Student Living/Residental Student Handbook

The Office of Residence Life at Widener University is committed to fostering a welcoming, inclusive, and supportive residential community. Within the Residence Life office, there are a variety of resources to support residents. The Residential Student Handbook serves as a guide to connect residential students to campus resources and establish expectations for living in Widener’s on-campus residential communities in Chester, PA.

Residence Life Resources

Community Development

Contact Information

Location: 1st Floor University Center, Student Engagement and Transformation Suite

Email: ResidenceLife@widener.edu

Phone: 610-499-4390

Office Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Housing Portal

Housing applications, links to resources including the work order form, and housing assignment information is all included on Widener University’s Housing Portal. To log into the Housing Portal, Widener University students should use their University log in information.

Residence Hall Association

Residence Hall Association (RHA) is a student-run governmental organization for Widener University’s on-campus residential population in Chester, PA. RHA exists as a hybrid entity with dual reporting to the Office of Student Engagement and Office of Residence Life. Widener University’s RHA is nationally affiliated with the National Association of College and University Residence Halls. For more information regarding RHA, please email ResidenceLife@widener.edu. 

Residence Life FAQs

The Office of Residence Life maintains a list of frequently asked questions for housing on the website. These are updated each semester and before large department operations such as move in and housing selection.

Student Staffing

Office Assistants

An Office Assistant (OA) is a student staff member who supports residential students while working in the Residence Life office during business hours. OAs answer questions, connect students to resources, and greet community members when they visit the office.

Resident Assistant

A Resident Assistant (RA) lives in the residential community and assists with planning and implementing initiatives to develop a residential community. Over the year, RAs will assist with informal educational campaigns, facilitate community and large-scale programming, serve in the on-call rotation, and serve as a resource for residents in their residential neighborhoods.

Senior Resident Assistant

A Senior Resident Assistant (SRA) lives in the residential community and serves as a mentor for the Resident Assistant team providing leadership in conjunction with serving in the on-call rotation with the RAs, coordinating large-scale neighborhood programming, facilitating training, co-leading a department committee, and serving as a resource for residents and student staff in their residential neighborhoods.

Professional Staff

The Residence Life team has a variety of professional staff that support our residential students. Below are descriptions of the various professional staff roles within the Office of Residence Life. You can learn more about the Residence Life professional staff team on our website.

Administrative Support Specialist

The Administrative Support Specialist for Residence Life provides customer service to residential students and stakeholders, connects individuals to appropriate campus resources, and assists with the Residence Life office management.

Area Coordinators

The Area Coordinator (AC) is a full-time, live-in professional staff member who is responsible for the residential education and operations of a residential neighborhood comprised of 300-400 students in several residence halls. General responsibilities of an AC include, but are not limited to student staff development, student support, community development, programming, student conduct, daily collaboration with university stakeholders, and cultural humility education. The ACs are supervised by the Assistant Dean of Students or designee.

Associate Director of Housing Operations

The Associate Director (AD) of Housing Operations is a full-time staff member who is responsible for the housing assignment process, occupancy management for residential communities, and serves as a liaison with campus partners in ensuring their needs are met by the Facilities, Maintenance, and housekeeping staff in a timely manner. The AD of Housing Operations is supervised by the Assistant Dean of Students or designee.

Assistant Dean of Students

The Assistant Dean of Students is a full-time staff member who supports the Office of Residence Life in all aspects of the residential education and housing operations program including administrative, budget, facilities, and programmatic goals of the department. The Assistant Dean serves as the supervisor for the Associate Director of Housing Operations and Area Coordinators and is a member of the Student Engagement and Transformation Leadership Team.

University Resources

Below is a list of resources within Widener University that the Residence Life team closely collaborates with in supporting our residential students.

Campus1 Card Office

The Campus1 Card office supports students, faculty, and staff in their access to many services on campus. This office coordinates meal plan changes, Pride Bucks, and printing dollars on campus.

