Emory & Henry has established certain rules which are applicable to students who live in College-owned residences and to any guests who visit them. The rules are designed to insure the pleasantness and safety of the halls for all residents and to protect the property of the College. Students who sign housing contracts are responsible for knowing the rules that follow as well as any other regulations which may be listed in the housing contract, the Student Handbook, the Academic Catalog, guidelines voted by the residence hall, and any official posted notices regarding the operation of the residence halls. The College reserves the right to change regulations, and the changes shall be effective when announced by an appropriate college official.
Alcohol and Drugs
The use of alcohol and drugs is prohibited on college property. Absolutely no alcoholic beverage containers (whether empty or full) or drug paraphernalia are allowed on campus.
Authorized Room Entry
In the interest of health and safety, it is sometimes necessary for the College to exercise its contractual right to have an authorized staff member enter a residence hall room. Rooms are entered only with “reasonable cause,” pursuant to guidelines published in the housing contract and the Student Handbook. Room entry may also occur due to State Fire Marshall inspections.
Care of Rooms. All students are expected to maintain their own rooms. Regularly scheduled room inspections are made for reasons of health and safety. The College provides a cleaning staff, but this is only for public areas.
Check-In & Check-Out
To properly monitor the condition of rooms, the College uses a system of check-in and check-out reports. At the time a student prepares to move into a room, he/she will be presented with a room key and a Room Condition Inventory describing the physical condition of the room. If the student agrees with the report, he/she should sign and return it to the Resident Advisor. If the student disagrees with the report or if the inventory is in error, the inventory should be adjusted to mutual satisfaction and signed.
When the student leaves the residence hall at the end of the semester or year, or if a room change is made, the Resident Advisor should be notified 24 hours in advance so that a proper check of the room can be made when the student is ready to depart. If the student is not present during the check-out procedure, the room inspection report form prepared by the staff member will be final. Vacated rooms should be cleaned of all debris. Assessments will be made in rooms that require special cleaning. In the event of withdrawal or dismissal, the student must vacate within 24 hours. An assessment may be made for students who fail to follow the proper check-out procedure.
Damage
Students are expected to take proper care of College property. When damage occurs, the individual responsible will be billed through the Office of Student Life. In cases where the responsibility in a residence hall cannot be determined, damage costs will be prorated to all occupants of the hall where the damage occurred. A minimum charge of $5 will be assessed to every occupant for each incident.
Fire Safety
Fire extinguishers are located in accessible positions in all residence halls. Firefighting equipment is for the protection of human lives and property. The use of fire extinguishers in other than emergency situations is a violation of fire regulations and is a disciplinary offense. Discharged fire extinguishers are to be reported to the appropriate staff person. A penalty charge of $350 will be assessed for unauthorized discharge of fire extinguishers. Tampering with a fire alarm and/or smoke detector is a violation of state law and will subject a student to disciplinary action and/or a fine.
Fire escapes are to be used only in the event of an emergency. Penalty charges may be assessed and disciplinary action will be taken for unauthorized use of fire escapes in non-emergency situations.
Fire drills will be conducted on a periodic basis in each residence hall. Failure to cooperate with staff conducting a fire drill will result in assessment of charges and/or disciplinary action against the student(s) involved.
In case of fire, upon exiting the building, the residence life staff and security should be notified as soon as possible regarding the location of the fire. Emergency dispatch at 911 should be notified immediately.
Fireworks & Weapons
Fireworks, firearms, ammunition, and weapons or materials which endanger student health or safety are strictly prohibited. The possession or use of such on college property is sufficient cause for disciplinary action.
Food
All food kept in a room must be tightly stored in metal or plastic containers to aid in controlling pests.
Guests
Students may have overnight guests of the same sex in their residence hall rooms. Each guest must register with a member of the full-time Student Life staff. Failure to do so can result in a fine and loss of guest privileges. A guest may not stay more than two consecutive nights in any residence hall or combination of halls unless he/she has prior approval from the Office of Student Life. Residents are responsible for the actions of their non-student guests.
Lounge Furniture
Lounge furniture is provided for the use of all students in the residence hall and must not be taken to individual rooms for private use. Unauthorized use of lounge furniture will result in charges assessed to the student(s) involved and can result in Code of Conduct charges.
