Throughout its history, Emory & Henry College has been a residential campus, and the College has sought to make residence hall life an essential part of the total educational experience. Today, over 80 percent of all Emory & Henry College students live on campus. The College has professional and student staff members who work to provide a positive living experience in the residence halls. Also, the College has developed residence hall policies and regulations aimed at ensuring the health, safety, and comfort of all residents. All policies and regulations are listed in the following section.
The essential quality of life in the halls depends upon the residents themselves. Residents must join together in a community that supports the rights and responsibilities of each member. The Residence Life staff strives to provide students with a residential environment where they feel safe and comfortable, and where they can learn. Everyone plays a role in fostering such an environment. Each semester, staff members offer hall programs for residents to help build this environment. Please take the time to read this section, as it will answer many questions, stating policies all students are responsible for adhering to and knowing. Please also refer to the Community Living Guide and Housing Agreement for additional information pertinent to residence life. Resident Advisors and the other members of the Residence Life team may also serve as valuable resources to assist you.
Residence Life Staff
Supervision of the residence halls at Emory & Henry is the responsibility of the Office of Housing & Residence Life. This office is located in the McPherson Center. Staff members include Director of Housing & Residence Life, three Area Coordinators, and the Housing Operations Coordinator. These full-time staff members are supported by student members of the housing staff. A Resident Advisor is located on each floor or every wing of large residence halls. Resident Advisors (RAs) are student staff members who are available to answer questions or help students with problems, or refer them to others at the College who might be of assistance. Head Resident Advisors (HRAs) assist with the supervision of RAs.
Housing Assignments
New Students. Every prospective student who has been admitted to Emory & Henry will receive and be required to complete an application for housing with their acceptance letter. Upon receipt of the admissions deposit and the completed housing application, the student is confirmed for a space in a residence hall (not for a specific room or roommate). Students who complete this step should receive notification of a room assignment and roommate by mid-July. A housing agreement must be signed or submitted electronically to the Office of Housing Residence Life by the established deadline. The Housing & Residence Life staff makes room assignments with consideration given to information each student provides on the housing application. Information on the application is especially helpful as the staff tries to match up individuals who are compatible in terms of study and personal habits, academic pursuits, as well as co-curricular interests and activities.
Returning Students. In order to be eligible for Room Selection each spring semester, students must complete a Housing Agreement and submit that agreement prior to Room Selection. Upper-class students may express preferences on housing assignments, with highest priority given to students with approved housing accommodations through the Office of Disability Support Services and then by seniority through a lottery system. Room assignments are conducted for returning students in the spring through the annual Room Selection Process.
General Rules. Efforts are made to respond to each student’s preference for a particular room or hall. Roommate requests are given consideration whenever possible. The College reserves the right to change or cancel an assignment in the interest of order, health, discipline, or if the particular space requested by the student is already reserved. Emory & Henry has a policy of total integration of all facilities and programs; race, creed, sexual orientation or national origin is not considered in making housing assignments. If, during the academic year, a student wishes to change rooms or roommates, the student must secure advance approval from the Office of Housing & Residence Life. Failure to do so may result in being referred to student conduct. The College reserves the right to consolidate rooms after the first two weeks into each semester. Housing rates vary according to residence halls and living arrangements.
Housing Agreement
Emory & Henry College is a four year residential campus. All students are required to live on-campus unless they meet the criteria to be eligible to live off-campus. See criteria below under the General Regulations section. Every student who lives in a College-owned residence must sign and electronically submit a Housing Agreement and to the Office of Housing & Residence Life before taking occupancy. The agreement outlines the responsibilities of the student and the College, residence hall rules, and general terms governing the assignment of residence hall space. By signing and electronically submitting the agreement, the student agrees to become familiar with all College policies pertinent to residential living as well as any other policies which may be listed in other official document notices. The agreement is binding for all College policies and regulations. Agreements are binding for the academic year, or the portion thereof, in which the student is enrolled.
