Residence Life Policy

Purpose

1. The purpose of this document is to serve as a framework for student conduct within the residences, laying out the expectations of the Northeastern University London (the University). This framework will enable live-in staff (The Residence Life Staff) to ensure that student life within the residences functions smoothly and to the benefit of all members of the community. 

Key Terms

2. Residence Halls: All Residence halls used for housing on the University’s Mobility Programs.
3. Residence Life Staff: All live-in members of staff employed by the University directly or indirectly to support the Residences plus the Residence Life Manager and the Global Experience Manager.
4. Residents: All students and participants, excluding the Residence Life Staff, of the University Mobility Programs staying within the University’s Residence Halls.

Scope

5. This Policy applies to the University Residence Halls and the Residents within those Halls. Whilst behaviour outside of the Halls will not be reviewed against this policy it is the expectation of the University that all residents will conduct themselves in a manner befitting of ambassadors of the University community at all times.

Community Standards

6. As students, staff and faculty of the University, we strive to:
   1. Unite all students as a part of the University Community, which equally values each member regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, colour, creed, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion and belief, gender, gender identity, or disability.
   2. Promote a shared responsibility for upholding the community values and standards amongst students and Residence Life staff.
   3. Encourage community behaviours that demonstrate pride and respect for living and working environments.
   4. Recognise the diverse needs of residents and work towards finding solutions to enable all residents to live harmoniously.

Community Values

7. As a member of this community, I will:
   1. Follow all Residence Life Policies and Procedures.
   2. Practice personal integrity, responsibility and accountability.
   3. Hold others accountable for their actions.
   4. Be an ethical, empathetic and active member of my residence community.
   5. Practice self-care and encourage a healthy environment for myself and others.
   6. Accept responsibility for the actions of any individuals that I bring into the community.
   7. Value diversity and inclusivity, and learn from differences in people, ideas and situations. 
   8. Regard the University’s residences, buildings, spaces, activities and classroom facilities as safe spaces to live, study and work with students, faculty and staff.
   9. Foster a living and learning environment that is free from harassment, discrimination, victimisation and bullying.
   10. Pursue a peaceful and non-violent pathway during any and all disputes.
   11. Ask questions and actively listen in order to understand each member as an individual and avoid stereotypes.
   12. Respect and cooperate with the University staff and personnel who work within our community and comply with reasonable requests and directives made in the performance of their duties.
   13. Respect the living and working spaces of the Residence Life Team.
   14. Comply with the law within the United Kingdom and any other nations I may visit.
   15. Be honest and forthright in bringing issues to the attention of the Residence Life Staff.
   16. Recognise my role and responsibility to the community outside of the University; this includes conducting myself in a manner consistent with University values both inside and outside of the University residences, buildings, and activities.

Failure to Comply

8. In line with the Community Values, members of the University community are expected to recognise and respect the role and authority of University and affiliated staff and comply with any reasonable requests made in the performance of their duties. Failing to comply can include but is not limited to: refusing to adhere to a stated or written University policy or procedure; failure to leave or evacuate a building when instructed to do so (including a fire alarm); and failure to attend a requested, scheduled, and/or mandated meetings with the University’s staff or affiliated staff.
9. Students are expected to display proper respect for the rights and privileges of other members of the University community and their guests. The atmosphere in the University residence halls must be free from undue disruption. Students are expected to be honest and forthright in their course of dealings with the University. Falsification, distortion, or misrepresentation of information to the University or University officials could result in being charged with a violation of the University Disciplinary Procedure for Students. Students are expected to engage directly with Residence Life Staff regarding any alleged violations of the Procedure.

Section 1: Residential Policies

Checking In and Out

Check-In

10. Residents will receive a housing allocation email approximately thirty (30) days prior to their programme start date which contains information regarding their University residence hall, programme start and end dates, and check-in and check-out times.

