Residential Policies | Spalding University Student Handbook

Residential Policies

Residents agree to respect the rights of others living in the residence hall, to contribute in a positive manner to the Residence Life Program, and to maintain self-discipline.  Residents further agree to observe the regulations established by the University and its officials for the operation and governance of the residence hall.

The University extends the opportunity to live in the residence hall community to its students in support of obtaining a quality education and reserves the right to withdraw this privilege at its discretion.  Residents are expected to participate in the promotion of community.  Residents deemed disruptive to the community will be subject to Residence Life sanctions.

Residents are responsible for following the Rights and Responsibilities outlined in the University Catalog and Student Handbook.  Residents are responsible for the conduct of their visitors while they are on the premises of the residence hall or other buildings of Spalding University.  A breach of conduct by visitors may result in their being refused admittance to the residence hall and residents’ loss of visitation privileges.  Residents are financially responsible for property damage and vandalism caused by visitors and/or any activity that puts other residents at risk, including but not limited to, pulling fire alarms, tampering with safety equipment, leaving doors propped open, or opening emergency exit doors.

Specific Policies
Bicycles

Bicycles are to be kept locked in the outdoor bicycle rack located in the courtyard area of Morrison Hall or Spalding Suites.  Bicycles are not permitted to be stored in lounges, hallways, stairwells, or other community areas unless given permission by the Residence Life Coordinator.  Bikes may be stored in the stairwell bike rack in Spalding Suites, but they must be kept locked up and cannot block emergency exits.  Students cannot use the emergency exit to leave the building unless there is an emergency.  The University assumes no responsibility for bicycles that are stolen, lost, or damaged while on University property. Bicycles that are found in unauthorized areas will be removed.  If a lock must be cut to remove the bicycle, the student assumes responsibility for its replacement.

Brief Motivational Conversations

Residents are required to attend brief motivational conversations (BMCs) with their RAs twice a semester, for a total of four times a year.  These one-on-one meetings will last 15-20 minutes and provide each student with individualized time with their RA.  Students who refuse to attend meetings may face sanctions.


Common Area Space

Bathrooms, lounges, recreation rooms, kitchens, computer labs, and hallways are shared by many residents. Please remember that tidiness and consideration are of great importance. No personal property may be stored in a public area (lobby, lounge, hallway, bathrooms, etc.). Any damage that is the result of accidental or deliberate actions of an individual or group is the responsibility of the person(s). Every attempt will be made to identify the individual(s) responsible for the damage. These individuals will be charged with the cost of the damage in addition to other appropriate sanctions determined through the Integrity Formation process. However, when deliberate or accidental damage is not assigned to an individual or group, all residents of that living unit or section will share equal responsibility for the repair costs and common area damage charges will be assessed to the student(s) account.  

All furnishings of common space are assigned to specific areas of the residence hall and are to remain in their assigned areas. Moving of furnishings from one public area to another public area or to an individual’s room is considered damage to the residence hall.

Students and/or guests are not permitted to sleep in public areas (lounges, lobbies, hallways, etc.).

Community Building

Throughout the year, Res Life will host community programs. Residents are expected to be active members of the residential community and attend on-campus programs.  Attendance at programs is one factor that is considered when students choose their room assignments for the following year.


Computer Use and Computer Labs

The computer labs offer internet access, productivity software, and printing services. Residents are not able to save documents to the computers in the lab, but should bring portable storage devices (flash drive or other storage). In accordance with university guidelines, please note that Spalding University maintains a Computer Acceptable Use Policy. Students are responsible for reading and being informed of this policy. The policies listed below apply specifically to the use of computers in the residence halls. Any violation of these policies is grounds for having network access removed from your room and/or lab privileges revoked.

  1. Installing additional hubs in your room/apartment.
  2. Accessing another student's computer without permission.
  3. Installing software on a lab computer.
  4. Saving files to the hard drive of a lab computer.
  5. Deleting or disabling software on a lab computer.

 

In addition, students needing to complete course work in the labs have priority over e-mail, recreational Web browsing or game playing. 

