and their guests are prohibited from driving motor vehicles off of designated roadways. This policy is in effect even during check in and check out periods. Violators will be ticketed and fined. I. Eviction from On-Campus Housing. This entails the removal of a student from campus housing and termination of the housing agreement. Refunds for an evicted resident will be processed in accordance with the established refund policy of the College. An evicted resident will have 48 hours to vacate his/her room unless his/her continued presence on campus constitutes a threat to other residents or College property. The Associate Dean of Students or his/her designee may grant extensions. J. FAX Machine. A fax machine is located in the Student Life office, HMSC. This machine is available for students to send and receive faxes with the approval of Student Life personnel. A fee of $1.00 per page will be charged to send a fax. There is no charge to receive a fax. It is the responsibility of the student(s) to contact the Student Life Office to pick up a fax they are expecting. If a fax is received for a student unexpectedly, the Student Life office will attempt to contact the student by phone; if unsuccessful, the fax will be sent to the student’s post office box. K. Fire Procedures. In order to protect the health and property of residents, the College has established the following procedures for fire safety in campus housing: 1. Before a fire:
2. Discovering a fire:
3. Hearing the Fire Alarm Sound:
NOTE: If your door or doorknob is hot, do not attempt to leave your room. Keep your door closed. Place a blanket or towel along the bottom of the door to keep smoke out of the room. Hang something out of your window and shout for help to attract attention. 4. After vacating the building:
Tampering with fire/safety equipment or sounding a false fire alarm is against the law. Violators could be referred to the District Magistrate’s Office and will face a Campus Disciplinary Hearing. If found guilty, violators could be fined up to $1000, be dismissed from the residence halls and/or be suspended from the College, and have a police record. Students are not to alter or misuse any fire fighting equipment, protective devices designed for such equipment, or other emergency device. Tampering with or otherwise rendering useless any College equipment or property intended for use in preserving or protecting the safety of members of the College community such as sprinkler heads, exit signs, fire extinguishers, fire alarms, fire boxes, smoke alarms, water/steam pipes, first aid equipment, or emergency telephones is prohibited. Obstructing fire escape routes, such as hallways or stairwells, is also prohibited. 5. Illegal Items for fire safety include, but are not limited to:
6. Maximum number of people in a room/apartment:
7. Holiday Decorations Policy. Because of the potential for accidents or fires, the following regulations must be observed by anyone wishing to exhibit decorations:
L. Closing Procedures. Closing procedures for each break and at the end of each semester will be mailed to students and posted throughout the halls/houses. For the safety of your possessions and to prevent damage assessments, all students are reminded to follow these guidelines: Turn heat to low Clean room Empty wastebaskets Be sure no perishable food has been left in the room Return all cafeteria dishes and trays to the dining hall Remove all personal possessions from common areas, such as the laundry room, bathroom, etc. Disconnect all electrical appliances, including refrigerators (exception: Apartments, Townhouses, and Small House large refrigerators may be left plugged in) Take all valuables home with you, including your laptop computers Lock windows and close drapes Lock room door Residence Life Staff will remain on campus until all residents on the wing or floor have departed for vacation. They check all rooms and see that the residents have not overlooked any of the preceding items. Students who fail to follow closing procedures will be subject to disciplinary action. M. Liability. The College assumes no responsibility for damages and/or loss of personal property due to theft, fire, destruction, acts of God, etc., whether such losses occur in your room, storage or public areas. Students are advised to check with their parents regarding their homeowner’s policy. Students are encouraged to purchase renter’s insurance. Contact the Student Life Office for details. N. Lofts. Loftable beds are provided in most rooms. Should you and your roommate desire to loft your beds, loft kits are available through Maintenance; contact your RA about obtaining a kit from Maintenance. All College-owned bed pieces must remain in the student’s room. At the end of the academic year (or at check out) the college bed must be assembled and returned to its original condition to avoid damage billing. O. Lost and Found. A student who finds any property belonging to someone else has the obligation to return the item to its rightful owner or to the Public Safety Office if the owner is unknown. Failure to do so may result in a charge of theft. P. Lost ID. IDs or ID replacements can be secured at the Office of Public Safety. A lost or stolen ID must be reported to the Office of Student Engagement and Success. After reporting a missing ID, you will be issued a new ID at a charge of $25.00, and your