The Wagner College Student Handbook lists all of the policies that govern the campus and the residence hall community. Residential students should read the Student Handbook carefully to ensure understanding and awareness of these important policies that guide your experience at Wagner. However, the policies and procedures below are unique to residential students and are not listed in the Student Handbook. All residential students are responsible for knowing and adhering to this information.
The 2009-2010 Student Planner & Handbook can be found here: Student Handbook
RESIDENTIAL EDUCATION LOCKOUT POLICY
Students are locked out of their rooms when they have exhausted all possibilities for locating their room key, including waiting for roommates to return home if the key was left in the room. If a student is locked out, he or she should go to the front desk of the hall. The front desk staff member will contact the RA on-duty, who will meet the student at the front desk and unlock the door to the room.
For lockouts during the overnight hours (after 11 PM), the RA on-duty can only be called for a lockout at midnight, 2 AM, 4 AM, and 6 AM. For example, a resident needing to get into his/her room at 3 AM will have to wait until 4 AM. In the meantime, a resident may try to get a hold of roommates, can stay with a friend for the evening, or can decide to wait until the closest of the four designated lockout times. The student requiring the lockout must be present at one of the times mentioned above to utilize this service. Beginning at 8 AM, there is a Residential Education staff member available in the Resident Director or RA office to assist with the lockout. During daytime weekday hours in Foundation and Guild, please see the Desk Attendant if you cannot locate an RA and they will assist you.
On weekends (Friday at 8 PM – Sunday at 8 PM), lockouts occur every 2 hours beginning at 8 PM.
Lockouts in Foundation, Guild, and Grymes Hill are not permitted between the hours of 5 PM – 8 PM; at these times, students must wait until a staff member is available at 8 PM or can find another option such as a roommate or a friend with whom the student can stay. Additionally, Grymes Hill residents are always welcome to contact Grymes Hill Management directly for a lockout, however there is a $75 fee for using this service.
Once in the room, the student must locate his or her key and show it to the RA. If the key cannot be found, the RA will submit paperwork for a lock change to the room. The student will be billed for the lock change.
The first lockout of each academic year is free of charge. The second lockout costs $20.00, the third is $30.00, and the charge will increase by $10.00 for each additional lockout.
Please be aware that if at any time a Residential Education staff member finds a door unlocked with no residents in the room, the door will be locked by the Residential Education staff member. If a lockout is needed after this occurs, residents will be charged in accordance with the standard lockout policy.
Resident Assistants are still available to assist with emergencies at any time.
FIRE EVACUATION PROCEDURES
When the fire alarm sounds:
Students should walk to the following locations upon exiting their hall:
Once at the above locations, students should wait for the Residential Education and Public Safety staff to determine that it is safe to re-enter the building. At this time, students may enter their respective halls in an orderly fashion. Students must present a Wagner ID to re-enter the hall.
Students should be familiar with the location of alarms and extinguishers. Report discharged fire extinguishers to the Office of Residential Education immediately.
If any student discovers smoke or fire:
Each month, a Residential Education staff member will conduct a fire safety inspection of every residence hall room to insure the safety of the entire building. Inspections are conducted twice per semester in the Grymes Hill apartments. Campus Operations regularly tests building alarms and inspects fire safety equipment throughout the campus. Each student room is equipped with a smoke detector and fire extinguisher. The student is responsible for reporting a malfunctioning smoke detector or fire extinguisher to the Resident Director, Resident Assistant on duty, or Apartment Assistant immediately. The detectors and extinguishers are checked during regular health and safety inspections. Certain obvious fire hazards are prohibited in residence halls. Please see the Prohibited Items listing in the Health and Safety section below.
WEEKLY FIRE ALARM TESTING
Fire alarms are tested in each residence hall every Tuesday to ensure they are functioning correctly. Foundation will have testing at 11 AM, Towers at 1 PM, Guild at 2 PM, and Harborview at 3 PM. No evacuation of the building is required during this time.
HEALTH AND SAFETY INSPECTIONS
Health and Safety Inspections will occur throughout the academic year on a monthly basis. Health and safety inspections serve many purposes:
Inspection dates are announced in advance via signs hung on a specific floor or wing. Inspection of the room can take place any time in a two-week period. Inspections will be completed by an RA, in conjunction with an RD or ARD. Staff members will enter the room and conduct a visual inspection of the space. Inspections are done per bedroom, not per student. Common areas are also inspected. Residents sharing a living space should not passively ignore violations instituted by roommates or suitemates.
