Residence Life Community Policies http://minerva.stkate.edu/residencelife.nsf/files/0910policies/$file/0910Policies.pdf 1 Residence Life Community Policies Community Living: Policies and Conduct All University policies printed in LeGuide apply to resident students, as well as the following specific residence life community policies. The Residence Life program at St. Catherine University is committed to the development of an environment that fosters academic growth and personal excellence in its resident students. The Residence Life program has identified standards of behavior that it considers essential to the mission of residence hall living at St. Catherine University. All residents and their guests are required to follow the standards and uphold all policies and procedures. The process of reviewing inappropriate behavior will be conducted by the Residence Life professional staff through the University’s student judicial system. Alcohol Use The purchase, possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages by a minor (under 21 in Minnesota) and the purchase of alcoholic beverages by an adult for use by a minor are violations of state law. As stated in the University’s alcohol policy, “Individuals who have reached the legal age may make their own decision regarding the possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages in their private rooms and apartments.” It is a violation of Minnesota law to sell intoxicating liquors or non-intoxicating malt liquors without a license, or to sell such beverages to minors or obviously intoxicated people. Sale means any transfer that involves payment including cover charges, ticket sales, cup sales, food sales, and announced public collections. It is also a violation of state law to provide alcohol to minors. The following guidelines protect the rights of all residents and promote responsible use of alcohol. 1. Alcohol is not allowed in corridors or other public areas of the residence halls. This includes on the grounds or in parking lots. 2. Residents may not have kegs or party balls in their rooms, suites, or apartments. 3. Residents of legal age using alcohol must keep the doors to their rooms closed at all times. 4. Alcohol may not be stored or displayed in areas accessible to minors. This includes suite and apartment living rooms and kitchens where minors share this space. 5. Residents will be held accountable for the behavior of their guests. 6. Guests will be escorted out of the building if they fail to comply with these guidelines or if their behavior infringes on the rights of other students. Guests are expected to have proper, photo I.D.s on their person when visiting. Failure to produce proper identification when asked by University staff may result in severe disciplinary action. 7. Empty alcohol containers are not allowed as decoration in rooms where residents are under 21 years of age. 8. Residents will be held accountable for alcohol possession and/or consumption by minors in their room, suite or apartment. In cases where minors are present while alcohol is in plain sight or being consumed the conduct hearing officer will assume the minors were consuming alcohol. Appliances Cooking: In St. Mary, Stanton, Crandall, Caecilian and Whitby Halls cooking appliances must be limited to popcorn poppers, coffee pots, hot pots, and other non-exposed heating coil appliances. Toasters, hot plates, and microwave ovens are acceptable in the apartments and suites only. Residents must use these items in their kitchen or kitchenettes on proper countertops. Microwaves in the form of combination units rented from Collegiate Marketing are allowed in all buildings. Refrigerators less than 3.8 cubic feet are allowed in residence hall rooms. Only one refrigerator per room is allowed. If you are interested in renting a refrigerator or microwave-refrigerator combination unit, please visit Collegiate Marketing’s website: BedLoft.com for further details. Vacuums: A limited number of vacuums are available for check out from your RA or the hall reception desk. Please empty the bag after each use and report any problems with the machine to a residence life staff member. Misuse or abuse of the vacuum may result in repair and replacement fees. Other Appliances: Waterbeds, tanning beds, air conditioning units, and halogen lights are not allowed in any building. Bikes State fire codes prohibit the storage of bicycles in hallways, stairwells or public areas. To avoid possible fines and/or removal of your bike, please store outside on a designated bike rack or in your room or apartment. Bikes may not be locked to the exterior parts of any building. Bike storage is available on a first-come, first-served basis in Morrison Hall for students living in Rauenhorst/Morrison. To use this storage room, please go to the Visitations Commons Reception Desk. A $5 deposit is required. Storage space is not available in the St. Mary, Stanton, Crandall, Caecilian, Whitby, Alberta or Georgia for bicycles. All bikes must be registered with the St. Catherine University Department of Public Safety. Registration is free. Candles and Incense Based on recommendation from the Fire Marshall, candles (including wickless) and incense are not allowed in any residential building on campus. Residents found with candles or incense will be subject to disciplinary action and the items will be confiscated. Card Access and Keys Card Access: Your St. Catherine University ID card gives you access to your building. Replacement