General Residential Policies

2 points *

With exception of fish, no animals or pets of any type are permitted in the residence halls or elsewhere on campus. Violations will be referred for disciplinary action and may be fined a minimum of $100 a day until the animal is removed. (Note: Students looking to have an Emotional Support Animal should reach out to the Office of Residential Life to learn more about the Housing Accommodations Request process.)

1 point *

Open coil, unshielded, and/or improperly grounded appliances are not allowed. Surge protectors must be properly grounded and in good repair. A surge protector must be rated correctly for the specific electric load. Hanging or draping an electrical cord is prohibited. When an unauthorized appliance is discovered, the item will be confiscated by residential life staff. Appliances found in the residence halls will result in disciplinary action and/or the removal and disposal of the appliance by College officials. Fines may be imposed at the rate of $100 for the first appliance found, $150 for the second, $200 for the third found, etc. If the appliance must be removed and disposed of by the College, the student assumes all monetary compensation for the College’s inconvenience, labor and costs involved. Any questionable appliance should be approved by the Office of Student Life.

MICROWAVES

Microwave ovens are allowed in student rooms but are limited to 800 watts total power. The College reserves the right to regulate microwave usage at any time to prevent electrical overload between rooms and excessive circuit breaker resetting.

REFRIGERATORS

Refrigerators may be used but they must not exceed 5 cubic feet. Large, kitchen size refrigerators are not allowed. Refrigerators must have the following specifications:

• Weight: maximum 100 lbs.
• Maximum dimensions, including all protuberances (such as handles, bumpers, grills, etc.), height 35 inches, width 24 inches, depth 25 inches, interior capacity 5 cubic feet
• No exposed sharp corners or edges
• Electrical voltage rating 11 5V, 50/60 cycles, average 1.7 max. amps. 195 watts, grounding-type cord 3 wire, UL approved unit and cord with labels conspicuously placed

Refrigerators must be unplugged, emptied, cleaned, and defrosted prior to Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring Break.

Only one refrigerator meeting the guidelines above is permitted per two residents in a residence hall room. For example, two students living in a standard double may only have one fridge present in the room, three students living in a triple room may have two fridges present, etc. Students needing their own fridge for medical reasons should reach out to the Office of Residential Life to inquire about the Housing Accommodations Request process.

COFFEE MAKERS

Coffee makers (regular coffee makers, Keurig) are allowed to be used in residence halls rooms as long as the coffee maker has an auto shut-off feature.

OTHER APPLIANCES

Other small kitchen appliances are allowed to be used in The Tower kitchen areas only. Appliances MUST be supervised by the student when in use. Residents may store small kitchen appliances in their residence hall rooms, but they may not be used in the rooms. Open-coil appliances such as pizza makers and toasters are NOT allowed. If an item is found to be plugged in, whether in use or not, the resident faces disciplinary action and/or the removal and disposal of the appliance in addition to a fine.

TELEVISIONS / CABLE

Basic cable television service for each room has been provided through the Residence Life Council. Problems with reception should be reported directly to help@carthage.edu. Carthage assumes no responsibility for the repair or upkeep of cable services.

CLEANLINESS

Residents are expected to keep their rooms in good order and clean enough that they do not cause noxious odors, encourage the development of a pest population nor endanger the health of other residents.

2 points *

Carthage College prohibits male and female students from sharing the same individual residence hall room. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action. The only people allowed to live in a residence hall room are the residents that are officially assigned to that space. If a person is found to be living in a room to which they are not assigned, they are subject to disciplinary action.

Cooking, other than microwave cooking, is prohibited in student rooms or unauthorized common residence hall or campus areas. A stationary grill is available behind Tarble Hall. The use of charcoal or gas grills in residence halls is prohibited. Liquid lighter fluid will not be stored in the residence halls. Students are able to cook food using the kitchenettes in the Tower Residence Hall.

2 points *

The College furnishes each room with a study desk, a chair, a bed, a mattress, a chest of drawers, and a closet for each resident. Some spaces are also furnished with a nightstand and a small rolling storage unit. In all of the residence halls, modular furniture allows students a variety of room configurations, including the ability to bunk the bed units. No furniture other than that which is provided should be necessary.

All college furnishings must remain in the student rooms; storage space is not available. Students may bring other furnishings (carpet, couches, chairs, etc.) provided that do not pose a fire hazard or prevent emergency access to and from the residence hall room. Lofts and bed risers taller than six inches are prohibited in the residence hall rooms.

