Policies and Regulations

Moving In: Residents may only move into the dormitory from the designated move-in date and time unless given prior, explicit written permission by residence staff; additional charges may apply.

Moving Out: Residents may only remain in the dormitory until the designated move-out date and time, unless given prior, explicit written permission by residence life staff; additional charges may apply.

Bard College is not responsible for the theft of, damage to or loss of Residents’ personal property that occurs in student rooms or anywhere in the residence or on residence grounds at any time. This applies to damages from water, steam, soot, smoke, fire, or other damage or destruction. Residents’ property is not insured under any Bard College insurance policies. Residents who wish to have property insurance should make their own arrangements through a homeowner or renter policy, or purchase an insurance policy written expressly for college students living in residence halls.

There is no on-campus storage outside of a resident’s room with the exception of bicycle storage racks (see below). Residents’ property may not be stored in any common areas of the residence hall including hallways and stairwells.  Items left outside the confines of a Resident’s room will be considered abandoned and discarded by building staff. Any items left behind after a resident has moved out of their assigned room will be considered abandoned property and be discarded.

Bicycles may not be brought into the residence, or stored in residents’ rooms. Limited bicycle storage on bicycle racks is available in the back courtyard of the residence, on a first-come/ first-served basis. Bicycles should be secured with standard bike locks to the racks and may not be secured to trees, lamp posts, fences or any other structures. Any bicycle not properly placed in a bicycle rack may be removed and disposed of; Bard College is not responsible for damaged or disposed of bicycles or locks. Bicycles are left on the premises at the owner’s own risk.

• Common areas of the residence hall will be cleaned regularly by professional cleaning staff. The common kitchen and dining area will be cleaned once daily and it is the responsibility of all residents and guests to leave the kitchen and dining area clean and tidy after each use.  Cleaning services are not provided by the College for residents' private rooms or bathrooms.
• Residents are responsible for placing all refuse and garbage in the trash rooms located on each residential floor of the residence hall. Recyclables must be separated and placed in recycling bins; cardboard boxes must be broken down to lay flat. Debris, garbage, and other objects may not be thrown from windows or left in hallways.
• Toilets and other plumbing fixtures may not be used for the disposal of garbage or cooking waste including, but not limited to, period products, wet wipes, paper towels, condoms, food scraps and cooking oil. Residents may be charged for any damage to plumbing caused by improper disposal of items and any associated cleaning fees. 

• Residents and visitors may not enter the building or congregate in common areas without proper attire. Shirts, shoes, skirts, pants, shorts, leggings, etc. are required in common areas at all times. Clothing must fully cover undergarments.
• All residents using common spaces must conduct themselves in a manner that is respectful of each other. Garbage is to be discarded in the proper receptacles. Posted quiet hours must be upheld, with extra courtesy during organized events and class sessions. No tampering with the displayed artwork/decorations or hanging of signs/decorations is permitted without prior staff approval. Furniture must be utilized appropriately and returned to its original location after each use. Residents are responsible for their own personal belongings. Sleeping, smoking, vaping, and alcohol consumption are not permitted in common areas at any time. Approval must be given by residence life staff to reserve a common space for an event. 
• The playing of any unsanctioned sports in the hallways, stairwells, student lounge, seminar rooms or patio is strictly prohibited. This includes roller skating/rollerblading and skateboarding.
• The patio is open for student use from 8am-10pm daily, with quiet hours observed from 8pm-10pm. Smoking, vaping and alcohol consumption is prohibited on the patio.
• The common kitchen and dining room are open for resident use 24 hours a day, except when closed for cleaning or reserved events. Residents are responsible for providing their own cookware, dishes, utensils, and food supplies. Any items left on counters, in sinks or other areas of the kitchen or dining room will be disposed of by building staff. The communal refrigerator/freezer may be used by residents to store unopened/uncooked food and food in sealed containers that have been labeled with the resident’s name & date. The communal refrigerator/freezer will be cleaned out weekly; Bard College is not responsible for any items left in the communal refrigerator/freezer. Deep fryers/deep frying is not permitted anywhere in the building. Residents must clean up after themselves in the kitchen, including disposing of trash in the proper bins, wiping down cooking stations, rinsing out sinks and emptying drain screens after each use. Residents must not leave any kitchen appliances unattended while in use, and should turn off all appliances in the event of a fire alarm. Residents may not sit on countertops, sinks or stovetops.
• Laundry facilities are available for resident use 24 hours a day. There are fees for using both washers and dryers. Any items left in the laundry room for an extended period, including clothing and laundry supplies, may be disposed of by building staff.

