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WCU Staying On Campus Policies

Anyone participating in a camp or conference who chooses to stay overnight in university accommodations must agree to the following safety, behavior and liability policies.

Alcoholic Beverages
It is illegal, and a violation of university policy, for any person under 21years of age to consume, purchase, or possess an alcoholic beverage. Guests over 21 may consume alcohol only at authorized functions or inside their individual rooms/suites but not in any public or common area of a residence hall based on guidelines of University Policy 81.

Illegal Drugs Policy
Western Carolina University is an academic community dedicated to the transmission and advancement of knowledge and understanding. The illegal use of and trafficking in drugs can jeopardize the welfare of members of this academic community. Accordingly, the Board of Trustees has adopted a detailed policy on the illegal use of and trafficking in drugs.

Possession, use or distribution of any illegal substances will result in the immediate removal of a participant from university property and dismissal from whatever program they are attending without refund. University police will be notified.

Firearms and other weapons
Firearms are not permitted inside university residence halls an anytime. Other weapons including but not limited to non-folding pocket knives are also prohibited. The determination as to whether or not a specific item is considered to be a weapon shall rest entirely at the discretion of university personnel and all decisions are final.  Discovered weapons will confiscated and handed over to university police and the owner may be dismissed without a refund.

Candles/Incense & Other Flammable Items
Candles and/or incense should not be burned anywhere at anytime inside the residence halls as they present a fire hazard and also produce and odor that may disturb other residents. No other open flames are permitted.

Visitors
Access to university residence halls is restricted to registered conference or camp participants only. Adults over 18 may freely visit each other’s rooms, but participants under 18 may not do so without the direct permission of their camp directors.

Damage
Participants are responsible for the condition of their rooms and will be charged for damage other than normal wear. The condition of public areas is the responsibility of all students and conference guests. Please help maintain public areas by treating them with care. Damages to residence hall rooms, public areas or other university facilities or property will be charged directly to those persons responsible for the damage.

Window screens have been installed in all room windows to improve security and comfort. Please do not tamper with or remove screens from any windows. Residents are not permitted to personally replace damaged screens or broken windows.

Disorderly Conduct
Behavior that is disruptive to orderly community living or to the daily operation of the residence halls or the university is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to: playing in the halls, throwing items in the hallways, bouncing balls on the floors or walls, pranks, wrestling, outdoor games, fighting, verbally disruptive behavior or any other behavior which may cause community disturbance, physical injury, damage to property or behavior that is potentially dangerous to the health and well-being of residents. Participants who violate this conduct policy will be removed from the residence hall and dismissed from whatever program they are attending without any refund.

Noise
Each resident is responsible for keeping noise levels to a minimum at all times. In order to provide an environment conducive to positive group living, studying, and sleeping, certain hours have been established as "Residence Hall Quiet Hours." These hours are 11:00 p.m. to 7 a.m. daily. Regardless of the time, "Courtesy Hours" are always in effect. Courtesy Hours are defined as residents being considerate of all others and the demands of living in a group environment. Noise should not exceed a reasonable level at any time. In a communal living situation, a certain amount of background noise is commonplace and should be expected. Please report noise issues to your group director.

Pets
Animals are not permitted inside university residence halls.

Keys & Lockouts
Participants staying on-campus will be issued room keys when they check in and are expected to be responsible for those keys. Exterior entry doors will be locked at all times and will require your access/meal card to regain access.  If you are locked out of your room, you may wait for your roommate to return or contact the on-duty Conference Assistant to assist you. You may be asked to show identification before a staff member will let you into the room. Report all lost keys as soon as possible.

Laundry
Each residence hall has a laundry room equipped with washers and dryers. These facilities are for residents only. Students should not leave personal items unattended in the laundry room, as the University cannot be responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged clothing/items. It’s a good idea to set a timer on your phone so you can be reminded when your laundry is done. Pl ease note that all washers are HE front load machines, and therefore, only require a small amount of laundry detergent (We recommend laundry detergent pods). Please never put more than two tablespoons of detergent in any University owned washer. Should you have problems with a machine, notify a staff member immediately and post an "Out of Order" sign on the machine.

Checking Out
In most cases, when you check out of your room on the last day of your event, a drop box will be provided for returning room keys and meal cards. These must be turned in before you leave campus. Lost keys will result in a $50 re-key fine and lost meal cards will result in a $25 replacement fee.

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