Residence Life Policies

Residence Hall policies are set and enforced for the benefit and well-being of all community members. The residence hall regulations are concerned with the application of the Honor Principle in the non-academic area, and pertain to all students living in Residence Halls, their guests and dependents. Infractions of these regulations shall be handled by the Resident Assistant, the Director of Residence Life, and/or Honor Council.

 

Within the residence halls, student staff members are selected and trained to serve for the academic year as Resident Assistants (RAs). RAs carry out a broad range of responsibilities in the areas of peer counseling, conflict resolution, mediation, community-based programming, policy enforcement, crisis management and community development. They make appropriate referrals when necessary and act as a resource for residential students.

 

A Hall Senator represents each residential unit in the Student Senate. Senators provide one of the several channels for students to voice opinions and make suggestions to the Wilson College Government Association. Hall Senators also serve on Residence Council to address community concerns and communicate information to residents. Residence Hall rules and regulations are evaluated regularly by Residence Council and Residence Life staff.

Storage Guidelines

Academic Year Storage

• Based on the Blue Book Regulations, the only storage of items permitted during the academic year are for empty boxes, crates, luggage, tubs, etc - items you used to transport your stuff to campus.
• No personal belongings can be stored during the academic year as all of your personal belongings should fit in your room. If they do not fit in your room you need to either send them home or find a different space for them outside of College storage.
• All items must be labeled with a College Storage Label and logged into storage by your RA.
• Storage can only be accessed by an RA, the Director of Residence Life, or (if you are an international student using storage on the platform) the International Student Advisor. Storage appointments must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance and are only available during designated times.
• You may only store items in the hall in which you currently live.
• The College and its officers, employees, and agents assume no responsibility for the loss, damage, or destruction of personal property kept or stored in the residence hall. The college recommends that a student’s property be insured under her own individual homeowner’s/renter’s policy.

 Summer Storage

• As per the Blue Book, returning students’ personal property may be stored during summer vacation.
• All items must have a College Storage Label and be logged in by an RA.
• You must store your items in the building to which you are assigned for the fall semester.
• Each student is permitted to store a maximum of six (6) articles (articles include: pieces of furniture, fridges, boxes, rugs, etc.).
• No small, loose items - they must be packaged in a sturdy, shippable box.
• All items must be in their most contained state (i.e. cords stowed/taped, doors/flaps/openings taped shut, rugs rolled & taped, etc.).
• No food items can be stored. All food containers and fridges must be clean and dry prior to storage.
• Each student is responsible for transporting her items to and from storage.
• All belongings must be claimed from storage by the end of the first week of classes in the fall.
• Storage can only be accessed by your RA, the Director of Residence Life, or (if you are an international student using storage on the platform) the International Student Advisor. Storage appointments must be scheduled at least 48 hours in advance and are only available during designated times.
• The College and its officers, employees, and agents assume no responsibility for the loss, damage, or destructions of personal property kept or stored in the residence hall. The college recommends that a student’s property be insured under her own individual homeowner’s/renter’s policy.

 

WWC Seasonal Storage Expectations

□       Only things needed throughout the semester permitted. If needed less than twice a year, use long term storage in Prentis loft (see Summer Storage regulations above).

□       Everything must be clearly labeled with resident name.

□       All items should be in closed containers - no plastic bags, grocery bags, etc.

□       No furniture or empty boxes permitted. Those must go to long term storage. There is no storage of college-issued furniture at any time in any storage room.

□       We ask that each resident keep no more than 6 items in this room at any time.

□       All belongings must be removed from storage (& every other community spaces) at the time of your departure from the college.

□       Seasonal storage is unlocked at all times so that any resident can access their belongings as needed - please do not store precious items in this space.

□       All residents are expected to respect each other's belongings. Adding/removing items from storage should always be done by the resident, never by children.

□       The room should be kept tidy and orderly at all times.

□       Use of any storage space is at the resident's own risk. The College and its officers, employees, and agents assume no responsibility for the loss, damage, or destructions of personal property kept or stored in the residence hall. The college recommends that a student’s property be insured under her own individual homeowner’s/renter’s policy.

