Community Living: Respecting Others

Rights and Responsibilities
As a member of the Gettysburg College community, you are expected to abide by our policies and procedures. These policies are set as a way to protect the safety and security of our entire community. As a community of scholars, we expect that you will be an active participant in our community and will abide by these rights and responsibilities:

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to be respected as an individual;
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to act respectfully toward members of the college community, which means NOT participating in behaviors that are harassing, intimidating, demeaning, violent, abusive or without consent. 

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to a safe and secure residential space; 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to keep your room door and the building's exterior doors locked, not tamper with or prop doors open, and not admit people that you do not know into the hall. 

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to public space that is safe, clean, comfortable, and welcoming.  Public space includes lounges, hallways, seminar rooms and community bathrooms.  Students are responsible for their own bedrooms, apartment common areas and private bathrooms; 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to maintain public space so that other members of the community find it to be safe, clean, comfortable, furnished and welcoming. 

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to a reasonably peaceful and quiet space in which you can sleep and study; 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to observe quiet hours, keep your music and voice at a reasonable volume and to remind others that you expect the same of them. 

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to privacy and the proportionate use of your room both in terms of space and time, and the right to be free of unwanted guests in your room; 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to let your roommate know your wishes and preferences for hours of sleep, study and visitation, and to work through any differences in a peaceful manner within the guidelines established in the Residence Life Guidebook.  

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to confront others'behavior that infringes on your rights; 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to examine your own behavior when confronted by others and work toward resolving conflicts. 

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to offer your opinions and suggestions and to participate in dialogue about community issues; 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to participate in dialogue that impacts the health of the community, and to offer your opinions and suggestions in a way that is respectful to the rights of others.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to the assistance of your RA, RC, CL or other College staff; 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to notify a staff person of your problem/concern in a timely manner and cooperate with them as they assist you. 

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to choose your means of recreation and relaxation; 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to follow the rules and regulations established to support the educational mission of Gettysburg College and to know and abide by the Gettysburg Code of Conduct and the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania including those which pertain to alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to know what behavior is acceptable and unacceptable in residence hall communities; 
YOU HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to read the information provided to you by Gettysburg College including the Handbook of Student Rights and Responsibilities, the Guidebook for Residents, the Safety and Security regulations, and other information provided by the College staff to all students.

Sustainability in the Residence Halls
The Gettysburg College community is committed to a greener future and to do that we can all take simple steps especially where we live.  There are some simple things you can do to be a responsible and sustainable community member.

• Recycling and trash: Separate your trash and recyclables. There are two bins in your room and spaces for trash and recyclables are clearly marked in your residence hall. Do not leave trash in the hallways. Reduce your waste by using sustainable items, such as Nalgene bottles, travel coffee mugs and canvas bags when you go to the grocery store.
• Water usage: Limit your shower time and don't leave the water running while brushing your teeth.
• Electricity: During some hours of the day and during quiet hours, certain lights are off to conserve electricity. In your room, turn off lights and other electronic devices when you aren't there. No need to leave your light on when you're in class! Turn your computer off at night too.
• Driving: We live on a residential campus, so walk or ride a bike to class or to run errands in town. Try to only drive your car when necessary; you get some exercise and you aren't wasting gas.

For more information about Gettysburg College's commitment to sustainability, please visit http://www.gettysburg.edu/about/sustainability/

R.I.S.E. 
Gettysburg College offers Substance Free housing through the RISE program (Respecting Individual Students Expectations about alcohol).  Students who participate in this program make a commitment to a substance-free lifestyle-no alcohol consumption and no smoking.  Upperclass students are eligible to live in the RISE theme house and are required to meet all rules and bylaws of the community.  Students have an opportunity to apply to live in the RISE theme house in February of each year.   

Although first-year students are not of legal drinking age, we recognize that students lead independent lives and some choose to use alcohol regardless of the law.  We also realize that alcohol may impact the quality of the roommate experience. First year RISE students are assigned to be roommates with other members of the RISE program and each student will have an opportunity to participate in activities with other FY RISE members.   RISE members who do not abide by their substance free commitment are subject to relocation in addition to sanctions through the campus judicial system. 

For further information, please contact Nikki Batt (nbatt@gettysburg.edu), Area Coordinator for Residence Life and RISE Program Coordinator.

Quiet Hours/Noise
Residence Hall communities are intended to provide an environment that is conducive to studying and sleeping. In order to maintain an acceptable noise level, staff and students are expected to be respectful of others and should confront noise problems when they occur.

Courtesy Hours
Sunday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 12 midnight

During Courtesy Hours students should be especially respectful of others in the hall. If you are trying to study or sleep you may ask people to be quiet. If you are asked to turn down your stereo or quiet down, you are expected to comply.

Quiet Hours
Sunday to Thursday from 10:00 p.m. - 8:00 a.m.
Friday and Saturday from 12 midnight - 8:00 a.m.