Residency Waiver
A Residency Waiver Request form must be signed and approved by the Office of Housing & Residence Life for every student living off-campus. Residency Waivers are due February 1 of each year for consideration by the Residency Waiver Appeals Committee. Review of the waivers and notification will be completed by February 28. Any student who wants to appeal the residency waiver decision to the Residency Waiver Appeals Committee must do so in writing by April 1 of each year. Appeals are reviewed in April and notification will be sent by April 30. All decisions of the Residency Waiver Appeals Committee are final. The authorization to live off campus will be granted for that particular academic year only. If the Residency Waiver Request form is not completed or if the request is denied, the student will be billed for room and board as a residential student. Part-time students, special students, and fifth-year seniors who wish to reside in College-owned residence halls may apply and be granted approval to live in College facilities if space is available.
Emotional Support Animals in College Housing
A request to have an emotional support animal in campus housing can be made by contacting the Director of Disability Support Services for application materials. To guarantee a decision can be made prior to the beginning of the semester, all application materials for an Emotional Support Animal should be turned in to the Director of Disability Support Services by February 15th for the fall semester and by November 1st for the spring semester. All questions about the process for getting your ESA approved should be addressed to the Director of Disability Support Services at (276) 944-6144.
Community Covenant
As an integral part of the Emory community, students residing in residential neighborhoods are expected to be courteous to their neighbors. As a good neighbor, students should respect property lines, park only in designated areas, maintain reasonable noise levels at all times, and be mindful of the outside appearance of their residences. Students will be held accountable for their actions and can face College sanctions for inappropriate behavior. This covenant applies to both residential and commuter students.
General Regulations
The following policies and regulations apply to residence hall living and are applicable to both residential students and their guests. The purpose of these policies is to ensure the safety and comfort of residents in the halls and to protect the property of the College. The College reserves the right to change policies and regulations. Such changes shall be effective when announced by an appropriate College official.
A. Residency Requirements. Emory & Henry College requires that all students live in College-owned residence halls unless they are: residing with their parents, guardians, or spouses; 23 years of age or older; part-time students with eight or fewer semester hours; or those students who have special medical or personal considerations which must be accommodated (documentation is required). A Residency Waiver Request form must be signed and approved in the Office of Housing & Residence Life for every student living off-campus. Residency Waiver Request forms are due February 1 of each year for consideration by the Residency Waiver Appeals Committee. Reviews and notification will be completed by February 28. Any student who wants to appeal the residency waiver decision to the Residency Waiver Appeals Committee must do so in writing by April 1 of each year. Appeals are reviewed in April and notification will be sent by April 30. All decisions of the Residency Waiver Appeals Committee are final. The authorization to live off campus will be granted for that particular academic year only. If the Residency Waiver Request Form is not completed or denied, the student will be billed for room and board as a resident student. Part-time students, special students, and fifth-year seniors who wish to reside in College-owned residence halls may apply and be granted approval to live in College facilities if space is available.
B. Boarding Requirements. Every residential student is required to participate in the College meal plan. The Dean of Students will review requests for medical and/or financial exceptions (with appropriate documentation). Please refer to the “Food Service Policies” section on for further information.
C. Liability and Insurance. The College is not liable for property that may be damaged, destroyed, stolen, or lost while on College premises. The College is not responsible for loss or damage to personal property due to the interruption of water, heat, or power services. However, the College will use its best efforts to restore utilities as quickly as possible. It is the student’s responsibility to insure their personal property. Renter’s insurance is recommended.
D. Room Keys. Each residential student living in College housing will be issued a room key and a main entrance key/card to the residence hall. If a student loses a room key, he or she will be charged the cost of a replacement and a new key will be ordered through the Office of Housing & Residence Life. If an entrance key is lost, in addition to paying to replace the key, the student will be required to pay the cost of a new lock cylinder and keys for all residents. If a student does not return the issued keys at the time of checkout, he or she will be charged for replacement of the key(s) and for a new lock cylinder if an entrance key is not returned (at $150 fine). Students should regard their residence hall keys as special personal property and should protect them accordingly. These keys are not to be duplicated.
