Oakridge College Student Handbook

Overview

Residential life is part of the Oakridge College student experience.

Students who live in college housing are expected to respect roommates, guests, Residence Assistants, residence staff, shared spaces, quiet hours, safety rules, and college policy. Residence halls are living spaces, study spaces, and community spaces. Students are expected to help keep them safe, respectful, and usable for everyone.

The Details

College housing is a privilege and a responsibility.

Students living in residence spaces are part of a shared community. Their conduct affects roommates, neighbors, visitors, Residence Assistants, staff, and the wider campus.

Residential life rules apply to students who live in college housing and to students or guests visiting residence spaces.

Residence Hall Expectations

Students in residence halls are expected to:

• Treat roommates and neighbors with respect
• Follow residence hall rules
• Respect quiet hours
• Keep rooms and common spaces reasonably clean
• Use shared spaces properly
• Respect privacy
• Follow safety instructions
• Cooperate with Residence Assistants and residence staff
• Report serious problems
• Avoid conduct that disrupts the residence community

A student does not have to be close friends with everyone in the residence hall. They are still expected to behave respectfully.

Roommates

Students sharing a room or suite are expected to respect one another’s space, property, privacy, and need for rest.

Roommate expectations include:

• Keeping shared areas usable
• Communicating about guests
• Respecting sleep and study time
• Avoiding unnecessary noise
• Not using another person’s property without permission
• Not pressuring a roommate into unwanted social activity
• Not locking a roommate out without cause
• Reporting serious conflict when it cannot be resolved

Roommate conflict should be handled calmly when possible. If students cannot resolve the problem themselves, they should contact a Residence Assistant or Student Affairs.

Guests

Students may have guests only when allowed by residence rules.

Guests must follow Oakridge College policies and residence hall expectations.

A student may be responsible for the conduct of their guest.

Guests should not:

• Disrupt residents
• Violate quiet hours
• Enter restricted areas
• Damage property
• Harass or threaten others
• Stay beyond approved limits
• Enter private rooms without permission
• Refuse to leave when directed

A guest may be removed from residence spaces if their conduct creates a problem.

Quiet Hours

Residence halls must allow students to rest and study.

Quiet hours may be set by Residence Life, Student Affairs, or the specific residence hall.

During quiet hours, students should avoid:

• Loud music
• Shouting
• Unnecessary hallway noise
• Loud gatherings
• Disruptive guests
• Repeated door knocking or disturbance
• Activities that prevent others from sleeping or studying

Even outside quiet hours, students are expected to use reasonable judgment.

Common Spaces

Common spaces belong to the residence community.

Common spaces may include:

• Lounges
• Study rooms
• Kitchens
• Laundry areas
• Hallways
• Bathrooms
• Outdoor residence areas
• Shared storage areas

Students should keep common spaces clean, safe, and available for others.

Students should not damage furniture, leave messes for others, block access, misuse equipment, or use common spaces for private control over the residence community.

Room Access and Privacy

Students have a right to reasonable privacy in their assigned residence space.

Other students should not enter a room without permission.

Residence Assistants, residence staff, Campus Security, Student Affairs, or other college officials may enter a room when allowed by college procedure or when there is a serious concern.

Room access may be necessary for:

• Safety concerns
• Emergency response
• Maintenance
• Wellness checks
• Suspected serious policy violations
• Fire, smoke, flooding, or other hazards
• A person inside who may be in danger
• A person refusing to leave when directed

College officials should respect student privacy, but privacy does not override safety or college responsibility.

Residence Assistants

Residence Assistants help support residence life.

A Residence Assistant may:

• Answer residence questions
• Help with roommate concerns
• Support residence activities
• Enforce residence expectations
• Respond to minor conflicts
• Report serious concerns
• Contact Student Affairs or Campus Security when needed
• Help students find the right office or support

Residence Assistants are not counselors, police officers, or senior administrators. Their role is to support the residence community and help connect students to the proper authority.

Students are expected to follow reasonable instructions from Residence Assistants.

Residence Staff and Student Affairs

Residence staff and Student Affairs oversee residential life.

They may become involved when a concern is serious, repeated, unsafe, or beyond the authority of a Residence Assistant.

