Residence Hall Information and Regulations

Guilford is a residential college and all traditional age students under the age of 23 are expected to live
on campus except those granted permission by the Department of Residence Life to live off campus.
Housing for CCE students, married couples or families is not provided by the college.The criteria for
students to live off-campus is listed in the off-campus housing section. By the terms of this policy, a
student turning 23 prior to the beginning of either fall or spring (even summer) semesters are not eligible
to live on campus any longer. If they turn 23 during a semester, they are expected to move off campus
at the end of that semester. Exceptions may be granted to graduating seniors upon application to the
Department of Residence Life. To be eligible for residence in on-campus housing, traditional students
must remain enrolled in full-time academic course work (at least 12 credits) throughout the semester in which
they are in residence. If a student drops below 12 credits they must move out within 24 hours unless they are approved by the Associate Dean for Campus Life to remain in campus housing.

Each resident student is a member of both a residence hall community and the larger college community and has the responsibility to maintain a comfortable and safe living and learning environment. All students living in college alternative houses and the college's student apartments are bound by the same regulations that govern traditional residence halls.

The Rights of Residents

Each resident has the right to:

read, study and sleep without interference, unreasonable noise or other distractions.
be free from intimidation and physical and emotional harm.
have personal privacy within one's room.
live in a clean and safe environment.
expect that his/her personal belongings will be respected.
have guests who understand and honor the rights of all others.

The Responsibilities of Residents

Each resident has a responsibility to:

abide by federal, state and local laws and all college regulations as set forth in the Guilford College Student Handbook.
adhere to regulations for individual residence areas and halls.
abide by the terms and conditions of the Residence Hall Contract.
be accountable for the actions of their guests.
comply with reasonable requests of all college officials, including resident advisers (RAs) and hall directors (HDs).
report residence hall and college violations to appropriate staff.
abide by health and safety standards.
maintain their residence in reasonable order.
show respect for room/suite mates.

Decorations and Furnishings

Students cannot hang any items on the exterior of buildings or interior hallways without permission from Campus Life. Display of alcohol/drug signs, bottles, and containers in residence hall windows is also prohibited.

Early College

Policies regarding Early College students in residence halls; see Early College section.

Fines

Fines may be levied when rooms or suites are judged to be in violation of health and safety standards.

Students shall be warned and/or fined and/or face judicial charges by college officials should unhealthy or unsafe conditions exist. The college may elect to correct the situation and bill the occupants accordingly.
Failure to comply with residence hall closing instructions can render occupant(s) subject to fines without warning and immediate removal from residential facilities.

Guests

Guests visiting Guilford’s residence halls may stay on campus for up to two nights. Guests staying beyond two nights must register with the Office for Campus Life. Guests must abide by the college policies. The resident is responsible for informing the guests of these rules and will be held responsible for the behavior of guests. (See Host Responsibility under the Violations section of the handbook.)

Key Policy

Residence Hall Keys. All students must be issued a key prior to or upon occupying a residence. If the key is lost or not returned on time, the student will be charged a lock and key replacement fee. Room keys may not be duplicated for any reason. Unauthorized duplication of room keys will result in replacement charges and may warrant judicial charges. In cases where residents change rooms during the year, keys are never to be exchanged directly by students. All room changes and all key exchanges must be handled through the Department of Residence Life. Note: If at any time during the school year a key is lost, a fee of $75 to replace that particular key will be billed to the student’s account. Request for a new key should be made to the Department of Residence Life.

Lockouts. If a student is locked out of their room, they may contact Public Safety Control (ext. 2909) and request assistance. Each student will receive one complimentary lockout request; however, subsequent requests will result in a $10 fine assessed to the student’s account.

Key Return. All college keys must be returned to the Department of Residence Life within 24 hours of a student’s withdrawal from the college or completion of final exams. Keys not returned within that period will be considered lost and the student account will be billed for a lost key and replacement of the lock.

