Guest and Visitor Policy

Effective Date

July 1, 2019

Office of Primary Responsibility

Office of Residence Life

Summary of Policy

When guests enter our residence halls, they become interim members of our community and therefore must abide by all of our Policies and Community Standards. Since they are not permanent members of our community, hosts need to be knowledgeable of the Guest and Visitor Policy in the Residence Halls to understand the added responsibility of hosting a guest. The host will be charged with any violations of the guidelines for hosting visitors.

Reason for Policy

The privilege to have guests in a residence hall, room, or suite is based upon the principle of mutual respect and balance; one resident’s right to have guests does not supersede another’s right to reasonable privacy. In particular, it is expected that students who share a living space will be courteous to one another, communicate, show willingness to make compromises, and act in good faith in the matter of guests.

Policy Statement

The following is the residential policy on guests and visitors.

1. Visitation refers to the privilege of having guests in their room and/or in the residential area in which it is located. The rights of other residents, especially roommates, take precedence over this privilege. The guidelines and timeframes for visitation will be communicated to all students at the start of the academic year. In the event of an emergency, crisis, staffing concern, or major campus function, Residence Life and/or the Department of Public Safety reserve the right to limit or modify designated visitation hours.
2. A non-student guests must be accompanied by their host at all times in residential areas.
3. Students and their guest(s) are expected to comply with the policies and procedures and reasonable requests of the Residence Life staff. Guests must abide by all policies and procedures of the College. Residents will be accountable for the behaviors of their non-student guests, and will face possible conduct action through the student conduct system.
4. Students must exercise good judgment when hosting a social gathering. Moreover, students are encouraged to make special efforts to maintain the College’s Community Standards. The Residence Life staff and/or Public Safety will promptly disband all disruptive activities and require all visitors and guests to vacate the residential facilities.
5. All events must be within the occupancy limits of the space as posted.

Definitions

Visitation refers to the privilege of having guests in one’s room and/or in the residential area in which it is located.

A guest is defined as any person who is not assigned to live in a specific residence hall room and/or residential area, whether the guest is a residential student, commuting student, parents or family members, or non-student of Allegheny College.