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Click on one of the following titles to go to the corresponding information on this page:
- Residential Policy
- Residential Philosophy
- Accommodating
Students With Special Needs/Disabilities
- Residence Hall Hours
- Quiet Hours
- Visitation
- Overnight Guests
- Appliances and Cooking
- Building/Room Care
- Electronic Entertainment
- Pets
- Storage
- Telephones
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Work Requests
- College Staff Entering Rooms
- Fire Safety
- Personal Safety
- Tornado Safety
- Weapons and Explosives
RESIDENTIAL POLICY
- Wheaton's commitment to maintaining an environment where students live on campus is rooted in the reason Wheaton College exists.
- Wheaton College exists to develop Christian students into whole and effective servants of Jesus Christ.
- Some of this development occurs because of the Holy Spirit's work in students' lives through relationships with other people.
- A guiding and fundamentally important component of Christian student development then is the touching of life-to-life.
- We believe it is necessary for students to be immersed in community living for key life-to-life encounters to be possible. In community, students give and receive, are shaped by and contribute to campus life, and are challenged to integrate their classroom learning with their life experiences.
- Therefore, as a condition of attending Wheaton College,
undergraduate students are required to live on campus in college-owned
residence halls, apartments or houses.
NOTE: Exceptions are granted for married students, students who choose to live with their parent(s) and commute, and students granted permission to live off campus through the housing selection process.
The philosophy of Residence Life is to foster a residence hall environment where students experience caring relationships with people serving one another and encouraging each other to seek Christ and apply His teaching/example. When students move to campus houses and apartments or off-campus, our hope is that students will apply what they have experienced in the residence halls and intentionally foster caring relationships as well as mutual service and accountability among their peers.
ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS/DISABILITIES
Wheaton College does not discriminate on the basis of disability and offers accessible housing and other services to students who properly establish a need for them. Students with disabilities who may require accomodation with respect to campus housing or food services should contact the Assistant Director of Housing for details as to the kinds of documentation that may be necessary to obtain accomodations in housing or food services. The Assistant Director of Housing may be contacted via telephone, 630.752.5027, in person at Student Services Building 218, or via email at Housing@wheaton.edu. The Assistant Director of Housing will evaluate the request and, if necessary, consult with the Director of Residence Life and Housing, the Director of Student Health Services, the Dean of Student Life, the Dean of Students, and/or the Director of Physical Plant before communicating back to the student how the request will be resolved. For further information, please see College policy on “Services for Students with Disabilities” .
Students are encouraged to be in their halls by midnight Sunday through Thursday, and 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Students in residence halls are expected to sign out with the RA when they plan to be away overnight.
Quiet hours are 11 p.m. - 9 a.m., seven days a week. The city of Wheaton does enforce its noise ordinance outside campus housing which is in effect after 10:00 p.m. seven days a week.
One of the purposes of the Community Covenant is to give Wheaton College Biblically based direction in cultivating a campus atmosphere that encourages spiritual, moral and intellectual growth. How and where female and male students interact and relate to each other has the ability to contribute to a campus atmosphere that encourages spiritual, moral and intellectual growth. Every effort should be made to relate and interact verbally and physically in order to encourage purity in thought and action.
Wheaton College established a visitation policy to help female and male students who live on campus to practice healthy boundaries. Students in violation of the Visitation Policy are subject to disciplinary action because of the College's care and concern for how female and male students relate to each other.
Residence Halls. All the Residence Halls have main floor and lower level public lobbies. Main floor lobbies and open between 5:00 a.m. and midnight, seven days a week for female and male students to socialize and/or study together. Fischer Hall and McManis-Evans also have small lobby areas outside each elevator landing. Since exterior doors are locked at midnight, access to elevator lobbies in Fischer and McManis-Evans are limited to female and male students who live in those buildings respectively between midnight and 5:00 a.m. The lower level lobbies in Fischer and Smith-Traber are closed each night at midnight. Open floors (only certain individual floors being open within a residence hall) and open halls (all floors in the residence hall being open) provide opportunities to practice hospitality and spend time with friends of the opposite gender. Residence Directors give prior authorization for these events, and RAs must be present to monitor and check all rooms. All room doors of those participating in an “Open” event must remain wide open. “Open” events are limited to 7 p.m.—10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 7 p.m.—11:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Guests of the opposite gender are only allowed on residence hall floors during the evening times approved by the Residence Life staff. Underclass residence halls (Fischer and Smith-Traber) are allowed three open times each week and Upperclass residence halls (McManis-Evans and Williston) are allowed four open times.