Check-Out

11. All University residents will receive check-out information including their check-out time at least 7 (seven) days prior to their programme end date. Late check-out requests or housing extensions cannot be accommodated. Residence Life Staff may complete pre-departure inspections of residents’ rooms and flats. Departing students are encouraged to donate any unwanted items to local charity shops rather than dispose of them in the rubbish bins.

Alcohol, Drugs, and Smoking and Tobacco Use

Alcohol

12. Alcohol, including both closed and empty containers, can not be consumed in any area within the Residence Hall except for the resident’s personal room, this includes but is not limited to: study spaces, lounges, computer workshop areas, corridors, vestibules, cinema, gym and Karaoke rooms. The only exceptions to this are Chapter or University sponsored events. In every other location UK law applies and students are expected to be respectful of their communities and partake responsibly.

Drugs

13. The University prohibits the illicit use, misuse, consumption, sale, distribution, possession and cultivation of any and all drugs considered controlled substances in UK law. This includes but is not limited to: cannabis, cocaine, heroin, MDMA and methamphetamines. It also includes misusing prescribed drugs for purposes other than those diagnosed. Drug related paraphernalia is prohibited; this includes but is not limited to bongs, grinders, etc.
14. Possession of illicit materials found in common and shared spaces will initially fall to residents responsible for that space (i.e. all members of a flat for materials found in the flat’s kitchen). Any confiscated items found in violation of local laws and/or University policies will not be returned to students.
15. Managerial level residence life staff reserve the right to search any room, flat or common area in any University building if there is suspected consumption or possession of illegal or illicit substances. If any illegal substance or paraphernalia is found, it will be confiscated by the staff member present.
16. The University Residence Hall staff also reserve the right to remove and dispose of any illegal substances or substances thought to be illegal. Any guests found to be in possession of illegal substances will be required to leave the Chapter Community and may be denied access to all Chapter Communities in the future.

Smoking and Other Tobacco Products

17. Smoking and the use of tobacco products are prohibited in all University facilities including residence halls, Devon House and any classroom or library spaces. This includes electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and vaporisers; any lit cigarette, clove or scented cigarette, pipe, cigar, cigarillo, hookah smoked products or other smoking product; and smokeless tobacco.
18. In line with the Health Act of 2006, smoking is illegal in all public buildings and within private locations accessible by the public, outdoor smoking areas are common and should be used.

Medical Amnesty

19. In cases of a drug or alcohol emergency, the primary concern is the health and safety of the individual(s) involved . Residents are strongly encouraged to call for medical assistance for anyone who they observe to be or feel is dangerously intoxicated and or under the influence of drugs. If a resident calls on behalf of another resident, the reporting resident is required to remain with the resident experiencing the emergency until medical assistance arrives. Neither the caller nor student requiring medical assistance for an alcohol or other drug-related emergency will be subject to University disciplinary action for the violation of possession or consumption of alcohol or drugs. This policy shall extend to the parties actively involved in proactively calling for medical assistance and is determined at the discretion of the Residence Life Manager or Global Experience Manager. The resident requiring medical assistance will receive Medical Amnesty and will have a confidential “check-in” meeting with a staff member and may also be contacted by various external partners for a follow-up conversation regarding the incident. As long as the resident complies with all directives, there will be no disciplinary action taken related to the violation of possession or consumption of alcohol or drugs and no disciplinary record of the incident kept. This policy applies only to those residents who seek emergency medical assistance in connection with an alcohol or drug-related medical emergency and does not apply to individuals experiencing an alcohol or drug-related medical emergency who are found by Residence Life Staff or other University or affiliated employees, or where the reporting residents did not stay with them. The Medical Amnesty Policy is not intended to shield or protect those residents that repeatedly violate the Disciplinary Procedure for Students. When repeated instances of drug or alcohol emergencies occur, the University reserves the right to take disciplinary action on a case-by-case basis regardless of the manner in which the incident was reported. Medical Amnesty applies only to alcohol or other drug-related emergencies. If other breaches occur, then a resident may face disciplinary charges for those violations. Medical Amnesty applies only to the University response to a medical emergency. Police action may still occur separately from any actions taken by the Residence Life Manager.

