POLICIES GOVERNING RESIDENCY IN THE HOUSES AND DORMITORIES

Disciplinary Actions

Disciplinary actions within the Houses and dormitories under College supervision include admonition, probation, and requirement to leave the premises. In the latter instance, a written warning will describe what the unacceptable behavior is, the fact that the House Master or Dean of Freshmen has the right to require the student to leave, and what steps must be taken by the student in order to remain in residence. Should the student be unable or unwilling to take the steps to improve the situation and should the student continue to behave in a manner that is detrimental to the well-being of the residential community, the House Master or Dean of Freshmen, in consultation with the Dean of the College, may then require the student to leave the premises even though he or she may continue to be enrolled in the College. A student required to leave a House or dormitory for disciplinary reasons will not ordinarily have the opportunity to return to a College residence.

Roommate Rights and Responsibilities

Personal issues, such as academic stress, alcohol abuse, depression, and eating disorders, may strain relationships in a living situation. It is both a student's right and a student's responsibility to seek help when such issues become disruptive.

Studies on alcohol abuse at colleges and universities show that there are significant secondary effects for roommates and friends of those who drink excessively. Roommates and friends report that sometimes they cannot study or sleep because they are worried when a friend gets so drunk he or she does not return home until the next morning. Roommates often "baby-sit" for those who cannot make wise choices for themselves or who need actual medical help due to intoxication.

A student's concern about protecting a roommate's privacy, in this and other instances, should not keep him or her from getting support personally or for that other person. If a student is worried about a friend, if this concern affects living habits, he or she has the right and responsibility to seek help both personally and for that other person. It may be that the student's action spares the individual painful consequences now or later.

Sources of help:

• Proctor or deans at the Freshman Dean's Office
• Office of Residential Life
  (www.fas.harvard.edu/~uho/)
• House resident tutor, Allston Burr Resident Dean, or House Master
• Center for Wellness and Health Communications, HUHS, Second Floor, 617-495-9629
• Bureau of Study Counsel, 5 Linden Street, 617-495-2581
• Mental Health Service staff, HUHS, Fourth Floor, 617-495-2042
• Mediation Service, 5 Linden Street, 617-495-2581

Noise

Every student is responsible for the maintenance of good order and reasonable quiet in his or her room. Students shall at all times show proper regard for others. Radios, televisions, stereos, musical instruments, and other audio equipment shall be adjusted so as not to disturb the community.

Guests

A person not regularly assigned to a particular dormitory or House may not be lodged in that dormitory or House for more than a brief stay without the permission of the Proctor, Resident Dean, or House Master. The consent of other occupants of the room is also always required. Food may not be shared with or given to those who are not on a board contract or who have not paid for the meal.

The College reserves the right to prohibit overnight guests when issues of security are involved.

Smoking

Smoking is prohibited in all areas of Houses and dormitories, including but not restricted to all common areas, offices, tutor residences, and student bedrooms and common rooms. Violation of this policy may result in disciplinary action and in cancellation of the Undergraduate Housing Contract. Harvard University Health Services provides education and assistance to students who wish to stop smoking. Students may contact Harvard University Health Services, Center for Wellness and Health Communication at 617-495-9629 for further information.

Obscene or Harassing Telephone Calls

The placement of an obscene or harassing telephone call is a criminal offense, punishable to the full extent of the law in the courts. It is treated as a serious disciplinary issue within the College.

Information from the Harvard Police is available in the Freshman Dean's Office and the House Offices for anyone receiving such a call.

Nonpayment of Telephone Bills

For calls other than Centrex and 911, telephone service may be deactivated for accounts that have payments overdue by sixty days or more. It is not possible for the University to deliver messages to students whose service has been disconnected. In response to the concerns of parents who may attempt to call a telephone number that has been temporarily disconnected, the University will inform them that the line has been disconnected for nonpayment and advise them to use an alternate means of communication. Life or death emergencies will be referred to the Harvard Police Department. The University does not allow a student to graduate until all indebtedness is satisfied.

Other Residences

Because College housing is limited, a student may not hold a room in a House or dormitory during term time if it is not his or her main residence for that period.

Care of Residential Property

As part of the care of the buildings under College supervision, students must observe the following specific regulations.

