Residence Life
Community Life
This page contains the following information pertaining to the Residence Halls:
II. Policies, Responsibilities and Expectations
III. Quiet Hours
Courtesy Hours
Finals Week Quiet Hours
Quiet Floors: Times and Expectations
Music Practice
Environment Maintenance
V. Policy on Alcohol and Illicit Drugs
VI. Smoking in the Residence Halls
IX. Use of Residence Hall Lounges and Recreation Rooms
The quality and nature of residential living at St. Olaf is recognized as an intrinsic part of the college experience. Community living that is conducive to healthy social interaction, recreation, and educational/cultural opportunities will greatly enhance the unique college experience St. Olaf offers.
College Staff
The residence life staff is given the responsibility to assist residents in establishing respectful, cooperative communities. Through a variety of activities and services, they work toward developing a community atmosphere that is conducive to study and socializing.
At times they also are called upon to enforce college policies and regulations. The cooperation of all residents and guests is expected when college staff are carrying out this responsibility. Non-cooperation with residence life staff, public safety officers, hall receptionists, or other members of the college staff acting in the course of their duties will result in disciplinary action through the dean of students office.
Policies, Responsibilities and Expectations
Sharing a room and living in close quarters with other students on a residence hall floor require compromise and consideration 24 hours a day. It is blatantly unfair for one roommate to monopolize the room, regardless of the overt acceptance of this arrangement by the other roommate(s). Roommates and corridormates must develop a clear understanding which assures fairness and consideration.
When situations arise that cause disturbance in community living, such as disrespect for others, noise or abuse of physical surroundings, students are encouraged to work together as a corridor, floor, hall or house to achieve a healthy balance in their shared living environment.
If interpersonal frictions arise which are not amenable to a workable solution, advice and counsel should be sought from the community assistants, junior counselors, resident assistants, student hall coordinators, area coordinators or the residence life office. When appropriate, referrals will be made for judicial action.
Quiet Hours
Quiet hours are set at the following times:
Sunday-Thursday: 11 p.m.-9 a.m.
Friday-Saturday: 12 midnight-9 a.m.
The Hall Council of each residence hall has the authority to designate additional quiet hours within this time frame.
Times not designated specifically as quiet hours are considered courtesy hours, and residents are expected to act in a manner that demonstrates respect for the rights of others not to be disturbed by excessive noise.
Quiet hours shall be characterized by the following conditions:
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- Whenever sound is being generated within a room, whether by stereo, television, conversation or other means or devices, the door to that room shall be closed.
- Any sound being generated from within a room shall be held down to such levels that, with the room door closed, sound may not be heard by fellow residents in their rooms with their room doors closed; nor shall that sound reach such levels as to be a nuisance to occupants of adjoining rooms.
- Creation of noise disturbances in the corridors, bathrooms, lounges and other public areas (i.e., loud conversations, yelling, slamming doors, rowdy behavior) is unacceptable.
Courtesy Hours
All times not designated as quiet hours shall be considered courtesy hours. Behavioral expectations for courtesy hours are not as meticulously defined as those for quiet hours.
However, during courtesy hours, residents engaging in normal day-to-day behavior are still expected to act in a manner which demonstrates respect for the rights of others to study and sleep in their rooms.Finals Week Quiet Hours
During final examination week of each semester and/or period of time just prior to the beginning of finals week, quiet hours will be implemented on a 24-hour-per-day basis. An optional 23-hour-per-day basis with a specified relaxed hour set by the hall council and approved by the area coordinator may be established instead. Courtesy hours are still in effect during this relaxed hour.
The time of implementation of these hours shall be determined by the hall council for the residence hall, with the understanding that they must be implemented by the first day of final examinations.Quiet Floors: Times and Expectations
A few floors have been designated as quiet floors to meet the needs of students who choose to live in an environment that assures more quiet than might be found on the average residence hall floor. Students who sign up to live on these particular floors agree to abide by the following terms and conditions.
Minimum quiet hours for a quiet floor will begin at 10 p.m. and end at 9 a.m. each day. Residents may vote for additional quiet hours if they wish. If residents would prefer additional quiet hours, 75 percent of the floor residents must vote in favor of such changes before they can be implemented.
A resident who is warned more than once about his/her behavior must meet with the area coordinator to discuss his/her status as a resident of a quiet floor.Music Practice
Students wishing to practice with musical instruments are encouraged to use designated music practice rooms in the residence halls, classroom buildings or in the Lion’s Pause. Those practicing in their rooms or public areas of residence halls are subject to guidelines specified as quiet and courtesy hours.
The use of amplifiers for music practice is not permitted in residence halls. Bands wishing to practice are encouraged to contact the Lion?s Pause to schedule practice time.Environment Maintenance
The maintenance of an appropriate living environment is the responsibility of all residents living on a quiet floor. While hall staff will intervene when they become aware of problems, the majority of the responsibility for maintaining the environment rests with the residents.