Inspections cover 5 basic areas:
1. personal and fire safety
2. general cleanliness and furniture safety
3. improper use of fire safety items or College furniture
4. items prohibited by the College
5. other health, safety, or conduct policies
After the room is inspected, the staff will leave a form for the student. If this form indicates that there are no items need your attention, your inspection is complete. If items are marked that need your attention, the following actions may occur:
PROHIBITED ITEMS
RESIDENTIAL EDUCATION PAINTING POLICY
Students may not paint Wagner College property, including the walls and furniture in residence hall rooms as well as hallways and common areas, at any time. If a floor wishes to paint a mural or symbols related to their community theme, they must contact the Director of Residential Education to discuss design ideas and obtain permission. Painting guidelines for the Greek community are outlined at the bottom of this page along with additional policies for Greek organizations.
RESIDENT TO NON-RESIDENT PROCESS
In rare cases, current residential students may wish to apply for commuter status. Commuter status allows a resident to be released from the housing contract and move to an off campus location not affiliated with Wagner College. Students wishing to apply for commuter status must follow these steps:
1. Go to the Residential Education website
2. Download Resident to Non-Resident Form, fill out completely, and submit it to the Office of Residential Education. One of the following conditions must apply for the student to be accepted as commuter status:
a. Change in financial status
b. Medical concerns that cannot be addressed by housing options
c. Change in marital status
d. Student teaching outside a commutable distance
e. Required/credited internship outside a commutable distance
3. The Office of Residential Education will convene an appeals committee to review the resident’s application. The committee will involve a member from the Business Offices, Health Services, the Office of Residential Education, and a member from the Dean of Campus Life Office.
4. The Office of Residential Education will contact the student informing them of their application status.
5. The student will have 48 hrs to move out of the residence halls.
CHECK-OUT PROCEDURES
At the end of the academic year, all residents must move out of the halls within 24 hours of their last final exam or by 5:00 PM on the last day that is designated as check-out. Graduating students may remain in housing until noon on the day after Commencement. If you have received special permission from the Office of Residential Education to cancel your agreement or if you are scheduled to check-out at the end of a semester, you must do the following:
1. Remove all personal belongings before you can check out. This includes hangars, trashcans, nails, dry-erase boards, etc.
2. Make sure all college-issued furniture is in the room.
3. Take down any bunk beds. There should be 4 bunking pins.
4. Make sure the bed is on the frame correctly. On some beds, the bars that stick up can damage the mattress which may result in a damage fee.
5. Put all furniture in its original position (see diagram).
6. For suites: make sure your college-issued couches and tables (end tables, coffee tables) are in the common room area.
7. Remember: any missing furniture results in a replacement cost being charged directly to you and your roommates.
8. If you have carpet, vacuum. If you don’t, sweep with a broom.
9. Empty all dresser drawers.
10. Empty all trash into the appropriate containers. Anything that you are discarding that is large that won’t fit in a bag (furniture, etc.) should be left neatly at the loading dock in your building (basement of C Tower, basement of HVH). Guild residents may leave things in the basement near the elevator.
11. Remove posters, tape, sticky tack, dry-erase boards, etc.
12. If you have written on the walls or they are damaged, you will be charged a repair fee.
13. We only paint rooms when necessary. If we have to paint your room because of your conduct or abuse, you will be assessed a paint fee.
WINTER BREAK PROCEDURES
Before you leave for winter break:
• If it’s valuable or important to you, TAKE IT HOME WITH YOU.
• Take anything you might need with you (medication, books, etc.). Once the buildings close, you will not be allowed back in your room.
• Move all belongings and furniture away from the radiators/heaters.
• Remove all items (boxes, books, etc.) from the floor or purchase plastic bins for storage. Pipes can burst during the break – protect the belongings you’re leaving behind.
• Close and lock all windows. Pull the window shades before you leave.
• Unplug ALL electrical appliances, including your refrigerator. Give your refrigerator a chance to defrost BEFORE YOU LEAVE. Anything left plugged in will be unplugged by an RA.
• Remove all perishable/spoilable food from your refrigerator.
• Remove all trash, including the food you just threw out.
• Turn off your lights before you leave.
• Take your keys and your ID with you. Lock the door on your way out.
REASSIGNMENT PROCESS
The Office of Residential Education reserves the right to reassign any student to another space for reasons of disciplinary action, safety, health, unresolved conflict, or to achieve maximum space utilization. Whenever possible, twenty-four hours advance notification will be given to current residents informing them that they are receiving a new roommate. Occasionally it becomes necessary to move students into the building or to relocate them within a very short period of time. In some extremely rare instances, the Office of Residential Education reserves the right to move students without any notification to current residents (i.e. an emergency or safety concern for another student). Any student prohibiting a roommate entry or rightful space will receive disciplinary action.
Wagner College reserves the right to change room assignments. As such, should a resident be in a double occupancy room without a roommate, the resident may attempt to find a roommate on their own (with the exception of room freeze periods). If a roommate is not found within 48 hours, the Residential Education staff may assign a student to that space.