 Storage will be audited at the beginning and end of each semester. Any items left in storage for a semester beyond their expected date out of storage will be removed at owner’s expense. Any violations of the storage policy will be charged back to the student.

 

Public Space Expectations
♦ Each resident is responsible for cleaning up after themselves
and putting away personal belongings every night so that
housekeeping can clean properly and the space is usable for
other residents.
♦ No personal belongings should ever be stored in public
lounges, bathrooms, or computer rooms.
♦ Personal items kept in public kitchen or laundry space is at the
resident's own risk. All items must be kept clean and orderly
and stored properly within provided cabinetry or shelving.
♦ No additional furniture may be added to public spaces without
prior approval from the ResLife Director. Individual room
furniture must remain in assigned room - there is no storage
for College furniture at any time.
♦ All College-issued furniture and equipment must remain in its
original space. If you move furniture within the space, put it
back before leaving the space.
♦ The community shares responsibility for the College-provided
equipment in public spaces. Misuse may result in community
fines and/or loss of the space.
♦ Windows should be kept closed when the A/C or heat is
running.
♦ No food or drink permitted at any time in the computer room.
♦ The computer room equipment and furniture is meant for
students. Academic work takes precedence over personal work.
♦ Bikes can be kept in own room or outside on bike racks. No
bikes permitted in any other indoor spaces.
♦ Hallways must be kept clear and fire doors closed at all times.
For more information, please visit www.wilson.edu/reslife

Students are expected to:

• Keep room in a clean, orderly state so that it does not present a sanitation, health, and life safety or egress issue.
• Wash, dry and put away dishes immediately after eating. Do not wash dishes in bathroom sinks or tubs.
• Wipe off stove, counter, exhaust hood, microwave(s), and table(s) while washing dishes. Keep burner plates cleaned.
• Discard expired food from fridge and freezer on a regular basis. Wipe up spills and crumbs in fridge.
• Keep all food in air tight sealed containers.
• Clean up anything dropped or spilled on the floor, counters, furniture, etc..
• Do not put liquids or heavy materials in trash cans.
• Do not overfill trash cans. If a can is full – pull it out, tie it shut and replace bag with one from bottom of can. Use other less full cans (each community has 2-3 cans). Housekeeper will get in the morning.
• Take unwanted large bulky items to dumpster when it is available on campus.
• When cleaning pet cages, all solid debris and bedding goes in trash can. Once clear of debris the cage can be washed in slop sink. DO NOT use bathroom or kitchen sinks or tubs/showers.
• When recycling, rinse container and remove lids. No liquids!
• Keep hallways clear and picked up so floors can be easily cleaned.
• Empty canister in vacuum after every use. Follow rules for proper use of vacuum.
• Report repairs immediately to your RA.
• Clean lint from dryer after each use, pick up dryer sheets from floor, and wipe up detergent spills.
• NO human or animal waste should EVER go in laundry machines. No horse blankets or pet bedding debris. Always empty pockets before laundering.

 Housekeepers are expected to:

(This schedule is a guide and may change temporarily depending upon staff availability, work load, holidays, etc.)

• Check, clean and refill supplies in community restrooms daily.
• Empty trash in kitchens and lounges (including diaper pails - WWC) daily (Mon.-Sat.).
• Empty recycling as needed.
• Dust mop or vacuum hallways, lounges, playrooms, computer rooms, kitchen areas twice a week.
• Wet mop hallways, lounges, kitchen areas weekly.
• Dust surfaces in public spaces weekly (provided they are cleared of resident belongings). Dusting of walls, stairwells, window casings as needed..
• Dust mop stairwells weekly.
• Clean door glass weekly.
• Wipe off washers and dryers weekly.
• Wipe surface of stove (if cleared) weekly. Ovens cleaned during breaks as needed.
• Wet mop stairwells every other week.
• Wash windows/curtains in community areas periodically as schedule permits.
• Clean outside of refrigerators as needed. Inside is cleaned during J-Term & summer breaks. WWC fridges are cleaned on as needed basis or when requested during the summer.
• Clean ovens each semester during J-term and summer breaks.
• Upon a student’s departure, thoroughly clean room including window washing, room curtains, mattress pad & shower curtain cleaning, wiping down walls & furniture, & waxing of floor if time permits.