Lifestyle Agreement

Each set of roommates, suitemates or housemates are encouraged to complete a Lifestyle Agreement Form. This can be obtained upon moving in from your RA or HD. This agreement helps residents delineate responsibilities and fosters mutual respect. Residence Life will maintain the agreements and should be consulted when a dispute arises. The agreement can be revisited and revised upon agreement of all of those who have signed it or when new residents move in. If a conflict arises, Residence Life staff is available for roommate conflict mediation. If issues cannot be resolved and become severe, one person may be asked to move to a different room.

Residence Hall Contracts, Refunds and Off-Campus Housing

Contracts. Residence hall contracts are for the full academic year and may be broken only with the permission of the associate dean for residence life or designee. Contracts are signed during check-in and a copy is available online at www.guilford.edu/housing for viewing.
Refunds. Please consult the Office of Student Accounts for information pertaining to refund of room and board fees. Students who are removed from campus housing by the college judicial system will not receive a refund.
Off-Campus Housing. All Off Campus Petition and Notification forms are due in the Department of Residence Life by April 1st for the following fall and December 1st for the following spring. The forms are available in the Department of Residence Life or on the website at www.guilford.edu/housing. Students who receive institutional aid from the college may have a 25% reduction in institutional
(Guilford College) aid if they move off campus. Upon receipt of an application to live off-campus, the Office for Campus Life conducts a review of the applicant's on-and-off-campus conduct record. If the applicant has been sanctioned for misconduct, has a less than satisfactory academic record, or has demonstrated other behaviors that indicate he or she is not ready to life off-campus, that student’s application may not be approved. Only those students who have proven their maturity, academic success, leadership, have records of acceptable community conduct, and have made positive contributions to the Guilford community, are granted the privilege of living off-campus.
You may also petition to be off-campus for severe financial hardship, or for medical, learning disability or psychological reasons. If you petition for severe financial hardship, your petition will be reviewed by Financial Aid and Residence Life. If you
petition for medical, psychological or learning disability reasons, you must complete the Disabilities Disclosure form and provide supporting documentation. Your petition will be reviewed by the ADA committee and will be granted if off campus housing is a reasonable accommodation. You may be asked to provide additional documentation as outlined in the Guilford College Student Handbook under the Americans with Disabilities Act: Disclosure and Request for Reasonable Accommodation(s) which is found on the website at www.guilford.edu/ada.
Room Assignments and Changes. Every effort is made to honor individual preferences in matching roommates and residence halls although Residence Life cannot guarantee first preference for any housing assignment. Rooms are assigned to entering students in the summer preceding their arrival. Rooms are assigned in order of seniority for returning students during the housing selection period
in the spring. All traditional students residing on campus are required to complete the online housing application. In addition, separate group applications are required for the apartments, alternative theme houses and Bryan suites in addition to the online application. The college reserves the right to make changes in assignments. Room changes are made through the Department of Residence Life. The Department of Residence Life reserves the right to enact consolidation. If a student is in a double room with no assigned roommate, they will be given the option to locate a roommate, pay the single room rate, or be consolidated with another student in the same situation.

Room Cleanliness

It is the responsibility of each resident to keep his/her living area clean, safe and sanitary. Debris should be kept off the floors and rooms should be cleaned weekly. To assist the housekeeping staff in thorough cleaning and maintenance, personal items should not be left in bathrooms and showers. Trash should be removed from rooms, suites, houses and apartments and placed in an approved trash or recycling dumpster outside the building. Failure to place trash in appropriate areas may result in a fine. Personal items or trash left in hallways or common areas will be removed and disposed of by the college and may result in a fine.

