Guidelines for Community Living
2.05 Quiet Hours and Quiet Zones
2.06 Overnight Guests and Visitors
Students may use only UL approved surge protectors (no more than 2 surge protectors are permitted per room) that contain their own fuse to increase their number of outlets. Extension cords, six plug outlets, and any device you plug another device into must have a surge protector.
- Examples of permitted appliances:
- Computers, radios / stereos, televisions, VCR’s/DVD players, desk lamps, coffee makers, small refrigerators (must not exceed 3.8 cubic feet or 1.5 amps)
- Examples of appliances not permitted:
- Open element appliances and/or appliances that glow red - i.e. toasters, hot plates, broilers, space heaters, kerosene heaters, toaster ovens, electric grills (George Foreman type), electric fry pans/skillets)
Electrical Appliances in Apartments - In addition to appliances permitted above, residents of apartments may have kitchen appliances like George Foreman Grills and toaster/toaster ovens.
Solicitation for purchase of goods or services except by Valdosta State University students who have received prior written approval from the Vice President for Finance and Administration is prohibited. All fliers and publicity hung in the building must have the prior approval of the RHD. All campaigning and other activities sanctioned by VSU (i.e. SGA or RHA elections) where residents are approached door to door, via personal approach or distribution of materials, must be approved by the RHD.
Bicycles, motorcycles, scooters, segways, skates and skateboarding are not to be ridden or used in housing facilities. Bicycles should be secured to racks outside the facility and may be confiscated if found secured to any other objects. Running, participating in any form of rough housing or sports in hallways or public areas is prohibited.
Courtesy hours are in effect 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Courtesy hours are provided to encourage students to be considerate of other students’ individual needs beyond the established quiet hours. Students are expected to respect the right of others by refraining from the production from loud volumes of noise (i.e., stereos playing out the windows, excessive noise from within a suite/room, etc). Students are expected to comply with reasonable requests.
The university defines visitor and guest as students or non-students who are not assigned to the specific resident hall. This includes visitors of the same gender.
- Visitation is permitted 8am-12am Sunday through Thursday; 8am-4am Friday and Saturday.
- Paramount to the goals of a residential community is the right of the individual to privacy and the opportunity to sleep and study in one’s room. The right to privacy to a resident outweighs another’s right to visitor privileges. The hosting of a visitor must not interfere with the roommate’s use of the room. If the presence of a visitor is at any time an invasion of the roommates’ privacy, the visitor must leave.
- The right to privacy extends to the restroom facilities located on the hall. Men must use restrooms designated for males and women must use restrooms designated for females. Common area restrooms are located on the first floor of each building. Under NO circumstance are visitors to utilize the showering facilities of the opposite gender.
- Each person assigned to a room may sign-in two visitors at a time. All visitors must sign-in at the front desk.
- The visitor will be given a visitation pass for the specific room of the host. The visitor must keep this pass in their possession at all times and may not be removed from the building.
- The visitor must remain in the presence of her/his host while they are checked-in. It is a violation of the visitation policy for the visitor to be unescorted by their host at any time.
- Hosts are responsible for the actions of their visitors. It is the host’s responsibility to inform the visitor of residence hall and university policies.
We recognize students may wish to decorate their rooms and other areas of the residence halls for a variety of reasons including holiday celebrations. The following standards must be met to prevent fires or other safety hazards.
- When decorating public areas, consult with the Residence Hall Director to insure proper precautions have been taken
- Residents must remove all holiday decorations one week after the holiday or before each hall closing (whichever comes first)
- Strings of miniature lights, which produce less heat and consume less electricity than large bulbs, may be displayed around windows and doorways
- Exercise caution with window drapes and paper decorations near these lights
- Be sure that the lights do NOT touch any flammable objects or materials
- Do NOT leave lights plugged in and unattended
- Cords, lights, paper streamers, etc. may not cross doorways at any height or be placed under carpet
- Natural Christmas trees are Prohibited
- Alcohol containers are allowed in the residence halls for decorations only if the student is of legal age and if the containers are completely empty and filled with a solid substance (sand, etc). Alcohol containers for decorations cannot be displayed in public viewing.
Babysitting / childcare for any length of time is not permitted in the residence halls.
The full University alcohol policy is printed in the Student Handbook These are some additional considerations and regulations for the residence halls.
- Students of legal drinking age may consume alcohol in their rooms with the door closed.
- Of age (21 years or older) residents are responsible for serving alcohol only to other residents and guests who are also of age.
- Kegs, beer balls, and other large size containers of alcohol (larger than 40 oz.) --whether empty or full-- are prohibited in the residence halls.
- Large quantities of assorted and/or mixed alcohol are prohibited.
- No open or empty containers of alcohol are permitted anywhere on campus except in designated residence hall rooms. Open containers may not be transported to other rooms or apartments or be present in the stairwells or other public areas. An open container is defined as any container where the original seal has been broken. Alcohol poured into a container other than the original one is considered an open container as well.
