Policies and Procedures

Roommates

Room Assignments

Room Changes

Room Reassignments and Consolidations

Private Rooms

Lock-out Policy/Procedure

What You Should and Shouldn't Have in Your Room

Checking In and Out of Your Room

Lofting beds (policy and guidelines)

Smoking Policy for 2005-2006 Academic Year

Albion College Student Handbook

Roommates
Students new to Albion College may request a specific roommate, or are assigned one based on similar study and sleeping habits, compatible lifestyles, and common interests. Roommates in the residence halls are assigned without regard to sexual orientation and of race, color, national origin, religion, age or disability

Returning students have the option of choosing their roommate for the upcoming year during the Spring semester Room Lottery, or have one assigned to them. Students may also change rooms during the school year, except the first two weeks of the semester.

We encourage roommates to communicate with one another to establish parameters regarding issues such as cleaning, sharing of belongings, and guests, etc. Every effort will be made to assure compatible living conditions. 

Any actions that jeopardizes the rights of a roommate or other students in the residential community to normal use of the assigned residence are unacceptable; the student responsible will be subject to possible disciplinary action. 
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Room Assignments
First year students are assigned rooms in Wesley or Seaton Hall, which allows for a wide variety of educational and recreational programming to occur through the Residential Life staff and First Year Experience Programs. New transfer students may be assigned to any residence hall on campus.

Most returning students choose their room during Room Lottery, which occurs in the spring semester. Exceptions include students who are returning from an off-campus program, students placed on wait lists, and those returning to the College after a Leave of Absence.

The student must reside in the room or apartment to which s/he has been assigned, and room changes may not be made without the approval of the Office of Residential Life. A $25 fine will be assessed to any student involved in an improper move, check-in or check-out.
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Room Changes
Students are encouraged to develop and exercise interpersonal skills to promote successful and enjoyable living experiences. The College provides support and resources through student and professional Residential Life staff to assist residents in resolving disputes between roommates or neighbors and to create positive residential communities. Room changes are possible, usually after less drastic options such as mediation are attempted, to help facilitate more compatible living situations or in the event that a conflict cannot be resolved and alternative space is available. There is a room change freeze during the first two weeks of the semester. To inquire about the room change process, please see your Residence Hall Director.
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Room Reassignments and Consolidations
The College and the Office of Residential Life reserve the right to reassign students to other College residence accommodations in cases of emergency, or in the event the College, at its sole discretion, determines such a reassignment to be in the best interest of both the College and the student or if necessary to best utilize residential facilities efficiently and economically. In such circumstances, consolidation of room spaces in both first year and upperclass areas may occur.

At the conclusion of the room selection process, all students without a roommate will be consolidated so that vacant rooms can be secured for wait list students. Should, through attrition, a student be left alone in a room over the summer months, December break, or up to six weeks into the semester, the student will be given the opportunity to find a roommate, be consolidated by their residence hall director, or be charged for a single room.

1. Consolidations will not occur from building to building, but may occur floor to floor within a residence hall.
2. When consolidating students, the Office of Residential Life will reassign space based upon smoking/non-smoking preference.

Any student's attempt to block, discourage or add undue pressure to a roommate specifically assigned to a given space may result in judicial action, including removal from his/her current room assignment.

The person wishing to make a room change must contact his/her residence hall director and follow through with all room change paperwork and procedures properly. Students may not move or switch keys on their own initiative without prior approval by the Office of Residential Life. Failure to follow through with proper room change procedures may result in judicial action and a $25.00 fine for improper checkout.
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Private Rooms
A limited number of rooms have been designated as single occupancy and provided with a single set of furnishings. These rooms are available to students during the spring room selection process. Students are pre-approved to private rooms on the basis of need (medical and other case by case considerations), actual selection of room is based on lottery number. If space is available, the remaining private rooms are assigned by lottery number. There is an additional cost by semester for private rooms. An application is required. An applicant must be in good social standing to be considered. Applications for students who do not receive a private room during the spring room selection process will be held for one semester, should the opportunity for a private room be made available the student will be contacted. There is an additional charge for private rooms.
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What You Shouldn't Have in Your Room

• For health and safety of the students living in Albion College Housing, certain items are not permitted:
• firearms, firecrackers, incendiary devices and dangerous weapons
• bows and arrows, BB guns and martial arts weapons
• double-stick poster tape
• candles/open flame devices, including incense
• excessive dirt/garbage etc.
• extension cords
• pets (fish are permitted)
• flammable liquids
• internal combustion engines
• air conditioners
• college furniture not assigned to student rooms
• fire safety equipment belonging to the College
• unapproved lofts
• waterbeds
• Cinder/Cement blocks to raise bed or other furniture heights

Prohibited electrical appliances

• sunlamps
• halogen lamps
• hot plates
• toaster ovens
• space heaters
• microwaves exceeding 600 watts
• non-UL-approved appliances
• refrigerators exceeding 3.5 cubic feet

• Insurance Information Card

• Copy of Birth Certificate

• Social Security Card

• Driver's License

• Medical Information

Room Necessities

• backpack/totebag 

• fan

• wastebasket 

• alarm clock

• throw rug/carpet 

• desk supplies

• kitchen supplies 

• dish soap/towel

• lamp (NO HALOGEN LAMPS)

• power strip with circuit breaker

Laundry Supplies

• iron 

• basket/bag

• detergent 

• dryer sheets

• quarters - $1.00/wash and $1.00/dry

Personal Care Items

• shower bucket

• shower shoes

• hair care products 

• toothbrush and toothpaste 

• medication

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Checking In and Out of Your Room

Checking in:
When first arriving on campus, each student goes to a designated location (usually indicated in an assignment letter, or via a phone call if the assignment occurs too late for a letter to be received) to check into their room. When checking in, each student is required to complete an emergency information form, which asks for health conditions and a contact person. This form is confidential and is only used in the event of an emergency.

After the emergency form has been completed, the student is given keys and asked to complete a Room Condition Inventory form, which will be in their room when they move in. The student and his or her roommate are required to examine their room and record the condition of the furniture, fixtures, and walls; this form must be completed as soon as possible and returned to their Residence Hall Director.

Checking out:
At the end of the school year, or when moving to another room, the student must schedule a time with their Residence Hall Director (RD) or Resident Advisor (RA) to officially check out of their room. At this time, the Room Condition Inventory form is compared to the present condition. If any items in the room have been damaged, the student will be held financially responsible for the necessary repairs. The RD or RA will complete a checkout form and ask for the keys that were given to the student during check-in. After the keys have been turned in and the checkout form signed by the resident, the student is officially checked out of her/his room. Final room and building damage assessments occur after the residence halls have officially closed at the end of the semester.
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