cards are available at the Coeur de Catherine Information Desk. There is a $5.00 replacement fee. 4 After replacing a lost St. Catherine University ID card, you must have your card re-encoded to gain access to your building. During business hours, you may re-encoded your card at the Residence Life Office. After business hours and on weekends, the Department of Public Safety is available to re-encode cards. Should you lose your card after the Coeur de Catherine Information Desk closes, please go to the Department of Public Safety to get a temporary card. This card can be used until the next business day when a new ID card can be made. Failure to return a temporary card will result in a $5.00 fee. Residence Life cannot encode damaged University ID cards. This includes cards with broken or chipped edges, split or bent cards, and cards with holes punched into them. Please do not punch a hole in your card, or put tape, stickers, or any other substance over the magnetic strip on the back of your card. Keys: If you lose your room, suite, apartment, or apartment mail box key, please contact the Residence Life Office to have the lock changed or re-cored. The replacement fee is $60 per door lock and $60 per mailbox lock. Once Residence Life has requested a re-core from Facilities, the fee is charged to your student account. This fee cannot be reversed should you find your lost key. For the safety of you and others in your building community, you are strongly discouraged from keeping your University ID or any other identifiable tags on your key ring that may make it easy for someone to identify your residence. It is illegal to duplicate any key issued by the University. Students with unauthorized duplicated keys are subject to a lock replacement charge and disciplinary action. For the safety of all residents, it is NOT permissible to share or loan out your keys or access card. Students who obtain a key or card access under false pretenses or loan out their key and/or access card will be subject to disciplinary action. Common Areas You are responsible for the condition of hallways, stairwells, lobbies, kitchens, study rooms, TV rooms, computer labs and bathrooms. Please keep these spaces clean and free of obstructions. Sporting activities, in-line skating, and projectiles are not allowed. Please do not remove furniture from the common areas. Charges for vandalism or missing furniture may be charged to the entire community if the resident(s) responsible for the violation is not found. Kitchens: Most buildings have a kitchen facility to share. It is your responsibility to clean the kitchen. It is up to the discretion of Residence Life and Custodial Staff to discard any dishes or food left in the kitchens. You are encouraged to label your food items, before placing them in common area refrigerators and cabinets. Residence Life is not responsible for food or equipment that are lost, stolen, or discarded for cleaning. Please do not leave the kitchen unattended while using the microwave, stove, or oven as this is a fire hazard. Students may be subject to disciplinary action and/or fines if unattended appliances lead to a fire, smoke, or activation of the fire alarm. Laundry Rooms: Washers and dryers are available in each residence hall and apartment building. Report malfunctioning machines to your RA, or for faster service please call Mac-Gray Company at (800) MAC-GRAY. To purchase a laundry card or to put more money on your laundry card, please go to the 3rd floor Coeur de Catherine vending machine area. The machine takes $5, $10, and $20 bills. If you experience problems with the laundry card machine or your own card, please contact a Residence Life Staff member. Please take appropriate precautions when doing your laundry. Laundry theft happens! The University is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Computer Labs: Shared computer labs are intended for quiet study and academic use first and foremost. Talking on the phone in the computer lab is not permitted. The computer labs are maintained by Computing Services. Please call the Help Desk at X6402 to report any computer problems, or to request more printer paper and toner. For specific computer use policies, please visit LeGuide. Decorating Your Living Space and Room Condition You have considerable freedom to decorate your living space. We asked that you follow the basic rules listed below. Charges for any damages or violations will be billed to your student account. Room decorations that pose a fire hazard or may damage the facility are prohibited. 1. Do not use tape or other adhesives that chip the paint or plaster. You will be charged for holes and tape marks. Blue painter’s tape is the only tape approved by the University for posting in the residence halls and apartments. 2. Painting and wallpapering may be done only by University-approved painters. No contact paper may be adhered to walls, ceiling, floors, doors, desktops, cabinets etc. In the apartments and suites, fees for painting begin at $400. 3. Empty alcohol containers are not allowed as decoration in rooms where residents are under 21. 4. Netting or hangings from the ceiling or walls are not allowed as they are fire hazards. St. Paul fire code allows no more 20 percent of any door, wall, or window to be covered. 5. University furniture may not be removed from your living space, nor can common area furniture be moved into your living space. The University will only store college furniture to accommodate children’s furniture in Alberta Apartment. 