Student Affairs may review:

• Roommate disputes
• Repeated noise problems
• Guest violations
• Residence hall misconduct
• Safety concerns
• Harassment or intimidation
• Damage to residence property
• Alcohol or drug concerns
• Violations involving student groups
• Requests for room changes
• Conduct that affects the residence community

Safety in Residence Spaces

Students are expected to help keep residence spaces safe.

Students should not:

• Block exits
• Tamper with locks
• Tamper with alarms or safety equipment
• Leave fire hazards unattended
• Bring unauthorized weapons into residence spaces
• Create dangerous noise or crowding
• Let unauthorized people into secured areas
• Ignore fire, medical, or security instructions
• Interfere with emergency response

Students should report safety concerns immediately.

Fire and Emergency Procedures

In a fire alarm, evacuation order, lockdown, shelter-in-place order, or other emergency instruction, students must follow directions promptly.

Students should:

• Leave when evacuation is required
• Use stairs when evacuating
• Avoid elevators unless instructed
• Move away from danger
• Follow Campus Security or emergency instructions
• Stay quiet and alert during lockdowns
• Report missing, injured, or trapped people if known
• Not re-enter a building until cleared

Students should not treat alarms or emergency instructions as optional.

Alcohol and Drug Concerns

Students may not use residence spaces in a way that creates danger, disruption, or policy violations involving alcohol or drugs.

Substance-related conduct may become a residence issue when it causes:

• Noise disruption
• Harassment
• Unsafe behavior
• Damage to property
• Medical concern
• Threats or violence
• Guest problems
• Impairment that affects others
• Violation of college policy

Approved events, if any, must still follow college rules and residence expectations.

Harassment and Intimidation in Residence Spaces

Residence halls must be safe enough for students to live, rest, and study.

Students may not harass, threaten, intimidate, stalk, bully, or target others in residence spaces.

This includes:

• Repeated unwanted contact
• Threatening messages
• Hostile hallway behavior
• Cornering or blocking someone
• Targeted humiliation
• Retaliation
• Harassment through guests or friends
• Misuse of residence access
• Conduct that makes a student feel unsafe in their living space

Students should report these concerns to a Residence Assistant, Student Affairs, Campus Security, or another appropriate authority.

Property and Damage

Students are responsible for respecting residence property.

Students should not:

• Damage rooms
• Damage furniture
• Damage walls, doors, windows, or fixtures
• Remove college property
• Misuse keys or access tools
• Tamper with locks
• Leave shared equipment unusable
• Damage another student’s property

A student may be held responsible for damage they cause or allow.

Room Changes

A student who needs a room change should contact Residence Life, Student Affairs, or another appropriate college authority.

A room change may be considered when there is:

• Serious roommate conflict
• Safety concern
• Harassment concern
• Accessibility need
• Maintenance issue
• Residence placement concern
• Other good reason reviewed by the college

Students should not move rooms without approval.

Residence Events and Gatherings

Residence events and gatherings should follow college rules.

Students planning a residence event should consider:

• Noise
• Guests
• Safety
• Space limits
• Cleanup
• Quiet hours
• Resident comfort
• Approval requirements
• Whether the event needs staff or security support

A residence event may be stopped if it becomes disruptive, unsafe, too large, or violates college policy.

Reporting Residence Concerns

Students should report residence concerns to the right person or office.

A simple guide is:

• Roommate concern: Residence Assistant or Student Affairs
• Noise concern: Residence Assistant
• Guest concern: Residence Assistant or Student Affairs
• Safety concern: Campus Security or emergency services
• Maintenance concern: residence staff or Student Affairs
• Harassment concern: Residence Assistant, Student Affairs, or Campus Security
• Medical emergency: Campus Security or emergency services
• Serious conduct concern: Student Affairs or Campus Security

Students who are unsure where to go may begin with a Residence Assistant or Student Affairs.

Discipline in Residence Life

Residence life violations may lead to discipline.

Possible outcomes may include:

• Warning
• Required conversation with a Residence Assistant or Student Affairs
• Guest restriction
• Loss of residence privileges
• Room reassignment
• Removal from residence housing
• Referral to Campus Security
• Referral to disciplinary hearing
• Other action approved by the college

The response should fit the seriousness of the issue.

General Rule

Residence halls are shared living spaces.

Students are expected to respect roommates, neighbors, guests, staff, college property, safety rules, and the right of others to rest and study.

Residential life works best when students communicate early, act responsibly, and ask for help before small problems become serious.