Pathfinder - Colorado College

Community

This community value is the core value of a residential campus. These policies serve to guide students in how to negotiate their interactions with others, and how to go about sharing space with each other. The policies that reflect this value are Animals, Community Agreement, Community Spaces, Guests, Health Concerns, and Noise/Quiet Hours.

Animals

Since residential buildings are not suited for most pets and animals can carry and transmit diseases, the only pets that we permit students have in the residence areas at any time are: fish/crustaceans that live under water. All pets must be kept caged and in the owner’s student room/apartment at all times. Any pet or animal that causes a disturbance to the community, as determined by the RLC, must be removed from the residential facilities or hall staff may contact the Humane Society or appropriate organization.

Community Agreements

A community agreement is a set of mutually agreed upon standards that each community (room, wing, house, apartment, hall) determines that they want to live by, and that is in accordance with the college values and policies. Each student staff member will facilitate the community agreement process to ensure that all students have the opportunity to have a voice and a part in creating and upholding community standards. Each community can discuss items like: bathroom cleanliness, quiet hours, substance use or non-use, expectations of guests, and any other aspect of living in a community. These agreements can be revisited by the community at any time during the year, and adapted as needed. If a community agreement is violated, the members of the community may play a role in recommending an outcome to the RLC/AC. Unless otherwise pre-determined by the community itself, a vote of 75 percent is required in the community agreement process, and 75 percent of the members of the community must be present. It is responsibility of the community members to create and uphold their community standards.

Community Impact

Since students are sharing space in a community together, the consequences of their choices and behaviors can impact many others. The community impact should always be considered when students make choices, especially in the evenings when other students are sleeping and preparing for class, work, or personal activities.

Community Spaces

Students living in residential communities share a variety of common area space. Common area space is defined as any space in a residential building to which students have access and is not a specific student room/apartment. In general, it is expected that students respect these spaces and each other.  Common spaces are not intended for sleeping, storage, or any use which may impact others’ ability to reasonably access the space. Any items posted in these areas should be suitable for any reasonable audience in the CC community. All of the areas below are considered common spaces and students may not store personal belongings in them. Any belongings left in these spaces may be confiscated and disposed of, and the student will be responsible for the costs. If any of these areas are damaged, they may be restricted for student use at any time. Alcohol is not permitted in any common spaces, unless pre-approved by the college. Videotaping is prohibited in common area spaces unless permission is granted in advance by the department of residential life and housing or the college media relations staff. Below are examples of how this policy applies to common areas:

• Bathrooms
  1. Group bathrooms (bathrooms with more than one shower, sink, or toilet) may only be used by individuals of the same sex at one time. The only exception to this is the bathroom located in the gender-neutral housing program.
  2. Single-person bathrooms are designated for use by one person at a time and are typically open to both sexes.
  3. Shower stalls and single-use bathrooms are for use by one person at a time.
  4. Coed wings/floors/houses may request a change in the designation of bathrooms which is subject to approval from the RLC/AC.
  5.  In Montgomery, the first-floor single use bathroom is designated for use by all sexes, so that guests may shower and use bathroom facilities without disrupting the community members.
  6. Sinks in bathrooms and water fountains are not meant to be disposals for food, sand, mud, or similar substances.
  7. Bathroom trash cans are not provided for students to dump their room trash in.
• Computer Labs
  Computer labs are available in Loomis, Mathias, and Slocum Halls. You do not have to be a resident of these halls to use the public access computer rooms; however, you may only have access when the main building doors are unlocked (for specific building hours, please inquire at the front desk you are interested in). Please note that not all computer rooms have printers. The computer rooms are open 24 hours a day for the residents of that particular building. The computer labs are being evaluated, and the services offered may change based on student need and feasibility.

