Campus Housing Policy

Updated: 7.11.23; Reviewed: 6/22/21
Contact: Student Life Office

Campus housing policies and all other College policies of the William Jewell College Student Handbook and the College’s Policy Library apply to all of Jewell’s residential facilities. 

Appliances
Appliances must be safe in design and structure (UL approved appliances) and properly maintained. Students utilizing appliances assume responsibility for their safe operation. Residents should keep in mind that all electrical items, including refrigerators and fish tanks, must be unplugged during Christmas break and spring break. Residence rooms will be inspected by a staff member prior to closing for breaks to insure all appliances are unplugged. Hot plates and items with exposed heating elements are not permitted due to potential fire hazard.

Bicycles
Bicycles are prohibited inside residential facilities. In some cases, this restriction may be waived if the Resident Director gives authorization and if the roommate is in agreement. If approved, bicycles must be kept in the owning student’s room. Otherwise, bicycles may not be stored inside residential facilities. Residents not following these guidelines may lose in-room storage privileges.

Check-In/Check-Out
Students may check into campus housing during designated opening dates and times. Students must checkout of their room 24 hours after their last final exam. Graduating seniors may stay through Commencement and check out at the designated closing time.

When vacating a room, residents must schedule a checkout meeting with a member of the Residence Life Staff and return their keys. Failure to use the correct checkout procedure will result in a charge plus a lost key fee. Students must remove their belongings prior to the checkout meeting and leave the room clean upon departure to avoid charges.

Students may leave property in their room between the fall and spring semesters if assigned to live in the same room for the spring semester. Students must vacate their room following all other semester-end closings.

The College is not responsible for student property left after checkout.

Damaging, Destroying or Defacing Property
Residents are equally responsible for the condition of their room and common/public areas, such as hallways, TV lounges, study rooms, kitchens, or any other shared area. Charges for damages will be assessed by Residence Life staff, in conjunction with Facilities Management. Rooms must clean upon checkout. A cleaning fee will be charged to residents of rooms left without vacuuming, with trash, or in disarray. When applicable, disciplinary action may be taken.

Decorating
Residents are permitted to decorate their rooms within the following guidelines:

  • Residents are responsible for keeping their rooms clean and free from damage.
  • Wall displays are permitted but only paint-safe command strips are authorized for use to hang items on walls. Nailing or attaching items to walls in any other fashion is prohibited. Students are financially responsible for any damages upon checkout that are not properly documented at check-in.
  • Damage of any kind in rooms will result in assessment of damage fees to residents of the room.
  • Painting is prohibited.
  • Venetian blinds, mini-blinds or window shades may not be removed.

Electrical Services

  • Residents may not manipulate, splice or alter electric outlets, switches, lights, internet/Ethernet jacks, wireless access points, routers, utility boxes, electrical panels, etc.

Emergency Evacuations and Drills
Residents are required to participate in all fire, tornado and safety drills. Students failing to properly and promptly respond to evacuation procedures will be subject to disciplinary action. During drills and emergency evacuations, Residence Life staff may enter student rooms unannounced to ensure complete evacuation from residential facilities. Any student with a condition that may prevent them from hearing, waking or responding to an evacuation is responsible to notify a Residence Life staff member.

Facilities Management Staff & Room Maintenance
Students are to submit work order requests for repairs and maintenance to their assigned residential room. Work order instructions are located in the Jewell Student Resources Brightspace Course. 

Facilities Management is available 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, but may not always be available at times most convenient to students. Residence Life Staff and maintenance personnel are permitted access to residential facilities, including residential rooms, in order to check on and make repairs.

Any known repair/maintenance problems occurring in a room, hallway, suite, restroom, etc., should be immediately submitted on a work order request. Any urgent problems should be immediately reported to Residence Life Staff or Campus Safety.

Fireworks and Firearms
See Safety Regulations below.

Fire Equipment Regulations
Because fire and safety codes require that fire and safety equipment function properly, the following are prohibited and are violations of Federal and State laws as well as College policy and are subject to disciplinary action:

  • Tampering or playing with fire safety equipment, including but not limited to, fire panels, extinguishers, hoses, fire equipment storage boxes, pull stations, smoke detectors, exit lights, emergency lights, etc.
  • Smoke sensors or detectors must remain free of obstruction and are may not be covered.
  • Engaging in conduct that causes fire alarms to sound, thereby creating a false fire alarm.
  • Propping open internal and/or external stairwell fire doors.

Fire Prevention Regulations
The following are prohibited in residential facilities due to their potential fire hazards and may be confiscated by College personnel:

  • Open flames and/or heat sources such as candles and incense.
  • The use of cigarettes, cigars pipes, vaping pens and vaping devices, etc.
  • Any appliance or item with an exposed heating element.
  • Any lamp or light with exposed bulbs that are hot to touch.