6. To ensure your comfort and safety, please do not bring your own bed or other large furniture - - space is limited. If you have questions about brining furniture into your living space, please speak to your hall staff. 7. Do not make any permanent changes in your living spaces or changes that will require maintenance work to restore the space to its original condition. 8. To avoid needless damage to window frames, screens, blinds, or drapes, screens are not to be removed from windows. Removal of screens will result in a $100 fine. 9. Extension cords and outlet adaptors must have circuit breakers/surge protectors. 10. Some of the buildings have interior sprinkler systems. Do not hang items from or attempt in any way to move/alter the sprinkler heads and equipment. Extreme damage will result, and you will be held financially responsible for damage to the building and other residents’ personal property. 11. Holiday decorations are permitted, but no natural Christmas trees or tree boughs are allowed. Decorative lights must be turned off when no one is in the room. Exit signs and emergency lights may not be decorated. No continuous hallway decoration may be used. All holiday decorations must be taken down before leaving for semester break. 12. Minnesota state law prohibits the removal of traffic and/or street signs; therefore they are not permitted in any residential building on campus. Decorations should be a credit to the University, protecting and respecting the rights of all community members. Residence Life Staff has the right to remove decorations from common areas if the decorations are found offensive or counter to the mission of the University. 13. Decorations, policy postings, and other displays by hall staff in public areas must remain in public areas. Please do not write on or remove any postings without the approval of hall staff. Room/Suite/Apartment Condition Report: Upon checking into your living space, you will be asked to complete and sign a condition report form. This form describes the condition of your living space and all the furniture within. If you find any other damages, they must be recorded on your condition report form or reported to your RA within two weeks of your check in. Any additional damages will be charged to you when you move out. Failure to turn in your condition report form by the specified deadline will result in a $50 fee. Upon checking out of your space, your Complex Coordinator will walk-through each living space to assess damages. You may be assessed additional damage charges at that time. Drug Policy The unlawful or unauthorized possession, use, consumption, sale or distribution of illicit or prescription drugs and/or alcohol by St. Catherine University students, guests, and employees on University property or as a part of University activities is strictly prohibited. Students who violate this policy will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include but is not limited to, a reprimand or warning, disciplinary probation, suspension, expulsion, and referral to the proper law enforcement authorities for prosecution. See the Alcohol and Drug Policy in LeGuide for further information. DVD/VCR Use In accordance with federal law, video cassettes and DVDs cannot be shown in public areas such as residence hall lounges. Students can view movies in their rooms or apartments. Firearms and Fireworks Firearms and fireworks are prohibited on campus grounds and in all buildings. Students in possession are subject to dismissal and legal prosecution. Gambling Gambling is prohibited in the residence halls and apartments. Students found gambling are subject to dismissal and legal prosecution. Good Samaritan Students or members of the community who observe a medical or other emergency are obligated to call for help. If the “Good Samaritan” who places a call for help is found to be in violation of a residence life policy, the fact that they placed the call will be considered a mitigating circumstance when sanctions are imposed on an individual. Guests and Visitation Residents are responsible for the behavior of their guests. All guests must be escorted at all times when in any residential building. Residents must not give guests a student ID to access their building. Guests must present ID and any additional information when requested by Residence Life or Public Safety staff. The University has the right to trespass a guest or revoke a resident’s guest privileges at any time. Residence Life reserves the right to escort guests from the building if it is determined there are too many people in a room or apartment or if a possible policy violation has occurred. All guests must carry valid photo ID on their person at all times. Additional fines and disciplinary action may be taken if Residence Life finds reasonable evidence that a guest has been extended residency. Overnight Guests: An overnight guest is defined as any person who is not assigned by Residence Life to live in a particular room, suite or apartment, even if that person lives on campus. All guests must have on their person at all times a valid picture ID issued by their state of residence. In cases where roommates cannot agree, the right of a person to occupy her room without the presence of an overnight guest shall take precedence over the right of a roommate to host overnight guests. The housing of overnight guests and terms under which this occurs must be mutually