Meal Plan Changes 

Flexible Spending

Students have the option of adding Pride Bucks and additional printing dollars to their Campus1 Card flexible spending account. For more detailed information about the flexible spending program or to add additional funds, visit the Campus1 Card website.

Campus Safety

Widener’s Campus Safety department works to protect Widener community members through 24/7 monitoring of campus and crisis management support. The Campus Safety office collaborates and advises Residence Life staff regarding the safety and security of the residential communities. Additional information about Campus Safety is available on their website. The following are safety and security procedures within the residence halls:

• All exterior doors to the residence halls are locked 24-hours a day with only residents to that building having access to them.
• Campus Safety officers make routine inspection rounds of all exterior doors.
• Outside contractors will be accompanied by a representative of the University whenever they enter a student’s room or when they enter a residence hall.
• Residents are asked to report any suspicious situations or persons immediately to the Office of Campus Safety as 610-499-4200.
• Residential students share responsibility for following security procedures within their residence halls. This includes keeping doors locked, asking visitors to be escorted, carrying their University ID card on them, and reporting suspicious behaviors to Campus Safety.
• Residential students should make sure their contact information is up to date each semester in the campus alert notification system.
• Emergency exit doors in the residence halls have alarm systems to discourage unauthorized entry and exit. Residential students are asked to not prop these doors or others in the community. Failure to do so may increase the likelihood of theft and vandalism in the residence halls.

Dining Services

Widener’s dining services operate the eateries on-campus including the Pride Café, MacMorland Food Court, Starbucks, and more! More information about Dining Services is available on their website. For questions regarding Widener Dining, please email CampusDining@widener.edu.

Meal Plan Requirements

First- and second-year residential students are required to purchased one of the Unlimited Platinum, Gold, or Blue dining plans. Meal plans are optional for transfer, juniors,seniors, and graduate students.

Office of Accessibility Services

Student Accessibility Services provides services to students with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and psychological disabilities. The office serves as a campus advocate to ensure all student have equal access to academic programs and other aspects of campus life. Student Accessibility Services collaborates with Residence Life in the housing accommodation process. Additional information is also available on the Office of Accessibility Services’ website.

Housing Accommodations 

Residential students that have needs which necessitate a housing accommodation should complete a Housing Accommodation Request form. Once documentation has been received, the student’s request will be considered. Every effort will be made to accommodate approved request.

Student Health Services

Student Health Services provides confidential medical services and wellness referrals for residential students. Residential students are required to comply with the University’s immunization and health insurance requirements to live in on-campus housing. For more information on the University’s immunization and health insurance requirements, please visit Student Health’s website.

Housing Operations & Procedures

Break Housing

All residential communities remain open during break outlined in the academic calendar (fall, Thanksgiving, winter, and mid-term breaks) for students who wish to remain on campus. Students wishing to remain in housing during winter break must be pre-registered for the subsequent spring semester as a full-time student. More information regarding Break Housing is available to students prior to each break via an email from the Office of Residence Life.

Closing of Services

Before the residence halls close at the end of fall and spring semesters (residence halls are closed by 6 p.m. on the last day of each semester), students will receive a move-out memo with more detailed information and dates. Residents should leave their accommodation at the end of the school year within 24 hours after their last final exam. Improper check-out fines of $50 will be charged if residents fail to follow check-out procedures.

• A student properly terminates occupancy by confirming eligibility with the Office of Residence Life, gaining release approval from the Office of Residence Life, notifying their floor RA, removing all belongings from the room, turning in all keys to the Residence Life Office, and signing a check-out form.
• A $50 fee will be charged for an improper check-out (i.e., departing without notifying Residence Life before leaving campus).
• Students who leave a room in unacceptable condition, as determined by the Residence Life staff, will be billed per resident for cleaning. Personal belongings left in a room after the vacating deadline will be removed and disposed of by the university at a charge to the student.
• Graduating resident seniors will be permitted to occupy specially assigned rooms during announced senior days, if an application has been filed and approved by the Office of Residence Life. Failure to comply with this policy will result in a $50 fine.