Consolidating Rooms

There may be times throughout the year when resident occupancy is low. During these times, the University reserves the right to move students to another room or to consolidate the population to a specific floor or floors. 

Decorations

It is the expectation of Residence Life that the condition of your room and suite upon checkout is the same as when you moved in. To avoid damage charges it is important to take a few precautions when decorating your room and suite. These guidelines have been established for your safety, the safety of other residents and to help you avoid damage charges. Environmental safety checks will be conducted by campus security and residence life staff to ensure all guidelines are being followed. Damage caused by the decorations will be documented on the Room Condition Form upon checkout by the R.A. and residents will be fined accordingly to cover the damage repair costs.

  1. Do not put holes in the wall (this includes the use of thumbtacks and nails).
  2. You may only use 3M Command Adhesive Removable Mounting Products or Scotch Removable Mounting Putty to affix decorations to your walls. These products do not damage the paint or leave marks on the wall.
  3. Do not use any kind of tape on the floors.
  4. When moving furniture, lift it to move it, don’t drag it.
  5. When you place furniture against a wall, check to see that it will not rub/scrape the wall when in use.
  6. Fire alarm pull stations, fire extinguisher cabinets, smoke detectors, sprinkler heads and exit signs cannot be covered and exits cannot be blocked.
  7. Decorations, unless nonflammable, cannot be used to cover entire hallway areas, walls, or doors due to the fire hazard these decorations present. Some portion of the hallway, wall or door must be left uncovered.
  8. Decorations cannot be hung from the ceilings. Ceiling tiles cannot be moved or removed. (Nothing should be hung from the metal frame around the ceiling tiles.)
  9. Any supplemental lighting such as holiday lights or lights on a string must be UL approved and low wattage. No more than 4 strings of lights per room.
  10. Light bulbs in permanent fixtures cannot be removed and replaced with colored lights.
  11. Light fixtures cannot be covered with any material.


Exits & Entrances to the Residence Hall

All entries and non-emergency exits must be made through the main entrance door of the residence halls. Swipe your Spalding ID card to gain access to the building.  All guests are to be brought through the front entrance and signed in at the help desk.  Residents are not to use emergency exits except in the event of an emergency. Any resident misusing these exits or allowing the unauthorized entry of residents or non-residents will be subject to disciplinary action by the University. Students found using these exits to gain access for an unauthorized guest will be fined $100, lose visitation privileges and will be placed on probation.

Windows are not to be utilized for building access. As part of evening security checks, the security officers on campus will inspect lower level windows. This inspection is to ensure the safety and protection of all of our residents. Students found using lower level windows to allow unauthorized guests into the building will be fined $100, lose visitation privileges, and will be placed on probation.  

Furniture Arrangement

Students are free to rearrange furniture in their rooms but are not permitted to remove beds, desks, or chairs out of their room or suite.  Furniture shall not be placed so that it blocks the entrance to the room.  It should be arranged such that the door opens freely to the extent that it is perpendicular to the doorway.  Furnishings (beds, chairs, etc.) must be returned to their original placement within the room prior to checkout.  Ceiling tiles, grids, and fire suppression devices (smoke detectors & sprinklers) are not to be disturbed. Students who cause damage to ceiling tiles, grids, or fire suppression devices will pay for the damage they inflict. This includes any water damage caused by tampering of the sprinkler system. Students will be fined $50 and put on probation for tampering/damaging room furniture and safety equipment.  Students who remove furniture from their room will be subject to a $50 fine in addition to charges to replace missing furniture.

Hall Use

Hallways, lobbies, and lounges are not be used as recreational areas unless sanctioned by the RA as an approved group activity. Any hall sport can be dangerous, and may result in physical injury and/or damage to residence hall property.  The resulting noise and obstruction from such activity may also negatively impact the community.  Students are responsible for any damages they cause in the residence hall and will be subject to fines. 

Insurance of Personal Property

Residents are encouraged to purchase appropriate insurance to cover losses.

Keys

Each resident is issued a key that opens and locks their individual room only.  Spalding Suites residents will receive a unique key for their private or double room, one for their suite door and one for their private mailbox, at the time of check-in to the residence halls.  Residents may not create duplicate room keys and should not lend their keys or exchange their keys with others.  All room keys issued to residents must be returned at checkout.  Failure to return room keys will result a $25 fee per key.