Room Damages

Occupants of a room will be held responsible for losses or damages to their room and its furnishings including cost of replacement or repair and all reasonable resulting expenses. Students will receive a room condition report during the check-in period. Students are encouraged to discuss the accuracy of this report with their resident advisor, hall director or residence life staff. Opportunity will be given during check-in to adjust or alter Room Condition Reports. At the conclusion of the checkout, the RA and resident should sign the Room Condition Report. Give your RA information about who should be charged for damage to your room/suite/apartment/house. That information will be considered by Residence Life and Maintenance Staff members who make final damage assessments. If there are any damage, cleaning, or improper checkout fees, they will be added to your student account. If you disagree with any charges, you must appeal by email to the Residence Life Office by June 30th for those leaving at the end of spring semester and February 1st for those students leaving at the end of fall semester. NO APPEALS WILL BE ACCEPTED AFTER THE DEADLINES. TELEPHONE INQUIRIES ABOUT BILLING WILL ALSO NOT BE ACCEPTED. STUDENTS WHO CHOOSE THE EXPRESS CHECKOUT METHOD, WAIVE ANY RIGHTS TO APPEAL.

Care must be exercised in hanging items on room walls. Only adhesives that do not damage walls may be used. Keeping the building common areas (corridors, lounges and bathrooms) and their furnishings and fixtures in good condition is the collective responsibility of all residents. In cases where the responsible persons are not identified, each person who resided in a room, suite, or apartment building during a semester in which damage and/or loss occurred may be held responsible on a prorated basis for any and all reasonable repair and/or replacement expenses. A list of typical damage fees is available online at www.guilford.edu/campus in the Residence Life section.

Room Furnishings

College-owned furniture and accessories may not be removed from the room.
Residents will be billed for missing or damaged furniture and accessories (unless noted on Room Condition Report prior to check-in).
Writing, painting, or drawing on residential area furniture, walls, doors, floors and ceilings is prohibited.
Non-college furniture and accessories must be removed from rooms prior to checkout. If items are not removed, the college will assess a removal fee.
Unauthorized use of college furnishings or fixtures, including taking common area furnishings for personal use in one’s room, is prohibited. Students will be billed for the return of the furniture to the common area.
Window screens are not to be removed except in an emergency. Fees for damaged or missing screens will be charged to the room’s occupants.
Students cannot alter, repair or paint their residence hall rooms. If students believe their rooms need painting, a request should be made to the Department of Residence Life. Should unauthorized repair or alterations be made, the college will return the room to its original condition and bill the student for materials and labor. The college will not pay for unauthorized improvements made by the residents.

Maintenance. For routine work order requests, students should logon to the Residence Life web site and click on the "Submit a Work Order" link in the Related Links section. Depending on the urgency students should allow up to 5 business days to complete a routine work order request. Work order requests that are urgent or require immediate attention should go through Public Safety after hours at x2909. Public Safety will assess the urgency and report it to Facilities as is appropriate. Examples of urgent maintenance issues are as follows:

Water - leaking from major pipes, large amounts of water or sewage leaking, water leaking on to electrical equipment that cannot be moved.
Electrical - electrical problems within a whole building or suite.
Heating and Cooling - problems that are building-wide and are part of an event that is scheduled for more than 2 hours, need attention at once. An event that is going to end in 2 hours or less can wait until the next day. Heating problems, with temperatures below freezing that are throughout a building, should get attention at once. Heating or cooling problems in a residential room should wait to be reported the next working day, unless the individual has no other place to stay.

Roommate Conflicts

Sometimes disagreements about living style preferences can cause conflicts between roommates. There are several options available to assist students with conflict situations. Completing the Roommate Agreement Form (available from your RA) with your roomate at the beginnning of the year can help to keep any issues clear. Return the form to your RA and it will be filed and available in case of disagreement. If the roommate agreement does not help, the RA and HD staff are trained to help students having conflicts as are either of the Area Coordinators and the Associate Dean for Campus Life. The Conflict Resolution Resource Center (CRRC) at x2446, provides students and staff to mediate conflicts for any members of the Guilford community.