Residents are provided with a keycard to access the residence hall, elevators, common space, residential floors, and their room, as well as keys to their desk drawer and mailbox. Keycards, mailbox and desk keys may not be duplicated by residents, nor may they be loaned to anyone else, including friends, guests or other residents. No locks other than those provided by the residence hall may be installed by or for a resident on any room or other door. Residents may be charged for replacement keys in the event of a lost key(s). All keys must be returned at move-out. 
Residents are provided dormitory ID cards to enter the building. A fee may be charged for replacement ID cards. All ID cards must be returned to Bard College at the time of move-out.

• US Mail will be placed in student mailboxes in the mail room. Oversized packages delivered by major parcel services (USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, etc.) will be placed in the self-service package room, accessible by keycard 24/7. Bard College is not responsible for student mail or packages. It is the responsibility of residents to check mailboxes and the package room regularly. Items left in the package room for a prolonged period will be returned to the sender.  
• Food, pharmacy, flower and other non-parcel service deliveries, must be delivered directly to residents at the main entrance. If a resident is not available to accept a non-parcel post delivery (food, etc.), the item will not be accepted by Security or any other staff.

Routine maintenance of student rooms (unclogging  plumbing, changing light bulbs, etc.) is performed at no cost to residents. An exterminator performs weekly maintenance in common areas and can service student rooms as needed. A designated protocol is in place for addressing suspected and/or confirmed bed bug infestations to limit spread. Service requests need to be submitted in writing for maintenance and exterminator services. Repair of damages caused by a resident beyond usual wear and tear, either intentionally or due to negligence, will be charged to the resident. 

No pets are permitted in the residence.

Bard College reserves the right to enter into any resident’s room without prior notice. Entry does not include the authority to search personal belongings in a resident’s desk, closet, dresser, etc. At the time of entry, any prohibited articles that are in plain sight may be reported and confiscated. The College reserves the right to enter and inspect any room when, at the discretion of a staff member, it is deemed necessary for security, safety, maintenance repairs, or policy enforcement. If it is found that a resident’s room is not up to health and safety standards (i.e. cleanliness, hazardous wiring, etc.) the resident will be given 24 hours to correct or face disciplinary sanctions. Room checks are generally conducted on all rooms at least once per term to determine compliance with rules, and with federal, state and local laws and to check for any repairs needed. Whenever possible, residents are given notice prior to room entry.

• Each resident is provided a bed, desk, chair, closet and dresser. No pillows, sheets, blankets or other bedding is provided. 
• A student may not remove any furniture from a room or place items outside their room, in corridors, stairwells or other common areas. Residents are not allowed to bring any outside furniture into rooms other than one chair or stool each, which should be in new condition.
• The following items are prohibited in dorm rooms: Halogen lighting equipment; electric or gas-powered heaters; portable AC or window units; hot plates, toasters, toaster ovens, air fryers, deep fryers; candles, incense, smoking and/or drug paraphernalia of any kind; flammable decorations such as Christmas lights etc.; furniture, refrigerator, or microwave not provided by the dormitory; illegal substances of any nature; explosives, fireworks, weapons of any kind, smoke laden materials, and/or instruments; electronic bikes, self-propelled scooters/skateboards, hoverboards similar items and any associated detachable batteries; bicycles. 
• The following items are allowed in dorm rooms: electric kettles with automatic shut offs; irons with automatic shut offs; crock pots/slow cookers; rice cookers; curling/straighten irons with automatic shut offs; automatic coffee maker.
• Residents are responsible, and share responsibility with their roommate, for keeping their room clean and free of any damage.
• Residents are allowed to decorate and modify their rooms within the limits outlined in this document. Nothing may be painted on the walls. Masking tape, “command strips” or other easily removable fasteners may be used on walls; never cellophane or double-sided tape, glue, tacks or push pins. No holes may be drilled, nailed or otherwise made in walls or furnishings. Any repairs for damage to the walls, floors or furnishings caused by the resident, or their guests, will be paid for by the resident.  
• Exhibiting or affixing any sign, advertisement, notice or other lettering, flags or banners on any part of the outside of a resident’s room, door or the building is prohibited, as is attaching or hanging any projections on the outside walls or windows of the building. It is prohibited to cover or obscure the room door peephole.