ROOM CHANGE POLICIES
ROOM TRADES
A room trade may occur when one Wagner College residential student would like to trade places with another Wagner College residential student. The students must be the same gender and must both agree to the room trade guidelines. Any students wishing to complete a room trade need only contact their RD during business hours to obtain a Room Trade Form.
ROOM CHANGES
Room changes may occur when one Wagner College residential student wishes to move from his/her current housing assignment to a current Wagner College residential vacancy. If a student has a roommate conflict, see below for Residential Education expectations and guidelines.
Roommate Conflicts and Mediation:
Room Changes for Other Reasons:
ROOM CONDITION REPORTS
Before each fall semester, a member of the Residential Education staff in each residence hall fills out a Room Condition Report (RCR). An RCR is given to each resident for inspection and verification of the physical condition of the room and furniture at the beginning of the semester. Each resident must report any facilities concerns within 48 hours of checking in to the room to ensure that charges will not be imposed upon the student for any damages. After the 48 hour period, the RCR is considered the final assessment of that space and fines will be determined based on discrepancies between the state of the room at the beginning and end of the year. Any damage that occurs during the academic year should be reported through the maintenance request system immediately for repairs and fines.
The Residential Education staff inspects all general areas before, during, and after each academic year. Any facilities concerns will be noted and addressed if possible. General areas include hallways, lounges, bathrooms, stairwells, basements, lobbies, and the outside areas of each residence hall. All residents are responsible for signing the RCR within 48 hours of arrival and upon checking out of the resident halls. By signing the RCR, the resident is agreeing to the condition of the room as indicated on the form. Students who do not sign the RCR upon checkout forfeit the right to appeal any charges for physical damage to the room.
DAMAGE BILLING AND COMMUNITY FINES
One of the goals of Residential Education is to build a strong sense of community, and to encourage students to accept personal responsibility for the community in which they live. It is important that students be concerned with the safety and treatment of all college property, including the property found in individual and common areas. Students should likewise encourage their fellow residents to share in accepting responsibility for ensuring that college property is not damaged or stolen. If you notice any damages within your room or anywhere else in the residence halls, or if you are aware of any person(s) responsible for specific damages, contact a Residential Education staff member immediately.
Any damages to individual rooms will be assessed against residents of the room unless any one individual claims responsibility. The rooms should be in the same condition when students check out of the halls as they were upon arrival. Damage to general areas of the residence halls caused by unknown persons will be assessed against the residents living in that area (i.e. a floor lounge) or in that hall (i.e. a lobby space). In addition, cleanliness and good order of the residence halls are the responsibility of its residents. Therefore, any excessive cleaning needed for a particular floor/building during the year due to trash accumulation or unsanitary living will result in a building-wide charge depending on the cost of labor and the nature of the offense. The Office of Residential Education reserves the right to relocate a student or to terminate his or her housing agreement based on responsibility for room or common area damage.
Fines will be imposed for the following:
Students have the right to appeal any damage assessments they feel have been imposed in error. All damage appeals must be submitted in writing to the Office of Residential Education via mail or email. If a student has been charged for damages, a letter will be mailed to his or her home address over the summer notifying the student of the specific charges. Payment must be made to the Business Office. A hold will be placed on the student’s records and the student will not be permitted to return to housing for the following semester until payment is received in full.
PERSONAL PROPERTY DAMAGE
Wagner College is not responsible for any lost, stolen, or damaged personal property. Residents are advised to insure all belongings under a personal insurance policy or under a private homeowner’s insurance policy purchased by parents or guardians. Wagner College recognizes the Student Personal Property Plan; click here for further details regarding this insurance option.
WORK ORDERS
Students and staff must report all potential work orders or maintenance needs to Residential Education by completing the Maintenance Work Order Request Form on the 'Forms' link from the Residential Education website.
LAUNDRY FACILITIES
Washing machines and dryers are provided for residents within their buildings. Please remember that overloading the machines may result in the machine breaking down in the midst of your load. If you have problems with the machines, please use the work order system to alert the proper staff members. Acts of vandalism related to the laundry facilities not only result in an inconvenience for residents of the hall, but can also result in floor or building-wide fines.
GREEK HOUSING
Responsibilities of Greek Organization Presidents:
Presidents of fraternities and sororities have always been expected, by the staff members of the College and by their peers, to serve as leaders of their organizations and for that the Presidents have been privileged with a single room at a double room’s cost. The responsibilities and expectations are always as follows, regardless of whether the President chooses to live in the subsidized housing or not:
1. Work with Floor Resident Assistant to create two floor programs each semester
2. Responsible for signing out lounge keys and returning them to Co-Curricular Programs at the end of each semester and before each Wagner College break.