 *THIS IS DONE PROVIDED THAT AREAS ARE FREE OF STUDENTS BELONGINGS (NO ITEMS ON FLOOR IN HALL, TABLES, COUNTERS, ETC.)

WWC Playroom Expectations
♦ No food or drink permitted.
♦ Each mom must introduce child to & pick child up from playroom
personally and monitor play throughout child's time in playroom.
♦ Each mom is responsible for monitoring their child's play in any of the
public spaces.
♦ Playroom floor must be picked up & toys put away each night so that
housekeeping can clean properly.
♦ No bike riding inside at any time.
♦ Children's bikes can be kept in own room or in Prentis 101 or outside.
No bikes permitted in any other indoor spaces.
♦ Only indoor toys permitted in the playroom. Understand that
belongings kept in this space may be used by others on the floor. No
personal belongings other than children's toys permitted in the space.
Please keep in mind age-appropriateness before introducing toys to the
space.
♦ All belongings in playroom must be kept clean, in safe working
condition and labeled with child's name. Anything dirty or broken will
be removed. All belongings must be removed from the space upon
departure from the College.
♦ Electronic equipment should only be operated by moms, never by
children.
♦ The community shares responsibility for the College-provided
equipment & spaces. Misuse of the playroom may result in community
fines and/or loss of the space.
♦ Each playroom closet is divided equally among the rooms and labeled.
You can only keep toy/play items that fit within your assigned space in
the playroom; all other items must live in your room. Closets should
only be accessed by moms.
♦ No additional furniture may be added to the space without prior
approval from the ResLife Director.
♦ Windows should be kept closed when the A/C or heat is running.
WWC Seasonal Storage Expectations
♦ Only things needed throughout the semester permitted. If
needed less than twice a year, use long term storage in Prentis
loft.
♦ Everything must be clearly labeled with resident name.
♦ All items should be in closed containers - no plastic bags,
grocery bags, etc.
♦ No furniture or empty boxes permitted. Those must go to
long term storage. There is no storage of college-issued
furniture at any time in any storage room.
♦ We ask that each resident keep no more than 6 items in this
room at any time.
♦ All belongings must be removed from storage (& every other
community spaces) at the time of your departure from the
college.
♦ Seasonal storage is unlocked at all times so that any resident
can access their belongings as needed - please do not store
precious items in this space.
♦ All residents are expected to respect each other's belongings.
Adding/removing items from storage should always be done
by the resident, never by children.
♦ The room should be kept tidy and orderly at all times.
♦ Use of any storage space is at the resident's own risk. The
College is not responsible for any loss or damage.
WWC Kitchen Expectations
♦ Cabinet, drawer, shelving space is divided between all assignable rooms on the floor
and labeled accordingly. The College-issued room number labels must remain in place
at all times – they should never be removed or altered.
♦ If a particular room is unoccupied, the floor members can decide how that space will
be used but if someone moves into the room, that space must be cleared immediately.
♦ It is at each floor members’ discretion how they use their allocated space or if they
want to share or gift any of their unused allocated cabinet space to another floor
member.
♦ In Prentis: The shelving unit with plastic bins is College-issued. Each shelf & bin is
labeled by room and meant for use as cabinet overflow.
♦ One shelf is assigned to an entire room with no bin present to offset the limited
cabinet shelving.
♦ Unoccupied room bins can be divvied up in the same manner as described above but
must be emptied immediately upon arrival of a new community member.
♦ The bins are College property and must remain in the space. Missing or damaged bins
will be treated the same as other college property and are the responsibility of the
assigned resident.
♦ Fridges should be assigned during first floor meetings of the semester with the same
premise as above. Each resident is assigned equal space regardless of how they use it.
♦ All personal belongings must be kept in assigned cabinets and fridge/freezer space.
No personal belongings should be accumulated/stored on the countertops. Counter
space is for the use of all residents in food prep/serving; accumulation of pantry
items on the counter prevents usage by other floor members.
♦ Residents should be aware of their allotted space when shopping and not buy more
than they can reasonably store. Overflow from the allotted cabinet/bin space must be
kept in the resident’s room. It is up to the resident to determine how they prefer to
use their allotted cabinet space (i.e. for food, cookware, serveware, etc.).
♦ Each resident is permitted to keep one small appliance (within Blue Book/ResLife
policies) on the counter at all times. The appliance must be kept in clean, working
order, and must be kept in its most contained state against the back wall of the
counter (so as to maintain as much useable counter space as possible). All other
appliances must be kept in the resident’s allotted cabinet/shelf space or in the
resident’s room. If this becomes too cluttered for a floor, all residents will be asked to
remove all personal appliances from the countertops.
♦ No additional furniture can be brought into the space – this includes storage drawers,
storage cabinets, shelving, kids tables, etc. The accumulation of these items poses fire
and egress issues as well as equitable usage dilemmas for community members. If you
want these items, they must be kept in your room.
♦ Each resident must put away their belongings at minimum each night before retiring.
This includes countertops, stove/microwave, sink, floor, & laundry areas. This
permits housekeeping to clean properly.
♦ Windows should be kept closed when the A/C or heat is running.
WWC Computer Room Expectations
♦ No food or drink permitted at any time.
♦ The College-issued equipment and furniture is
meant for the use of WWC students. Academic
work takes precedence over personal work.
♦ No children permitted without a supervising adult.
Use of College computers by children must be
monitored at all times.
♦ You must clean up after yourself after each use.
Personal belongings must be picked up each night
so that housekeeping can clean properly.
♦ No personal belongings should be stored in the
space at any time.
♦ The community shares responsibility for the
College-provided equipment & spaces. Misuse of
the room may result in community fines and/or
loss of the space.
♦ No additional furniture may be added to the space
without prior approval from the ResLife Director.
♦ Windows should be kept closed when the A/C or
heat is running.