This policy also prohibits the construction or placement of any furnishings (i.e. bunking beds in the middle of the room or in front of windows), paneling, or material that prevents a clear view of the window from the hallway. It is at the discretion of the Office of Residential Life whether or not the room conforms to this policy. The College reserves the right to remove any or all furnishings that are not provided by the College at any time for any reason.

As a precautionary measure, student rooms may be inspected at all College breaks (i.e., Thanksgiving, Winter and Spring Break, etc.). College-owned or leased residential houses, residential spaces, and apartments will be inspected by Carthage staff on a regular basis. If furniture or mattresses are found out of rooms in any area of the residence hall, the items will be removed to conform with local fire codes. The resident(s) will be fined at least $100 for each item per day and will be charged for this when they move out of the room or when the room is inspected.

Students may decorate their residence hall rooms with posters and other similar decorations as long as they do not cause damage to the room, are not considered a fire hazard and do not violate other Carthage policies.

Students are not permitted to paint their rooms. The paint within the residence halls is maintained and coordinated by the Department of Buildings and Grounds.

Greek organizations are governed by the Greek Chapter Assigned Housing Guidelines housed between the Office of Student Involvement and the Office of Residential Life.

Damage that occurs to a room or its furnishings is the responsibility of the occupant(s) and will be charged to the resident(s). If another individual responsible for damages is known, that person will be assessed the charges. Report any damage to the resident assistant or the Office of Residential Life as soon as possible. If the damage is not repaired within a reasonable amount of time, report it again.

Permanent modifications to Carthage facilities are prohibited. No drilling, cutting, nailing, or any other type of change to the permanent structure of the facility is allowed. This includes the hanging of items, installation of equipment, and all other types of activities that alter the physical structure of the facility. In addition to other disciplinary sanctions, offending students will be charged for any repairs, replacements, or cleaning necessary to restore the area or objects to their original condition.

Common Area Damage

If no individual is directly identified as being responsible, the damages will be charged to the wing, floor, building, or group most closely related to the damages. Each residence hall floor community should recognize that the community’s basic goal is one of respect and personal responsibility. Students accept the responsibility for common area damage and vandalism by either identifying or reporting violations/violators, or sharing the cost for repairs and damage among floor members. Each student in the community has a responsibility to take an active role in maintaining, enforcing, and reporting vandalism in their community.

3 points *

Each corridor and large common area is equipped with fire alarm devices and a chemical fire extinguisher. Exit signs mark each passageway to evacuate the building.

The first priority is saving the lives of the residents. The second priority is to save personal property. The building will be vacated completely at the sound of an alarm. Failure to evacuate will result in serious disciplinary action. Do not assume that any fire alarm is false.

Because of the threat to individual safety and property, the following College policy regarding fire safety will be enforced: any student found fraudulently activating a fire alarm or smoke detector, or setting a fire, will be subject to immediate dismissal from the College and subject to penalty under state and local laws by civil authorities.

Gas driven engines, gas containers, paint, containers of flammable liquids and fireworks are prohibited. Burning candles and incense is prohibited. The occupancy capacity of individual student rooms is limited to 10 persons per room in order to conform to local fire and safety codes and regulations. Students are prohibited from placing or storing personal items or College furniture in any residence hall corridor, stairwell or other areas of egress.

Any student setting a fire or found tampering with a fire extinguisher, exit sign, fire alarm or smoke detector will be subject to immediate dismissal. Any violation of the fire safety policy may also result in a fine up to $500, severe disciplinary measures by the College, and may be turned over to civil authorities for additional action.

For purposes of this policy, a host is any Carthage residential student who has a guest. A guest is any student or non-student visitor of the host. Non-residential guests are required to register with Public Safety if they will be hosted after midnight. No overnight guests are allowed Sunday through Thursday, during exam quiet hour periods, break periods, or summer housing. Students can host one overnight guest Friday and Saturday, with the permission of their roommate(s). A host may have a guest for a maximum of 48 hours per week. If an agreement about a guest cannot be reached, the rights of the non-hosting roommate(s) will prevail.

Failure to register guests is considered a violation of policy by the host. Hosts are responsible for holding their guests to the standards of the Carthage Community Code and if actions of their guests violate Community Code policies, the host student will be responsible. Any guest who does not reside in the building they are visiting must be escorted by the host. No overnight guests under the age of 16 are allowed except during siblings’ weekends. Any person under 16 must have program permission form or note signed by a parent/legal guardian.