Houses and Apartments. Students in their third, fourth or fifth year in college are eligible to live in campus apartments and houses. Living in a campus apartment or house offers more freedom with respect to opposite gender visits, but also more responsibility. There is more ownership, in apartment and house units, upon roommates to hold one another accountable for how, where, and when female and male students interact and relate to each other within the living unit. Even though there is more freedom in campus apartments and houses, boundaries are still important. Visiting guests of the opposite gender are restricted to rooms with wide open doors within the apartment or house, no earlier than 9:00 a.m. and no later than 2:00 a.m. Opposite gender visitation is prohibited after 2:00 a.m. and before 9:00 a.m.
No overnight guest of the opposite gender is permitted at any time in student housing. All guests should be the student's peers and friends. Parents and other adults should not be invited to stay in College housing. Guests are limited to three-day visits. Wheaton College commuter students are prohibited from being frequent overnight guests in College Housing. Exceptions must be cleared with the Residence Director, Director of Residence Life and Housing, Deans, or the Apartment/House GRA. The Housing Office has information regarding nearby motels and rooms for rent.
Residence Halls. Overnight guests in the Residence Halls must be registered with the Resident Assistant.
Window air conditioners and microwave ovens are not permitted in student rooms. The use of personal electrical appliances is limited because of sanitation, safety, and circuit overload. Only small appliances which are approved by underwriters' Laboratory and with completely enclosed coils are permitted, i.e. hot air corn poppers, coffee pots, tart burners, tart melters, oil potpourri burners, simmer pots, and diffusers. Cooking meals in student rooms is prohibited. If students cook with charcoal grills outside, the coals must be disposed of in a college dumpster after they have cooled off for at least 24 hours. Maximum electrical specifications for any individual electrical utilization equipment (refrigerators, computers, stereos, etc.) is 4 AMPS/480 Watts. Nominal voltage range: 110/115/120 Volts, 60 HZ. If total ampere demand in residence hall rooms should exceed 8 AMPS, the installation must be inspected by a Physical Plant electrician.
Student-owned refrigerators are permitted only on a space available basis, must not exceed 4 cubic feet in size, and must meet the above electrical specifications. Storage of refrigerators is permitted only as space allows.
Some computer equipment may require a dedicated circuit or an isolated grounding conductor. These features are not available at any campus residence location. Some electronic equipment is very sensitive to voltage surges that occur as a result of lightning strikes during thunderstorms commonly experienced in this area. A surge protection feature is available on some circuit breaker multiple outlet strips and will prevent most surges from damaging computer components. If questions arise regarding electrical specifications or total equipment ampere demand, please call the Physical Plant Work Order Center (x5930) for further clarification.
Cold-water humidifiers are a good investment for student rooms, as hot-water humidifiers often set off fire alarms. Sun lamps, infra-red lights, halogen bulbs or lamps etc., are not to be used in student rooms for safety reasons.
Personalization in decorating is encouraged. At the same time, residents are expected to accept the responsibility for the maintenance of their rooms as well as for damages and replacements. Special care should be taken for painted walls. [Small nails are allowed except in Fischer and Smith-Traber; white or yellow Plasti-Tak is the only authorized adhesive for walls and ceilings. Plastic hooks with double sided tape are not allowed. (This applies to posters, borders, and all other decorative items.)]
Room decorations should be in accordance with fire safety principles. Excessive paper or other flammable materials should be avoided. Good judgment and discretion should be used in the type of posters displayed in student rooms. Any student who has stolen property, such as College or municipal signs will be subject to disciplinary action. Damage reported to the residence hall or apartment and house staff will be assessed according to the cost of replacement and labor. An inventory of furnishings and room condition is made whenever a student moves into and out of a residence. There is a minimum charge of $50 per resident when the residence is left without properly checking out and/or without being cleaned, plus additional charges for damages not previously reported and/or assessed.
Any type of construction (including loft beds and stadium seating), use of a water bed, painting of student rooms, and any tampering with College property (removing window screens, misusing fire extinguishers, etc.) is prohibited. Under no circumstance is a student to remove furniture from a residence.
Students who bring their own furniture are expected to legally store or dispose of it off campus. Abandoned furniture will result in a $75 fine. Damage in public areas and on the floors may be charged to the students who reside on the floor or in the building where the damage occurs if the responsible parties do not come forward. In some buildings, students are expected to help with regular cleaning of bathrooms, lounges, and halls. Furniture in public areas, kitchen equipment, etc., is not to be moved from the room or the building. Furniture and other items should not be placed directly in front of a vent; blocking a vent could result in mechanical damage and or failure. Fines may be imposed for failure to follow these guidelines.
