Residence Hall Guidelines
Residency Requirement
(fall and spring semesters only)
All non-married students under the age of 23 at the time of registration who are enrolled for six or more credit hours per semester and do not live at home are required to live in University residence halls and participate in the board plan. Students who are enrolled for five or less credit hours, are 23 years of age or older, have a previous baccalaureate degree, or have been previously married who desire to live in University residence halls may do so subject to permission from the Center for Student Development. Those not taking classes also need approval from the Center for Student Development to live in University residence halls. The residency requirement does not apply to students enrolled for Summer terms. Exceptions to this policy are made for unusual cases only. Single students may qualify for an exception based on the following criteria:
- Living at home with parents in the Nashville area.
- Living with mature relatives other than parents.
- Approved rent-free housing when a job provides it as a condition of employment
The final decision concerning an interpretation of the residency requirement will be made by the Student Life Council. Extreme emergencies or cases with mitigating circumstances may be presented to the associate provost and dean of student development for a ruling. The ruling may be appealed to the Student Life Council.
Application for exceptions should be made through the Center for Student Development well in advance to the start of the semester.
All students must submit their residency information, by application, on the Student Development Gateway located on TNU4U.
Housing Contract
All students living in a campus residence are required to sign a housing contract as part of the housing application process. Signing the contract states your intent to abide by the housing policies, behavioral standards of conduct, and procedures outlined in this Handbook. The contract runs for the entire school year or until the resident moves out of the residence hall.
Residence Hall Hours NOTE: Campus housing and visitation guidelines have been adjusted during the COVID19 pandemic. Additional information is available by emailing Housing@trevecca.edu.
Part of living in a university community is making the transition from home life to life as a responsible adult and involves the acceptance of responsibilities and privileges of mature persons. The university community, in order to aid in the transition to a position of self-discipline, has set the following residence hall hours for students:
Freshmen:
| Sunday - Thursday |
12:00 AM |
| Friday - Saturday |
2:00 AM |
Sophomores, juniors, seniors, and students 21 years of age and older:
Residence hall lobbies will close at 2:00 AM to nonresidents of each particular hall.
Any exception due to emergency must be approved by the resident director. The process for enforcing residence hall hours may include counseling, loss of privileges, fines, community service, social probation, suspension and/or dismissal.
Being unaccounted for throughout the night, excessive abuse of residence hall hours, or failure to meet with the resident director on the first or second offense requires additional disciplinary steps to be taken.
Directives from the associate vice president and dean of student development concerning admission to residence halls following 2:00 AM will be followed by all resident directors. You should call the residence hall night resident assistant in case you will be delayed by an emergency which will be reviewed by your resident director.
The hours policy during official school breaks (mid-semester, Thanksgiving, spring, and Easter) is as follows: Break begins the last day of classes and ends the first day back to classes. Curfew each night during break is 12:00 AM Arrangements must be made with your resident director prior to break when work after midnight is required.
Residence Hall Vandalism
It is expected that students who are involved in vandalism will take responsibility for their actions. Person(s) known to be responsible for vandalism will be charged the full amount personally. The charge for the repair or replacement will be placed on the student's account. Damage in a student's room is charged to the resident(s) of that room or to the person(s) known to have caused the damage. Damage in a residence hall for which responsibility cannot be determined will be charged on a pro rata basis to all residents during the semester.
Out-of-Town and Overnight Visits
You have the privilege of out-of-town or overnight trips or passes, but you must inform the residence life staff of your plans. Proper procedure will be explained at the first mandatory meeting of the semester. All sign-outs are subject to residency requirements. Students under 18 years of age are required to have their parents sign a permission slip at the beginning of the school year authorizing them to take overnight and out-of-town trips. Any falsification will result in disciplinary action.
Keys
Each resident is issued a key upon signing a housing contract. The current maintenance cost is charged to replace a lost key. Keys are to be turned in at the close of each semester. Failure to do so will result in a $25.00 fine.
