Residence Hall Rules and Regulations
Residential Policy for Students
Berea College is a residential college with particular educational objectives which are, in part, realized through its residential life program. Accordingly, all full-time students are required to live in one of the College’s residential facilities unless they are age 23 or older, a 5th year senior (eight full terms attended at Berea College), married, or a parent. International students are required to live on campus regardless of age. This practice results from the fact that the College’s commitment to serving international students recognizes their important contribution to diversifying and enriching the educational experience for all.
Residence hall students wishing to live off-campus must contact the Office of Residence Life for further information on how to apply. Any student who moves off campus after the beginning of the term is not eligible to receive a room and/or board refund.
Any student who has a room in a residence hall, but is found to be living off-campus, i.e. not sleeping in his or her room, or using the room only as storage, may be required to move back on to campus and may face judicial action to set conditions for continued enrollment. A student who does not comply is subject to dismissal.
Early Returns to Residence Halls
Students who are requested to return to campus for labor or orientation prior to the official date of return must get permission from the Office of Residence Life before arrival so that room arrangements can be made. Others who return to Berea early must find accommodations off campus until the scheduled date for their arrival.
Residence Hall Cancellations
Continuing or returning students holding residence hall reservations who wish to cancel must do so at least 15 days before the opening of a term. Cancellations must be made in writing directly to the Office of Residence Life at housing@berea.edu.
Absence from Campus Notification
In addition to notifying supervisors and instructors, any time students will be off campus more than two consecutive weekdays (except during official school breaks)—out of the residence hall and/or the classroom—they must inform the Campus Life Department of their plans, in advance, giving the date of return. Off-campus students who will not be attending classes or labor assignment for more than two consecutive weekdays also must inform the Campus Life Department at 859-985-3290 or campuslife@berea.edu.
Residence Hall Safety and Security
Residence hall exterior doors are locked around the clock. Residents have key or card access and visitors must page residents via an outdoor telephone to gain entrance. Fines are levied for propping doors and for use of alarmed doors. While the College respects the personal privacy of students in its residence hall rooms, provisions are made for staff to enter rooms in the event of a clear and present danger and, under certain conditions, when a search for prohibited items has been authorized. Residence halls can be entered for routine maintenance or safety inspections. (Also see Campus Safety and Security Emergency Evacuation, and other policies outlined in this section and the Student Conduct Regulations and Community Judicial Code sections of this site for more detailed information.)
Charging for Residence Hall Damages
A successful residence hall community requires a shared sense of positive interdependence. Each resident must realize his or her responsibility to every other resident because individual choices in a residence-hall environment have the potential to impact the entire community. Likewise, each resident has an important role to play in establishing and maintaining the standards by which the community will live. Therefore, in instances where the standards are not met by a member or members of the community, it is the responsibility of any member of the community to report such behavior. Any community member who fails to take advantage of any reasonable opportunity to do so therefore assumes a portion of the responsibility, as well as consequences for such action.
Smoking Regulations
Smoking is prohibited in the residence halls. Designated smoking areas are conveniently located throughout campus in proximity to the residence halls. (See Smoking and Smoking-on-Campus Policy.)
Visitation Policy
Residence halls have the privilege of co-ed visitation under the conditions specified by the Visitation Policy approved by the General Faculty in May 2008. First-year residence halls have no room visitation in the Fall term. The office of Residential Life will make a reasonable effort to identify residential areas that will permit no visitation for those students who express such a preference during room choosing.
Additional rules applying specifically to residence halls are published in the Residential Living Guide and Campus Life Department website.