Communication

The Office of Residence Life utilizes Widener e-mail systems for communication relevant and important information to its residents. You are responsible for setting up and checking your official Widener University e-mail account regularly and will be held accountable for all information communicated by Widener e-mail.

Damage Billing

Damage and billing costs are assessed by Residence Life during the semester closing process. Damage billing may occur throughout the academic year as students check out of the residence halls during withdrawals, room changes, or suspensions. If damages are discovered during check-out at the end of the semester, students will be responsible for any cost of $20 or more per resident. If you have incurred a damage charge, you will receive charges added to your student account within 30 days of move out. Students will be notified via email of all damages and the appeals process.

• Residents are made aware of this policy before check-in via the Housing Agreement and the Room Condition Report. Students have 48-hours after move-in to discuss any changes that need to be made to the room condition report with their neighborhood’s Area Coordinator. At the end of the academic year, the Residence Life team uses the same room condition report to compare the ending condition to the beginning condition of the room.
• Vandalism: If the individual(s) responsible for the damage have neither come forward nor been identified by others, then the cost of the damage (materials and labor) will be divided evenly among all residents of the affected space.
• Common Area Damages: A common area is defined as any space and/or area outside a student room. This includes, but is not limited to stairwells, hallways, restrooms, lounges, elevators, entrance ways, recreation areas, and study rooms. Community members share responsibility for ensuring that common areas are properly utilized. Damage/billing charges resulting from the misuse or abuse of common areas will be assessed.
  • If the individuals responsible for the damage are identified, then only those persons are charged.
  • If not individual takes responsibility for the damage, the charge will be disbursed to all residents of the community.
• Appeals: If a student feels they have been incorrectly or unfairly assessed for a damage charge, a written appeal must be submitted via the Damage Appeal Form on Widener University’s Housing Portal  within 7-business days of receipt. In the appeal, residents are asked to be specific and note which charges they are appealing as well as the reason(s) why they should not be charged. Students will be notified of decisions regarding appeal status within 10 business days of its receipt.
  • A “hold” may be placed on a student’s account if the student fails to pay or reimburse the university for any loss, damage, destruction, or third-party theft to living quarters or property issued to them by the university.

Health & Safety Inspections

For the health and safety of each resident, Residence Life staff members will inspect rooms for safety hazards, damages, cleanliness, and other policy violations, minimally twice an academic year.

Presence of a Violation

When a violation is present, there may be a reinspection of the space to ensure it has been corrected. Failure to correct items such as prohibited items will result in the item being confiscated and the student being referred for disciplinary actions. Student may retrieve confiscated items from their neighborhood office to remove them from campus.

Housing Assignments

• Residence Life may need to assign students to temporary housing or permanent relocation. All residents must adhere to the relocation communicated by Residence Life staff. All relocations or room changes must be approved by staff prior to the move.
• New Resident Notification: The Office of Residence Life reserves the right to reassign any student to a different room at any time. While every attempt will be made to notify the resident student of changes in room assignment prior to his or her arrival on campus, situations may arise that make this impossible.
  • If a member of the Residence Life staff becomes aware that a student may have discouraged a potential roommate from moving into his or her room, a mandatory meeting will be called to discuss the situation. If the violation appears to be valid, the student(s) may face disciplinary action.
  • Proper check-out of the current assignment is required before moving to a new assignment. The Residence Life staff will assist with the necessary documentation.
  • A student who is in single occupancy of a double accommodation (e.g., because a roommate withdrew from the residence hall) may be required to move or may be assigned a roommate at any time at the discretion of the Office of Residence Life.
• Open Room Change: Open room change is the process where students can request to change rooms for any reason without a roommate mediation first. The open room change process occurs the third and fourth week of each semester and is facilitated through the housing portal. Below are some general procedures regarding the open room change process.
  • Students apply for a room change through the housing portal. Housing assignments are offered via the Housing Portal and a student must accept their assignment to change rooms.
  • Room changes, in most cases, take place over the weekend with new room keys picked up on Fridays during business hours and the room change completed by Monday at 9am.
  • Room changes can include moving into a new building, change of room within a building, change of housing type, or change in roommate.
• Bathrooms and Showers: As a member of the community, residents are asked to help maintain a clean, sanitary, and non-hazardous living environment. Residents are responsible as a member of the community to keep bathrooms, showers, and restrooms clean, sanitary and non-hazardous.
  • Apartment & Suite-Style Communities: Residents living in suite and apartment-style communities are responsible for cleaning the bathroom(s) in their living space. Residents in these communities are also responsible for providing their own toilet paper, soap, and paper towels.
  • Bathroom and shower stalls are designated for individual use and are only to be used by one person at a time.