Loss of a room key should be reported immediately to your Resident Assistant (R.A.) and to the help desk.  A charge of $25.00 is assessed for key replacement.  Should a resident lose a key a second time, the resident must pay to have the room lock replaced and re-keyed to protect the safety and security of the building.  Spalding University encourages residents to keep room doors locked at all times.  

Painting

Painting the walls of a suite or individual room is not permitted. 

Pets

Students are not permitted to have any pets, with the exception of fish kept in a tank.  Tanks must be no more than five gallons per room (i.e., roommates can have a total of five gallons).  Residents are only permitted to have non-lethal fish or other small aquatic creatures that cannot survive outside of their tank.  Crabs, turtles, lizards, frogs, snakes, and spiders are not permitted.

If students require a service animal or a support animal during their time at Spalding, they must provide proper documentation and reach out to the Office of Residence Life for more information.

Assistance Animal Policy

Spalding University is committed to making reasonable modifications to its rules, policies, and practices as required by law to afford people with disabilities an equal opportunity to access its programs, services, and activities.

A) Pets

A “pet” is any animal kept for ordinary use and companionship.  Assistance animals (service and support animals), as defined below, are not considered pets.  Pets of any kind, with the exception of non-lethal fish in a five gallon tank or less, are prohibited in Spalding University’s residence halls. Violations of this policy will result in the removal of the animal within 72 hours of its discovery and may result in fines. For more information on pets in University Housing, please refer to the appropriate section in the Student Handbook.

B) Assistance Animals

This policy applies to assistance animals that may be used by individuals with disabilities at Spalding.  The term “assistance animal” is the overarching term that refers to both service animals as well as support animals as defined below. Therefore, an assistance animal is an animal that either, (1) works, provides assistance, or performs tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability; or (2) provides emotional or other type of support that alleviates one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.

1) Service Animals

A “service animal” means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.  The work or tasks performed by a service animal must be directly related to the person’s disability.  The provision of emotional support, well-being, comfort, or companionship does not constitute work or tasks for the purpose of this definition.  Species other than dogs or, in some cases, other animals, are not considered service animals for the purpose of this definition of a service animal.

Service animals will be permitted to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of Spalding’s campus, including University Housing, where students, members of the public, and other participants in services, programs or activities are allowed to go.  Spalding does not require documentation, such as proof that the animal has been certified, trained, or licensed as a service animal. Individuals accompanied by a service animal on campus but who do not need any disability-related accommodations are not required to register with Disability Services, nor is such individual required to submit a request for a reasonable accommodation to receive access of his or her service animal.

Spalding University cannot ask about the nature or extent of a person’s disability to determine whether a person’s animal qualifies as a service animal if the need for the service animal is obvious (e.g., the animal is leading an individual who is blind). However, when it is not readily apparent that a dog is a service animal, Spalding staff may make two inquiries to determine whether the dog qualifies as a service animal, which are:

Is the dog required because of a disability?
What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
 

A service animal must be housebroken (i.e., trained so that it controls its waste elimination, absent illness or accident) and must be kept under control by a harness, leash, or other tether, unless the person is unable to hold those, or such use would interfere with the service animals performance of work or tasks.  In such instances, the service animal must be kept under control by voice, signals, or other effective means.  If the service animal is not housebroken or is unable to remain under the control of its owner, Spalding reserves the right to ask the service animal to leave for the safety of others.

Spalding will assess requests for the use of other animals by people with disabilities on a case-by-case basis.  Requests should be submitted to Disability Services and, consistent with applicable laws, Spalding may make modification in its policies to permit use if they meet certain criteria and have been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of people with disabilities. If a student has a roommate, the designated roommate will need to sign a form granting their permission to reside in a room with an animal.  Forms may be requested through Housing and Residence Life and must be completed with all signatures before the animal is permitted to take up residence.

2) Support Animals

A “support animal” is an animal that provides emotional or other support that ameliorates one or more identifies symptoms or effects of a person’s disability.  Unlike service animals, support animals are not required to be trained to perform work or tasks, and they include species other than dogs.