The College is not responsible, and will not be liable for loss, theft, or damage to students' personal belongings, whether by act of God, accident, negligence, or intentional act. For this and other reasons, students are strongly encouraged to carry personal property insurance.
The College will likely seek restitution from students, and from their parent's insurance carriers, after those events where students are responsible for intentionally or unintentionally causing damage to College owned property (i.e. causing a fire, setting off a building sprinkler system, etc.).
Students may have stereos, televisions, VCR's and DVD Players, but must be considerate of others in the use of volume controls. Headphones are suggested as a means of enjoying entertainment without disturbing other residents. Caution must be exercised in the choice of and use of movies. It is legal to show movies in a residence hall lounge without a Public Performance License if the event is not advertised outside the residence hall where the movie is being shown and an admission fee is not charged. No exterior antennas or satellite dishes are allowed . Students are prohibited from subscribing to a private cable/internet company in campus houses and apartments.
Aquatic species that live under water may be kept in standard-size aquariums. Because of health sanitation and safety, animals, including snakes, may not be kept in student rooms or on property owned by the College.
Storage for each resident is determined by the space available in each building. There is no storage available on campus for furniture over the summer.
Summer Storage must be in the building where the student last resided, and all articles must be labeled with the current month and year as well as a permanent mailing address. The College is not responsible, and will not be liable for loss, theft, or damage to students' personal belongings, whether by act of God, accident, negligence, or intentional act. For these reasons, students are strongly encouraged to carry personal property insurance. Any possessions left in unauthorized places or that are unclaimed may be disposed of by the College.
Because of the fire hazard, no empty cardboard boxes may be stored unless flattened. All storage must be neat and orderly, with a minimum ceiling clearance of 18 inches. Local fire codes may dictate other storage safety requirements.
Bicycle Storage. Bicycles must be stored in designated racks outside campus buildings or in designated areas inside campus housing. Indoor bike storage is limited. Residence Hall occupants may contact the Residence Director for space availability. Bike storage in a student's room/apartment/house is prohibited. It is strongly recommended that bicycles be registered with the Wheaton Police Department. Mopeds or motorcycles may not be stored in student residences under any circumstances.
Telephone service is provided for each College-owned residence. This includes a standard desk or wall telephone set and a touch-tone line that is equipped with Call Waiting and Distinctive Ringing (on-campus calls give a single ring and off-campus calls give a double ring).
Basic telephone charges are a component of the housing charge. Off-campus calls are billed monthly to Student Accounts. An itemized statement with call detail is sent via CPO. Each student is assigned a seven digit authorization code at the beginning of the school year, and must use this code to place calls to off-campus numbers. Please direct questions concerning telephone bills to Telephone Services (x5202).
Report telephone repair needs to the College operator (dial 0). Do not call the Telephone Company or Physical Plant Work Order Center. Students who bring their own telephone equipment (phones, answering machines, cords, etc.) are responsible for the maintenance and repair of that equipment. Misuse of telephone service will result in disciplinary action.
In case of an emergency, call the Physical Plant Work Order Center (x5930) 24 hours per day (only emergencies may be called to this office). Good judgment is a key factor in determining an emergency. The following problems are considered emergencies:
- all heating and air-conditioning problems
- electrical power failures--fuses, circuit breakers, wiring problems, etc.
- plumbing problems--any pipe or fixture that is causing, or will cause, significant property damage due to leakage, any toilet or receptacle that is unusable and is the only one available
- any malfunction in refrigeration equipment, particularly if it will result in damage to its contents
- any roof leak where evidence of water is significant
- all gas problems--relighting of pilot lights, gas leaks, etc.
- all broken windows, doors, and locks which cause security problems or allow the effects of weather indoors; and
- all elevator repairs or problems.
Other requests for repair service or lost keys should be submitted to the Physical Plant electronically through the Physical Plant's campus Intranet link. Work Requests must be submitted by an RD, GRA, ARD, or RA, unless the request is an emergency.
The College recognizes students' desire for privacy in their rooms and living areas and intends to provide, when the College deems it appropriate, advance notice before staff or employees enter. (For example, personnel entering for routine maintenance purposes are required to knock and announce their presence before entering.)
