Old visitation policy confuses residents

By: Havanna Hagans/Staff writer

Posted: 9/8/05

When students returned to campus for the fall semester, they thought they faced a new visitation policy that called for equalization between same sex and opposite sex check-in rules.

During the 2004-2005 school year, students were allowed to have guests of the same gender stay past midnight, but with what was thought to be this year's new housing policy, this privilege was struck from the rules.

"There were some miscommunications with regard to this, which has resulted in some confusion," said Kenna Middleton, director of university housing.

According to the housing Web site, visitation is time set aside each day when a guest of the opposite gender is permitted to visit with you in your room.

Although this rule clearly states visitation rules are enforced for guests of the opposite sex, a newer stipulation, put into play this semester, stated it applies to both "same and opposite sex" visitors.

Faced with this new regulation that some students were made aware of through signs posted in elevators following violations and complaints, Housing has clarified the issue with the policy.

"There have been no changes in visitation," Middleton said.

According to Eastern's "Guide To Residence Hall Living," the rules and regulations are supposed to be "distributed to each residential student."

However, there are a number of students on campus like Katie Eftekhar, undeclared and hoping to major in political science, who say they have never received a residence hall guide.

"I have never received one personally," Eftekhar said.

The time, days, number and the arrangements regarding the gender of a guest is not the only thing Housing pays close attention to.

The university has the right to regulate the number of overnight stays and restrict access to violators of the visitation policy.

It also has the right to restrict those who "present a threat to the safety or security of hall residents or its occupants," section 11 of the housing contract stated.

The university is also specific about "cohabitation."

If students take a close look at the guide to residence hall living or log onto the Web site, it says "COHABITATION IS PROHIBITED."

Eftekhar said she wishes Housing would lighten up on the visitation hours.

"I agree with having to sign people in because of safety issues, but I think we should be able to have guests over past midnight as long as we aren't being disruptive," Eftekhar said.

Students who live in the residence halls are responsible not only for their own behavior, but for their guests' behavior as well.

Those who fail to comply with Housing rules, such as checking a visitor in and out and escorting them while they are inside the residential facility, are subject to losing visitation privileges.

Compared to last year's policy, some students say Housing did the opposite of what was supposed to be a working effort to give students more freedom to make adult decisions and to allow them to live more like they are on their own, instead of sharing a roof with their parents.

"I feel like we are adults, and we should have more freedom than what they give us," Eftekhar said.

Housing's Web site provides complete information about the terms and conditions students make with Housing when they move into a residence hall, from "Eligibility and On Campus Residency Requirement" to the "Abandonment of Personal Property."

It also includes information regarding alcoholic beverages, drugs, smoking and the noise policy.

"We are working with (Residence Life Council) to look at visitation and how it potentially could be altered to best serve our students," Middleton said.

For more details about housing rules and regulations log on to www.housing.eku.edu.

Reach Havanna at
havanna_hagans@eku.edu