Bedrooms and Living Spaces

20. Bedrooms are living spaces that should be calm and safe spaces where residents always feel comfortable. Whenever staying in the residences students should only stay overnight in their University assigned room. Students should keep their spaces at an appropriate level of hygiene and cleanliness at all times. University staff reserve the right to periodically monitor the cleanliness of all rooms assigned to students. Furniture and any kitchen items should remain within the room originally assigned to it.
21. The following items are not permitted in the residence halls:
    1. Sun lamps, space heaters, halogen lamps, and all other electric cooking equipment including hot plates, toasters, microwave ovens, decorative lights, waterbeds and weightlifting equipment.
    2. Posters, frames or any similar items that attach to the walls
22. If anything within the room breaks or fails then students should promptly report the issue and Chapter will work to fix the problem as soon as possible. Please see the maintenance section (section 13) for more details.
23. We require that you keep your Room, Flat and Building clean and tidy so that you live in safe and hygienic conditions. It is your responsibility to keep your Room, bathroom and communal area kitchen and living spaces clean and tidy. Chapter will check shared Flat Common Parts and Rooms regularly and will let you know if your Room or living space does not meet the required standard. If it isn’t cleaned up within 24 hours, Chapter reserves the right to arrange for cleaning at the expense of the residents of the Flat. Chapter will clean the community amenities on a regular basis but ask for you to be considerate of other residents and clean up any rubbish after using these areas. Bins/trash cans within your Room and shared kitchens must be emptied regularly and taken to the bin stores provided on site. Please put recyclable materials in the recycling disposal bins/trash cans.

Windows

23. Tampering with or removing any window restrictors is prohibited and students are liable for any costs associated with replacing or repairing any element of the window to its proper condition.
24. Students must not throw items (e.g. plates, glass bottles, clothing etc.) or pour anything (e.g. water, ice etc.) out of the windows.

Communal Spaces and Kitchens

26. All students are expected to demonstrate respect for the property and are responsible for the maintenance and up keep of their kitchen space.
    1. Residents are responsible for cleaning their own dishes and utensils in a timely manner.
    2. Personal items such as food and cooking utensils should be properly stored in cupboards and fridges.
    3. Residents are responsible for ensuring rubbish is properly removed from their living space whenever necessary and placed in the nominated rubbish points.

Electrical Appliances and Fuses

27. The UK operates on 240 volts, which is twice that of US voltage and different from many other countries. Residents, therefore, should use both adaptors and power converters/transformers to avoid damage to their and University property. Failure to do so may result in fuses blowing temporarily leaving you without power in your room/kitchen. If this occurs, contact the Residence Hall Reception Team.
28. Electronics and electrical items should be turned off when not in use; this includes TVs, lights, cookers/ovens, transformers and irons. This not only reduces fire risk but also saves electricity and natural resources.

Fire Safety

29. All members of the University community are expected to familiarise themselves with the evacuation plan for University and Chapter facilities.
30. In the Event of a Fire
    1. If you smell smoke or detect a fire, activate the nearest alarm and call 999 immediately from a safe location.
    2. Before opening any door, use the back of your hand to see if it is hot. If it is, leave it closed, place wet towels or clothes under the door and open a window. If the door is not hot, open it slowly and be prepared to close it quickly if necessary.
    3. Exit the building quickly and carry a damp blanket or towel to protect you from flames and smoke.
    4. If it is safe to take the time to do so, lock your door and take your keys with you.
    5. Use stairways not elevators; elevators will be automatically deactivated by the fire alarm. If you see or smell smoke in a hall or stairway, use another exit.
    6. Once outside, move to your designated emergency assembly point. Residents should familiarise themselves with the emergency assembly point and evacuation routes during move-in and orientation but directions will be available in all Residence Hall entrances and exits.
    7. Do not return to an evacuated building until the all-clear signal is given by the designated incident commander.