Vacation/Residence Hall Closing

During fall, winter, and spring breaks, residence halls, houses and apartments are officially closed. Students must abide by the closing instructions provided by the Department of Residence Life. At the end of each semester, all students, with the exception of graduating seniors and those required to remain on campus by the college, must vacate their rooms within 24 hours after their last scheduled examination or by the official closing time, whichever comes first. Graduating seniors have until 8 p.m. graduation/reception day to move out of their rooms. Students must have the permission of the Department of Residence Life to remain on campus during fall and spring breaks. A student may be permitted to remain in his/her room over fall and spring breaks only by signing a separate contract to remain during breaks. The student accepts responsibility for college rules and regulations and for his/her personal safety. If damage occurs, the responsible individuals and/or sponsoring group will be held accountable. Any policy violations wil result in immediate removal from residential facilities for the remainder of the break. All students are expected to leave during the winter break with the only exception being winter athletes required to be at the college. The dining hall and Grill 155° are closed during college breaks.

RESIDENCE HALL REGULATIONS

Athletic Activities

Athletic activities, including but not limited to, darts and dartboards, ball throwing and bouncing, baseball, basketball, Frisbee throwing, boxing, hockey, golf, lacrosse, racquetball, skateboarding, skating, soccer, throwing water balloons, using water guns, and bicycle riding are not allowed on the inside of any residential area, including hallways, stairwells, patios and courtyards. Roller blades and cleats must be removed prior to entering a building.

Electrical/Fire Safety Restrictions

Due to the dangers of fires from overloaded electrical circuits and faulty equipment, the following types of equipment and activities are prohibited:

open-coiled appliances: hot plates, toasters, toaster ovens, fry daddy’s, electric frying pans and heaters.
sun lamps.
refrigerators and air-conditioners not approved and/or installed by the college. See residence hall contract.
extension cords. Instead, power bars with an on/off switch and surge protector with a maximum of 15 amps may be used and are available in the college bookstore.
the alteration of electrical circuits and equipment.
turning off lights in bathrooms and corridors.
storing personal possessions in hallways or basements. Personal possessions must be kept in rooms.
fresh cut or live Christmas trees.
candles in any residence hall (even if for religions purposes).
using fire escapes in non-emergency situations.
smoking in the residence halls except in college designated areas. See smoking policy.
incense.
halogen lights.
grills-charcoal or gas (except small George Foreman’s).
the covering college light fixtures- or electrical outlets with cloth or paper (or any material considered flammable).
lighter fluid, gasoline, kerosene, or other flammable liquids.
decorative string lighting of any type (i.e., Christmas lights or running).
Occupancy Limits: Bryan Hall suites - 16 person maximum, Apartments North - 14 person maximum, Apartments South - 18 person maximum, Apartments North porches - 15 person maximum, Binford, English, and Shore – 7 person maximum, Milner and Mary Hobbs – 6 person maximum and Alternative house double rooms – 4 person maximum and small single rooms– 3 person maximum, Cobb House – 34 person maximum, Pope House – 41 person maximum, Campbell House – 28 person maximum, Pines House – 39 person maximum.

Students found in possession of or using any of the prohibited items listed above may be assessed a fine per item and may have judicial consequences. The Department of Residence Life reserves the right to confiscate items which violate the college’s safety regulations. Failure to remove the item will result in its confiscation as well as a disciplinary action. Confiscated electrical equipment will be returned at the end of the semester. Candles, string lights, extension cords and incense will be disposed of by the college.

Entry Into Residence Hall Areas

Entry by a student into another student’s room without his/her permission is prohibited. College officials and/or staff have the authority to enter a residence hall room for the reasons listed below. If the residents of the room are not present, a passkey will be used to enter the room.

Maintenance Repair. By requesting a maintenance repair, a student has granted permission for a member of the Facilities staff to come into the room and make the repair. In addition, Facilities personnel may enter your room to verify damages or to perform other maintenance services during normal maintenance hours (weekdays 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.). Facilities does not leave a notice if they have been in your room to make a repair.
Periodic Health and Safety Inspections. Residence Life and Public Safety staff will make routine health and safety inspections. These inspections will be announced at least 24 hours in advance.
Violation of College Regulations or Local, State or Federal Laws. If a staff member has reason to believe a law or college policy is going to be, is in the process of being or has been broken, the room can be entered.
Hall Closings. Rooms will be entered during every vacation period for the purpose of assuring that all closing procedures have been completed and also to see if no violations of the college policy exist.
Emergency Situations. A staff member will use a passkey to enter a room if it is believed an emergency situation exists.
Fire Alarms. Rooms, suites, lounges and bathrooms may be entered when an alarm sounds to make sure that all students have vacated those areas.
General Courtesy Issues. Rooms may be entered by college personnel to turn off alarms and stereos or other items which are causing a disturbance for other members of the college community when there has been no response by the occupants.