During Quiet Hours all noise should be contained inside a student room (i.e. stereo/TV/conversation) with the door closed. Noise in the hallways, stairwells, and lounges should be kept to a bare minimum. Students are encouraged to talk with noise violators before requesting the assistance of a staff member. Students violating quiet hours may be given a warning and further violations may lead to disciplinary action and/or fines.

As members of the Gettysburg College community, residents of fraternities and residence halls are expected to adhere to the Borough noise policies by refraining from the production of loud volumes of noise (i.e., stereos playing out windows, etc.) All audible noise outside the halls must cease by 10:00 p.m. during the week and 12 midnight on weekends. Violators may be subject to College disciplinary action as well as Borough fines.

Visitation Policies
Gettysburg College does not allow students of the opposite gender to live together in the same room, suite, or apartment. Students are obligated to abide by the College Guest policy (below) for any area, in which they reside or are visiting.

Gettysburg College offers a variety of options in living environments. Students can choose from several residence hall types, either all-female or co-ed, varying in occupancy from 4 to 223 residents. Unless otherwise determined based upon a consensus of its residents or at the discretion of the Office of Residence Life, the visitation policy for each residence is considered to be "open."

Guests
College housing is provided for the exclusive use of Gettysburg College Students as assigned by the Office of Residence Life. Visitors may be allowed to use residence facilities within the following guidelines:

• In order for a student to host a guest in the room, the student MUST ask all other roommates for permission to host a guest. Students are not able to host a guest unless all other roommates agree to this condition. 
• Visitors are permitted for only three consecutive days. No student is authorized to permit extended use of college housing facilities (including rooms) to any visitor, either student or non-student, when such use, because of its duration or frequency, constitutes a de facto sub-contracting of College facilities to an unauthorized person. 
• No student is authorized to permit use of college housing facilities (including rooms) for any visitor, either student or non-student, when such use becomes a source of complaint to the roommate(s), members of the floor/residence hall, or College staff. 
• The host student has complete responsibility for all visitors. Students accused of violating this policy may be subject to disciplinary action and termination of their housing license agreement without refund. If visitors violate College policy, the host student will be held responsible and is subject to disciplinary action. The visitor, either student or non student, will be removed from College housing and may be prohibited from returning to the college campus.  
• Guests must register their vehicle at the Department of Public Safety

Pet Policy
With the exception of Seeing Eye dogs and animals expressly approved for the educational purposes of the College, the presence of animals in buildings is prohibited. Gettysburg College does not allow pets in residence halls, even as guests of family/friends. We do not believe the environment is conducive to appropriate pet ownership. As such, we do not approve pets for students living in Residence Life controlled properties. If we discover a pet in a student's room/apartment, the student(s) will be fined $250 and given one week to remove the pet from campus. If the pet remains in the room after one week, the students will be fined an additional $250 per week until the pet is removed and could face additional disciplinary penalties. Dogs and other animals are permitted on campus roads, walks and grounds, as they are in the local community, when they are on a leash and controlled by the owner. It is the owner's responsibility to clean up after the animal. All pets must be tagged, registered, and vaccinated in accordance with Pennsylvania State Law.

Roommate Conflicts
Sharing a living space with another person can be challenging. Students must learn to communicate their needs to each other and agree to established rules as a way to manage their environment. Students should have conversations about use of TV/Radio, hours for guests, and expectations for the shared spaces in each room/apartment (especially bathrooms and kitchens). Your RC, RA, and/or CL has access to roommate contracts and we encourage students to complete contracts as a way to manage your relationship.

Roommates having difficulties are encouraged to speak first with their roommate, then with their RC, RA, CL or a Professional Residence Life Staff member; these individuals will offer suggestions to help with your situation.

Room or Hall Changes
The Office of Residence Life strongly encourages students to sit down with their roommates early in the year to discuss issues important to living together. Students with specific conflicts are encouraged to seek counsel of their RC, RA or CL. If a mutually satisfactory solution to the conflict is not reached, students may request a meeting with their respective Professional Residence Life staff member. Students are reminded that all room changes must be officially requested in this manner. Room changes can take place anytime after the first two weeks of the semester and up until the last two weeks before final exams. Exceptions to this procedure may be granted only by the Office of Residence Life. Unofficial room changes may be subject to fines and/or disciplinary action.

How to Change Your Room:

• Contact your RC, RA or CL to discuss a room change-a referral to a Professional Residence Life Staff Member may occur.
• Prior to any room changes, official paperwork and key exchanges must be completed with the Housing Supervisor in the Office of Residence Life. (Failure to complete necessary paperwork may result in fines and/or disciplinary action.)
• When searching for a new space, the person wishing to move is encouraged to have an informal meeting with the prospective roommate prior to moving into the space.
• Students may only receive their new key and facilitate corresponding changes to their voicemail by going through the official room change request process.

Room Vacancies
For information about room vacancies, please refer to the Residence Life Vacancy Policy.