It is not uncommon for colleges to require students who will be sharing living space
to sign roommate contracts. These contracts typically spell out expectations for
acceptable behavior, along with roommate rights and responsibilities. Even if you
aren’t required to sign a roommate agreement, these contracts can be an excellent
tool for preventing misunderstandings about what is and is not acceptable behavior.
Roommate contracts typically include
Advance warning for guests
Length of time acceptable for guest visits
Times guest visits are acceptable
Guidelines for use of common space when visitors are present
Same sex versus opposite sex visit guidelines
Personal property boundaries
Standards for cleanliness
Dealing with dirty laundry
Designated quiet hours for study or sleep
Guidelines for sharing control of television and other appliance
Weekend versus weekday rules
Dealing with telephone messages
Telephone usage limits and restrictions
Procedure for distributing mail
Fair division of shared expenses
Deadlines for payment of rent and other bills
Smoking rules
Drinking rules
Allergy issues that may impact acceptable behavior
In a letter to the influential ranker of colleges, U.S. News & World Report, a group of Democratic senators urged them to use their "influential platform" to overhaul their college ranking formula by giving more weight to institutions that open their doors to students from underrepresented backgrounds when ranking schools. [...]
Despite being voted the top choice for a fast-food restaurant last year at the college, Chick-fil-A will no longer be a restaurant franchise option at Rider University "based on the company's record widely perceived to be in opposition to the LGBTQ+ community." The decision to remove Chick-fil-A as a new restaurant franchise option "required a difficult assessment of competing interests." [...]
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos recently proposed a Title IX overhaul for how colleges handle campus-based sexual misconduct. A key requirement would be that colleges allow both the accusers and accused to have advisers cross-examine the other party to "ensure a more transparent, consistent and reliable process for campus hearings." [...]