Support animals are generally not allowed to accompany persons with disabilities in all public areas of Spalding University as a service animal is allowed to do, but a support animal may reside in University Housing.  This animal will be restricted to the student’s immediate living environment (room, suite, or apartment) unless the student’s accommodation needs to include other shared spaces within the residence hall.  Students with mammalian support animals are required to live in Morrison Hall to offer the animal an enclosed outside space to walk and relieve itself and to limits the allergen concerns of other residents.  Before a support animal can move into University Housing with a person with a disability, the following must occur:

1) The student must fill-out an application form through Residence Life detailing the student’s situation and desired accommodation.

2) Residence Life may require documentation from a licensed physician or mental health provider, including without limitation a qualified psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, or other mental health professional, to provide sufficient information for Spalding University to determine:

a.    That the individual qualifies as a person with a disability (i.e., has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities); and

b.   That the support animal may be necessary to afford the person with a disability an equal opportunity to use and enjoy University Housing (i.e., that the animal would provide emotional support or other assistance that would ameliorate one or more symptoms or effects of the disability).

3) If approved, the student will receive a confirmation email from Residence Life which will ask the student to provide appropriate documentation regarding animal’s vet and shot record making sure the animal is in compliance with local, state, and federal laws related to pet ownership.  All animals must be spayed or neutered. Updated animal documentation must be presented annually prior to moving in each year.

4) If a student has a roommate or suitemates, the designated roommate/suitemate(s) will need to sign a form granting their permission to reside in a room with an animal.  Forms may be requested through Housing and Residence Life and must be completed before the animal is permitted to take up residence on-campus.

5) The student must allow a representative from the Office of Residence Life to set up a monthly room inspection in order to ensure the continued safety and well-being of both the animal and the living environment.  This inspection will also include verification of monthly flea treatment.  These inspections will be performed in addition to or in conjunction with Health and Safety Inspections occurring every six weeks.

Under most circumstances, only one support animal is allowed per resident or room/apartment. Support animals in University Housing must be able to tolerate the small room size and other unique aspects of residence hall living and not disrupt the learning environment of the residence halls, or the safety and comfort of other residents.

While support animals are generally not allowed indoors on Spalding’s campus other than in University Housing, people with disabilities may request approval from Disability Services to have the support animal accompany them to other campus areas.  Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis consistent with applicable laws and may be denied.

C) Responsibilities of People using Assistance Animals

Spalding is not responsible for the care or supervision of assistance animals.  People with disabilities are responsible for the cost, care, and supervision of assistance animals, including: compliance with any laws pertaining to animal licensing, vaccination, and owner identification; keeping the animal under control and taking effective action when it is out of control; and feeding and walking the animal, and disposing of its waste.

Spalding will not require any surcharges or fees for assistance animals.  However, a student may be charged for damage caused by an assistance animal to the same extent that Spalding would normally charge a person for any damage to facilities.This includes bringing in fleas, bed bugs, or other pests into the residence hall, for which the student will be held financially responsible for all treatment needed and the replacement of damaged items (i.e., mattresses, carpet, belongings, etc.).

Students will be required to remove the animal any time that they intend to be off-campus, including all school breaks and nights/weekends away from campus.  It is not permitted for a roommate or friend to watch the animal in their absence.

People with disabilities who are accompanied by assistance animals must comply with the same university rules regarding noise, safety, disruption, and cleanliness as people without disabilities.

D) Exceptions and Exclusions

Spalding may pose some restrictions on, and may even exclude an assistance animal in certain instances.  As noted above, support animals are generally not allowed indoors on Spalding’s campus other than in University Housing.  Persons with disabilities may request approval from Disability Services to have their assistance animal accompany them to other campus areas as a reasonable accommodation.  Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis consistent with applicable laws and may be denied.  Any animal may be excluded from an area in which it was previously authorized only if:

it is out of control and effective action is not taken to control it;
it is not housebroken (or in the case of support animal that deposits waste in a designated cage or litter box, the owner fails to clean such cage or box such that the cleanliness of the room is not maintained);
it poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be mitigated by reasonable modifications of policies, practices, or procedures, or the provision of auxiliary aids or services; or
it is not being properly cared for by the student and is suffering ill health and/or mental distress as a result.

