Common Area Policies
All residents of the hall share the common areas. Students cannot sleep or leave personal belongings is in any common area, including hallways. Common areas and facilities are for the residents and their guests only.
Bathroom Entrances - The area outside the entrance to the bathroom and the bathroom door is for use of the Residence Life staff only. Contact the residence director for permission and locations for posting signs
Chapels - The Chapel is available for individual prayer. To reserve a residence hall Chapel for communal prayer, contact the Residence Director a minimum of three days prior to the event. Events scheduled in the Chapel are posted outside of each Chapel. Mass is celebrated in the residence halls twice a month. With the exceptions of Kolbe/Clare and Louis/Elizabeth, members of the opposite sex may not use a hall chapel without the permission of the respective residence director. The Blessed Sacrament is reserved in every Residence Hall Chapel. Students are expected to show proper reverence when using the Chapels.
Common Rooms - Common rooms are the family rooms of the residence hall. Each common room is assign to a Household. Households may decorate the common room in accord with specified guidelines. When not being used for Household commitments, the common rooms are available for use by the residents of the hall and their guests. For regulations regarding the use of the common rooms in your specific residence hall, contact your Residence Director. Anyone using the common room must leave the area in a clean condition.
Damage and Misuse of Common Areas - When common area damages occur, a community alert will is posted informing residents of the damage. After one week, if the person(s) responsible for the damage does not come forward, each person on the floor will be assessed a damage charge of no less than $10 per person. Damage to heavily trafficked areas (such as elevators, stairwells, and TV lounges) is charged to all the residents of the hall. This includes property surrounding the residence halls (i.e. gazebos, picnic tables, ashtrays, etc.). Furniture must remain in the common areas of the building.
Entertainment - The University expects that all forms of entertainment reflect its Catholic mission and values. Movies, music, video games, and other forms of entertainment that contain objectionable material are not permitted. Evaluations by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Office for Film and Broadcasting govern television and video media viewing in the residence hall. Student may only view movies with A-I, A-II, and A-III ratings in common areas. Ratings are available in the Resident Assistant (RA) Office or at catholicnews.com/movies. Only video games with an E or T rating are permissible in the common areas. University television’s and DVD players are available for community use. This equipment is only for use in common areas of the residence hall. The residence director/coordinator of the hall must approve exceptions to the entertainment policy. Students may not monopolize a common area for an excessive amount of time.
Kitchen - Kitchens are for the use of the residents of the hall. Limited cooking utensils are available in the Resident Assistant’s office. Students may also bring their own cooking utensils. Residents are required to clean the kitchen and utensils after use. Unmarked and unclaimed food and utensils may be disposed of without notice. Residence Directors may close the kitchen at their discretion.
Laundry Rooms - Laundry rooms are for residents use only. The laundry rooms are open from 9:00 a.m. until 15 minutes before the close of the hall. Resident assistants will place laundry left after the close of the hall in hall storage. Owners may reclaim laundry by contacting the hall staff and paying a $1 fine. A laundry fee is included in residence hall fees.
Piazza dei Santi - The piazza between Louis/Elizabeth, Kolbe/Clare, and St. Thomas More is available to students to socialize, host events, build community, or just relax. Groups hosting events must submit a Room Reservation Form that is available at the Information Desk in the J.C.W.C. Out of respect for the residents of the halls surrounding the piazza; quiet hours are enforced on the piazza.
RA Office - Resident assistants serve the hall nightly from 9:00 p.m. until the close of the hall. Generally, Resident Assistant offices have cleaning supplies, games, movies, kitchen utensils, and first-aid supplies available to students. A student may borrow the above articles by presenting a University ID card. The ID card is held until the property is returned.
Storage - Residence Halls have limited storage available to students during the semester. Suitcases should be labeled and placed in a clear plastic bag. Place small items in a clearly labeled tote. In order to place an item in storage, contact a resident assistant during duty hours. The University is not responsible for items placed in storage. Since space is limited students may only place two items in storage (one bin and one suitcase, two suitcases, etc.). The University does not provide storage over the summer. The University will donate or discard any unclaimed items at the end of the academic year. Student cannot store items in public areas of the hall, including stairwells. Hallways must remain clear of ALL personal belongings at all times.
Study Lounges - Study lounges are available to the hall residents. Generally, designated study lounges are not available for use by members of the opposite sex. Residence Directors are responsible for setting policies for the use of study lounges.
Trash Areas - There is a designated trash area on each floor. Larger items such as take flattened boxes and large amounts of trash are to be disposed of in the dumpsters. Recycling containers for paper, glass, plastic, and metal are located in each residence hall.