PET POLICY
In honor of the substantial role animals play in Wilson students’ personal and professional lives, Wilson has established the following generous pet policy. This policy is an agreement between the college and the students that places heavy responsibility on the pet owner to humanely care for their pet while causing no disturbance or damage to the community or facility. Any resident who chooses to become or is a pet owner must abide by the following regulations.

As of August 2011, ferrets are no longer permitted on campus. Because we recognize the responsibility of pet ownership, any returning student who had a registered ferret as a pet on campus during the 2010-2011 academic year will be permitted to continue caring for the animal on campus, with the cage/habitat used during the 2010-2011 academic year, within the parameters of the pet policy. No new entering students are permitted to bring ferrets on campus; nor can any returning student introduce a new ferret to campus that was not registered during the 2010-2011 academic year.

•  Permitted animals must be able to live humanely in a cage no larger than 2'x2'x2' and no larger than 10 gallon tank (aquarium or terrarium). Students are only permitted one tank and one cage at any time. Maximum 2mammals per student.
  

• Pets that are not allowed include dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, arachnids, domesticated farm animals, any animal that is illegal as a domestic pet in the state of Pennsylvania, and any animal not explicitly listed as an allowed animal above. Bringing in an animal that is not allowed will result in automatic loss of pet privileges, substantial fines, and possible Honor Council referral. This includes visitor’s pets, VMC animals, etc.
  

• Upon arrival on campus each pet must be registered with the Resident Assistant and the Pet Proctor of their hall/floor. This includes any animals brought in throughout the school year. The failure to do so within 24 hours will result in the loss of that individual's pet privileges.
  

•  Pets must be kept in the owner's room at all times. In the event that the animal needs to be transported out of the room/hall, it must be transported in a closed container/carrier. Animals are not permitted in any common space other than for transport in and out of the building. If being carried through a common space, the animal must be in a visible, closed, solid bottom carrier at all times (i.e. no transport on one’s person, in hamster balls, etc.).
  

•  Pet owners must take reasonable precautions to prevent their animal from escaping their habitat or supervised care. Pet owners must notify their Pet Proctor & RA within 12 hours of realizing a pet has escaped their habitat. Pet owners are responsible for any action the College must take to locate/capture a missing animal as well as any damage their animal causes during their escape.
  

•  When cleaning the cages/aquariums/habitats of pets, care must be taken to ensure that no bedding, excrement, litter, gravel, sand or cedar chips are dumped down any drains. All solid debris must go in the trashcan. Once solid debris is removed, the container can be washed in the slop/mop sink - never in the kitchen or bathroom sinks or tubs. Clogged sinks from animal debris will be result in pet privileges being suspended campus wide.
  