Residents are expected not only to govern their own behavior, but also to share the responsibility of confronting noise problems caused by others.Intervisitation
Men are not allowed on women’s floors and women are not allowed on men’s floors during the following times:
Sunday-Thursday: 1-9 a.m.
FridaySaturday: 2-9 a.m.
Intervisitation is allowed during all other hours of the day.
Residence halls and honor houses may determine intervisitation hours that are more restrictive than the maximum permitted
The main lounge of each residence hall is open to residents of that hall and to their guests at times other than the intervisitation hours. Floor lounges, study rooms and computer lounges are subject to the discretion of the residence hall council and approved by the area coordinator.
All bathrooms are designated as single sex. Residence hall staff members are responsible for communications to all residents in their building regarding intervisitation policies, procedures and implementation. Students are responsible for asserting their rights and for respecting the rights of others.
All residents, including residential life staff, are expected to confront residents whose actions are in conflict with the intervisitation policy and infringe upon the right to a healthy community.
Infringements may be referred for judicial action or to the dean of students office. Area coordinators may refer violations to the dean of students office. Both the resident and guest are accountable if an infringement of the intervisitation policy occurs.
The residence life office is in charge of the supervision of residential life and has an obligation to insure that the rights of all students are considered within the intervisitation policy.Policy on Alcohol and Illicit Drugs
Alcohol and illicit drugs are not permitted in the residence halls. For more details, view the alcohol policy under General Information, Policies and Procedures. - Smoking in Residence Halls
In an effort to create a more smoke-free environment on campus, not only for the benefit of those who work here, but also for the benefit of students and visitors, the policy of the college is that there will be no smoking in any building on campus.Hall Sports
Sports and physical games are not allowed in the residence halls; this includes common areas and individual student rooms. Balls, pucks, bats, and other sporting equipment may do serious damage to walls, ceilingc and floors as well as cause a noise disruption to other students. People who need to walk down the hall should not worry about getting hit or hurt while walking in a public space. Any damge that occurs will be charges to the resident(s) responsible.Common Area Posting
Because St. Olaf is a safe space for all students, any material that can be deemed offensive, demeaning, or derogatory to others may not be posted in common areas. These areas include: the front of any room doors, on the hallway or spaces around it, as well as restrooms. If such material is posted, The Area Coordinator may ask to have it removed. If it is not removed, other disciplinary actions may result. - Advertising in Residence Halls
Guidelines have been established concerning the posting and distribution of advertising materials in the residence halls. All groups and individuals wishing to publicize in the residence halls must drop off publicity in the residence life offices.Use of Residence Hall Lounges and Recreation Rooms
The following guidelines have been established to provide appropriate meeting spaces, while also assuring that hall residents have optimum use of their building’s facilities: -
- The residents of a residence hall will have priority when scheduling hall or corridor functions in their own lounge or recreation room.
- The scheduling of events in residence hall lounges and/or recreation rooms is handled by the individual area coordinator or his/her designee.
- Persons or organizations must make separate requests for the facility for each event.
- It should be understood that the area coordinator is not obligated to grant space if it is felt that the request may infringe upon the space needs of the residents.
- Each group or organization using a residence hall facility is expected to cooperate with the area coordinator of that particular hall and will be responsible for the satisfactory clean-up of that facility immediately following the function.
- Groups or organizations that abuse the privilege of using residence hall facilities may be denied permission to use such facilities in the future. Furthermore, persons who have not followed proper channels may be asked to leave.
- Groups and/or organizations using residence hall facilities must vacate these facilities by 12 midnight on week nights (Sunday-Thursday) and must comply with quiet/courtesy hours.
- Both residence hall lounges and recreation rooms will not be scheduled for the same time in any one residence hall. This is to assure residents of each building the use of one or the other of these facilities at all times.
- Political speakers in lounges are allowed only by invitation of the Residence Hall Council.
Political Campaigning
Political candidates and members from political parties and organizations are allowed to campaign in the residence halls and may knock on individual student rooms as long as they adhere to the following conditions:- May only be in the hall between 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Must be escorted at all times by a resident of that residence hall
- Will not knock on room doors that display a “No political solicitation” sign.
People not adhering to the conditions above will be escorted from the building by residence life staff or public safety and will be trespassed from campaigning in the residence halls.
Lounges in Ytterboe Hall
The lounges connected to the student rooms in Ytterboe Hall are public lounges. Consequently, although the lounge doors may be locked, custodians, residence life staff members, physical plant personnel, etc., will have access to these areas.
Furniture in the lounge areas of the pods may not be moved to student rooms or other areas of the hall.