Furnishings
Students are free to arrange their room furniture. Lofting of beds is permitted but must be done safely with the use of College-provided lofting safety parts, where necessary. Students are responsible for damage or injury resulting from room alterations made by any individual(s) other than William Jewell College personnel.

Residence room furniture may not be removed from the room due to limited storage and fire safety codes. Students will be charged for any furnishings not found in their respective rooms at checkout.

Furnishings in all common and public areas are for the use of all residents and must remain in their designated area. Removal or relocation of common space furnishings is subject to disciplinary action. The cost for replacing damaged residential furnishing will be charged to the responsible student(s).

Gifts, Flowers and Packages
Gifts and flowers may be delivered to the College’s Mailroom (located in the Yates-Gill College Union) during office hours. Mailroom staff will notify residents receiving gifts and flowers via email. Gifts and flowers will only be released to the designated recipient.

Guests
See Visitors and Guests

Holidays/Breaks
Campus housing is closed during Thanksgiving, spring break and the breaks between fall, spring and summer semesters. Students are required to vacate campus housing during these closings. Students with a permanent address outside of the Kansas City metropolitan area may apply to stay on campus during a holiday/break if they are:

  • Participating in an official College-sanctioned/sponsored function.
  • An international student unable to travel home.
  • Required to work a local job, internship or practicum (requires documentation of employer/sponsor on company letterhead or e-mail).

Campus housing is available for summer classes. Students are required to vacate campus housing after spring and summer semesters for maintenance and cleaning. Applications to reside on campus when campus housing is closed are located in the Jewell Student Resources Brightspace Course.

Insurance
Medical and personal property insurance are the responsibility of the student. The College is not responsible for the well-being, safety, security, loss, theft, damage, etc. of student property. Students assume full responsibility for personal property they bring to campus. The College does not offer student medical insurance.

Keys
Room keys or other necessary keys are issued to residents at check-in. Keys are the responsibility of the resident and should be carried at all times to avoid being locked out. Residents who are locked out may contact a member of their Residence Life staff for assistance.

Residents are responsible for immediately reporting lost key(s) to Residence Life Staff. A replacement fee is assessed for lost keys. Room keys are only issued to residents of a room and are not to be used by others or without authorization.

Medical Emergencies and Illness
All medical emergencies and communicable illnesses are to be immediately reported to a member of the Residence Life Staff who will advise students of the College’s Student Health Center or other after-hours local healthcare providers. College officials reserve the right to contact 911 in the event of an emergency or when a student is unresponsive.

Motorcycles, Mopeds, Scooters, etc.
Motorized vehicles (i.e. motorcycles, scooters, mopeds, hover boards, etc.) are prohibited inside residence facilities and pedestrian areas (sidewalks, on the bricks, etc.). They are only to be used on authorized roadways and must be parked in authorized parking areas.

Noise Policy
Students are expected to maintain reasonable noise levels 24 hours a day in residential facilities. This is to ensure that every resident has the opportunity to exercise their right to sleep and study in their room. Noise levels must be limited to a level that won’t disturb roommates, suitemates or neighbors. This expectation exists regardless of roommates, suitemates or neighbors presence. Anything that produces sound which disturbs other residents may be removed at the discretion of Residence Life Staff and will be returned to the owner when they’re able to remove the item from campus.

Excessive noise/music may not be projected from residence hall rooms to the outdoors (i.e. speakers placed in windows, etc.). Students with musical instruments may not disrupt or disturb their roommates, suitemates and neighbors. Practice rooms are provided in the Pillsbury Music Center.

Overnight Guests
See Visitors and Guests.

Pets
See the College’s Pet-Friendly Policy and Emotional Support Animal Policy for Residential Living.

Prohibited Items
Because of the potential of injury to individuals and/or damage to property, certain items are prohibited in residential facilities. Possession of these items will result in confiscation until the end of the academic school year or when the owner/possessor is able to safely remove the prohibited item from campus and/or after the owner/possessor faces Standard of Conduct charges. The College is under no obligated to return prohibited items when there is reasonable concern for individual(s) or community safety. Residents are encouraged to use common sense and when in doubt ask questions of Residence Life Staff. All residents of a room may be held equally responsible for the presence of prohibited items.

Prohibited items include but are not limited to weapons or guns of any kind (water, paintball, dart, pellet, rubber, BB, blow, etc.), sling shots, catapults, Chinese throwing stars, knives with a blade longer than three inches or inappropriate use of any knife regardless of size, sharp throwing darts, water balloons or any other item deemed by the College as potentially harmful or dangerous to persons or property.

If firearms are required for employment, instructional, or other legitimate purpose, the Office of Student Life must be notified prior to bringing any firearm to campus and the firearm and ammunition must be stored under lock and key with Campus Safety.

Room Changes
Students wishing to change rooms may access the Room Change Request Form located in the Jewell Student Resources Brightspace Course. Students must obtain advance authorization from the Student Life Office, prior to changing rooms.