1. Residents are responsible for reporting in writing any damages to their suite (beyond normal wear and tear) to their building manager within one week following registration. Any unreported damages found in the suite after this time will be assumed to be the responsibility of the current residents of the suites and they will be term billed to pay for the cost of any repairs. Residents are not permitted to paint their rooms or suites.
2. While decorating their rooms students must be careful not to attach anything to the walls or to other surfaces in a way that causes damage or leaves any marks. Upon request, the building manager will provide students with molding hooks, wall mounting tabs (e.g., 3M), or an adhesive gum (e.g., Hold-it). Students are advised that use of any other methods (tape, tacks, nails, hooks, etc.) will result in a charge on the term bill.
3. The installation of any temporary room partition must conform with the regulations outlined in the Office of Physical Resources student room partition policy and be specifically authorized by the building manager. Unauthorized partitions will be removed immediately and the students responsible will be term billed for the cost of removal.
4. Rooms will be inspected periodically during the year and at the end of each academic year. Charges will be levied for violations of rules and repair, including removal of excess trash and scrubbing of heavily soiled walls and floors; these charges will be added to the occupants' term bill. If in the course of performing inspections, repairs or maintenance in a student suite a staff member comes across a prohibited cooking appliance or other safety hazard, he or she will report the item to the building manager. The building manager will provide the student with notice of the violation and re-inspect the room within two week's time. If the violation remains in the student room, the building manager will remove and dispose of the offending appliance or materials.

Maintenance and Energy Conservation

1. All building maintenance problems should be reported to the building manager's office for the House or dormitory. If there is a security guard on duty in the House when the problem occurs, he or she should be notified. After hours, and if the building manager is not available, or in cases of serious emergency, the problem should be reported to Facilities Maintenance at 617-495-5560.
2. All students are urged to be especially mindful of energy consumption as energy costs are a significant portion of annual room fees. The following simple actions will reduce energy consumption: using computer power management software and turning off computers when not in use; turning off lights and other appliances when last to leave a room; closing windows and storm windows during cold weather; moving furniture away from radiators and adjusting the radiator (most radiators in Houses have adjustable valves that allow control of the level of heat in the room) to a comfortable temperature. Occupants should never turn radiator valves all the way to the "off" position or leave windows open during cold weather, since they may be held responsible if pipes freeze because of these actions.
3. Rooms in the Houses or dormitories that are overheated or unusually cold should be brought to the attention of the building manager so that the necessary alterations can be made by Facilities Maintenance. Space heaters are prohibited without the permission of the building manager since they are fire hazards and expensive to operate.
4. Freshmen are not permitted to be in residence during the winter recess. The College discourages upperclassmen from staying in the Houses over the recess, but they may do so provided they have informed their House building manager of their plans. Temperatures in the Houses and freshman dormitories will be lowered during the recess to reduce energy consumption.

Recycling

Recycling is mandatory in Cambridge. Students must bring all trash and recyclables to the designated recycling area in each House or dormitory, and should do so regularly throughout the term. Materials should be sorted into trash, mixed paper, commingled container, and battery receptacles.

• Mixed paper includes newspapers, magazines, phone books, white and colored office paper, junk mail with window envelopes, paper with metal staples or spiral bindings, paper with small bits of adhesive tape and flattened cardboard. The mixed paper bag or barrel should not contain food wrappers, tissues, cups, pizza boxes, plastic wrappers, or trash. Please make a dedicated effort to reuse and recycle paper, as paper is a major component of University waste.
• Commingled containers include cans, jars, cardboard beverage containers and bottles made of glass, metal, or plastic. All caps and lids should be discarded, and containers should be emptied and rinsed before they are deposited in the receptacles. Liquids remaining in containers significantly complicate recycling and waste disposal.
• Batteries of any kind, including those for laptops, cordless phones, pagers, radios, walkmans, etc. must be recovered for safe disposal. In the Yard, batteries can be left at the battery recycling bin in each trash/recycling room. In the Houses, batteries can be left at the building manager's office.

In addition to recycling, students are encouraged to reduce waste by purchasing and printing carefully and reusing paper, mugs, furnishings, and other equipment. Direct benefits of recycling to students include contributing to University financial savings which can be translated into student programs, raising Harvard's standing in national recycling competitions, forming sound habits for the future, and contributing to a cleaner and healthier world.

For questions about recycling and waste reduction please call the University Operations Services Recycling Hotline at 617-495-3042 or refer to the University Operations Services Solid Waste & Recycling website: www.uos.harvard.edu/information/dep_fac_sol.shtml.

Resource Conservation

Undergraduates play a key role in University efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move toward an environmentally sustainable campus. Student cooperation and leadership in areas of energy use reduction, solid waste reduction and recycling has and will continue to help further FAS environmental stewardship goals for Houses and dorms.

