Residence Facilities
Computer and Cable TV Hookup
Computer network access is available in all residence halls. Each room has one data port per bed. This system provides residents with direct access to the campus intranet, as well as Internet services. Cable TV is also available in each room, with one port per room. Students with cable-ready televisions will be able to receive more than 30 channels including local broadcast stations and most popular cable stations.

Televisions and stereos are permitted in the residence halls only so long as their use does not interfere with the rights of others. Unauthorized use of the cable signal through tampering with the equipment constitutes theft of service, deprives others of good reception, and is not permitted.

Consolidation Policy
Washington & Jefferson College is a residential college, and guarantees/requires housing for all full-time students. Therefore, the Office of Residence Life must efficiently and effectively utilize all available spaces in its college-owned housing. To accommodate the needs of all students, the Office of Residence Life reserves the right to utilize the following consolidation policy, as needed.

At the beginning of the fall/spring academic semesters, at semester break, and in emergency situations, the Office of Residence Life reserves the right to consolidate students residing alone in multiple occupancy rooms. This means that a student, upon notification, will need to vacate her/his room and move into another space on campus. This is an effort to use each room to its capacity. This policy is an effort to accommodate as many roommate requests as possible. By combining students who are without roommates, we make spaces for students who have specific housing requests. While the Office of Residence Life understands that this may cause an inconvenience, we will work with all students to make the transition as smooth as possible. 

It is the sincere intention of the Office of Residence Life to notify any remaining roommate of another person moving into a vacancy. However, under some circumstances (such as emergency moves or late admits) this notification may not be possible. The College also reserves the right to use any vacant space as temporary housing for other Washington & Jefferson College students during break periods.

Damages
All residents are responsible for damages that may occur in their rooms with the costs to be shared equally between roommates. Students will be assessed for damages for rooms left in excessively dirty condition at the conclusion of the year. This policy also applies to damages in the residence halls, with costs being shared equally among the residents.

Learning to live with others and developing a sense of ownership within your community improves student life and helps the College community to maintain the facilities.  One unfortunate but real aspect of community living involves damages that may occur throughout the year.  The Office of Residence Life will be charging fines for those damages that occur in an individual’s room and/or common areas as of August 2007 instead of the damage charges that have occurred at the end of a semester

When a certain student is personally responsible for damage, the fines will be billed directly to them.  Common Area Damages are broken down by floor, suite and/or wing.  For example, damage that occurs on a particular floor is billed to the residents on that floor unless a specific student (s) are identified as responsible for the damage.

When damage occurs and is found/reported, the residents of the area involved have five (5) days to report the individual (s) responsible.  Signs will be posted asking for any information about the damage.  After five (5) days if no one has been specifically reported, all the residents of the floor/hall/wing will be fined. A letter will be sent to those students who have been fined and added to the student’s account in the Business Office.  Should a specific damage happen again and again in a certain area/floor/hall/wing, the fines will double for each time the damage occurs.

Health and Safety Inspections
The professional and/or paraprofessional staff members will conduct health and safety inspections of all student rooms monthly. All violations of College policies will be noted and students will be given 24 hours to remedy the violations. A follow-up inspection will occur within 24-36 hours of the initial inspection if violations are found. Failure to comply with the requests of the residence life staff will result in disciplinary action. (See section on College Policies.)

Laundry Room
The College maintains three large laundry rooms on campus. One facility is located on the ground floor of Beau Hall, one facility is located on the ground floor of the New Residence Hall, and the third is located on the north end (loading dock area) of The Commons. Washers and dryers are available in all laundry rooms and there is no cost to W&J residents. Additional washers and dryers are located in the Greek houses and in the non-traditional students houses (Whitworth, Wade, Penn).

For notification of damage to the laundry area, please contact the Office of Residence Life at 724-229-5120 during normal business hours.

Laundry Room Facility Hours
Daily: 9:00 a.m.-11:00 p.m.

Maintenance
The College provides housekeeping services for the public areas of each facility including student bathrooms in certain buildings. Students are expected to maintain their rooms in a clean and orderly manner.

Upon occupancy and prior to checking out of a room, students, with the assistance of a Residence Life staff member, are asked to conduct a thorough room inspection to note current conditions and complete a Room Condition Report. The public areas of the residence halls are the collective responsibility of the residents of the buildings. Charges for damages and for fines in the residence areas may be divided among all residents of a building or floor.  This is called Community Damage.

The right to inspect or repair rooms at times convenient to its staff or authorized agents is unconditionally reserved by the College.

Room Assignments
The Office of Residence Life makes room and roommate assignments for incoming
first-year and transfer students based upon returned housing preference forms and available space. Upperclass residents choose their roommates and assignments through the housing selection process conducted each spring semester. Students living in Greek houses conduct their own housing selection process.

Room Changes
Part of W&J College’s educational mission is to assist students in developing the skills necessary to maintain harmonious and healthy relationships with others. Students experiencing difficulties with their roommate or room assignment have the responsibility to first work toward reaching a resolution to the conflict. All RAs and CAs are trained to assist students in working out these problems. Any student seeking a room change should pick up a room change request form from the Office of Residence Life. This form must be completed in its entirety before a room change may be granted.

A room change period will take place during late September. Students may request room changes for any reason during this time. A room freeze will be in place the weeks prior to and after this room change period. Situations that arise during the room freeze will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Room Furnishings
The College shall furnish all rooms with beds, mattresses, desks, chairs, and closets or wardrobes for the residents’ use. Students are responsible for maintaining the room condition including furniture and fixtures. In order to maintain living quarters in good condition for future students, the following restrictions must be observed:

• Furniture must remain in the room and mattresses or box springs should not be placed directly on the floor.

• Tacks, screws, nails, staples, or adhesives such as masking tape, scotch tape, or glue should not be used on the walls, furniture or floors.

• The use of concrete blocks or bricks on or under furniture, or stacking of furniture, causes unusual wear and tear and is prohibited.

• The painting or paneling of a student’s room is not permitted unless authorized by the Director of Residence Life or the Dean of Students.

• Wall partitions, paneling, waterbeds and lofts are not provided by the College, are considered a hazard violating insurance regulations and are prohibited.

• Any other furniture must receive clearance from the Director of Residence Life in writing before it can be moved into the residence facility.

Students are responsible for keeping their rooms orderly. Rooms may only be arranged in ways that allow for proper safety and cleaning; extra furnishings that compromise these conditions are subject to removal at the owner’s expense.

Telephone Service
Local telephone service is provided in each individual room. All resident students are connected to the College telephone system and may take full advantage of the many features offered. Once a student has acquired telephone service, maintenance requests should be reported to the responsible residence area coordinator.

Vacation/Break Storage
Resident students may leave personal belongings in their rooms during the vacation periods of fall break, Thanksgiving, winter, and spring break. The College does not assume responsibility for personal items at any time. During summer break, students are expected to take their personal belongings home since residence hall storage facilities are extremely limited and possessions may not be left in students’ rooms. Students are responsible for making storage arrangements off-campus for their belongings during the summer months. Any non-College items found in a student’s room will be discarded.

Fraternities and sororities should remove all valuables from their houses, including Chapter Room furniture. The College does not accept responsibility for items left in Greek houses during summer months.

The College is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged property stored on campus.