However, the College reserves the right to enter and search College-owned buildings and residences (including residence hall rooms, apartments and houses), without advance notice or other limitations
- to inspect the premises
- for maintenance purposes
- to investigate health concerns, safety issues, suspicious behavior or circumstances, illegal activity, or violation of College policies, including the Community Covenant
- to maintain order
- for any other legitimate reason. Anything in plain view that is contrary to the
College's standards discovered by College personnel will be reported to the Student Development Office
Fire Safety equipment such as fire alarms, extinguishers, and smoke detectors are located in all College buildings for safety and should be used only in emergency situations. No items may be moved to or stored within 18 inches of any sprinkler head. Tampering with fire equipment, disconnecting smoke alarms, or intentionally activating a fire alarm and/or ringing a false alarm constitutes a class 4 state felony. The College will take disciplinary action, and each student in the room, apartment, house, or hallway may be subject to a $50 minimum fine. Legal action and a fine up to $500 may be pursued by the Wheaton Police. Malfunctioning smoke alarms should be reported at once to Public Safety (x5911) 24 hours a day.
Students who do not cooperate in evacuating a building when a fire alarm is sounded will be subject to disciplinary action and a $50 minimum fine.
Students should also assist in the promotion of basic fire safety principles. Fire exits should not be blocked and fire doors should not be propped open. Belongings should not be placed in hallways or stairwells. Students are encouraged to use power strips with circuit breakers in their rooms. All extension cords must have a ground wire. Playing sports indoors is prohibited. Sports equipment striking fire safety equipment will result in a $50 fine. Fire hazards should be reported to Public Safety.
Flammable Materials. Combustible materials, including flammable liquids, are not permitted in student rooms, storage areas, or other College buildings. Additionally, the smoking of any substance on College property is prohibited. Burning candles or incense is prohibited due to insurance restrictions and to ensure fire prevention. Paper streamers, excessive paper items, and organic decorative materials such as live Christmas trees, straw, and corn shucks which are flammable are not permitted in College buildings. Materials which have been fireproofed are available and should be used. Due to the high temperature of their bulbs, halogen lamps are prohibited in College housing.
FLAMMABLE MATERIALS. Combustible materials, including flammable liquids, are not permitted in student rooms, storage areas, or other College buildings. Additionally, the smoking of any substance on College property is prohibited. Burning candles or incense is prohibited due to insurance restrictions and to ensure fire prevention. Candles may be displayed as long as the wick has never been burned. Paper or cloth streamers, excessive paper items, and organic decorative materials such as live Christmas trees, straw, and corn shucks which are flammable are not permitted in College buildings. Materials which have been fireproofed are available and should be used. Due to the high temperature of their bulbs, halogen lamps are prohibited in College housing.
A free Campus Shuttle is available seven days a week from 6:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The shuttle stops at several campus locations on a scheduled route. Students will receive a copy of the scheduled stops through the College Post Office. Public Safety Officers are available for escorts during other hours of darkness. Students may request an escort by calling x5911.
There are special security doors leading into most living areas in the residence halls. Students place the safety of others at risk if they carelessly prop open security or outside doors. Tampering with any access control component which locks and unlocks exterior and interior entrance/exits is considered a class 4 state felony..
Tornado Watch : Conditions are right for the development of tornadoes.
Tornado Warning : This condition indicates that a tornado or funnel cloud has been sighted. A tornado warning will be announced through local media, a 3-5 minute sounding of the City of Wheaton tornado sirens, and/or through a residence life or housing staff member.
Response Procedures: If you are advised of a tornado warning:
- Move immediately to the center of the lowest level of your building
- Stay inside, away from windows
- Seek cover under stable structures (heavy furniture, etc.)
- Use coats, blankets, etc., for extra protection in case of flying glass, etc. Keep your face down as much as possible
- Do not evacuate a building; you are safer inside. If you are outside away from a building, seek out a ditch or low ground and lie face down. (NOTE: Do not seek refuge in a motor vehicle.)
Illinois law prohibits the possession or discharge of fireworks. Students may not possess or store weapons or explosives on campus. Students will incur a $75 fine for such possession. Disciplinary action will be taken by the College for unauthorized possession or use of the following:
- Firearms or replicas thereof: replicas will be confiscated and not returned
- Explosives and/or explosive devices
- Weapons or devices which injure or have the potential to injure another person or property, such as water balloon launchers and numchucks
- Pellet guns, B-B guns, and paintball guns
- Fireworks
- Dangerous chemicals or fuels
- Knives
- Bows and arrows and
- Sword
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