Undergraduates in residence are urged to integrate resource efficiency and environmental responsibility into their daily life in the Houses and dormitories. Above-mentioned expectations include: recycling all recyclable containers and papers; properly disposing of toxic materials such as batteries; reporting leaks immediately; turning off lights and appliances when not in use; and reducing heat waste in the winter. Other community standards include: using computer power management software; purchasing energy-efficient appliances; taking only as much food as one will eat in the dining hall; and using warm or cold water rather than hot for most laundry loads. Consult the Harvard Green Campus Initiative (www.greencampus.harvard.edu) for further information on campus greening activities.

Questions about recycling may be addressed to the University Operations Recycling Hotline at 617-495-3042.

Care of Furnishings and Personal Property

Students are responsible for all University furniture provided in their rooms or apartments. If students in the Houses or dormitories decide not to use some pieces of furniture, they must store them within the building at the direction of the House building manager or the manager of Freshman Dormitories. In the DeWolfe Street buildings, any unneeded University furniture will be temporarily stored off-site once each term, approximately ten days after classes begin. Written instructions about the process will be made available during move-in. Students are also responsible for returning any stored pieces to the room before they vacate it. Failure to do so will result in a moving fee.

1. Students may obtain a bedboard or bunkbed guardrail for health or comfort from the House building manager or the manager of Freshman Dormitories. The student must sign a form agreeing to be charged the cost of replacing the bedboard or bunkbed guardrail if it is not returned by the end of the academic year.
2. Waterbeds are prohibited in College buildings.
3. Furnishings for the House and dormitory common areas may not be removed for students' personal use. Building managers will remove such furnishings from student rooms when found. Students will be assessed the cost of removing the articles, and the incident may be brought to the attention of the Administrative Board for appropriate disciplinary action.
4. Students who bring articles of personal property onto the premises of the University do so at their own risk. The University assumes no responsibility and shall not be liable for any articles, including mail or parcels sent to students, that are damaged, lost, stolen, or left behind after vacating. The University urges students to leave valuables at home or to obtain appropriate property insurance. The University recommends obtaining private insurance if your belongings are not covered by your family's homeowner's or renter's insurance policy. You may contact the Office of Risk Management for advice regarding insurance options available to Harvard students.
   
   Retrieval of personal property (jewelry, contact lenses, etc.) from sink, shower, toilet and bathroom drains is the financial responsibility of the student requesting retrieval. He or she will be term billed $50 for the cost of the plumber's time necessary to retrieve the object. This charge applies even if the plumber is unable to retrieve the lost item.
5. Students must maintain their personal furnishings in a decent state of repair, and remove them from the suite at the time of vacating. Any furnishings that might cause a fire hazard or injury to the cleaning staff must be removed on request.
6. Students may keep refrigerators in their rooms for personal use if the units meet the following specifications: dimensions not to exceed 36" high x 24" wide x 24" deep; weight not greater than 85 lbs. Building managers will have a list of some models meeting the guidelines.
7. It is the students' responsibility to supply their own telephone equipment, or to rent such at the time they apply for service. All suites are equipped with jacks that accommodate the modern plug-in (modular) cords.
8. Bicycle racks are provided for active use, not for long-term storage. Bicycles left on racks for extended periods of time, or which appear to be unusable may be removed from bike racks. Check with your building manager or Quad Bikes for availability of seasonal storage.

Security and Access

1. For the protection of students, their belongings, and University property, doors must be locked at all times.
2. Students will be asked to sign a receipt for the coded keys issued for their House or dormitory and, when applicable, their mailbox. Students are responsible for returning these keys, ordinarily in an envelope provided at the time they give up occupancy. Students must request replacements for lost keys from the building manager. Each replacement during the term costs $10. A $25 charge is assessed for each key not returned in the manner detailed above when a student vacates a room or suite.
3. When students lose their keys along with some form of identification, the lock to their suite will ordinarily be changed as soon as it is feasible to do so. An exception will be made in those cases where there is no possibility that the keys can be retrieved. Students will be charged a fee of $100 for the lock change. For those students residing in DeWolfe apartments, these charges will be assessed by Harvard Real Estate Services.
4. The University must have access to all student suites and the rooms within them. Therefore, students are forbidden to install locks or any other security device (e.g., slide bolts, drop chains, hook and eyes) to any doors of their suite.
5. Unauthorized or inappropriate possession of any key or passkey, reproduction of any key or passkey, or interference with locks or other security devices is prohibited and makes a student liable to disciplinary action by the Administrative Board and/or criminal prosecution.