- No student shall knowingly be present during the illegal use of alcohol.
2.05 Quiet Hours and Quiet Zones
Noise during quiet hours detailed below should be at a level that cannot be heard two doors down from your room.
Quiet Hours –During Quiet hours audible noise must not be heard from the room with the door closed. Converse Residence Hall is a 24-hour Quiet hour building; all other residence halls obey the following quiet hours:
- 10pm - 8am Sunday through Thursday evenings
- 12am – 10am Friday through Saturday evenings
Quiet Zones – The area surrounding the residence halls and apartments have been designated as quiet zones from 7pm until 10am daily. During this time period, students and guests are expected to respect the residence hall and apartment residents right to a quiet environment.
2.06 Overnight Guests and Visitors
Valdosta State University does not allow students of the opposite gender to reside together, even as visitors. Overnight guests must be a relative or personal friend. Residents may host their guest for a maximum of 10 nights per semester. Overnight guests are only allowed on Friday and Saturday nights (Sundays are allowable, if there is no classes in session on the following Monday). Overnight guests must be approved by the roommate and the hall director by the preceding Thursday @ 5pm. The hosting resident will be responsible for the conduct of the guest at all times. Overnight Guests are subject to all residence hall and/or University regulations. Reminder: Overnight guests must be the same gender as their host.
All emergency doors are alarmed and should never be propped open. Do not use emergency doors unless it is an emergency. Propping of fire doors (any door that separate portions of hallways, hallways from stairwells, or hallways from a lobby) is also prohibited.
No one is allowed to enter/exit the residence hall through a window.
Each building is equipped with fire alarms. They are there for your protection and should not be tampered with.
- According to University Code of Ethics, if a fire alarm goes off everyone MUST vacate the premises.
- All residents must clear the building and gather in their assembly area, located to maintain adequate space around the building for emergency vehicles.
- Do not re-enter the building until allowed to do so by a residence life staff member.
- Each semester, Housing & Residence Life staff and Environmental & Occupational Safety conduct at least one fire drill for each residence hall and apartment building. All persons in the building MUST participate in the drill and evacuate the building.
Burning of candles and incense are not permitted in residence halls or apartments due to the danger of fire. Residents may possess candles if the wick is cut off.
Fireworks, smoke bombs, sparklers and other flammable/combustible items are prohibited. In addition firearms, explosive devices and devices used to launch a projectile are not permitted in housing facilities.
Excessive extension cords may also be deemed as a fire hazard and are prohibited.
Smoking is strictly prohibited in the residence halls and within a 100 feet radius of the building.
Non-carnivorous fish are the only pets allowed in the facilities and only in aquariums that do not exceed 10 gallons. The only exception to the rule is service animals registered with the ACCESS office.
VSU provided each room and apartment with basic furnishings.
- No furniture or appliances should be removed from a room or apartment.
- Damage to room/apartment and furnishings beyond the limits of reasonable wear will be charged to the occupants of that room/apartment.
- A Physical Inventory (PI) will be provided to protect against improper charges to a student's account. It will be assumed that any damage to the room or room furnishings, which is not noted on the PI, will have occurred during occupancy.
- The cost of repairing and replacing damaged furniture, fixtures, room/apartment equipment, or other property will be assessed against the student responsible. If the person responsible cannot be determined, the cost of the damages will be divided among the room/apartment occupants.
- Residents may rearrange furniture that is not permanently affixed as long as damage does not occur.
- Water filled furniture is prohibited
Conducting, organizing, or participating in any activity involving games of chance or skill for money or other items of value is prohibited.
Window screens must not be unfastened or removed. Throwing or dropping items out of the window is prohibited.
Consumption and possession of alcohol by residents and guests who are under the age of 21 is strictly prohibited.
Any misuse or tampering with fire extinguishers, alarms, or equipment jeopardizes residents' safety and should be reported immediately to a staff member. Anyone found tampering with fire equipment will be subject to disciplinary actions. Fire equipment includes (but is not limited to) room and hallway smoke detectors, exit signs, fire alarms, breaker panels, and fire extinguishers, etc. Students are reminded that removing batteries from their smoke detectors is a violation. Report all problems with fire equipment to your RA.
- No student shall interfere with, or give false name to, or fail to cooperate with, any properly identified Housing and Residence Life personnel while these people are in the performance of their duties.
- No student shall deliberately fail to heed a disciplinary summons, oral or written.
- Failure to comply fully with a disciplinary sanction is prohibited.
Malicious or unauthorized intentional damage or destruction of property belonging to the University, or to a member of the University community, or to a visitor to the campus is prohibited. Unauthorized writing on or defacing of University property is prohibited.
Installing personal locks or chains on doors or windows or altering or tampering with existing locks is prohibited.
Students determined to be alleged violators of Student Code of Conduct may be referred to the Dean of Students Office to face appropriate disciplinary action.