E. Furnishings.
- Room Furniture. The College provides each residential student with a twin bed, dresser, desk, and chair. Furniture belonging to the College may not be moved or disassembled including moving unwanted furniture from student residence halls. A $25 charge will be assessed for removing furniture. Exceptions to this policy may only be considered by the Director of Housing & Residence Life. No individually owned mattresses (including futons) or window dressings may be used because the College must provide mattresses and window dressings that meet federal flammability codes. No furniture can be stored or left in the hallways or outside student rooms. Outside upholstered furniture is prohibited. Loft kits are not permitted. Any repairs or modifications to College property should be made only by the College Maintenance staff. Repair requests may be submitted to the Resident Advisor or the Office of Housing & Residence Life at (276) 944-6529. Students are cautioned against the use of adhesive tape, masking tape, adhesive picture holders, thumb tacks, decals, etc. as these may cause damage to the walls resulting in assessments to the students. Nails, pins, etc. are not allowed in the walls of any of the College’s residence halls. A fine will be assessed to wall damage in these houses as a result. Due to State Fire Marshal regulations, any flag or wall hanging made of cloth material is not permitted. Window screens may not be removed or damaged, and nothing should be placed in, written on, or placed outside of the residence hall windows or from the ceiling. Students will be charged for furniture or other items missing from their room upon checkout (i.e. desks, chairs, mattresses, etc.).
- Lounge Furniture. Lounge furniture or furniture in common areas is provided for the use of all students in the residence hall and may not be taken to individual rooms for private use. A student may be referred for theft of College property and charges will be assessed to those involved in unauthorized use of such furniture.
- Video/Audio Systems. Due to the community living environment, students should be considerate of others in their hall by listening to their TVs and audio systems at a reasonable level or by utilizing headsets. In addition, personal video recording cameras/devices are not to be stationed in hallways, outside room doors or in public areas. The use of recording devices in private rooms must be done with the knowledge and agreement by everyone in the room (residents and visitors). This protects the privacy of residents and the academic environment of the College. The College observes 24-hour courtesy hours to maintain this academic environment. Failure to follow this policy may result in removal of personal video/ audio systems from the residence hall and referral to student conduct.
- Refrigerators. Students are permitted to use refrigerators in their rooms up to 4.5 cu. ft. (UL approved).
- Electronics and Appliances. Students may use the following electronics and appliances in their rooms: computer/laptop, clock, fan, desk lamp (no halogen types are permitted), single serve coffee maker (e.g. Keurig), game consoles, radio, shaver, hair dryer, stereo, DVD player, television, and a small microwave (UL approved/<1000 Watts). Hot plates, popcorn poppers, toaster ovens, George Foreman type grills, electric skillets, and other heat producing units are not permitted. Air conditioners and ceiling fans are not allowed. Illegal appliances such as those listed may be confiscated and/or fine imposed for violating this policy. Power strips with built-in circuit breakers are the only approved option for use as multiple outlets. Per the State Fire Marshall, extension cords are not allowed and power strips cannot be connected together or placed under carpets. Violations may result in a fine and/or unplugging and removing of illegal cords during unannounced visits by the State Fire Marshal. The College is not responsible for any loss or damage which occurs as a result. Cords are not allowed to be taped to the floor. Electrical appliances must bear the seal of Fire Underwriters Approval or an equivalent nationally recognized testing organization. Periodic safety inspections are conducted.
F. Room Care. Individual room care is the responsibility of each student. The College provides a cleaning staff, but they clean common areas only. Regularly scheduled room inspections are made for reasons of health and safety. Room inspections may be conducted at any time deemed necessary; they may be announced or unannounced. If items are found during a room inspection which are in violation of college policy and/or pose a safety risk, those items may be removed by College or state officials, such as the State Fire Marshal. If a room condition (cleanliness, furniture arrangement, etc.) is such that it poses a safety or health risk, the Housing & Residence Life staff can require the student to clean, rearrange, etc., the room to an acceptable condition. This is for the safety and well-being of all residents. Please note that live Christmas trees are not permitted.