• Kitchens
  Kitchens are provided in many areas for programs and limited amounts of personal meal preparation. Guidelines for using kitchens include:
  1. Clean up all messes made, including removal of dishes and trash.
  2. Do not leave oven or other appliances while they are in use.
  3. Use the common area refrigerator at your own risk, as items will be discarded if the cleaning staff needs to clean it.
• Lounges/Meeting Spaces
  Anyone wishing to use a residence hall area (other than the Slocum Commons, McHugh Commons, or Bemis Great Hall – these three areas are reserved through the Worner front desk) should contact the front desk for that area. Events are subject to approval from the RLC who oversees that area of campus. Please call the specific front desk to obtain more information. Residential life staff and students living in a specific building have priority over the lounge if it is not reserved ahead of time. Instructors who have a classroom reserved have priority over it between 8am and 5pm during the weekdays of the block that the class is being held.
• Pianos/Music Room
  Pianos are located in many of the residences. Hours for use vary by individual community and will be available at the front desk of each housing area. Mathias Hall has a music room that may be reserved by residents of Mathias. Both of these amenities must be respected by students or they will be limited for student use.  
• Sun Deck
  The sun deck is located in Slocum Hall which may be available to students during limited hours. Custodial staff is not assigned to clean the sun deck, so it is essential that students who use it keep it clean. The Slocum RLC can authorize use of the sun deck. Unauthorized use or abuse of the sun deck will result in closure.

Guests/Cohabitation

This policy applies to students who are visiting a building which they are not assigned by the department of residential life and housing as well as to students who host guests in their community.  A guest is a person who does not live in the building but is the guest of a resident who agrees to host him/her. CC does not restrict the hours when students may host guests in their residence except when students violate this policy and may receive a sanction which does limit this. Guests who violate policies may not be permitted to return to certain residential buildings. Students who host guests may be held responsible for their behavior. Students who choose to host guests have the following responsibilities:

• Ensure that the guest is aware ofand upholds the policies
• Escort the guest in the building at all times
• Report any concerning behavior of the guest to the staff
• Ensure that the guest stays a short time so he/she is not imposing on the community or living in the residential room without paying rent. 
• Ensure that the guest is not imposing on roommates/apartment mates.

Students may restrict visitation through their community agreement process. Visitation does not imply habitation or cohabitation.  In single-sex, substance free, or quiet communities, students and guests are encouraged to be additionally sensitive to the community values of residents who reside in those communities.

Residential rooms and apartments are designed for regular student use by the student(s) assigned to that space. If students want to have a large number of guests in their rooms, they must work with their RLC to determine how many people are appropriate to have inside a room/apartment at a time and be within fire codes. There must be at least 7.5 square feet of empty floor space per person. A typical double room is 12x12 feet. With furniture in the room, the average available floor space is about 75 square feet, which means that 10 people maximum may be in the average double room at a time.

Health Concerns

Since residents share their living space with many others, we expect that students will act in ways that do not pose undue health concerns to their neighbors. Examples of this include:

• Keeping rooms/apartments clean.
• Disposing of trash/items that may attract bugs, mice, mold, or other concerns.
• Cleaning up after themselves and maintaining a reasonable level of personal cleanliness.
• Not bringing items into the building that may be infested or bring undue influence into the community.
• Keeping screens on windows where they are provided to limit access into buildings.
• In cases where a student’s health may be at risk, the college reserves the right to contract with a cleaning service and the student will be responsible for the related costs.

Noise/Quiet Hours

As academic pursuits are the central mission of the college, a policy of 24-hour consideration hours exists in all on-campus residences. This means that all students have the right to be able to sleep and study in their living areas with reasonable accommodation. As individuals’ definitions of “noisy” and “quiet” may differ, it is critical that students’ discuss this within their community. Indications that noise is too loud typically include things like it can be heard by a neighbor in his/her room, it can be heard 50 feet away from the building when windows are open, or it can heard down the hall. When in conflict, the residential life staff or campus safety make the judgment about whether someone has impacted others under this policy. Amplifiers, stereos, speakers (including subwoofers) or other loud devices used in and around any on-campus housing can be confiscated if they are found to be a noise disturbance.

Quiet Hours

Quiet hours are 11 p.m.-8 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and midnight-9 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. During these times, students are expected to conduct themselves in a way that does not disrupt others from sleeping or studying in their rooms/ apartments. If there are enough students to support 24-hour quiet communities, these communities will remain 24-hour quiet throughout the academic year.

• Role of Community Agreements and Confrontations
  Students may choose to extend quiet hours for their living area through their community agreement. If a small house community can demonstrate that all of its members support a slightly different quiet hour structure and all of its members are willing to confront each other if the noise is concerning to them, the department staff will consider an adjustment of quiet hours. Location of the building, level of support from all community members, and conduct history of the community will be considered by the department staff. All students are encouraged to discuss and resolve noise violations amongst themselves, but they may also contact a student staff member to handle a situation if they prefer.