Room assignments will be made solely by Bard College. The College reserves the right to relocate students to other residential rooms as needed. Students who request a change in their housing assignment may do so by meeting with the appropriate staff member and completing a Room Change Request form. Students should not assume a room change will be granted upon request. Residence Life staff use discretion to determine what changes should be made in order to facilitate the appropriate housing of the maximum number of students. Any open space in housing may be filled at the discretion of residence life staff at any time. Whenever possible, residents with open spaces in their room are informed before someone is placed in the space. Room changes are not considered until after the first two weeks of the term. Students must not switch rooms without the consent of program staff, and must complete room changes within 72 hours of notification or risk losing permission to change their room. A student with a vacancy may not rearrange furniture (e.g. move two beds together, place possessions throughout the room) in order to prevent/deny another student from accessing or moving comfortably into the room. In the case of a room swap, all impacted residents must indicate approval of the room swap in writing. If Bard College determines that a resident does not fit into a positive environment or if the College considers the resident a threat to our community we reserve the right to terminate housing privileges if it is determined that the resident cannot fit into the community in a positive manner. 

• The residence hall provides residents 24-hour security, including security guards, cameras in common areas and restricted access via keycards to the building, elevators, common areas and residential floors. All public spaces are under 24-hour surveillance. 
• Unauthorized persons, including unregistered guests, may be asked to leave the building. Trespassers will be prosecuted in accordance with the New York State Criminal Code.
• Community members must show their residence hall ID card upon request to staff and security; guests must present guest passes. False representation or false reporting of information is a breach of dorm policies. Bard College reserves the right to escort non-community members with no legitimate purpose or those not compliant with residence hall policies out of the building.  Those in serious violation may be subject to arrest.  
• Exterior doors for the residence hall and courtyard are to remain closed and locked 24 hours a day. Students should keep interior entrance and bedroom doors closed and locked; doors, including exterior and doors to residents’ rooms and stairwells may not be propped open at any time.
• Residents must use assigned keycards to enter residence halls and must not enter the building through any other means other than the designated front entrance. Entrance of the residence hall through windows or other avenues is not permitted. Entrance doors should not be opened for others; residents should not provide access to the residence hall to any unknown persons.
• Residents are not permitted to enter, attempt to gain access to, forcefully/passively access another resident’s room or any other restricted area of the residence without written permission from building staff.
• Residence Hall windows are designed to not open more than a few inches. Residents are not permitted to remove or tamper with these safety devices. Nothing may be thrown out of residence hall windows. No items  may be placed on the ledge outside of windows. Residents are prohibited from using ledges and roofs for any purpose, and from scaling or repelling on exterior walls.

• It is a violation of residence hall regulations to set off a false fire alarm or engage in negligent behavior resulting in a fire alarm. Tampering with fire extinguishers, alarms, sprinkler systems, exit signs, and smoke detectors is prohibited, as is engaging in behavior or possessing objects which are construed as a fire hazard as well as tampering with, blocking or propping fire control doors. Any student found responsible for an actual fire in the building, even accidental, may have housing privileges revoked and be charged for all resulting damage.
• Everyone is required to leave the building during a fire drill or alarm and exit to the designated gathering area, in front of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, directly opposite the main entrance to the building on North 8th Street.
• Only UL-compliant appliances may be used. The following electrical equipment may be used in student rooms: alarm clock, fan, hair dryer, curling/straightening irons with automatic shut offs, computers, iron with automatic shut-off, radio, stereo, television, study lamp, humidifier, coffee maker, electric kettle with automatic shut-off, rice cooker, crockpot/slow cooker, and microwave/refrigerator units provided with the room. No other microwaves are allowed. Hot plates, air fryers, toasters and toaster ovens are explicitly not allowed in dormitory rooms. Lighting should use compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. The following may not be used in the residence hall: any exposed coil heater, heating pad, portable heater, hot plate, deep fryers, air conditioners or extension cords.
• Candles and incense are prohibited in the residence as is the burning of any materials, including matches.
• Ceiling coverings are expressly prohibited. Flammable materials may NOT be placed on any wall by the head, foot, side or ceiling of a bed. Half of the overall wall space must remain free from flammable items.
• Smoking and vaping of any substance is not permitted on the premises.
• Cut trees are not permitted in residence hall rooms or common spaces. Any decorations must be flame retardant be sure to check tags or wrappers prior to purchase. Decorations must not be placed in front of exits and covering doors. All lights must be tagged as having been approved by Underwriters Laboratories. All electrical decorations must be unplugged when unattended.