In considering whether an assistance animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others, Spalding will make an individualized assessment, based on reasonable judgment, current medical knowledge, or the best available objective evidence, to determine: (1) the nature, duration, and severity of the risk; (2) the probability that the potential injury will actually occur; and (3) whether reasonable modifications of policies, practices, procedures, or the provision of auxiliary aids or services, will mitigate the risk.  

In the event that restriction or removal of an assistance animal is determined to be necessary, the person with a disability will still be given the opportunity to participate in the service, program, or activity without having the assistance animal present.

E) Guidelines for Members of the Spalding Community

To ensure equal access and nondiscrimination of people with disabilities, members of the Spalding community must abide by the following practices:

Allow assistance animals to accompany people with disabilities on campus;
Do not ask for details about a person’s disabilities and respect confidentiality;
Do not pet an assistance animal, as it distracts the animal from its work;
Do not feed an assistance animal:
Do not deliberately startle, tease, or taunt an assistance animal; and
Do not separate or attempt to separate a person from their assistance animal.

If you have a disability that may be affected by the presence of animals, please contact Disability Services.  Spalding is committed to ensuring that the needs of all people with disabilities are met and will determine how to resolve any conflicts or problems as expeditiously as possible.

Personal Property in Public Spaces

Residents are responsible for personal property left in public areas of the residence halls. These areas include rest rooms and showers, hallways, lounge and recreation areas, kitchens and the laundry rooms. Any personal property left in the public areas will be disposed of immediately.  Personal property that is left behind once a student moves out of the residence hall will be discarded immediately, and the resident may be subject to fines and loss of deposit for cleaning purposes.

Physical Contact/Use of Force

Physical contact/use of force against any person will not be tolerated.  Residents, students, employees, and guests of the University are entitled to be free of intimidation, fear, or the threat of physical contact or the use of force, including unwanted contact of a sexual nature. Violations of this policy will result in a $50 fine in addition to charges from any damages caused by a resident. The student may go before the honor board on the first offense and may be subject to eviction from the residence hall or criminal prosecution. Other penalties will be determined by the Residence Life Coordinator and may include permanent loss of visitation and other privileges.

Posting Signs and Notices

Any signs or other posting MUST be approved by the Residence Life Coordinator. Signs and notices may only be posted on individual hall or lobby bulletin boards. Students may NOT post signs on walls or windows. Glass surfaces (windows, entrance doors), and painted surfaces are not to be used for posting signs and notices. Residence Life staff will remove all improperly posted notices and signs. Individuals posting signs or notices are responsible for their content and may not post signs or notices that are objectionable in nature or not in keeping with Spalding University standards and expectations. Students found positing objectionable or obscene materials or posting signs on surfaces other than message board spaces will be fined and may be subject to further disciplinary action, including but not limited to honor board hearing, probation, or restitution. 

Prohibited and Restricted Items

For health, safety, and insurance liability reasons, residents are prohibited from possessing the following items either in their rooms or on their person:

  • Alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs/drug paraphernalia
  • Firearms, ammunitions or other weapons                                                                    
  • Fireworks
  • Flammable liquids and other similar materials
  • Open-coiled appliances, including but not limited to, immersion coils, pottery water-warmers, toaster ovens, hot plates, stoves (MH), exposed burners, crock pots/slow cookers, woks, and large power tools  
  • Space heaters
  • Fire/open flame materials, or high-heat producing devices, including, but not limited to, lit candles, incense, incense burners, oil lamps, halogen lights and lamps, camping stoves, charcoal grills, and sunlamps
  • Antennas or wires extending outside room windows or doorways
  • Waterbeds


Students who are in possession of any restricted item on this list, or any other item deemed unsafe or illegal, may be fined, placed on probation, or evicted from the halls. Additionally, prohibited items will be confiscated. 

