Approved by: Residence Life
History: Updated 2024
Related Policies:
Related Forms, Procedures, and References:
For Questions Contact: Residence Life | 414.382.6314 | residencelife@alverno.edu
Common areas can be accessed by the entire residence hall community for use. These include the floor lounges, hallways, meeting rooms, basement rooms, the rec room, and the Austin Hall lobby.
The cleanliness and condition of these areas reflect directly upon those who live here. Out of respect for the community, we must treat these areas with respect, and be responsible for cleaning our own messes and taking responsibility for any damages we may cause. Should any common area be damaged or left in serious disarray, the persons responsible will be sought to pay the resulting fine for damage or cleaning. If no one acknowledges responsibility, the entire hall may incur a damage fine. Residents are especially accountable for the cleanliness of the kitchens/lounges on each floor.
Rollerblading and the use of bicycles can damage floors or carpeting, and their use is not allowed inside the residence halls. If storing your bicycle in your room, please carry it through the lobby and the hallways. Bicycles may be stored in the bike storage room next to the Computer Lab in the Austin Hall basement. When storing your bike on campus, please use a bike lock at all times.
Each floor of Austin and Clare Hall has a community lounge and kitchen space complete with a TV, comfortable furniture, an ironing board, a microwave, a refrigerator, a sink, and a toaster. These rooms may be used for studying, wing/floor activities, meetings, or catching a late-night movie with popcorn. Students are not to sleep in lounges or common areas. This also applies to guests of students in the residence halls.
All residents must clean the kitchen after use so that everyone may enjoy the facilities. The following are the set guidelines for all residents who use the kitchens:
The consequences for residents who choose not to follow these guidelines are as follows:
Each wing in the halls has a shower room and bathroom. Shower stalls are meant for one person; residents are not allowed to shower with guests and/or other residents.
There is a 24-hour computer lab located in the basement of the Austin Hall. All individuals utilizing the Austin Hall computer lab must be signed in and accompanied by an Austin Hall resident.
There is a 24-hour computer lab located on the third floor of Clare Hall. All individuals utilizing the Clare Hall computer lab must be signed in and accompanied by a Clare resident.
There is a fitness room located on the second floor of Clare Hall. All individuals requesting to use the fitness room must be Clare Hall residents. The fitness center may close at any point due to concerns about the health and safety of residents using this facility.
Clare Hall offers a group study room on the fourth floor where residents and their guests can study. All individuals utilizing the study room must be signed in and accompanied by a Clare Hall resident.
• Copy machine: There is a copy machine available for student use on the first floor of Austin Hall in the alcove near the desk. Printing costs will be taken from your student paper account.
• Laundry: Washers and dryers are located in the basement of Austin Hall and on each floor of Clare Hall. They are free for resident student use. Laundry detergent is not provided. Do not leave clothes unattended in the laundry room, as the College is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Items left for more than 24 hours will be donated.
• Items available for checkout: You may check out a wide variety of items by completing an item checkout form at the Austin Hall front desk. Items include sports equipment, games, DVDs, cleaning supplies, Rec Room equipment, and cooking equipment. Please try to limit your use of the items available for checkout due to the needs of the community at this time.
• Storage: International, exchange students, and residents who live more than 300 miles from campus can have personal items in storage during the academic year, free of charge. To place items in storage, please take the following steps:
1. Box all items, seal them with tape and clearly mark with your name, room number, and home address. Two residents may not place items in storage together. Each resident must complete a separate storage form.
2. Complete a storage receipt at the Austin Hall reception desk or with a Residence Life professional staff member. The Residence Life staff must sign all storage receipts and forms prior to storage entry.
3. Contact the professional staff to enter storage. You must have your signed storage receipt form with you to enter storage. After all items are stored, the desk worker will sign the receipt and give you a copy. Keep your copy of the receipt in a safe place, as it will be your ticket back into storage to retrieve your items.
4. Items may be removed from storage during the first week of classes. Items may be placed into storage during the second week of classes for the academic year. If you have an emergency situation where you must put items in, or retrieve items outside of this timeframe, contact your CA.
• Summer storage: Students who live out of state or students traveling abroad receive first priority for storage over the summer. The College is not responsible for items lost, stolen, or damaged while in storage. (Please follow the same process as above for storage).
• Vending machines: There are vending machines on the first floor of Austin Hall and by the Corona/ Clare Hall information desk.
College residents are expected to show respect for the room they are occupying, as well as the floor lounges and other areas of the residence halls. Residents are expected to leave the room in the same condition as when they moved in. Failure to do so may result in loss of housing deposit or additional fees.
Residents may not request beds or other furniture to be removed from their rooms. Any damage to the rooms or failure to comply with the Residence Life policies may result in a fine. College-owned furniture may not be materially altered in any way. Neither furniture nor the walls of the residence hall rooms may be painted, wallpapered, altered with nails or screws, etc.
Painter’s tape is the only tape allowed on the walls.
Lofts are not allowed.
Beds in Austin Hall may be bunked. To do so, please get the proper equipment from the Austin Hall front desk.
All postings for the purpose of advertising must be approved by the Residence Life staff and placed in approved areas. When posting flyers, posters, and pictures in publicly visible areas (including, but not limited to, room doors and windows), you are responsible for exercising respect and good judgment. If you post something and it is determined to be offensive, the Residence Life staff will ask you to remove the posting and place it in a “nonpublic” space (i.e. in your room). Painter’s tape is the only tape allowed on the walls. See Alverno College’s Student Handbook for a complete listing of the College’s policies regarding on-campus postings.