Key/Access Cards

Residents will either be issued hard keys and/or have their Widener ID cards programmed to gain access to their assigned residential space. The keys issued upon move-in are property of Widener University and cannot be duplicated or loaned.

• Students using another resident’s key or Widener ID card may face disciplinary action.
• Residents should keep key or access cards with them when they leave their room.
• Lost keys or access cards should be reported to the Office of Residence Life.

Lockouts

• Room Lock Out: Students may contact one of the Resident Assistants on Duty between 8pm-12am to have them respond to assist with a lockout. From 12am-8pm, students may contact Campus Safety at 610-499-4200 for assistance in a Room Lock out. Room Lock Out requests will be honored as soon as possible, subject to other priority calls. There is a service charge of $10 per lockout request.
• Hardware: Each residence hall room is equipped with a working lock. Tampering with any lock can violate The Widener Compact. Violators are subject to disciplinary sanctions and fines plus damages for restitution.
  •  Report any lock problems to the Office of Residence Life immediately.

Personal Property Insurance Coverage

Many students have valuables in their rooms, such as personal computers, jewelry, and televisions. It is the student’s responsibility to follow all rules designed to protect these items. Students should make an inventory of items brought to campus. Students must also lock their rooms when they leave no matter how short the time they plan to be away. Students should not leave personal property unattended. In addition, students should report any suspicious persons or occurrence to Campus Safety immediately. They must also close all doors to the outside when entering and exiting so that intruders cannot gain entrance to the residence halls.

• Note: The university is not responsible for loss or damage of personal property by any means or for any cause. Students are encouraged to see that they are covered under their parents’ or guardians’ homeowner’s policies or to take advantage of special insurance programs available for college students. Students may wish to review the application from National Student Services, Inc. Widener does not in any way endorse this program as being either the best or the only alternative available to students, but it is one that has been used successfully by other institutions. Valuables must be taken home during break periods and over summer sessions.

Requests for Repairs

The Office of Residence Life will make every effort to inform residents of maintenance and housekeeping projects whenever possible. Note: These procedures are in reference to work done by the Offices of Maintenance and Housekeeping. The university reserves the right to enter rooms at any time for safety inspections and reasonable cause.

• Work Orders: Requests for repairs for rooms or public areas should be reported to the Maintenance Office via the online “Maintenance Support Request” form on MyWidener: Log on to MyWidener, search “Request Maintenance Support, then log in using your Widener credentials. Follow the instructions to fill out a work order on that page. Requests for work orders include heating, air conditioning, and housekeeping services. Students should allow 10 working days for completion of nonemergency repairs. Repairs not completed within that time should again be reported to the RA.
• Emergency Repairs: In case of an emergency situation, contact the Office of Residence Life between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, or the Office of Campus Safety if after hours.

Residency Requirement

We recognize – and research supports – that undergraduate students thrive academically and socially when living on campus in community with their peers. On-campus living engages students in co-curricular activities, cultivates a sense of belonging, helps foster independence, and supports the development of skills essential to academic success. For that reason, Widener University requires that traditional, full-time undergraduate students live on campus during their first two years of study, unless they are living at their permanent address with their parents or guardians.