agreed upon by all roommates. Consecutive stays are not allowed. Residents may not extend residency to their guests or other students. Guests will not be issued access cards or keys. Male relatives ages 12 or under are welcome to stay overnight. Residence Hall Guests: Same-sex guests are welcome to visit residence hall students at any time. Visiting hours for opposite sex are 9:00am-2:00am daily on the St. Paul campus. Guest hours on the Minneapolis campus are 10:00am-Midnight, Sunday through Thursday and 10:00am-2:00am on Friday and Saturday. All guest must be escorted by their host at all times in the residence halls. Alberta and Georgia Apartment Guests: Guests are welcome at any time in Alberta and Georgia. Male, overnight guests are not allowed. All guest must be escorted by their host at all times in the apartments. Health & Safety For the health and safety of all residents, please keep your living space clean and free of clutter. Dirty dishes, stacks of papers, and food particles attract mice and other pests. In the suites and apartments, regular health & safety inspections are conducted by your Resident Advisor. Residence Life reserves the right to inspect your living area for cleanliness. Cleaning and maintenance fees may apply. Lock-Outs Residents are responsible for securing their room/suite/apartment at all times. This includes carrying your ID and access card at all times. If you do get locked out of your room or building during business hours (Mon-Friday 8AM-5PM) please stop by any one of the reception desks. Desks are located in St. Mary, Rauenhorst/Morrison, Stanton, and Caecilian Halls. Or you may contact any Resident Advisor. At other times, please call the on-duty RA for your building. If you live in St. Mary, Stanton, or Crandall please call (651) 324-2357. If you live in Whitby or Caecilian, please call (651) 8 324-2359. If you live in Alberta or Georgia Apartments, please call (651) 324 –2358. If you live in Rauenhorst or Morrison, please call 651-399-2563. Please understand that staff may not always be readily available to let you into your room, suite, or apartment. You may need to wait up to 20-minutes. There is a $5.00 lock-out fee for your first three lock-outs. There is a $20.00 lock-out fee for lock-outs that occur between 2AM-8AM. After three lock-outs there is a $10.00 fee, and you will be subject to further consequences through the conduct system. Lofting and Bunking Beds St. Catherine University does not authorize the construction of lofts in the residence halls and apartments other than those provided by the University. All residence hall and apartment beds are able to be lofted or bunked with University provided equipment. There are a limited number of loft and bunk kits available. At the beginning of each semester, scheduled loft hours will be designated for you to pick up a kit. There is a limit of one kit per room until the designated pick up times are completed. After that, if there are additional kits, an additional time will be scheduled for people who want a second kit for their room. In some rooms, two lofts are not allowed as recommended by the Fire Marshal. Once loft or bunking equipment has been signed out to you, you are responsible for all pieces. You are also responsible for assembling the loft or bunk. Using less than four people to set up your loft or bunk may result in bent equipment and damage charges will apply. At the end of each semester, the loft storage rooms will be open at designated hours to allow you to return your loft or bunking kit. You must dismantle and return your kit if you are moving out of your current space. Failure to return loft or bunk equipment within the loft return hours will result in a $100 removal fine. In the Rauenhorst and Morrison Halls one loft will be provided for every resident. These lofts are to remain in resident rooms. Lofts must be at least three feet from windows and heaters. Pets Pets are not permitted in any living area on campus, with the exception of fish. Residents found with pets are subject to a cleaning charge ($100 for a residence hall room and $200 for an apartment or suite) and disciplinary action. Visiting pets are not allowed in any building at any time. Political Campaigning In accordance with state law, political candidates may not enter the residence halls to campaign. To protect your privacy, candidates may not knock on individual room, suite or apartment doors and are still required to be escorted by a resident of the building. Candidates are encouraged to work through Student Center and Activities and Residence Life to set-up information tables, speaking engagements, or other structured campaign activities. Please contact your RA if you have questions or concerns about political campaigning in your residence hall or apartment building. Postings Clubs, organizations and individuals wishing to post flyers, banners, and other information in the residence halls must get approval from the Residence Life Office or the Complex Coordinator of the building in which they would like to post. To obtain permission, please stop by the Residence Life Office or Complex Coordinator Office with an original copy of your posting. After your publication has been approved, you will receive your original publication for copying. The Residence Life Office Staff will assist you in determining how many copies you will need. For campus related events, one copy is needed per floor. For non-campus related events, one copy per building