Occupancy of Rooms
The housing contract submitted by every resident student covers one academic year or any portion of a year for which a student is enrolled. The period of residence begins with the official opening of the residence halls at the time and date designated by the College and ends on the date designated by the College. The student may not occupy or place belongings in any room before the time when the residence hall is officially scheduled to open unless the student is participating in an approved college-sponsored program. Any student who anticipates a problem in leaving the residence hall at the designated closing time should make special arrangements in advance with the Student Life Office. Failure to do so could result in disciplinary action and/or a fine.
Open-Flame Articles
No candles or incense are permitted in the residence halls. Also, potpourri pots, which are heated by an open flame, may not be used.
Pets
For reasons of health, building maintenance, pest control, and general convenience, students are not permitted to have pets in residence halls. Fish are permitted. A fine or judicial action may be assessed for non-compliance or violations of the pet policy.
Applicances
Students may use the following electrical appliances in their rooms: refrigerator (size limit of 3.2 cu. ft.), clock, fan, study lamp (no halogen types are permitted), radio, shaver, hair dryer, stereo, television, DVD, personal computer and small microwave (.8 cubic foot or smaller). Hot plates, popcorn poppers, toaster ovens, toasters, sandwich makers, George Foreman-type grills, and other heat-producing units are not permitted. Also, air conditioners and ceiling fans are not allowed. Due to the Virginia State Fire Code, extension cords are not allowed in our residential facilities. Power strips with built-in circuit breakers have been approved for use as multiple outlets. Electrical appliances must bear the seal of Fire Underwriters Laboratory Approval or an equivalent nationally recognized testing organization.
Roofs and Ledges
Students are prohibited from going onto the roofs or ledges of campus buildings. Unauthorized use of these areas is cause for disciplinary action.
Room Furniture
The College provides each student with a twin bed, chest of drawers, desk, shelf, chair, window dressing, and access to a closet. Furniture belonging to the college may not be moved or disassembled. No individually-owned mattresses (including futons) may be used because the College must provide mattresses which meet federal flammability codes.
Students may bring additional furniture as long as it does not crowd the room. However, personal lofts are not allowed. Any repairs or modifications to College property should be made only by the College maintenance department. Repair requests may be submitted to the Resident Advisor; however a request for any modification must be approved by the Director of Housing.
Students are cautioned against the use of masking tape, adhesive picture holders, thumb tacks, decals, etc., as these may cause damage to the walls, resulting in financial assessments to the students.
Window screens must not be removed or damaged, and nothing should be placed in, written on, or displayed from the residence hall windows.
Room Keys
Each resident living in College residence halls, including the College-owned small houses, will be issued a room key and a main entrance key or cardkey to the residence hall. If a student loses a room key, he or she will be charged the cost of a replacement and a new key will be ordered through the Office of Student Life. If an entrance key is lost, in addition to paying to replace the key, the student will be required to pay the cost of a new lock cylinder and keys for all the residents. If a student does not return the issued keys at the time of checkout, he or she will be charged for replacement of the key(s) and for a new lock cylinder if an entrance key is not returned. If an entrance card is lost, the student will be responsible for the cost of the replacement card. Students should regard their residence hall keys as special personal property and should protect them accordingly. These keys are not to be duplicated.
Smoking
Smoking is prohibited in the residence halls.
Stereos
Due to the community living environment, students who bring stereos are required to play them at a reasonable level with consideration given to others on the hall or play them with either headsets or earphones. This helps protect the privacy and the academic environment of the College. Violators can be instructed to remove stereo equipment by student life staff if it becomes a nuisance.
Telecommunications Outlets
In order to access EHCNET, student computers must meet college guidelines and be virus-free. Please refer to the IT department for specific user requirements. Most student rooms are equipped with one telephone jack providing local telephone service. A student must bring his/her telephone. Students need to make arrangements for long distance calling service. Long distance calling cards are available at most retail merchants. If students elect to have personal wireless service, Verizon or Sprint seem to be preferred by Emory & Henry students due to our location. There are other services in our area, however service may be limited. The College provides direct dial telephone lines to most student rooms complete with voicemail. This system will be automatically activated on busy and no answer.
All student rooms are wired for cable. Most residence hall rooms are wired for ethernet data. The cables provide access to EHCNET, the College’s campus network, and to the Internet. The video system provides a package of broadcast television stations, including some premium channels. More information concerning the telecommunication network may be obtained from the Director of the Kelly Library and Information Technology Services at 276-944-6212.
