2nd Floor Cardinal Hall
Phone: 202-319-6631
Fax: 202-319-6262
Web: http://residencelife.cua.edu
E-mail: cua-residencelife@cua.edu
Residence Life [RL] Policies, Procedures, and Services
- Cleanliness, Damage Charges, and Room Condition
- Furniture and Storage
- Health and Safety Inspections
- Identification
- Lounge Space
- Prohibited Items and Activities
- Room Maintenence
- Fire Hazards
- Utility Concerns
- Prohibited Activities
- Quiet Hours
- Room Changes
- Room Entry
- Visitation
Cleanliness, Damage Charges and Room Condition
Students should be concerned with the safety and handling of university property — in individual rooms, shared spaces and common areas — and should do their best to see that university property is not damaged or stolen and that residential communities are maintained in a clean, safe and sanitary manner. Such respect for the residential environment is crucial to developing a residential community of which all members can be proud.
Residents are expected to keep their assigned space reasonably neat and clean at all times and to correct issues pointed out by a university representative. In addition, it is expected that students will help maintain clean and sanitary conditions by cleaning up common areas after using them, including disposing of trash, food and other garbage appropriately. Community members share responsibility for ensuring that common areas are properly utilized. Students are expected to take responsibility for their actions and appropriately confront others when they have caused damage in a common area.
Additional information regarding damage charges and room condition, health and safety, and inspections may be found in the Housing Services Policies and Procedures section in this handbook.
Each student room is issued specific furniture items which must remain in the room, regardless of the other furniture a resident may add to the room. Furniture in common areas is placed specifically so that all residents may enjoy use of the common area. Common area furniture should not moved into or kept in individual student rooms as other community members would then be denied the opportunity to use the common areas appropriately. Additional information regarding furniture and storage may be found in the Housing Services Policies and Procedures section of this handbook.
All hallways must remain clear of all belongings and furniture. Personal items, including bikes, sports equipment and other items may not be stored in hallways, stairwells or common areas. The storage of furniture and other items in hallways, common areas and/or stairwells creates a safety hazard and may be considered a nuisance to other students.
In order to maintain residential facilities that are free from health, safety and fire hazards, health and safety inspections of individual student rooms will be conducted by Residence Life and university staff members at specific times throughout the year. Whenever possible, advance notification of these inspections will be shared with residents via postings in each residential community. Residents will receive written documentation of the inspection results including notification of any concerns and recommendations for remediation. Residents are expected to resolve any concerns that result from a health and safety inspection in the timeframe allotted. Follow-up by Residence Life and university staff members will be conducted to ensure issues have been resolved appropriately.
Each student is issued a “Cardinal Card” which is a multifunctional identification card that provides access to a variety of services at CUA. Students are required to carry their Cardinal Cards with them at all times and, upon request, present it to university officials. Students should report a lost card to the Department of Public Safety immediately. Detailed information regarding the card can be found at http://cardinalcard.cua.edu.
Each residence hall is equipped with lounge space that is furnished with chairs and tables for relaxation or study. At least one lounge in each building is equipped with a television set and some are outfitted with billiards or ping-pong tables that residents may use by checking out equipment from the residence hall office. Additional lounges may be designated as quiet areas for study purposes. Common area and lounge furniture may not be moved to individual student rooms.
Individuals or groups who would like to reserve a lounge space within the residence halls for a private function should contact the area coordinator responsible for that neighborhood. Requests for reservations must be received 48 hours in advance of the event. Priority will be given to residents of the hall in which the lounge is located. At least one member of the group must be a resident of the building where the lounge is located.
Prohibited Items and Activities
The university strives to maintain communities in and around the residence halls that are safe and welcoming. A number of items and activities are prohibited because they may have a detrimental effect on the residential communities and may be considered safety or fire hazards in a community living environment. In addition to expectations outlined in other university policies and procedures, the following items and/or activities are prohibited in the residence halls.
Students are expected to maintain their living space in a manner that does not cause damage to the building or that would require extensive maintenance, repair and/or housekeeping to restore the building to a standard that is appropriate for future residents. In addition, certain activities are prohibited because they may be harmful to students or could cause damage to the building if used inappropriately. The prohibited items and activities in this category include but are not limited to:
• adhesives (other than 3M Command products or those designated for use in Opus Hall specifically)
• bed lofts, bed risers, cinder blocks
• painting of student rooms
• removing screens from windows
• hanging or placing items on the ceiling
• waterbeds
• pets, except fish (in 10-gallon tank or smaller) and personal service animals registered with Disability Support Services
Certain kitchen appliances and tools are prohibited from residence hall rooms that do not have kitchens because the items pose a serious fire hazard and threat to the safety of students who live in the building. A room that is not equipped with a kitchen should not be used as a kitchen facility; small kitchen appliances and tools may be stored in a residence hall room for appropriate use in a common area kitchen. In addition, open flames or other items with exposed heating elements are not permitted in any residence hall room because of the potential fire hazard and threat to the safety of residents. The prohibited items in this category include but are not limited to:
• candles, including decorative
• coffee pots and espresso machines
• crockpots, electric frying pans, woks
• grills*
• halogen lamps
• heating and immersion coils
• hot plates
• oil popcorn poppers
• space heaters
• toaster and/or toaster ovens
* Outdoor grills, charcoal and lighter fluid may not be stored in residence halls or Curley Court units. Outdoor grills may only be used 50 feet from a building. Charcoal must be cooled and appropriately disposed of in trash receptacles (not in the landscaping).