Propping Doors

Room doors may only be propped when a room is occupied and the resident(s) is awake and aware of the propped door.  Doors will be unpropped by RAs during Quiet Hours if noise is at an unacceptable level. If a door is propped and the room is unoccupied all residents of the room may lose visitation privileges and may incur a fine.  No entry or exit doors may be propped by residents at any time without the express permission of a Residence Life staff member.  Propping of exit/entry doors without permission will result in a loss of privileges.    

Quiet/Courtesy Hours

Residents will respect the rights and choices of other residents in their areas regarding quiet hours.  Quiet hours run from 10 PM – 8 AM on Sunday – Wednesday and midnight – 8 AM on Thursday – Saturday.  Courtesy hours are always in effect.


Quiet is defined as no yelling, shouting, loud talking, or other loud activity heard from the hallways.  Radios, televisions, and stereos should be played only with doors closed and quietly enough that the sound does not disturb others in adjoining rooms.  Use conversational tones in rooms so that voices are not heard in surrounding rooms.
 
During exam periods, 24-hour quiet is maintained and expected of all residents. Quiet designations may be modified for other special periods.  Residents will be notified when modifications occur.

Residents who violate this will be given a written warning and will be asked to change their behavior and noise level. After the request, if the student continues the behavior/noise level they will meet with the Residence Life Coordinator who will determine appropriate sanctions. 

Room Condition & Resident Responsibilities

Residents are responsible for the neatness and cleanliness of their rooms and for the proper use of room furnishings in the rooms they occupy.

Residents may not deface the walls, floors, ceilings, or other surface areas of the rooms they occupy.  Residents may decorate their rooms according to personal tastes, providing that doing so does not cause permanent damage or alteration to the room itself or its furnishings.  Drilling or nailing into the walls, ceiling or furniture is prohibited.  All decorations (posters, photographs, etc.) should be mounted in a manner so as not to deface walls, doors, or other surfaces. All posters should be mounted in such a way so that they may be removed easily.  Carpeting may not be permanently affixed to room floors by gluing or tape.  Permanent damage to any room will be the financial responsibility of the resident.  Approved mounting products include 3M damage-free removable mounting devices and removable adhesive putty.  

Room Care Guidelines

Certain guidelines and standards concerning room care and safety aspects have been established by Residence Life. Be sure to read this section as you are responsible for the following information:

  1. Do not to stack furniture that is not meant to be stacked. Students have been seriously injured and furniture damaged.
  2. Do not disassemble any furnishings, or remove items from their moorings (such as closet doors, sinks, beds, etc.).
  3. Residents are encouraged to sign up at their respective building’s help desk to get their bed bunked or lofted.
  4. Residents are responsible for all of the furniture that is currently in their room/suite. Under no circumstance will Residence Life remove and/or store any furniture from the facilities.
  5. Lounge and lobby furniture is meant to be enjoyed by the residence hall community as a whole, and should not be moved into student rooms. Violators face disciplinary action, a charge for removal of the furniture, or both.
  6. Waterbeds or other water filled furniture is not allowed.
  7. Exercise caution in the decoration of room windows, as the University has a role of service to many “publics.” We reserve the right to ask you to remove from public view any signs or objects deemed offensive to others or prejudicial to the overall goals of the University.
  8. At the time of check-out students are expected to leave their rooms in the same condition as when they moved in.

Room Entry and Search

Students have the same rights of privacy as other citizens and surrender none of these rights by becoming members of an academic community.

When the University seeks access to a resident’s room to determine compliance with applicable policies or for inspection, improvement, or repair, the resident will be notified of such action in advance when feasible.  There may be entry without notice in emergencies or when imminent danger to life, safety, health, or property is reasonably feared.  Health and Safety inspections will be conducted of every room and suite on or around the 5th week of each session. Inspections are conducted by RAs and Campus Safety in an effort to ensure residents are abiding by health and safety policies (keeping the rooms clean and free of prohibited or hazardous items or conditions). Inspections are conducted under the plain view doctrine policy.

Residence Life staff members, Student Development and Campus Life staff members, and Campus Security officers have the right to enter a resident’s room, at any time, when requests to open the door have been ignored or denied.