Fire Safety and Prevention

31. Evacuation for fire alarms is required of all occupants of the University buildings whenever an alarm is sounded; failure to evacuate is a serious violation of city ordinances.
32. Tampering with fire safety and general safety equipment is prohibited; this includes unnecessarily discharging fire extinguishers, covering or removing heat/smoke detectors, hanging anything from heat/smoke alarms or sprinklers, and exiting through alarmed fire exits.
33. Fire doors must be kept closed at all times.
34. Exits and hallways must be kept clear and free of potential obstructions and trash.
35. Electrical outlets and power strips should not be overloaded and appropriate transformers (voltage convertors) must be used for the UK voltage of 240v.
36. The use and/or possession of fireworks (including sparklers), flammable liquids, and hazardous materials within University facilities is not permitted.
37. The burning of candles, incense, and flammable liquids is prohibited. Students who may have religious observance needs in contradiction to this policy should contact the Residence Life Manager.
38. Residents in violation of the University’s fire safety policies may receive additional charge for damages and associated works or prosecution in accordance with UK health and safety laws.

Security and Privacy

38. The University recognises that all students have a right to both privacy and security within the residence. Staff and students will work together to ensure this wherever possible and staff will aim to cause as little disruption to residents as possible. Residents are advised to keep their doors closed and locked at all times and to report any suspicious activity to a member of staff.

Keycards

40. Each resident is issued with a key card upon their check-in. Residents are responsible for their key card and should keep it in their possession at all times; under no circumstances should residents give their keycard to guests or other students.
41. In the interests of safety, residents should report lost or missing key cards to Chapter’s Reception immediately. If lost or missing, residents are liable for a keycard replacement fee; refer to Chapter Reception for the latest fees.
42. All key cards must be returned upon check-out and departure from the residence. Failure to return key cards upon departure will result in a replacement fee.

Room Entry and Search

43. The Residence Life Team occasionally requires access to student rooms and flats. Where possible this will be done with prior verbal or written notice. Reasons for room entry include for routine health and safety checks, housekeeping and pastoral care. In the event a concern for a resident’s immediate health and safety is raised, University staff reserve the right to enter a room, flat or common area without prior notice.

Privacy

44. All members of the University community have the right to reasonable privacy within the Residence hall. As such, video and audio recording without an individual’s prior knowledge and consent by any resident is prohibited.
45. The Residence Life Staff will make themselves available to discuss any particular concerns or questions in a safe and appropriate space. If a resident feels that any member of the Residence Life Staff is not allowing them sufficient privacy they should report this to the Residence Life Manager or Global Experience Manager.

Security

46. The security of our residents is always our primary concern. If at any time students feel at risk or in need of immediate support, staff will be on hand to assist. Chapter provides a regular security team who will patrol the residence hall from 8pm-8am and the University Residence Life Staff will be on call to provide support 24/7. The details to reach these staff will be circulated during residents arrival and during orientation.
47. We encourage students to be proactive with security concerns, if something seems suspicious do not hesitate to reach out to the Residence Life team.

Guest Policy

48. Daytime guests are permitted at the University Residence halls with residents permitted a maximum of three daytime guests at any one time. Guests should be relatives or friends known to the resident. Overnight guests are not permitted unless advanced written permission from the Residence Life Manager is sought and will be contingent upon residents registering these guests with the Residence Hall.
49. While visiting, all guests should be accompanied by their host at all times. Under no circumstance should a guest be in possession of a resident’s access card or access code to any of the University’s academic or residential campus building.
50. Residents are responsible for their guests for the duration of the guest’s visit. This means, should a guest violate any policies as outlined in this Guide, the resident will be fully responsible.
51. The University reserves the right to remove any guests from residence buildings if they are not deemed to be acting in accordance with any policies outlined in this document.