old ID will be deactivated. Q. Lost Keys. The loss of a resident’s room key must be reported to a Resident Director, Public Safety, or the Student Life Office. The door’s lock core will be changed, at a cost of $60.00, billable to the student, which covers the core and replacement keys. Should a resident damage a key, it should be turned in to the Student Life Office, where a replacement key will be issued upon return of the damaged key, and a charge of $15.00 will be billed to the resident. Replacement Post Office keys can be obtained at the Post Office at a cost of $5.00. Possession of unauthorized keys. Possession of unauthorized keys is strictly prohibited. If found responsible, violators could be fined up to $1000.00, be dismissed from the residence hall, and/or be suspended from the College. R. Hall Sports. Students shall not participate in any traditionally outdoors games or sports (e.g., baseball, football, frisbee) inside the residences. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action, as well as being responsible for any damages as a result of these activities. S. Housing Deposits. 1. Damage Deposit. A $100.00 damage deposit is required of all resident students and will be included in the student’s first billing by the Business Office. This deposit is used toward any damages that may be assessed to a student for room damage. Damages assessed to students must be paid at the end of the academic year in which the damage was billed, or when required by the housing contract. Any portion of the deposit remaining when a student withdraws, moves off campus, or graduates from the College will be refunded. Please note: If a student’s damage deposit at any time falls below $70.00, it will automatically be adjusted to bring your balance to $100.00. This amount will appear on your bill from the Business Office. 2. Room Reservation Deposit. A $100.00 room reservation deposit is required of all students and shall be submitted with the Housing Contract. Housing applications will not be processed until this deposit is received. This deposit will be credited to the student’s account and it will be deducted from the room and board charges. 3. Contract Cancellation Fee. Fall contracts are for the full academic year (Exception: Students graduating in the Fall semester or a student who withdraws). A $100.00 cancellation fee will be assessed for students canceling their contract after June 30 and will be billed directly to the student’s account. T. Lounge Furniture. Public area furnishings or equipment removed or taken to residents’ rooms constitutes a theft of College property. Possession of lounge furniture in a resident’s room may result in a $50.00 per day fine and/or other disciplinary sanctions for said resident(s). U. Maintenance Work Request. Any maintenance requests for students must be submitted through Residence Life. This may be accomplished through the Resident Assistant. Emergency Requests may be submitted directly to Student Life Office or Maintenance. After-hours emergency requests can be made through Public Safety or a Residence Life Staff member.
V. Meal Plan. A meal plan is required of all resident students. The board contract does not include College vacation periods or summer school. W. Microwaves. Microwave ovens are not allowed in residents’ rooms because of the electrical power they require. One microwave oven is provided in each residence hall for community use. X. Painting Rooms. Residents may paint their rooms with permission from the Student Engagement and Success Office during the first three weeks of the fall semester. Only Thiel authorized colors may be used. Paint must be requested through the Student Engagement and Success Office one week in advance. Y. Pets. For health and sanitation reasons, no animals of any kind may visit or be kept in any of the College’s residences, including Townhouses, Theme houses and Apartments. Fish are allowed in aquariums 10 gallons or smaller, provided they are maintained in a sanitary condition. Violators will be fined $50.00/day between the day that the infraction is discovered and the day that the animal is removed from campus. Z. Prohibited Items. The following items are prohibited from college-owned housing: Halogen lamps, heating devices (including floor and desk lamps), firearms, any type of dangerous weapon, weight-lifting equipment, large games or furniture (pool tables, video games, etc.), any vehicles having internal combustion engines, dartboards, waterbeds, amplifiers, air conditioners, microwave ovens, toasters, toaster ovens, hot plates, candles, incense, neon signs, alcohol, and other flammable items such as paint, paint thinner, etc. AA. Quiet Hours. In order to provide a quality living and learning environment on campus, specific times have been set aside as quiet hours for residents to relax, study and sleep. This should be interpreted to mean that doors be shut when stereos or TVs are on, or when groups of people are talking. Voices will also need to be kept low. Headphones should be used for those who like loud music. Listed below are the quiet hours in effect. Regular Quiet Hours Sunday through Thursday nights Starting at 9:00pm until 10:00am Friday and Saturday nights Starting at 1:00am until 11:00am 24-Hour Quiet Hours are in Effect During Finals!!! If a resident violates quiet hours, he/she will be subject to disciplinary action.