Health and Safety

1. In accordance with College fire safety policy, cooking appliances are prohibited in any room or apartment not equipped with kitchen facilities. One exception to this rule is made for the product called Micro-Fridge, which can purchased from the manufacturer, Micro-Fridge, by calling 800-577-8041 or on line at www.collegerefrigerators.com/. Models MF-3, MHB-2.7 and MHB-4 are all permitted in student rooms. Students can also rent the MF-3 model through Harvard Student Agencies.
2. No student may keep an animal in a building owned or leased by the College.
3. Trash must be placed at all times in appropriate containers. Students are required to dispose of their trash according to the particular guidelines established for each residential building by the building manager and the Custodial Division.
4. No chemicals, solvents, grease, paint, or toxic or hazardous substances may be disposed of in the sink, toilet, or shower drains. Students must contact the House building manager regarding proper disposal of such items.
5. Students are not allowed on the roofs or any roofing surfaces of any building.
6. Students are not allowed on fire escapes except in the case of fire or other emergency.
7. Occupants of rooms must not place objects, including, but not limited to antennae, satellite dishes, or plants on outside walls, window sills, window frames, roofs, fire escapes, or ledges.
8. Students may use electrical devices, such as hairdryers and electric razors and wiring, only if they comply with the standards of the National Electrical Code, Underwriters Laboratories, and Massachusetts laws and regulations, and are not cooking appliances, as stated in item 1 above.
• No spliced cords are allowed.
• Extension cords and stereo speaker wiring must be in good condition and of adequate wire gauge.
• Extension cords and stereo speaker wiring must not be attached to wall or floor surfaces, run through doorways or partitions, or be covered by rugs.
• Appliances must not be connected to light sockets.
9. Refrigerators may not be installed in closets or bathrooms or covered with blankets or tablecloths. Cords for refrigerators must comply with item 8 above.
10. The House building manager may request inspection by Facilities Maintenance electricians of any electrical device brought to the College. Should Facilities Maintenance declare the device unsafe for any reason, it must be removed immediately from College housing.
11. The installation of air conditioners is forbidden without the written approval of the Accessible Education Office.
12. Students may use equipment for capturing direct broadcast satellite signals only if the installation of these devices does not cause damage to College-owned property and if the installation is performed in accordance with items 5, 6, and 7 above. External antennae, dishes, etc. are prohibited. Students with questions should consult the House building manager or the manager of Freshman Dormitories.
13. All halogen floor lamps are prohibited.

Students are urged to be thoroughly familiar with "Fire Safety Regulations, Instructions, and Procedures" on page 437.

Storage and Vacate Procedures

1. Bicycles may be stored in the Houses and dormitories only within guidelines established by each House building manager. In no case may a bicycle obstruct a corridor, stairway, or path of emergency exit.
2. Motorcycles or scooters are not allowed in any College building.
3. Students who take a leave of absence or are required to withdraw may not store any belongings with the University.
4. Graduating seniors must remove all personal belongings by the date established by the College administration. For seniors graduating in June this will ordinarily mean by 5 pm of the Friday following Commencement. Any belongings left after that time will be disposed of by the University.
5. Students living in the Houses or dormitories who are leaving in the spring and intending to return to residence in the fall may store belongings in designated areas during the summer in accordance with general guidelines issued by the College. The amount of storage space each student may use is limited to 12 cubic feet of boxed or packaged materials. Students are permitted to store furniture on a space-available basis. The College does not guarantee the availability of furniture storage. Storage will not necessarily be in the House or dormitory where the student resides. Students assume the risk for all items stored at the University. Since the University will not be responsible for any loss, theft or damage, students are strongly urged not to store items of significant value, important class notes, etc., or to insure them if they must leave them. Students are not permitted to store items that are banned from use in the Houses and dormitories such as halogen lamps, microwave ovens and any other cooking appliances. Per order of the City of Cambridge Fire Department, no items may be stored in basement hallways, stairwells or any other emergency egress route.
   Items left in any of these areas will be disposed of immediately. Students who live within 150 miles of the College will not be permitted to store their belongings.
6. There will be no access to stored belongings until the Houses officially open in the fall, with the single exception of students attending Harvard Summer School. Stored articles will be held until Study Card day (except in designated areas that must be cleared by Study Card day). Stored articles that are not removed by the appropriate date will be considered abandoned. The University will then donate the items to charity, sell them or use them for House purposes.
7. Students moving out of College housing must remove all personal belongings at the time of departure. Rented refrigerators must be returned to the rental agency before the student leaves. All trash must be removed. The cost of removing excess trash, disposing of abandoned furniture and belongings, and performing extraordinary cleaning of rooms after students' departure will be charged to departing occupants.