Abusive, Discriminatory, Disorderly and Violent Conduct

52. All students deserve the right to a safe and supportive residential environment. The University will consider all abusive, disorderly and violent conduct by any student towards any other person as a breach of the Disciplinary Procedure for Students and treated as a disciplinary issue.
53. No weapons of any description may be brought into any Chapter Community, including (but not limited to) pellet (BB) guns and air activated weapons, crossbows/longbows, catapults or non-domestic knives. Residents are reminded that pepper spray, firearms and ammunition cannot be owned legally in the UK and possession may result in prosecution by UK authorities.

Healthcare and Medical Support

54. Residence Life Staff are not an emergency response service. In the event of a medical emergency the emergency services should be contacted as soon as it is safe for the reporter to do so. Residence Life staff will signpost medical services to students but at no time should advice be construed as being a diagnosis, prescription or prognosis. Students suffering any medical malady should see a doctor as soon as possible. 

COVID-19 and Pandemics

55. During the course of a program, it may become necessary for residents to quarantine, isolate or socially distance etc. as per national legislation/directives/regulations. Failure to comply with national restrictions will be treated as a breach of the Disciplinary Procedure for Students.

Responsible IT Usage

55. The University Residence Halls’ wired and wireless networks are intended for educational purposes as well as personal use only (“personal use” including but not limited to: sending emails, browsing the internet, making bookings, and using social media and communication apps such as Skype and Facebook). In the event a member of the University community’s internet access is in violation of UK or US laws, the University will cooperate fully with the investigating and/or licensing parties.

Pets

57. Pets and other animals are prohibited within the University facilities including Residence Halls. This includes any animal in temporary or transient residence (e.g. “pet-sitting”, renting a pet) as well as animals maintained in enclosed containers such as tanks and cages. Students with medical needs in contradiction to this policy must contact the Residence Life Manager before their arrival in London.

Maintenance

58. All Maintenance will be handled by Chapter Spitalfields. Residents must submit all maintenance requests via email to the Chapter Front of House Team. Any maintenance requests submitted in an alternate way will not be supportable by the Residence Life Staff. The Residence Life Staff will support students in submitting and completing maintenance requests as needed.
59. In rare instances, Chapter may need to access your room without notice to attend to emergencies or issues impacting health and safety. In such cases, Chapter will do their best to let you know as soon as possible and to keep disruption to a minimum.

Sexual Misconduct and Title IX

60. All incidents of sexual harassement, discrimination, assault etc. that are covered by the Bullying, Harassment and Sexual Misconduct Policy and the Disciplinary Procedure for Students will be processed in accordance with those policies. The University will consult with relevant external parties as appropriate, particularly in cases involving legislation covering the operation of UK or US Higher Education programs such as the United States’s Title IX.

Noise

61. Quiet hours for all residence halls begin at 22:00 (10:00pm). During quiet hours residents should not congregate in the corridors, in front of buildings/entrances and should be considerate of students and the local community. During quiet hours all use of external speakers should be restricted in all areas.
62. In addition to quiet hours, Courtesy Hours are 24 hours per day. All University residence halls are living and learning areas and, to foster an academic environment, residents are expected to comply with reasonable requests such as turning down music, movies, or closing windows/doors.
63. Audio devices playing within the residences should be set to a reasonable volume, and should not be audible outside individual rooms or flats.

Legal

64. As citizens and as members of an academic community, students enjoy the same basic privileges and are bound by the same responsibilities as all citizens. Presence on campus and/or general student status does not shield students from the general law. The University assumes that all students will abide by the policies, rules, and regulations of the University, and by national laws. The University reserves the right to inform the police or other appropriate authorities when student behavior appears to violate laws.

Emergency Preparedness

65. Students should be prepared to respond to emergency situations. Residents are expected to be familiar with escape procedures and to react calmly and appropriately if a response is needed.