Courtesy Hours: All the hours of the day/night that are not specifically designated “quiet hours” are to be considered “courtesy hours.” During courtesy hours, any person may ask a resident or room occupant to quiet down and the person must comply or be subject to disciplinary action. If a resident continually violates this reasonable standard during courtesy hours, he/she will face disciplinary action. Residents are strongly encouraged to monitor their own floor’s noise level and to take personal initiative to confront violators in order to maintain an environment that is conducive to studying, relaxing and sleeping. Community standards upheld by residents are better respected by other residents and open to more regular enforcement. BB. Refrigerators and Other Appliances. Refrigerators that are 4.5 cu. ft. or less are permitted, provided that they are maintained in a sanitary condition and do not interfere with other students in the room. One small refrigerator per bedroom is permitted in the Theme Houses. CC. Rollerblades and Skateboards. Use of rollerblades and skateboards is permitted on campus in designated areas only. These designated areas include the Upper Quad sidewalks, Passavant Center parking lot, and west campus sidewalks. NO rollerblading or skateboarding is permitted around the entrances of any campus building, in the tennis courts behind the Passavant Center, or in areas other than those designated. Students using rollerblades or skateboards must exercise caution at all times and yield to pedestrian and motor vehicle traffic. Anyone who is found in violation of these guidelines or who damages property while rollerblading or skateboarding will be subject to disciplinary action. Persons not affiliated with Thiel College are not permitted to use rollerblades or skateboards on campus. DD. Roofs. Students are not permitted to be on the roof of any College building; this lends to faulty roofs, and is very dangerous. Violators will face disciplinary action. EE. Room Change Policy. It is essential that requests for room changes be processed in an effective and systematic manner. Many people are involved in each room change; Business Office, Information Technology, Residence Life Staff, Student Life Office, etc. Therefore, the following guidelines must be adhered to:
FF. Room Condition Forms. Students are responsible for the appearance, cleanliness and care of their rooms. The Room Condition Form is very important because damage bills are assessed from information found on the sheet and from the end of the year room inspection. In the interest of maintaining a healthy and safe environment in the residence halls, students are expected to keep their rooms clean and sanitary (i.e., empty garbage, odor free, no dirty dishes or unkempt food, etc.). All roommates will check the room to determine its condition at the beginning of the term or year. All roommates, along with the Resident Assistant, will sign off on the Room Condition Form. Each roommate should be present when the check is made at the time of withdrawal, when a room is changed, or at the end of the year. The Residence Life Staff will make a final inspection after the room is vacated. Residents of each room are responsible to arrange a convenient time with the Resident Assistant to have the room checked and to fill out a Room Condition Form. Failure to do so will result in your loss of the right to evaluate damage and the corresponding repair costs. GG. Room Decorations. Residents may decorate their rooms, but should be careful not to use any device that leaves a permanent mark when attaching objects to the walls or ceiling (e.g. large nails, screws, staples, tacks, double-sided tape, etc.). Students are responsible for damages to their room. HH. Room Furniture. College furniture that is in a given room must remain in that room. Due to space limitations, storage or removal of furniture is not permitted unless authorized by the Student Life Staff. Residents are responsible for all college property assigned to their rooms and will be billed at the end of the semester/academic year for missing and/or disassembled items. This includes a $25.00 - $100.00 fine per item that is removed from the room. If the item is not returned, the student may also be billed a replacement charge. II. Screens. For safety and maintenance reasons, removal of window screens, curtains or blinds is prohibited. Students are also prohibited from entering or exiting rooms or buildings through the windows. JJ. Security. For the safety of their belongings and themselves, residents are strongly recommended to lock their doors and carry their room keys with them when not in the room. Residents are also encouraged to close and lock all windows when not present. Report any problems to Public Safety immediately. KK. Smoking/Open Flames. Smoking is only permitted in designated smoking areas, where available. Smoking is prohibited in any other areas of the College residences, including residence halls, theme houses, apartments, and townhouses. Because of possible fire hazards (see item J. in this section), open flames are prohibited in College residences. LL. Solicitation. No student is to permit his or her room to be used for any commercial purpose. Soliciting in College housing or on college grounds is forbidden without the expressed written permission of the Associate Dean of Students/Director of Residence Life. MM. Stereos/Electronic Equipment. Stereo, radio and television sets may be used in individual rooms provided they are used in a reasonable manner and do not infringe on the rights of