In all other instances not outlined above where a search may be necessary, the following procedures
will apply:

The student(s) occupying the area to be searched should be present, if possible, during the search and given notice of the search including reason(s) for the search.
If neither of the residents can be found, then a residence hall staff member shall be asked to serve as witness. This witness may neither occupy any public safety position nor be a member of Judicial Board. The witness should observe the search proceedings and provide an independent perspective if any questions arise. The witness is bound by confidentiality unless information is needed in the event of an administrative investigation of the search. Once the individuals involved in the search have made a reasonable effort to obtain an independent residence hall staff witness, a search may occur with or without the presence of such witness.

Fire Alarms and Drills

In accordance with North Carolina building codes, Guilford requires all persons to evacuate a building when a fire alarm sounds. The college holds scheduled fire drills supervised by Residence Life staff, Public Safety Office and the Safety Manager. If you are in immediate danger when an alarm sounds, proceed directly to the nearest exit and/or stairway. If you are not in immediate danger, evacuate the building following this procedure:

turn on room lights.
raise the shade and close the window; close door when exiting.
leave the building through the closest exit; use the right-hand side of the stairs walking single file.
upon leaving the building, go to the area designated by the college staff. Do not reenter the building until told to do so. Continued order and quiet are essential.

Pet Policy

Pets on Campus Grounds. Pets are allowed on the campus grounds (excluding buildings) provided the pet is properly tagged with immunization information. The pet must be leashed and under the direct control of the owner at all times. All animals found on campus in violation of these regulations will be reported to Animal Control of Guilford County. The college has the authority to require the removal of any animal if that animal’s behavior poses a threat to the safety or normal functioning of the college.

Pets in the Residence Halls. Because of North Carolina and Greensboro Public Health Regulations and the college’s concern for the health and well being of all, pets are not allowed by students in residence halls, alternative housing, the apartments or any other campus building. Pets found in residence halls, alternative houses or the student apartments will result in judicial charges, contacting of animal control, and the billing of the residents and/or pet owner for mandatory fumigation and cleaning. Fish may be considered an exception to this policy if they are kept in a tank (under 10 gallons) and in sanitary condition. Pets found repeatedly in the student apartments or alternative houses can result in the removal of the student occupant from campus housing with no refund.

Quiet Hours

Quiet hours are defined as periods of time when any sounds originating in a student’s room, lounges and hall areas must be inaudible outside of that area.

Courtesy hours are in effect 24 hour a day.
The college’s established quiet hours are from 11 p.m. to 9 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
During exam periods, mandatory 24-hour quiet hours are in effect.
Quiet hours can be determined by each residence hall, but must remain within the guidelines established by the college.

Failure to abide by these policies will result in a verbal or written warning. Repeated violations will result in judicial action and confiscation of stereos, televisions, game systems, or instruments causing the noise violation.

Smoking Policy: Residence Halls

Smoking is prohibited inside all traditional residence halls and in the apartments and houses. Residents in violation of the smoking policy will be subject to judicial charges, community restitution and fines. Residence halls will have designated outside smoking areas.

Residence Hall Closing/End of Academic Year

Students must fully vacate their residence hall room, apartment or alternative house within 24 hours of their last exam or their last scheduled class meeting. Residence halls will officially close to non-graduating seniors by 8 pm the day after the last exam. Graduating seniors must fully vacate and check out their residence hall room, apartment or alternative house by no later than 8 pm on the day of graduation. No persons will be permitted to remain on campus without prior approval from the department of Residence life and only for extreme circumstances or the college requires you to remain. Any personal belongings left by students after they have checked out of their residence hall room, apartment or alternative house will become the property of Guilford College.