General policies
Room and Board Contract
The Room and Board Contract is a contractual agreement between a student and Wheaton College, which outlines responsibilities for the privilege of living in residence. Students are responsible for knowing and understanding the terms and conditions of this agreement, and all policies outlined in this Handbook, and for being in compliance with them.
Behavior
Students may not engage in behavior which infringes on individual or group rights or which jeopardizes the health and safety of individuals and property. All residents must abide by the policies in the Room and Board Contract as well as regulations of the College, Federal, State and Municipal laws. Violations of these regulations may result in the termination of this contract and dismissal from the residence halls by the Director of Student Life or the Dean of Students. Disciplinary action may also be taken by the College Hearing Board.
The Director of Student Life, in conjunction with the Dean of Students, may take appropriate action to protect the safety and well-being of the residence hall community and its members. This right includes the right to terminate the Room and Board Contract if it is determined that a student poses a threat to themselves or to others or is disruptive to the community. Requests for re-admission to residence must be made in writing and are subject to the approval of the Dean of Students and the Director of Student Life.
Guests
Students are responsible for their guests' behavior at all times, including ensuring that guests comply with all Wheaton College policies, and assume the consequences for violations and/or damages incurred by their guests. Students may be subject to disciplinary action by the College due to the behavior of their guests. All students share responsibility for maintaining a sense of community in their residence hall. This includes greeting and inquiring about anyone unfamiliar to them.
Arrangements for having visitors should be negotiated and mutually agreed upon by roommates.
The intent of guest privileges is to allow for reasonable visitation by a resident's friends, not long-term or live-in visitors. The College reserves the right to terminate an individual's guest privileges. The Student Life staff may be called upon to help resolve problems regarding guests.
Noise
All residence halls and houses have 24-hour courtesy hours. All students must consider the other residents and neighbors living nearby, and must honor the request of any resident or staff member when asked that noise (stereos, radios, TVs, loud talking, etc.) be quieted. This includes reasonable requests from members of the surrounding community.
Quiet Hours
Residents of each hall determine their own quiet hours for Sunday through Thursday; Friday and Saturday quiet hours in all halls and houses begin at 2:00 a.m.
Pets
For the safety, health and well-being of all residents, pets are prohibited in College residence halls and houses.
Right of Entry
The College respects a student's right to privacy. However, the College reserves the right to enter Residence Hall and House rooms without the consent of the occupants, when it deems it necessary, in order to provide for the general well being and protection of the Wheaton Community, its members and property. If an entry is determined essential, the occupants will be notified in advance when feasible. If the occupant is unavailable the room will be entered. Notification will be left by the entering administrator/officer that the room was entered, and the note will indicate the purpose of the entry. In addition, the Student Life Staff conducts health and safety inspections each semester. Students should be aware that if a room must be entered for the safety and well being of the community, any visible items that violate college policies will be confiscated and the residents may be subjected to disciplinary action for those violations. In the rare instance that the College has reason to believe there is an immediate threat to the well being of the community, or evidence of an egregious violation of college policy is apparent after the room has been entered, the Dean of Students or her designee may authorize an administrative search of the premises.
Damages
Each student is responsible for the care of College property in the rooms, facilities, lounges, public areas and the campus in general. Any resident who is responsible for damaging College property will be billed for the necessary repair work. Disciplinary action may also result.
All students assigned to a specific room are responsible for the physical condition of the assigned area. In addition, residents are responsible for any damages caused by their guest(s).
Students may also be charged for damages and excessive cleaning. Students are expected to have their room inspected by hall staff and the inspection form signed to avoid any conflicts in the condition of the room upon leaving or at the end of a semester. All residents of a particular floor or building are responsible for the common areas within the building.
Maintenance Concerns
Should students become aware of needed repairs, either in rooms, bathrooms, or other public areas, a Service Request Form should be submitted to either the hall staff or the Office of Student Life. These are available from the hall staff or Area Coordinators. You will be notified as to the expected completion date.
Off-Campus Housing
Each spring semester, a limited number of petitions for off-campus housing are accepted from upper-class students for the following academic year. The office of Student Life maintains an off-campus listing of available rooms and apartments in the area. Students currently residing on campus must have the approval of the Director of Student Life to change their status to that of a "day" student.