3. Responsible for handing out and receiving lounge keys from members
4. Attend meetings with Co-Curricular Programs staff; demonstrate professionalism
5. Attend, participate, and demonstrate professionalism during Co-Curricular Programs’ initiatives
6. Demonstrate willingness and availability to Wagner College staff members, for example Resident Assistant staff, Assistant Resident Directors, Resident Directors, Public Safety, Housekeeping, Faculty, Maintenance, Co-Curricular Programs, etc., in addressing issues on the floor.
7. Wagner College recognizes that the Greek organizations’ Presidents are facilitating the positive contributions fraternities and sororities provide to the residence community. Presidents are often the first person College administration will contact. Presidents are to check and respond to both the organization electronic and physical mail in a timely manner. Presidents are also responsible for distributing information to members.
Room Trades Mid-Academic Year:
Each student must follow the Room Change Guidelines, as distributed by the Office of Residential Education. Please note the importance of completing the relocation process before leaving for any break. If a President graduates or vacates the Presidential Single, the room must be filled before winter break because Wagner College will need to fill any vacancies and that room will be filled before the spring semester.
Presidents Designating the Room to Others:
If the President chooses to give up the single room, he or she will be charged full price for housing and will continue to have the responsibilities to the fraternity or sorority floor, as outlined. The room will be filled in accordance with Residential Education policy and procedures.
GREEK LOUNGES
1. Five keys will be issued to the President of each eligible organization. The President has the discretion to share the keys with any current, active member registered with the Office of Co-Curricular Programs. This excludes alumni. All keys must be returned to the Director of Co-Curricular Programs by the assigned deadline, or the President will be held financially responsible for changing the lock and re-issuing the keys.
2. If the organization loses the privilege of using the lounge, the lounge keys must be returned to the Director of Co-Curricular Programs within 24 hours or the lock will be changed at the organization’s expense.
3. The lounge is to be used as a meeting space and for other events approved by the Offices of Co-Curricular Programs and Residence Life. Overnight lodging within the lounge is prohibited. Please refer to Residential Education’s overnight guest policy.
4. Any alterations to the appearance of the lounge (including painting, carpeting, tiling, new furnishings, window treatments, etc) must be approved by the Director of Residential Education followed by the Director of Co-Curricular Programs.
5. To maintain the safety of those within the lounge, absolutely nothing may be hanging from or covering the smoke detectors or fire alarms. No alarms may be tampered with or removed by any person other than Wagner College Staff.
6. Every lounge must have an easily accessible working fire extinguisher within it.
7. Any Wagner College or public property found within the lounge will be confiscated and documented.
8. Any damages to the lounge will result in fines to the organization and members of the organization, as determined by the Office of Residential Education.
9. The use of and storage of drugs, drug paraphernalia, alcohol, and alcohol paraphernalia is strictly prohibited within the lounge.
10. All parties within the lounge must be dry functions. Any alcohol present or consumed will result in the loss of the lounge and disciplinary action to members of the organization. All guests are the responsibility of the organization.
11. No hazing may take place within the lounge, as hazing is illegal and will result in College and legal ramifications.
12. The lounge is not to be used as one’s personal storage area during the semester and winter, summer, and spring breaks.
13. The College may conduct random Health and Safety inspections at any time.
14. Any violation of any and all of these points as well as all Wagner College, Residential Education, and Co-Curricular Programs rules and policies may result in the loss of the lounge.
GREEK FLOOR HOUSING SELECTION GUIDELINES
GREEK FLOOR PAINTING
DO NOT PAINT
• Doors
• Ceilings
• Bathroom
• Inside of resident rooms
NOTE: DO NOT TILE OR RE-CARPET THE FLOORS IN HALLWAYS OR LOUNGE
CONTENT
The following may not appear in your design:
• Images that depict sexual exploitation either overtly or implied
• Images that depict acts of violence against another person or groups of people
• Images that may incite violence or public unrest, i.e. racial epithets, sexually suggestive song lyrics, derogatory statements against another person or groups of people
• Images that depict the use of alcohol or other drugs either overtly or implied
GREEK LETTERS AND INSIGNIA
The use of Greek letters and insignia is strongly encouraged as a way to exhibit pride in your organization and to share a bit of your organization’s history with non-members. The following points are important to remember when using your letters and insignia:
• Letters should be easily recognizable and easy to read
• Rituals or history that is not meant for public knowledge should never be displayed in your painting either direct or implied
• Any effigy displayed in your artwork, should directly connect to your organizations guiding principles and history
RE-PAINTING
Touch-ups for cosmetic purposes will be allowed with the expressed approval of the Offices of Residential Education and Co-Curricular Programs. However, repainting for style and/or content purposes will be determined on a case by case basis only under mitigating circumstances; therefore it is critical that the content and design be agreed upon by the entire organization with counsel from your alumni. Further the content and design should be such that in ten years future members of your organization will understand and appreciate every artifact displayed in your artwork. Be advised that should your organization loose affinity housing privileges, the College will repaint the floor and lounge.