• If you do not register for on-campus housing as a first- or second-year student, we consider you to be a commuter living at your permanent residence with a parent or guardian. Commuters may qualify for less financial aid. In addition, commuters are ineligible for some Widener aid programs, including the Campus Experience Grant.
• Married students, students with dependent children, students with at least two years of military service, and students age 24 or older are exempt from this policy.

Right of Entry

The University reserves the right to enter an individual’s room at any time; whenever possible, advance notice will be given before entry. In cases of emergency or for purposes of inspection, maintenance, and/or protecting the health, safety, and security of residents, the University reserves the right to enter an individual’s room without notice. All staff members must announce themselves and knock on the door before entering students’ residential spaces.

Room Condition Reports

Each student occupying a room in a residence hall must sign a “Room Condition Report” form at the beginning of occupancy. This form not only lists the items of furniture but also their condition, as well as general room conditions. The students assigned to a room will be responsible for any damage beyond normal wear and use that occurs during the students’ occupancy. When a student ends occupancy of the room, the “Room Condition Report” form is completed by Residence Life staff. Until the sign-out procedure has been completed, the student will be held responsible for the room’s contents and condition. Students are also fined for improper check-out or lack of completing any part of the checkout procedures.

• Loss or damage of furniture should be reported immediately to the Resident Assistant (RA) in writing, as furniture will be charged to the occupants unless recovered.
• Students with university-owned furniture in their rooms without the specific approval in writing from the Office of Residence Life will be required to return immediately such property to its proper place and will be subject to fines, restitution, and/or disciplinary action.
• The university reserves the right to inspect students’ rooms at any time. The underlying reason for inspections is the protection, safety, and welfare of the students and of the university. Such inspection by university officials shall be done generally in the presence of a room resident and/or staff.
  • Exception to this procedure is emergencies when imminent danger to life, safety, health, or property is reasonably feared. Each semester, health and safety inspections will be conducted to ensure the security of the hall.

Room and Board Rates

For comprehensive information about room and board rates for each semester as well as the fees and payment schedule, students should visit the Enrollment Services website.

Summer Housing

Students who are enrolled in spring semester classes as well as pre-registered for the subsequent fall semester are eligible to reside on campus during the summer. Students can apply for summer housing through the Housing Portal in early to mid-April. Summer housing is an additional cost.

Residential Community Standards

Abandoned Property

• Residential Rooms: Residence Life assumes no liability for damages or loss of abandoned property. Any personal property not removed after check-out, published hall closing deadlines, suspension, relocation, or withdrawal from the university is considered abandoned. A room cleaning charge will be assessed against any student who fails to remove their items or personal property, in accordance with housing damage billing.
• Common Areas: Personal property left in hallways, stairwells, lounges and other common areas will be considered abandoned property. Abandoned property is subject to disposal or recycling as deemed appropriate at the student’s expense.

Guests

A guest is defined as any person who is not assigned by Residence Life to live in the room, even if that person is a Widener University student. No more than two (2) guests per resident of that space are allowed at any one time. It is the resident’s responsibility to ensure their guest is aware of and remains in compliance with the Student Code of Conduct and Residential Handbook. Residents are responsible for the behavior of their guests. If you cannot come to an agreement with the other students in your living unit, the right of the student who does not want guests takes priority.