Residents not following the correct procedures for room changes may be required to move back to their originally assigned room and are subject to the improper checkout fine. Residents changing rooms or not returning to the College for the upcoming semester must check out with a Residence Life Staff member and vacate their assigned room before leaving campus.

Roommate Conflicts
Residents who experience persistent conflict with their roommate(s)/suitemate(s) should first discuss the problem with their roommate(s)/suitemate(s). Residence Life Staff are trained and available to assist with mediation and conflict resolution. Students are expected to demonstrate respectful approaches to resolve disagreements prior to seeking assistance from Residence Life Staff or to relocate.

Room Searches
The College reserves the right to enter residential rooms to check general conditions, perform maintenance services, make repairs, respond to emergencies, or for reasonable individual or community safety and/or security purposes. Entry under the above conditions will not be used as a means to search rooms. With probable cause, College officials may search a room. When possible, residents of a room being searched will be invited to be present. The College is committed to upholding the principles outlined in the Charter or Students’ Rights and Responsibilities.

Safety and Security
Residential facilities are locked 24 hours a day and are only to be accessed by residential students assigned to live in the facility by use of their student ID. Students should always lock their room door when they are not in their room. Students may only enter facilities and areas of campus where College-consented access has been authorized.

Students are urged to think proactively about their personal safety and that for others in the campus community. Students should travel on campus in groups of two or more. In the event students must travel alone, Campus Safety is available to provide safety escorts to when traveling alone on campus after dark or when a student has a justifiable reason to feel unsafe. Students should keep their vehicle doors locked and not leave valuable items in their vehicle.

Safety Regulations
Because of the potential of injury to individuals and damage to property, the following are prohibited:

  • Outside antennas, lightning hazard.
  • Fighting, roughhousing or other activities including but not limited to running, throwing, bouncing, or kicking objects, etc.
  • Use of emergency exits, unless in the event of an actual emergency or safety drill.
  • Entering or exiting through windows; removal of screens.
  • Fireworks.
  • Hallways and stairwells must remain unobstructed at all times.
  • Any motorized object inside of residential facilities.
  • Painting or unauthorized repair or maintenance.
  • Propping open doors or letting anyone in through an exterior door.
  • Room doors should be kept locked at all times.
  • Skating or skate/long boarding inside residential facilities.
  • Throwing, dropping, or hanging objects from windows or railings.
  • Unauthorized entry to restricted areas including, but not limited to, mechanical rooms, custodial closets, roofs, buildings, offices, etc.
  • Anything capable of creating a mess or damage to College property.

Solicitation
Individual rooms may not be used for business purposes. Solicitation is prohibited unless authorized by the Student Life Office.

Stolen Property/Theft
Possession of stolen property is illegal and may result in disciplinary action and/or criminal charges. Any theft should be immediately reported upon discovery to Campus Safety or a Residence Life or Student Life Office staff member.

Storage
Students are required to remove all personal property from campus during summer months, unless a College-authorized rental storage agreement exists. Personal property left after campus housing closes will be discarded or donated to a charitable organization of the College’s choosing and the student abandoning said property will be charged for its removal.

Traffic Equipment
Street and highway signs, cones, flags, lights, barricades, and other traffic equipment are prohibited in residential facilities. Possession of said equipment usually constitutes theft, which violates State and local laws and College policy.

Visitors & Guests
Visitors are required to be escorted at all times in residential facilities. Students are not to let anyone in a residential building unless they are emergency response personnel or known College personnel in the performance of their duty.

Living in a residential community requires students to pay special attention to relationships they create with their roommate and other individuals. These relationships require sensitivity to a shared living space with another person. Roommates and suitemates are expected to establish mutually agreeable ground-rules concerning respect for one another’s access and use of a shared room/suite, privacy, and time and place for noise (music, gaming, TV, etc.) and hosting guests.

Students agree to the following conditions of hosting guests in campus housing or elsewhere on campus.

  • Guests will not be issued College keys. Students may not loan their student ID or College issued keys to a guest. Students hosting a guest in a residential facility must be present with their guest at all times.
  • Students are fully responsible for their guest and will be held responsible for any damage(s) or policy violation(s) committed by their guest.
  • Guests may stay no longer than three nights, unless authorized by the Student Life Office.

Guest hours in first-year residence halls are 10 a.m.-1 a.m. daily. First-year guest hours are effective only during the fall semester as new students transition to college life and independent living. Guests are welcome in the common areas of first-year residence halls 24 hours a day provided they are accompanied by their student host.

Guest policies vary by sorority in Shumaker Hall, determined by each individual chapter’s National/International policy. Sorority guest policies may exceed but may not contradict College policy. Each sorority is responsible for clearly communicating to members and their guests and enforcing any additional/supplemental guest policies.

Windows and Screens
Windows and screens must be kept in place. Residential students should submit a work order located in the Jewell Student Resources Brightspace Course to repair/replace any damaged/missing room window screen(s). There is a fee for reinstallation, repair or replacement of window screens missing at check-out that are not properly documented at check-in.