Appliances
In order to keep insurance costs down, fire and health regulators and University insurance prohibits any cooking in the residence halls. Any evidence of such (even the presence of cooking utensils) will result in an increase in insurance cost. Toasters, toaster ovens, electric skillets, grills, hot plates, and other such appliances are not allowed. Blenders and coffee pots are permissible. Any evidence of cooking with these items will result in a $100 social fine and/or disciplinary action. Refrigerators meeting the specification of 6.0 cubic feet or smaller and microwaves up to 900 watts are allowed. You may iron in your room if a properly equipped ironing board is used.
Fire Safety
Living in a residential area requires each student to be responsible for abiding by all rules, particularly those designed to provide safety to individuals residing in the community and their property. Because of the seriousness of this matter, students are encouraged to read all policies related to fire safety, appliances, decorations, firearms, fireworks, fire extinguishers, emergency procedures, smoking, and littering. Candles and incense may not be burned but can be used for decorative purposes. Hallways and stairwells must be kept clear of any trash, furniture, or other belongings.
Electrical Systems
Any alteration of electrical, phone, or cable systems, which are the property of the University, must be done by University Plant Operations or ITS personnel.
Painting
Any painting must be approved by the Center for Student Development and Plant Operations. No defacing of residence hall walls or furniture is allowed, and occupants will be held financially liable for any abuse.
Decorations
Room decorations are encouraged as long as they do not create health and/or fire hazards, cause damage to the room, or are deemed contrary to the mission and Christ-centered nature of the University. Student room posters, signs, or other information must be limited to inside the room/apartment and not shown to the outside community. Window, wall, or door postings inside the room or facing outside the room that are deemed offensive will be removed at the discretion of the University.
Pets
Residence hall pets are restricted to fish that are properly kept.
Insurance
The University does not carry insurance on student property. Insurance companies will not allow landlords to cover the contents of buildings. Therefore, it is your responsibility to insure your own possessions. It will be the responsibility of the offender(s) to care for the cost of personal injuries or property damage (not covered by insurance) resulting from pranks, fights, or accidents.
The University does not cover students' personal property when traveling off-campus either for personal travel or University sponsored trips. Any theft or damage losses that occur will normally be covered by the parents' homeowners insurance, and claims should be presented to your local agent. The University will assist, as appropriate, in getting police reports and damage information that may be available.
Residence Hall Meetings
You are to attend all mandatory residence hall and section meetings called by your resident director, resident assistant, and/or the residence hall council. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action as set forth by the Residence Hall Judicial Council. All mandatory residence hall meetings must be publicized one week in advance unless there is an extreme emergency.
Housekeeping and Maintenance
Room Maintenance
In the residence hall it is necessary that health be safeguarded and property preserved. To better achieve this goal, each R.A. shall conduct a weekly well-announced room and bathroom check. Students will share in the cleaning of the bathrooms; residents of each room will be responsible for it. The following criteria can be used as a checklist for the assessment of fines:
Rooms dusted
Floors cleaned
All residence hall furniture intact
Trash not overflowing
Sink/bathroom must be cleaned in its entirety
Failure to clean either the room or bathroom may result in a fine, community service or referral to the Residence Hall Judicial Council.
If any of these criteria are not being maintained, it is the RA's responsibility first to notify the violator(s), then, if necessary, to notify the resident director, who will assess the situation and deal with it as he/she sees fit.
Suite Maintenance
Suitemates must take responsibility to ensure cleanliness and proper sanitation of suites and bathrooms at all times. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action.
Public Area Maintenance
Residents are expected to clean up after themselves in public areas for the benefit of all community members. Assessments for extra cleaning in common areas, around the building grounds, or in individual rooms will be charged to apartment or building community members. Students are expected to refrain from throwing trash onto campus grounds. Students in residences may not throw trash or other objects out of windows or off of stairwells. Dumpsters are provided and intended for use. Violations of this policy will result in fines and disciplinary action.
Apartment Maintenance
Individual apartments are expected to be kept clean over the course of the students' stay and will be checked periodically for health reasons. Residents of any apartment that is not in acceptable condition will be given a time line for cleaning to be completed or be subject to disciplinary action.
Quiet Hours
In a community living situation, consideration of fellow students is imperative. The rights of others should be regarded at all times. Loud and/or annoying noises should be restricted in the residence halls. Particularly during the evenings, extra consideration should be given to see that no one is disturbed from study or sleep.