Section 2: Breaches of These Policies

Overview

66. It is inevitable that during the course of a program that some residents may wish to act in ways not in accordance with these policies. Where residents can foresee any risk of their actions breaking these policies the University advises residents to contact the Residence Life Manager in advance by email, the RLM will attempt to work with the resident in finding an appropriate way forward. Should a solution not be found then the resident’s willingness to work with the team in advance will be considered during any subsequent disciplinary action. 
67. In all other cases where students are found to be in breach of the Residence Life Policy the resident will be mandated to undertake a behavioural awareness or notification process outlined below aimed at addressing the breach with the resident; the outcomes of these may involve sanctions at the discretion of the Residence Life Manager.
68. Residence Life Staff are expected to actively participate in community life and will attempt to work with residents to build a harmonious community. In the event of resident breaches of the Residence Life Policy staff will respond via issuing either a minor or major notice. 

Minor Notice

69. In the event of perceived minor breaches of the Residence Life policy, the responding staff member will inform students of the nature of their breach and the desired action for the student to take via a verbal or written minor notice ideally at the time of the incident but no later than 24 hours after the breach. Such actions will not include sanctions and will emphasise remedial action to restore the residence environment. Examples include turning down speakers or cleaning areas the student is responsible for. Should residents comply with the minor notices in a timely manner then no further action will be taken. Minor notices will be recorded and continued breaches may lead to further breaches being treated as major notices. At any time the Residence Life Manager may elevate a minor notice into a major notice.

Major Notice

70. For more serious incidents the responding Residence Life Staff member will give the resident a formal written major notice within 12 hours of the incident. The notice will indicate to the student the perceived breach and a requirement that they meet with the Residence Life Manager or representative as soon as possible. 
71. The notice will be shared with the Residence Life Manager who will appoint an investigating officer to launch an information gathering process to determine the severity and nature of the breach of policy. The Residence Life Manager is able to delegate this information gathering process to any appropriate member of Residence Life Staff except to any staff member directly involved in, or the reporting of, the breach. Once the information gathering process has been completed, the resident in question will be invited to a mandatory meeting with the investigating officer and Residence Life Manager to discuss the case and present any additional information needed for a decision to be made. 
72. In exceptional circumstances major notice breaches may be elevated and treated as breaches of the Disciplinary Procedure for Students. 
73. Note that all alcohol and drug misuse incidents, any incidents that put another resident, student or staff member in any harmful or potentially harmful situation (such as any tampering or obstruction of fire safety operations), and any issues involving failure to comply will always be treated as major notice breaches except where outlined as a Medical Amnesty.

Sanctions

74. Where possible sanctions will be remedial in nature, aim to directly prevent the original incident from reoccurring and/or ensure the safety and peace of other residents. Where appropriate residents will be directed to support, welfare staff and resources rather than suffer any sanctions. For instance, disruptive behaviour during quiet hours may lead to curfews or mandatory check-ins with on-call staff. Sanctions are only issuable by the Residence Life Manager or a staff member specifically delegated by the RLM to rule on a breach of policy.
75. Continued breaches of this policy will result in referral to the Disciplinary Procedure for Students.

Appeals

76. Should a student wish to appeal against any decision, notice, sanction or disciplinary action, they may do so by informing the Residence Life Manager, if the Resident’s appeal is on the grounds of any action/inaction taken by the Residence Life Manager then appeals will be headed by the Global Experience Manager. 
77. Appeals to the Disciplinary Procedure for Students will be handled within that policy.

Advocates and Third Parties

78. While students are free to consult with advocates and third parties, such third parties are not permitted to ask or communicate on behalf of students regarding alleged policy violations. FERPA prevents the University from communicating with any Northeastern University student (including relatives) without the resident’s prior consent.

Complaints

79. All complaints against all the University and affiliated staff will be followed via the terms of the Complaints Procedure for Students. Any complaints against housing provider staff, for instance maintenance, front of house and cleaning staff should be directed in the first instance to the Residence Life Manager.

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