others. Students who habitually disturb others by playing their stereos, radios, or televisions will be subject to disciplinary action. The use of electric guitars and amplifiers in college housing is forbidden without permission from the Director of Residence Life. Students are encouraged to register all of their equipment with Public Safety to protect their property. NN. Storage. No on-campus storage is available. All personal items must be removed over the summer. A $50.00 fee will be charged for entering any college residence during a break or over the summer for any reason (other than residents housed in a hall during summer school). The $50.00 fee will be paid on a cash in advance basis. OO. Street Signs. Municipal signs (stop, yield, street, interstate, etc.) are not allowed in college housing, regardless of how they were obtained. Violators may be subject to disciplinary action and/or civil or criminal prosecution. PP. Telephones. Students must provide their own telephone for use in their room. The College does provide a telephone jack for each student. Long distance calling cards are available in the Campus Bookstore. The use of the telephone to harass other students (i.e., hang ups, obscene language, threats, etc.) is a violation of both civil law and the Student Code of Conduct and will not be tolerated. QQ. Vacating Rooms. All personal possessions and garbage must be removed when vacating rooms. Failure to comply will result in confiscation and/or disposal of the remaining items and clearing charges being assessed. RR. Visitation. All college residences have established visitation hours for members of the opposite sex. These hours are: Sunday – Thursday 11:00am to 12:00 Midnight Friday and Saturday 11:00am to 2:00am During these times, members of the opposite sex may visit student rooms. When visitation is over, no members of the opposite sex are permitted in students’ rooms or apartments or on the floors of the residence halls. All students who do not live in the building they are visiting, and visitors to the College, must sign in when they enter College residences starting at 8:30 (see below for further details of Overnight Guest Registration). Main Lounges: The main lounge of each college residence is available for residents and their guests continuously. The following guidelines are to be followed:
Overnight Guests: Co-habitation is prohibited and represents a serious breach of conduct. Thiel College is opposed to the exploitation of any individual and concerned with the moral development of students. In addition, children are not permitted to live in the college residences. If a guest is 17 years of age or older and of the same sex, they may stay overnight providing they follow the guidelines for overnight guests. If a guest is 16 years of age or younger and of the same sex, they may stay over night providing they gain prior approval from Campus Police and the Resident Director of that building. Overnight guests of the same sex are allowed provided that the hosting resident:
No person shall infringe upon the privacy of others or behave in such a way as to disturb others by their conduct. No non-staff person shall enter the room of another without having been invited to do so. In situations where more than one person occupies a room, priority will be given to the occupant who does not wish to be intruded upon. SS. Windows. Students are prohibited from entering or exiting rooms or buildings through the windows. Throwing trash or other objects out of windows constitutes a safety hazard and will not be tolerated. Residents are encouraged to keep their windows closed and locked when not in the room.
GROUP VIOLATIONS The Office of Student Life will make the determination whether a group/organization will be charged with a violation of college policy involving the actions of members of its group. This determination will be made on a case-by-case basis. Groups and organizations are encouraged to make every effort to regulate the actions of their members.
Residence Life Search and Seizure The College’s Public Safety officers and Residence Life staff reserve the right to enter and inspect areas, including bathrooms and student rooms, if:
The staff member will knock and identify him/herself before entering. For maintenance, safety, or security checks, prior notice to students will be given, if possible. Refusal of a student to cooperate with an inspection will be considered suspicious behavior and will contribute to reasonable cause to believe a search is warranted. Institutional searches will be authorized in writing by the Vice President for Student Life/Dean of Students or his/her designee, and will be conducted by a representative of the Office of Student Life and a Public Safety officer, in the presence of a Residence Life Staff member and the resident if possible. This type of search is used when the Vice President/Dean would have reason to believe that it is more likely than not that items in violation of College policy (i.e., drugs, large amounts of alcohol, master keys, weapons, stolen property, etc.) are present in a specified location. This includes searches of the student’s room and/or the student’s person. Refusal of a student to cooperate with a search will be considered suspicious behavior and will contribute to reasonable cause to believe that such a search is warranted. The College also reserves the right to use a search warrant from the District Magistrate if deemed necessary or appropriate. A receipt will be given for any removed property. |
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