• Guests must be at least 18 years of age unless accompanied by a parent or guardian; 
• All visitors must enter through the front entrance;  
• “Sneaking” or attempting to “sneak” guests into the dormitory is a serious policy violation  which may lead to the loss of housing privileges; 
• Guests need to register at the security desk upon arrival with their host present. A valid government ID is required and will be held by security whenever a guest is in the building. The propriety and sufficiency of the identification is within the sole discretion of security or other staff members; 
• Guests must abide by building policies;
• Guests have no occupancy rights and can be asked to leave the premises at any time;  
• The resident is responsible for any and all actions of their guest. All residents are legally and financially responsible for the conduct of their guests;  
• Having guests is a privilege, not a right, and Bard College reserves the right to ban any visitor or restrict any resident’s guest privileges; 
• Guests who violate any policies may be asked to leave the residence immediately and will be prohibited from future visits to the residence; 
• If the resident or guest is observed to be intoxicated when entering the residence, the guest will not be permitted entry – regardless of registration status; 
• No exceptions will be made to the Guest Policies or Procedures.

• Residents may have up to two daytime visitors at a time; 
• Residents should communicate with their roommates prior to bringing guests into their rooms; 
• Daytime guests may be in the building from 8AM to 10PM Sunday-Thursday, and 8AM-12AM (midnight) on Friday and Saturday; 
• Daytime guest registration hours are from 8AM to 9PM with security; no daytime guest can be signed in after 9PM; 
• Dorm residents must meet their daytime guests at the entrance to sign them in with security, ID cards are required; 
• Upon departure, guests must sign out with their host present;
• On Move-in and Move-out days, exceptions are made to the 2 daytime guest rule for families helping students with move-in, move-out.

• Overnight guests are not allowed during the first two weeks following move-in and the last two weeks before the end of each term;
• No other person other than a resident may use a resident’s room overnight, without the prior written consent of residence life staff. Residents cannot sublet or assign the rights of their room;
• Each room is allowed a maximum of two overnight guests at a time (either one resident with up to two guests or each resident with one guest); there are separate policies and procedures governing the hosting of one or two guests (see below);
• Hosts should communicate with their roommate prior to requesting Residence Life permission to host an overnight guest;
• Residence staff must approve each overnight guest beforehand through the Overnight Guest Form.  Staff approval for overnight guests is from 9AM-5PM Monday-Friday; no overnight guests will be approved outside of these hours (plan ahead). No guests will be allowed to stay overnight without prior approval from staff. Residence Life staff reserve the right to approve or deny guest pass requests at their discretion; 
• Any guest entering the building between 9PM and 8AM or staying in the building between 10PM and 8AM on weeknights, 12AM and 8AM on Saturday/Sunday must be registered as an overnight guest; the first night of an overnight guest’s stay will be counted as any time registered in the dormitory during overnight guest hours (10PM-8AM on weeknights, 12AM-8AM on Saturday/Sunday);
• Approved overnight guests may register with security at any time following the posted registration procedures; their host must be present for guest registration; 
• Overnight guests will be provided with visitor passes valid for the duration of their stay, which must be carried at all times in the residence and be shown to security and other staff upon request; 
• Overnight guests may not stay more than seven total nights in the facility in a calendar month, regardless of host. Dormitory staff will track guests and let Security know if a guest has reached their limit (and guests that have met the limit will not be issued approval emails);
• Each resident is only allowed seven (7) cumulative overnight guests per calendar month (each night one guest stays will count towards the total of 7 nights in a month);
• Check-out is by 9PM on the final day of an overnight guest’s stay; 
• Upon departure, overnight guests must sign out with their host present;
• Residents may request a single overnight guest for up to three consecutive nights of stay by filling out the Overnight Guest Request form. No additional actions are required other than communicating with your roommate about hosting a guest;
• For any guest’s stay beyond 3 consecutive nights and up to 5 nights (the maximum consecutive stay of an overnight guest), each of these requirements must be met:
  • requests must be sent at least a week prior to the guests’ expected arrival date;
  • only one extended stay overnight guest (more than three nights) may stay in a room at a time; approvals are made on a first come first served basis, and the first request approved will limit the number of nights any subsequent requested guest may be approved to stay in the same room (the number of nights for an additional guest will be limited to three consecutive nights, as no more than three consecutive nights of double guest occupancy per room is allowed);
  • one resident may not receive approval for an extended stay guest and then receive approval for an additional guest during the the same period (hosting two guests, one for an extended stay and one for up to three consecutive nights at the same time); the stay of a second guest during the stay of an extended stay guest is only permitted if the subsequent request is made by the roommate of the first host;
  • the roommate of the host must meet with the Residence Life Manager and give expressed consent for an extended guest stay. 
• Residents may seek approval to host two guests at the same time. In order to obtain approval for two guests at the same time, each of these requirements must be met: 
  • requests must be sent at least a week prior to the guests’ expected arrival date;
  • stays cannot exceed 3 consecutive nights for either guest;
  • the hosts’ roommate must meet with the Residence Life Manager and give expressed consent for two overnight guests to stay in the room;
  • no more than two overnight guests will be allowed in each room at a time; requested will be approved on a first come first served basis.