Register a guest

2 points *

Hallway games and sports are not permitted in campus buildings. Riding bicycles and in-line skating is also prohibited in the residence halls and campus buildings. Any violations will result in disciplinary action and charges for damages.

1 point *

The problem of noise control in the residence halls is of immense importance in the support of an environment that is conducive to the total development of students. If a stereo, television, instrument, etc. is loud to the point where it can be heard in adjoining rooms; it is, in most cases, too loud. The College reserves the right to confiscate stereos of students who consistently pose a noise problem. The stereo will be stored until the end of the school year at which time the student may retrieve the equipment. We encourage students to accept the responsibility of enforcing and controlling the noise level within their environment. If you encounter irresponsible or uncooperative residents who will not adjust their noise level to that which is acceptable after your request, notify a residence hall staff member. In addition to disciplinary action, residents may be asked to remove stereos or musical instruments from their rooms or from the residence hall. Guests in a room that is excessively or repeatedly loud may be asked to leave the room and non-residents may be asked to leave the residence hall.

1 point *

A noxious odor is ANY aroma of such intensity that it becomes apparent to others. Any odor may become noxious or offensive when it is too strong. Some examples are cigarettes, marijuana, cigar or pipe smoke, perfume, air freshener, or large amounts of dirty laundry. When the source of a noxious odor can be traced to a particular room, the occupants of that room may be subject to disciplinary action.

1 point *

To maintain the living/learning community, the College maintains Quiet and Courtesy Hours. All residents of the halls have a right to quiet at any time of the day when they wish to study or sleep. No resident has the right to make noise that disturbs other residents. Students should keep in mind that sound travels out of windows, down halls, and to the floor above and below their rooms.

During Quiet Hours, all residents are expected to maintain minimal noise and music levels compatible with study and sleep. During Courtesy Hours, residents are expected to maintain courteous noise levels and respond to any requests to reduce their noise or music volume with courtesy.

QUIET HOURS

• Sunday-Thursday: 10 p.m.-8 a.m.
• Friday-Saturday: midnight-8 a.m.

Communities may vote to extend Quiet Hours beyond those listed above.

COURTESY HOURS ARE:

• Sunday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Friday-Saturday: 8 a.m.-midnight

Room keys are distributed to each resident student at check-in and are to be returned when the student checks out of the room. Rooms keys can be returned to the Office of Residential Life. If a key is not returned at check-out, the student will be assessed charges as outlined by the Department of Buildings & Grounds.

Room keys and student identification cards are non-transferable. They should not be loaned to anyone. Use of residence hall keys and ID cards by any person other than the person to whom the key(s) and card has been issued is prohibited.

Residential students should carry their keys and ID card at all times. The Office of Student Life will respond to all lock-out requests made Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. Residential life staff is responsible for lockouts that are requested on Monday through Friday from 6 p.m. - 8 a.m. and on Saturday and Sundays. The Office of Public Safety will respond to a request for a student room lock only for the Apartments and Swenson residents when the Office of Student Life is closed.

A student requesting entry to their room must produce a Carthage Identification Card, either before, or immediately upon entry into the room, and sign a lockout form. If the key is lost or stolen, a student must request a new key by filing a maintenance request. An immediate lock recore will be ordered and the student will be assessed a charge of $100 to replace the lock and/or two new keys in the Tower, Swenson, Tarble, Denhart, Johnson, and Madrigrano Family Residence Halls. Oaks residents will be assessed a charge of $200.

Broken Keys

There is no charge for keys that are broken or bent, provided you bring the keys to the Office of Residential Life. All student keys should be picked up at the Office of Residential Life between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. with a valid Carthage ID. If a key is stuck or broken off in a lock, a student must contact the Department of Buildings & Grounds by filing a work order to have the issue resolved.

Disposing items out of windows is strictly prohibited. Exiting or entering a room or building through a window, except in emergency situations, is prohibited. Any student found responsible for violating this policy will be assessed severe disciplinary measures, up to and including immediate eviction from the residence halls. If screens are removed from windows, there will be a fine of $50 per day assessed to the student(s) responsible. If a screen is damaged there will be a charge for the repair and replacement of that screen. Articles should not be placed between the screen and window in order to avoid screen distortions that can result in damage charges in damage charges.