G. Damage and Vandalism.
- Room Damage/Vandalism. As specified in the Housing Agreement, the occupants of each room are held responsible for damage to the room and its furniture. Assessment will be made for damages and vandalism. Remember not to use nails, pins, or scotch tape in or on walls. Do not hang anything from the ceiling, windows, or from a fire/smoke detector.
- Residence Hall Damage/Vandalism. If damages or vandalism occur in the residence halls, charges will be assessed to the person(s) responsible. In the event of overtly willful or malicious property damage, additional disciplinary action may be taken. In a residence hall where damage responsibility cannot be determined, costs will be prorated to all occupants of the hall where the damage occurred. Students are encouraged to self-report or report those person(s) responsible for damage to the Office of Housing & Residence Life. A minimum charge of $5 will be assessed to every occupant for each incident.
H. Check-In and Check-Out.
Semester. To properly monitor the condition of rooms, the College uses Room Condition Inventory reports. When a student prepares to move into a room, a resident will complete a Room Condition Form report. This report describes the physical condition of the room and inventories all items the College provides for the room. The Office of Housing & Residence Life must be notified 24 hours in advance whenever a student vacates a room so a proper check-out of the room can be completed immediately prior to departure. If the student is not present during the check-out procedure, the Room Condition Inventory completed by the staff member will be final. Vacated rooms should be cleaned of all debris. Assessments will be made in rooms that require special cleaning, and a fine will be included. In the event of withdrawal or dismissal, the student must vacate the room within twenty-four hours. An improper check-out assessment can be made for students who fail to follow the
- proper check-out procedures. Information regarding regular check-out times are posted, distributed, or e-mailed to residential students with checkout procedure details prior to the close of each semester.
- Breaks. For scheduled breaks, information regarding check-out times and procedures will be posted, distributed, and/or e-mailed to all residential students. All students must sign-up for a departure time with their RA and may not return to the residence halls earlier than the posted opening time. Failure to do so will result in a $100 fine. An $100 fine will be billed to students who fail to follow proper break check-out procedures. Please note that campus services (i.e. food, health, etc.) are not provided during regular breaks.
- Storage. Storage space in all campus residence halls is extremely limited. Students are encouraged to leave items that cannot be accommodated in their residence hall rooms at home or make personal arrangements to store these items off-campus.
Z. Outdoor Cooking. In many cases students may be approved to use a barbecue grill or other outdoor cooking device. However, permission must be obtained in advance from the Office of Housing & Life before any such activities begin. All such cooking devices must be used outside and not in any area of the residence hall. Storage of these devices is not permitted within the residence halls or on porches, balconies, etc. Violations will result in the cooking device being discarded. When in use, outdoor cooking devices must be 100 ft. from any building.
AA. Campfires and Camping. Permission must be obtained from the Dean of Students to set an open fire on campus outside of college-owned fire pits. Permission must be obtained in advance from the Dean of Students to camp on College property.
BB. College Cemetery. The Cemetery in Emory is College property and all College policies are applicable to this area. The State Code of Virginia defines entering a cemetery at night as illegal activity.
CC. College Duck Pond. Students are prohibited from going into the College duck pond or creek or causing others to do so; putting or throwing items into the duck pond (i.e. trash, furniture, etc. ) is also prohibited.
DD. Slip ’n‘ Slides. These are not permitted on campus. Violators are subject to disciplinary action and materials used can be confiscated.
EE. Using College Resources and Fund Raisers, including, but not limited to campus buildings and internet services, for commercial gain is prohibited. Likewise, residence hall rooms may not be used for business purposes of any nature. Unauthorized selling, collection of money, and promotion on campus or within any college building is not permitted. Students may not act as agents for business firms that entail solicitations or the receiving of business offers or goods on college property. Any College organization engaged in a money-making project on campus must clear the project with the Dean of Students. College organizations soliciting funds or advertisements from persons or businesses off campus may do so only with approval from the Office of Institutional Advancement.