• All fabrics or materials laundered in the college laundry machines must also be free of animal debris. Recurring repairs as a result of animal debris will also necessitate a suspension of pet privileges across campus.
  

• Pet owners are responsible for any and all damage caused to college facilities by their pets.

•  When meetings involving pet owners are called, they are mandatory and fines will be implemented for those who miss them.
  

•  Any violations of the pet policy will result in an automatic fine. The pet owner will also receive a written warning for each violation. Further details are explained in the warning system.
  

• If at any time a pet owner can no longer care for their pet, they must find a humane home for it. If it is determined a student has released an animal in the halls or on campus grounds, they will face a substantial fine and Honor Council referral.
  

• Pet owners are expected to take reasonable precautions to prevent their animals from breeding while residing on campus. Offspring of animals still fall within our total pet restrictions - if offspring would put the owner over the policy limit of animals allowed they must notify their RA & Pet Proctor immediately and make arrangements to move the animal family off-campus until the offspring can be placed in humane homes. Failure to do so will result in loss of pet privileges.
  

Monitoring of Pets within the Residence Halls

6. The Pet Proctor has the authority to decide if the animal is being treated or housed inhumanely (i.e. including cleanliness, odor control, handling, etc.).

7. She has the authority to confront the pet owner about any concerns regarding the animals including excess odor from the animal, the animal's cage, or the room.

8. She has the authority to implement the warning system.

9. She must inform the Resident Assistant of any concerns, issues, or violations related to the Pet Policy.

10. She has the authority to call a pet meeting to discuss any major problems or any new information about pets.

11. She has the authority to see that the animal is removed from the owner's possession after the final warning and to see that all of that individual's future privileges are lost.

Resident Assistant:

1. She will work closely with the Head Pet Proctor and the Assistant Pet Proctor of her floor/hall to ensure that the
Pet Policy is enforced.

2. She must notify the Pet Proctor and the Director of Residence Life of any concerns, issues, or violations related to the Pet Policy.

3. She is required to have a list of pets on her hall. This includes the owner's name, room assignment, number and type of animal(s) in the room, number and type of habitats in the room. This list must be updated on a monthly basis at minimum.

4. She has the authority to confront the pet owner any concerns regarding the animals including excess odor from the animal, the animal's cage, or the room.

5. She has the authority to implement the warning system.

6. She has the authority to call a pet meeting to discuss any major problems or any new information about pets.

7. Additionally, the Resident Assistant may attend any or all pet meetings, but her attendance is not required.

All pet owners agree, by bringing a pet on campus, that they will abide by the above policies. Because the pet policy is a privilege and has a dramatic impact on the community and facilities, violations of the pet policy are viewed with extreme seriousness. Violations of the pet policy by any Wilson student will result in implementation of the warning system. The warning system is a guideline but the warning system may be implemented at any stage that the specifics of a situation
warrant.

1. First Warning: The pet owner will receive a written warning and a $25 fine. The pet owner now has only two written warnings left before she must remove the animal from ownership.

2. Second Warning: The pet owner will receive a second written warning and a $50 fine. The pet owner has one written warning left before she must remove the animal from ownership.

3. Third (Final) Warning: The pet owner will receive a final written warning, a $100 fine, and complete loss of current and future pet privileges. At this point, the pet owner has one week to remove the animal from ownership.If the pet is not removed within one week, the matter will result in an Honor Council case.

Clause I: Any resident who has an animal that is not allowed will automatically receive a fine equivalent to the third warning and loss of pet privileges. The animal must be removed from campus within 24 hours.

Clause II: Any situation that the Pet Proctor, the RA, the Director of Residence Life, or the Dean of Students feels is unethical or inhumane to the animal will result in an automatic third warning.

Clause III: The pet owner will see that any animal of which they are giving up ownership (either required or voluntary) goes to a responsible owner. Failure to do so will be seen as unethical/inhumane treatment subject to fining or referral to Honor Council.

Clause IV: If the pet owner would like to appeal her warnings, the appeal will be heard by Honor Council.