Study Hours:
Mandatory Quiet Hours
| Sunday-Thursday |
10 p.m. - 9 AM |
| Friday-Saturday |
12 midnight- 9 AM |
RAs may be requested to assist in the enforcement of study hours as well as the mandatory quiet hours.
Formal Lobby and Informal Lounge in Benson Hall
The formal lobby will be open daily from 7:00 AM to 2:00 AM A night RA will be available during the evenings. The informal lounge in Benson Hall will not be open to women since the structure of Benson Hall places the informal lounge, laundry room, and game room inside the first level of the residence hall proper.
Showing Videos in Public Areas
It is a violation of copyright laws to show videos intended for private use in the lobbies of the residence halls. Anyone attempting such showings will be asked to stop immediately.
Visitors
You must register your guests with the resident assistant or resident director before they are permitted to stay overnight or past appropriate residence hall hours. No one will be allowed to have more than two visitors per month. All visitors and guests are subject to rules on the campus as applicable to their host/hostess.
Visitors cannot stay in the residence halls more than three nights per semester. A fee will be charged (current nightly rate) for guests staying the fourth night. Special permission should be obtained from the Office of Student Development for any exceptions. Students failing to properly register their guest(s) will be subject to disciplinary action by the Residence Hall Judicial Council. Visitation of babies or small children in the residence hall rooms is permitted only with the approval of the resident director. Baby-sitting is not permitted in the residence hall.
Residence Hall Behavior
Students participating in fights within the residence hall or residence hall area will be subject to disciplinary action. Water balloon and snowball fights are acceptable only between consenting participants outside the building. (Throwing from the windows is not acceptable.) The resident director has the authority to halt any such activity that could endanger those involved and/or bystanders.
Unauthorized Access
Persons giving or receiving unauthorized access to locked rooms or apartments or going in and out of windows or onto roof tops will be subject to a $50 fine. Visitation of the opposite sex in residence hall living areas beyond the lobby is not allowed (stairway and hallway are considered beyond the lobby). Each party involved will be fined $50 and will be subject to further disciplinary action.
University Right of Entry
The University reserves the right of access to all University-owned residence hall rooms and apartments. It will be assumed by the University that the student has knowledge of and is aware of, within reason, conditions existing in and activities taking place in his or her room. The University reserves the right to remove any object or material from a student's room that would violate a University regulation or behavioral standard of conduct. Disciplinary action may be taken with any student found in possession of such items. All violations of University policies found by a staff member entering a student room, no matter for what reason, will be documented and referred to the student disciplinary process. As a courtesy, entry into a room or apartment should be authorized by the associate provost and dean of student development or their designee as well as a written description, when the resident is not present at time of entry. The written description should include:
- authorized signature of the associate provost and dean of student development or their designee
- name of the person entering
- purpose of the entry
- date and the time
If you feel this right is being abused, report it to the Office of Student Development.
Visitation Guidelines: NOTE: Campus housing and visitation guidelines have been adjusted during the COVID19 pandemic. Additional information is available by emailing Housing@trevecca.edu.
Residence Halls:
Times are designated on a weekly basis for visitation. Upon arrival at the residence hall all visitors are required to sign in and leave their student ID or driver's license, which will be returned to them as they leave.
Redford, Shingler, Wise and Bush Apartments:
Visitation of the opposite sex in Redford, Shingler, Wise and Bush residential areas has been approved on the following basis and at the following times. Agreements will be signed by all residents stating the visitation guidelines and their agreement to abide by such privileges.
Residents must give RAs a 24-hour notice by phone.
Weekday guest pass hours: Monday/Wednesday 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM; Tuesday/Thursday 6:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Weekend guest pass hours: Friday and Saturday - 6 PM - 12:00 midnight; Sunday - 1:00 PM - 4 PM; 8:00 PM - 12:00 AM
There must be a minimum of three persons in the apartment when using a guest pass.
All blinds will be open and window on door will be uncovered.
Visitations may occur in living room only.
Guest pass must be placed on outside of apartment door
If no guest pass is on the door, residents will be in direct violation of the policy and will be disciplined. RAs will monitor and do room checks on a rotating basis.