• Residents and guests shall not engage in objectionable conduct. Objectionable conduct is behavior that makes or will make the building less fit to live in for residents, including but not limited to, anything which interferes with the rights of others to properly and peacefully enjoy their rooms, or causes conditions that are dangerous, hazardous, unsanitary and/or detrimental to other residents, employees and guests in the building. Disorderly, disruptive, or aggressive behavior that interferes with the general comfort, safety or welfare of a person or group is prohibited. Interference with the freedom of another person or group to move about in a lawful manner is prohibited. No resident shall create a condition that endangers or threatens the safety or well-being of themselves or others.
• Quiet hours are required in the residence hall from 11:00pm – 8:00am. During quiet hours no resident or guest should knowingly create any noise that will carry beyond the resident’s room; noise in common areas should be kept to a minimum. Courtesy hours are 24 hours, which means adhering to requests by other residents or staff to lower noise/music or other excessive audible noise/sounds. During the final period at the end of term the residence hall observes 24-hour quiet hours.
• Playing of instruments in residence hall rooms or common spaces, must be done within the quiet hours/courtesy hours guidelines. Electronic music is only permitted with the use of headphones. Subwoofers are prohibited.
• Residents may not use the residence hall in any way for business purposes, including any form of advertising or for conducting business in the residence. Residents are prohibited from unauthorized solicitation, membership recruitment, subscription, polling, posting, placing materials underneath doors, canvassing, and commercial sale of products, services, or tickets in any residence. Additionally, under no circumstances are prostitution or escort services permitted in the residence at any time.
• Gambling is not permitted.
• Students may not bring or utilize any type of grill or barbeque at the North 8th Street residence.
• Vandalism, malicious destruction, unintended damage as the result of pranks, actions requiring extraordinary cleaning, damage and theft that occurs, or maliciously receiving and possessing the property of Bard College or others, are serious violations which may result in the loss of housing privileges. 
• The residence hall prohibits the use, possession, or storage of e-scooters, e-bikes, hoverboards and similar devices containing lithium ion batteries.
• Drone operation within the Residence or anywhere on the premises is not permitted.
• All residents are subject to Bard College’s Policy Against Discrimination and Harassment.
• Bard College reserves the right to contact the parent(s) or guardian(s) of residents under the age of 21 involved in dangerous and/or inappropriate behaviors that are threatening to oneself or others.

• The possession, use, or distribution of illegal substances is prohibited. The distribution of prescribed drugs/medication is prohibited.
• A room with an occupant under 21 cannot have any alcohol stored or consumed in it. Any gathering at which alcohol is being consumed should not exceed 6 individuals. No common-source alcohol (e.g., kegs, beer balls) or grain alcohol (e.g., Everclear) will be permitted in residential rooms. No drinking of alcohol is permitted in common areas. Residents who bring alcoholic beverages into the residence are responsible for its legal use. This includes taking precautions to prevent the possession of alcoholic beverages by underage residents and visitors. Alcoholic beverages may not be sold or distributed by a resident.
• Weapons of any kind, including knives, swords, paintball guns, tasers, BB guns, bows and arrows, firearms, ammunition, and firearm components and spare parts are not permitted in the residence hall. Fireworks, gasoline, other combustible items, and explosives are also explicitly prohibited. A disarmed weapon is a weapon.

Residents can expect fairness from Bard College staff in addressing alleged violations of the residence hall policies, rules and regulations. Failure to comply with the terms of a sanction will be considered further violation and may result in additional, extended and more severe sanctions.  Sanctions may include:

• Written warning
• Disciplinary Fines
• Restitution for damages
• Disciplinary probation
• Required room reassignment
• Suspension from the residence
• Expulsion from the residence without a refund
• Referral to local law enforcement agencies
• Parental notification and/or home institution notification

Students wishing to appeal a sanction should complete the official appeal form available from residence staff. Appeals must be submitted within the specified time frame indicated on the notification of sanctions. Review of appeals are made at the sole discretion of Bard College. Outcomes of appeals are final and binding.

If a resident’s room has sustained damage beyond the usual wear and tear, the cost of the repairs will be charged to the resident. Assessment of damage will be made at move-out by comparing the room condition report completed at move-in to the state of the room and all furniture, fixtures and equipment at the time of move-out. The cost of repairing damage will be assessed by building staff and billed to the resident.

All residents have the right to submit in writing grievances concerning fellow residents, staff, guests and other members of the residence hall community, which will be addressed in a timely manner by appropriate Bard College staff.