is needed. Once copied, please bring your signage back to Residence Life for distribution. All unapproved publicity will be removed. If you wish to post a flyer, poster, or banner on your own floor only, you may obtain permission from your Complex Coordinator. To post on other floors or buildings, it is necessary to go through the approval process. At no time may residents post signs advertising private businesses (i.e. cosmetic sales, sale parties). Quiet Hours All living areas on campus have a 24-hour courtesy policy. Quiet hours have been established for the halls and apartments. They are: Sunday through Thursday 10:00pm–9:00am Friday and Saturday Midnight-10:00am At all times, stereos, TVs, and conversations should be kept at a reasonable level. To address noise violations, first discuss the problem with the offenders. If there are still concerns after this conversation, please contact your RA. Reasonable Request of a Staff Member Along with the rights you are given as a resident, you have the responsibility to comply with the reasonable request of a University staff member (including Resident Advisors) acting within the scope of her or his duties. This includes opening your door when a staff member is attempting to confront a policy violation, presenting proper identification, managing your guests’ behavior, and communicating accurate information upon request. Ignorance of policies, anger, and intoxication are not acceptable excuses for inappropriate behavior towards a staff member. Mistreatment of any University staff may result in severe disciplinary action. Room Changes and Roommate Conflicts No room changes are allowed within the first three weeks of each semester. If you are experiencing roommate conflicts, the following steps must be completed before a room change will be considered: 1. Talk to your roommate about the conflict. Your RA is available to assist you with this. Refer to the roommate agreement you and your roommate completed together. 2. Talk to your RA about the continuing conflict or concern. The RA will meet with you and your roommate in a formal mediation. Another roommate agreement will be completed. After the mediation, you and your roommate should allow at least two weeks to resolve the conflict. 3. If steps one and two are not successful, contact the Complex Coordinator for your building. She will continue working with you and your roommate to resolve the issue and/or discuss a possible room change. Your Complex Coordinator will verify completion of step one and two before arranging a meeting. In situations where there is a roommate conflict, and a room change is necessary, it is the responsibility of you and your roommate(s) to decide who will move out of the room. If you and your roommate(s) cannot mutually decide who will move out of the room, the Complex Coordinator will make a decision based on the dates each person submitted her Housing & Dining Agreement, lottery number, or by random drawing. The Complex Coordinator may also move both or all residents from their current space to a new space. For any room change, all paperwork must be completed before receiving your new keys. Moving without proper approval may result in fines. Residents must keep their meal plan for the remainder of the semester if moving to another location on-campus. Room, apartment, and suite rates will be adjusted to reflect actual occupancy. A student’s conduct/disciplinary status may affect her ability to move to another room. Room/Suite/Apartment Entry and Search The University respects your right to privacy. However, the University reserves the right to enter your living space without prior notification for the purpose of repair, enforcement of University regulations, preservation of health and safety, and recovery of University-owned property. All residence hall rooms and apartments undergo health and safety checks throughout the year. Smoking All residential living buildings are smoke-free. Smoking is not permitted inside or within 20 feet of any building. Violation of the smoking policy may result in disciplinary action and any appropriate cleaning fees. Solicitation Solicitation is not allowed in any residential building. At no time may residents post signs advertising private businesses (i.e. cosmetic sales, sale parties). Storage The University provides limited storage space in the residence halls. See your RA to gain entrance to storage in your hall. All stored items must be clearly marked with the proper identification tag provided by your RA. Items of great value should not be stored as the University is not responsible for missing or damaged items. Stored items must be claimed within six months of the storage date, or they will be disposed of. Some summer storage is available; however, Residence Life has the right to limit the amount of belongings a student may store during the summer. Access to your stored items will be limited to the beginning and end of each semester. Bikes, carpet, furniture, and refrigerators may not be stored. Residents of Alberta and Georgia must store all items in their apartments. The University does not store items left behind after a resident has checked-out. Items left in a living space after check-out will be disposed or donated immediately after closing. Vandalism Students found responsible for vandalism will be charged for any necessary repairs or replacement and will be subject to disciplinary action. Residents are responsible for the behavior of their guests.