The University may conduct a search of a resident’s room to determine compliance with federal, state, or local law, as well as college policies and regulations, when there exists probable cause to suspect that a violation has occurred or is taking place.  Probable cause exists when the facts and circumstances within the knowledge of the University are sufficient to cause a person of reasonable caution to believe that an offense has been or is being committed.

Smoking/Tobacco Use

Residence Halls are smoke-free and tobacco-free facilities. Smoking and hookahs are prohibited in all resident rooms.  Hookahs are prohibited in any area of campus including outdoors. Smoking is also prohibited in all public or commonly shared areas of Morrison Hall and Spalding Suites, included, but not limited to hallways, stairwells, restrooms, laundry rooms, lobbies, lounges, labs, study rooms and indoor recreation areas.

When smoking outside, please remember to remain twenty-five feet from any doorway, window, or air intake and dispose of cigarette butts in proper receptacles.

Students found smoking in prohibited areas will receive a $25 fine.  A second offense will result in the student going before the honor board in which the student may be subject to eviction from the residence hall.

Solicitation/Commercial Activity

No solicitors, sales persons, or agents, whether students or others, are permitted to personally contact students in the residence halls for commercial purposes.   Door-to-door solicitation is prohibited.  Additionally, students are not allowed to use their rooms for commercial purposes.

Verbal Abuse/Assault

Verbal abuse includes name calling or making degrading, insulting, or prejudice statements towards another individual.  Making false allegations against other students, Residence Life staff, or other staff/faculty members is also considered verbal abuse.  Verbal assault includes making threats against another individual including threats of harm, terror, or intimidation. Verbal abuse and assault will not be tolerated in the Residence Halls. Anyone who is found verbally abusing or assaulting another individual may be subject to sanctions determined by the Res Life staff including but not limited to going before the Honor Board, eviction from the residence hall and/or criminal prosecution.

Visitation & Overnight Guests Policy

Visitation hours for the residence halls for non-residents are as follows:

  • Sunday-Wednesday:  8:00 AM – Midnight
  • Thursday- Saturday:  24 hour visitation
  • Session Break: 24  hour visitation 
  • Winter Break: No visitation


The resident must sign in their guest at the help desk for every visit.  The guest must leave their ID at the help desk.  Guests who are not Spalding students with a Spalding University issued ID card must have a state-issued or student ID card that indicates their date of birth.  Non-Spalding student guests under 18 are not allowed in the residence hall without parent/guardian approval.  Each resident may have no more than 3 guests at a time and 1 overnight guest.  

All guests must be escorted by a resident of that residence hall whenever present in the building. Guests must be escorted into and out of the building. You must remain with your guest at all times while in rooms, public areas, TV lounges, hallways, etc. Students must escort opposite gender guests to the opposite gender floors for restroom use in Morrison Hall. Residents will be held responsible for their guest's conduct.

Parents of the resident may visit a resident at any time. Parents are required to follow the visitor sign-in procedure but are not required to leave their ID card.  Underage family members are allowed to visit residents but parents/guardians must sign an approval form or be present.  

The cohabitation policy for residents is as follows: Students will spend no more than three consecutive nights in any room/suite that is not their assigned room/suite. Once three consecutive nights have been reached, the student must spend three consecutive nights elsewhere before engaging in overnight (anytime after midnight) visitation in the same room/suite that is not their assigned room/suite.

Residents are given 5 extra nights per semester (a semester is 3 consecutive sessions) to use for overnight guests on weekdays. However, non-resident guests must also follow the cohabitation policy.

Residents who fail to sign in guests, fail to escort guests at all times, have more than three guests or cohabitate may lose visitation privileges for the semester and may be subject to other sanctions.  

Write-Ups/Incident Reports and Fines

An Incident Report is the means by which an R.A. or other staff member, in collaboration with Campus Safety, will document violations to residence halls and/ or University policies.

Fines levied against residents found to be in violation of residence halls or University policies are payable immediately or will be billed to student’s account. Any unpaid fines will be turned over to the Registrar and Business Office for collection, and may result in delaying class registration, or the withholding of official transcripts or grades.