Certain items demand more energy, place a strain on available utilities, may be considered a fire hazard, and/or may cause additional damage or harm to a building and therefore cannot be used in a residence hall. In addition, students may not use devices that modify the utilities available to all students and provided by the university. The prohibited items in this category include but are not limited to:
• air conditioners
• cable splitters, splicers, or other devices used to re-route cable outside of the room in which the cable connection is located
· extension cords, except UL-approved surge protectors
• satellite dishes
• refrigerators, other than room size/personal refrigerators*
• microwaves more than 700 watts*
* One refrigerator and one microwave per room are permitted.
Certain activities are not permissible in the residential communities because of the damage they could cause to the building, the threat to health and safety that they present to individuals, or the danger inherent in the activities. These behaviors include but are not limited to:
• playing sports in the halls
• propping any doors to or fire doors within the residence halls
• rappelling, climbing and/or scaling exterior walls of any residence halls
• smoking tobacco products within 25 feet of any building entrance or window
• throwing or hanging items from windows
In order to create an environment where a student’s right to sleep and study is given priority, general courtesy should be exercised at all times so noise does not interfere with the rights of others. Quiet hours are in effect between 9 p.m. and 9 a.m. on the night preceding class days and between the hours of midnight and 9 a.m. on other nights.
During periods designated as quiet hours, noise should not be heard outside a resident’s room in any direction (through doors, ceiling, walls, windows or floor). In the common areas of buildings, there should be no activity that would create a general disturbance.
During the final exam period of each semester (beginning the night of the last day of class and lasting until the end of exams), a 24-hour quiet hour policy will be in effect in all halls.
~ Approved by the Vice President for Student Life, August 2004; revised May 2009. Responsible Official: Dean of Students
Residence Life is committed to providing a supportive and educational environment for all residents in the residence halls. There may be times when a resident’s living situation becomes challenging due to issues with the resident’s roommates or the community. Residence Life encourages students to resolve differences and to grow through the roommate experience. Students may be asked to work with university staff to resolve roommate disputes before a room change is permitted. In addition, it is Residence Life’s philosophy that continual room changes are a disruption to the formation of strong and healthy communities. Therefore, room change requests will be reviewed and approved when it is reasonable to do so.
An administrative move may be made in a situation where students are unwilling and/or unable to come to successful resolution of a dispute or as the result of disciplinary action. All administrative moves will be made at the discretion of professional staff based on cause and availability of space.
Additional information regarding room changes may be found in the Housing Services Policies and Procedures section in this handbook.
A student’s room is considered private, and representatives of the university will enter only after knocking on the door to:
• address maintenance needs or complete projects;
• assist in any emergency;
• re-establish order;
• recover any university property;
• prevent destruction of university property;
• perform health and safety inspections; or
• investigate alleged violations of federal, District of Columbia or university policies, rules or regulations. Residence Life staff have the authority to conduct searches of rooms without the permission of residents assigned to said room.
When rooms are entered for the above reasons, the resident’s right to privacy will be strictly maintained. Campus officials may inspect rooms as needed throughout the year to identify and address problems and concerns in the residence halls. In most areas of campus, health and safety inspections occur at least once each semester.
Additional information regarding health and safety inspections may be found in the Housing Services Policies and Procedures section of this handbook.
I. Introduction
The visitation policy defines visitors and visitation hours for the university residence halls, outlines expectations for appropriate behaviors of residence hall visitors and states the responsibilities of each student host. This policy exists to help students maintain a living environment that supports academic success and personal well-being.
II. Definitions
A. Visitor:
Any individual who is not a resident of the residence hall or room being entered.
B. Visitation Hours:
Sunday through Thursday: . . . . . . . . . . . .9 a.m. to midnight in student rooms
Sunday through Thursday: . . .9 a.m. to 2 a.m. in residence hall common areas
Friday through Saturday: . . . . . .9 a.m. to 2 a.m. in all areas of residence halls
III. Policy
Visitors are permitted in the residence halls during the outlined hours and must be hosted by a current resident of the hall. Visitation in a student’s room or residence hall should respect the right of all members of the community to privacy, sleep and quiet study space. All persons not living in a residence hall must leave the residence halls when visitation hours end and are not permitted to enter prior to 9:00 a.m. on any day.
Students who reside in the same residence hall may visit with one another in common areas of the building at any time.
Visitors are expected to abide by all university policies and should be escorted by a host at all times. A host can be held responsible for the activities that occur in his/her room and/or behaviors of his/her visitor, regardless of whether or not the host was a willing participant or knowledgeable about what was occurring. The university reserves the right to deny a visitation request at any time due to behavior that is contrary to the university’s mission and goals.
Sexual expression inconsistent with the teachings and moral values of the Catholic
Church is not permissible in the residence halls. An overnight visit with a sexual partner is prohibited, as this type of behavior is incompatible with the mission of the university as well as with the rights of roommates and community members to live in an appropriate and comfortable environment.
Overnight Visitors
On occasion, a CUA student may host an overnight visitor who is not affiliated with the university. A CUA student may not be an overnight visitor in a room in which he/she does not live, at any point in time. Overnight visitors should be at least 18 years of age, must be of the same gender as his/her host, and are normally not permitted to stay on campus for more than two consecutive nights. Overnight visits should be limited and infrequent.
An overnight visitor is required to register with the residence hall staff in the building where he/she is staying, in order to obtain a guest pass. The overnight visitor must carry a photo ID and CUA guest pass with him/her at all times while on campus. An overnight visitor of the opposite gender as the host may stay overnight with a student of the same gender, as arranged for by the host.
~ Approved by the Vice President for Student Life, August 2004; revised May 2009. Responsible Official: Dean of Students
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