• General Visitation​
  • Residence Life may restrict all guest privileges at any time for the benefit of the community. Should guest privileges be restricted, Residence Life will notify residents in writing.
  • If a guest violates the Student Code of Conduct, the host will be held accountable for the guest’s offense. The residents of a room where a policy violation has occurred may be held responsible for the violation, whether or not they were present in the room at the time of the violation.
  • Students may enter another student’s living area only after permission has been granted by the student(s) residing in that area. All guests must be escorted by their hosts at all times.
• Non-Resident Guests​
  • All guests must adhere to the guidelines set up in the roommate agreement.
  • All guests must be escorted at all times and carry a valid photo ID.
  • Residence Life staff may ask guests to leave at any time, requests to which guests are required to comply.
• Overnight Guests (resident and non-resident): An overnight guest is defined as a guest who stays after 2:00am. You are allowed to have overnight guests to your living space provided you acquire advance permission from your room/apartment/suitemates.
  • Residential students are limited to two guests at a time.
  • Residents are responsible for the behavior of their guests.
    • All guests must possess and present a valid form of identification upon request. Failure to do so will result in removal from campus.
    • All overnight guests must be at least 18 years of age.
  • Guests may stay a maximum of two consecutive nights in a 14-day period. Residents are responsible for complying with these procedures and for the actions of their guests, including compliance with all traffic and parking regulations. Guests may not stay in the residence halls more than six (6) days in a month.
  • Cohabitation, loan, subletting, or rental of residence hall space is prohibited at Widener even if no money is exchanged.
• Appliances and Equipment: Below is a list of the most commonly questioned permitted & prohibited items in the residence halls. Residents found in possession of prohibited items will be required to remove the item from the residence halls and may face disciplinary action. In addition, residents may be responsible for any cost related to the removal and/or storage of the item. Residents are responsible for all damages from permitted and/or prohibited items.
  • Permitted Items:
    • ​Appliances
      1. Computers (laptop or desktop)
      2. Curling/Hair Irons (required auto-off feature)
      3. Cooking appliances (e.g. toasters, microwaves, air fryers) permitted in kitchen or kitchenette areas only in Metropolitan Hall, Harris Hall, and Dixon Halls.
      4. Energy Star certified mini or compact refrigerators up to 4.3 cubic feet or non-Energy Start certified mini or compact refrigerators limited to 3.3 cubic feet or smaller (operate at 118 volts, 60Hz, or less and draw no more than 1.5amps or 180 watts of power).
      5. Sealed unit coffee makers (e.g. Keurig, coffee makers without exposed heating elements)
      6. Sealed unit electric water kettle
      7. Rice cookers
      8. Portable hair dryers
      9. Micro-fridge unit either rented from university-designated provider or student purchased (limited to Energy Star certified, 700 watt microfridge, .7 cubic feet microwave, and under 3 cubic feet refrigerator)
    • Electrical
      1. Power strip (with on/off switch and internal overcurrent protection)
      2. Battery operated holiday lights
    • Other
      1. Bicycles
      2. Fish tanks (10 gallons or smaller)
      3. Kitchen utensils
      4. Live potted plants
      5. Non-electrical bed risers no more than 8 inches
  • Prohibited Items​
    • Flammable items
      1. Incense cones or sticks, candles, oil lamps
      2. Lighter fluid for refillable lighters
      3. Propane tanks
      4. Plug-In air fresheners (lit or unlit)
    • Appliances
      1. Resident-owned air conditioners
      2. Electrical appliances with exposed heating elements
      3. Wall-mounted televisions
      4. Toasters, microwaves, and air fryers are prohibited in traditional-style residence halls 
      5. Pressure Cookers
    • Combustibles
      1. Cut trees or dead plants
      2. Wall decorations that exceed more than 50% of the wall
         1. Empty alcohol containers such as beer boxes and wine bottles are prohibited as decorations, regardless of age.
      3. Hookahs
    • Electrical
      1. Halogen lamps and bulbs
      2. Adhesive strip LED lights
      3. Black lights and black light bulbs
      4. Spider lamps (i.e. lamps with more than one bulb for one electrical outlet)
      5. Extension cords and multi-plug adaptors (without on/off switch and internal overcurrent protection)
      6. Motorized vehicles
      7. Hoverboards
      8. Wax warmer/Wax melts
      9. Lava lamps
    • Loft equipment
      1. Non-university supplied loft equipment (e.g. cinderblocks, wooden supports, and any manufactured loft equipment higher than 8 inches)
    • Other
      1. Pets (except toothless fish)
      2. Projectiles or projectile propelling devices (e.g. Nerf Guns, Orbeez guns)

Fire Safety

• Smoke detectors are placed in student rooms and public areas for the safety of the community.
  1. Students may not tamper with this equipment (e.g., remove batteries).
  2.  Students caught tampering will be subject to immediate disciplinary action. Nothing may cover smoke detectors.
• As per the instruction from the Fire Commissioner of the City of Chester, “No couches, chairs, or futons are permitted in in any residence facility unless a resident can provide manufacturer’s certification that the furniture meets California Technical Bulletin 133 for fire retardancy of upholstered furniture.”
• All residents are required to attend a fire safety meeting at the beginning of the semester.

Bicycles

The university is not responsible for theft or damage to bicycles. If you choose to bring a bicycle to campus, you are responsible for securing and storing it properly. Bikes may not be stored in any common areas of the residence halls including internal entry ways, lounges, and hallways. Bikes stored in common areas of the residence halls will be considered abandoned and will be removed.

Chronic Misbehavior

Chronic misbehavior is when a resident establishes an unacceptable pattern of misconduct when the resident is involved in/or around multiple policy violations, even though individual offenses may be minor.

• A pattern of irresponsible conduct may result in the behavior being addressed through the Student Conduct process and can lead to disciplinary removal from the residence halls.

Cleanliness

Residents are asked to help maintain a clean, sanitary, and non-hazardous living environment. It is the responsibility of residents as members of the community to keep your assigned space and common areas (e.g. lounges, bathrooms) clean, sanitary, and non-hazardous.

• Students who fail to practice good housekeeping could be responsible for associated charges. Fees and/or other sanctions will be assessed for excessive cleaning.
• Students are responsible for removing trash and recycling from their rooms in a timely manner.
• Students are required to clean all pots, pans, and dishes used and return them to their proper place.
• All sinks, showers, counters, and floors should be cleaned.
  1. Personal items including toiletries should not be left in common area bathrooms. Items left behind may be disposed of by Housekeeping.

Littering and Trash

All residents are expected to dispose of their refuse in trash receptacles on campus and in-residence halls. Any Widener University student or guest who litters on campus or community property, throws objects of windows or from balconies may be referred for disciplinary action in addition to any changes for clean-up.

Paint and Decorating

Nothing may be put on exterior windowsills, painted on University windows, or hung out of windows in residential communities. Wall coverings and upholstered furniture must adhere to applicable fire codes and the guidelines of insurance underwriters. Students may not paint their rooms.

Cooking Safety

Cooking in residential facilities, other than those designated by the university, is strictly forbidden. Violators will be subject to disciplinary action and fines.

• Food may not be kept in residence hall common areas except in closed tin, plastic, or glass containers.

Noise and Volume

• Courtesy Hours: Courtesy hours are observed 24-hours a day throughout the residence halls. When asked by another resident or staff member to reduce noise to a reasonable level, residents are expected to comply as a courtesy to fellow community members.
  • Resident Assistants (RAs) are expected to help maintain a reasonably quiet environment on the floor with the cooperation of residents.
  • Residents in each hall are expected to act in a manner conducive to effective study.
  • Each individual must adhere to this basic expectation.
  • Electronic devices like televisions and speakers are normally permitted in rooms provided they do not disturb others. They should be heard only in the confines of the individual’s room, and the door should be closed when they are operated. Such equipment will be ordered to be removed immediately if, after other residents or hall staff have made a complaint, their use continues to be distracting to study/living conditions or is judged to be a hazard.
• Quiet Hours: A violation of the quiet hours policy is defined as any time noise from a room/apartment/suite is audible outside the door past quiet hours. Failure to comply with a request to educate noise levels by a residence may result in disciplinary action.
  • Quiet hours will be observed during the following times:
    •  10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday
    • Midnight to 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
  • 24-Hour Quiet Hours: Twenty-four-hour quiet hours begin at 10pm on the last day of classes before each final examination period.
    • Quiet hours are observed throughout the duration of final exams.
    • Residents violating the 24-hours quiet hours may be asked to leave immediately from the residence halls, in addition to standard disciplinary procedures.