The College is bound to adhere to all Massachusetts state laws regarding distribution, possession, and consumption of alcoholic beverages. No alcoholic beverages of any kind may be served to those under the age of 21. No kegs or deliveries of alcoholic beverages are allowed in the halls. Students 21 and older may have alcohol in their rooms, but there is no alcohol allowed in public areas such as halls, lounges, television room, etc., unless they are participating in a sanctioned College event. For more information about the Mount Holyoke College Alcohol policy and sanctions, please refer to the Student Handbook.

The health and safety of students are of primary importance. Students are encouraged to take steps to ensure their own health and safety, as well as the health and safety of their peers. Students who choose to consume alcohol are expected to consume it in moderation to avoid compromising personal safety. The College acknowledges that there may be times when students may face medical emergencies involving alcohol and drug use. Therefore, immediate action should be taken when a person’s health and safety are threatened or appear to be in jeopardy.

Medical emergencies pertaining to substance use can include unconsciousness or unresponsiveness, disorientation or confusion, slow breathing, vomiting, and cool or pale skin. In the event of a medical event of any kind, do not hesitate to notify emergency resources (if on-campus, Mount Holyoke College Campus Safety, 413-538-2304) for assistance. If medical assistance is deemed necessary, the College expects the student to make choices that prioritize their health and safety, such as accepting transportation to the hospital for medical attention.

In an effort to encourage students to seek time-sensitive care in an alcohol- or drug-related emergency, the College has developed this Medical Amnesty Policy to remove concerns about disciplinary action. Students who actively seek help or medical assistance for themselves, or when concerned about someone else’s use of alcohol and other drugs, will not be subject to disciplinary sanctions.

The College provides amnesty of the disciplinary process for students who:

• Request medical assistance for themselves.

• Request medical assistance for another person.

When responding to such alcohol and drug violations, the College will consider the student’s decision to request medical assistance, view the act of seeking medical assistance as a reflection of responsible action. Thus if it is determined that the Medical Amnesty Policy applies, the students involved will not be subject to violation of the policy, nor will they receive a violation on their disciplinary record. In follow-up with the student granted medical amnesty, the student will meet with the Be Well director or designee to have an opportunity to review the incident, ask questions and/or engage in further education to support future good judgment.

Medical Amnesty applies only to the possession or consumption of alcohol and/or other drugs. It does not preclude disciplinary sanctions pertaining to other violations such as providing alcohol to underage individuals, violating event policy, assault, property damage or sale or distribution of illicit substances.The goal of Medical Amnesty is to center student wellbeing and, as such, is not intended to be used repeatedly. The College views repeated incidents as a serious health risk and disruption to the community. While amnesty may apply in subsequent cases, it is at the discretion of the Dean of Student or designee. Additional educational or supportive measures may also apply. This provision does not preclude or prevent action by Public Safety and Service or other outside legal authorities

Pets are forbidden in College provided housing with the exception of service animals, and fish that can be safely and humanely contained in a tank/bowl of five gallons or less. Students may also have an emotional support animal if approved as an accommodation through the Office of Disability Services

Aquarium lights and filters are allowed and must meet Mount Holyoke College's fire safety guidelines. Students are responsible for the well-being of their pets throughout the academic year and break periods.

For the safety and comfort of all of our residents, we do not allow pets outside of the exception noted above to visit you inside College provided housing for any length of time. If a student's family or friends intend to bring an animal to campus, they must remain outside of College provided housing and follow all College policies on walking animals on campus.

Harassment based on race, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender/gender expression, religion, age, or disability is not tolerated in the residence halls. Such behavior includes unwelcome slurs, jokes, graphic or written materials, and all other verbal or physical actions related to an individual's personal background or attributes. Mount Holyoke College has procedures and protocols in place for dealing with bias incidents both on and off campus.

All bicycles on campus must be registered with the Campus Police Department. Registration is free and can be done through the online form, or at the Campus Police office Monday–Friday 9:00 am–3:00 pm. The registration decal will expire upon the students graduation date but in no case longer than four years from the original registration date.

All bicycles on campus must be stored in approved residence hall locations and secured to a bicycle rack. If the bicycle is outside, it should be secured to an outside bike rack. Bicycles may NOT be secured to fire hydrants, tress, parking signs, ramps, railings, or left in the path of egress in any building on campus. Bicycles left over the summer that have expired decals or are not registered will be considered abandoned and will be confiscated and discarded.

Any bicycle in violation of the College's bicycle policy or unregistered will be confiscated and if it is not claimed within 30 days it will be discarded.

Students are members of a residence hall and are expected to act responsibly and not to interfere with the rights, comfort, or safety of their roommates and other students.

If a student violates any of the Residential Life policies and procedures, the student may be asked to meet with a member of Residential Life professional staff. This meeting will outline what policy has been violated, list any sanctions that the student will be required to complete, and will act as a student's agreement not to violate this policy again. If a student has multiple offenses or does not complete the sanctions set out in the agreement, the matter may be referred to the Director of Residential Life, Dean of Students, or the Honor Code Council. For more information on the Honor Code Council, hearing procedures, and the sanctioning process, please refer to the Student Handbook.

Massachusetts regulations prohibit disposal of needles or other medical sharps in the trash or recycling. For more information regarding proper disposal in the residence halls, please refer to the Disposal of Medical Sharps policy as outlined by the Environmental Health and Safety office.

All guests will need to be escorted by their host, but not necessarily escorted while on the floor of their host. Guests must be escorted to other floors in the hall. In the case of co-ed bathrooms, a guest will need to request permission to enter. All guests need to be escorted throughout the hall during residence hall parties. Each residence hall will be charged with the responsibility to develop policy modifications for each residence hall floor or spontaneous events or special event weekends as members of the community deem appropriate. Policy modifications should be consistent with current community standards. Guests should not be let into the residence hall by anyone other than their student escort. Guests should let students know they have arrived by contacting them via the call boxes outside of each residence hall.

If you DISCOVER or SUSPECT a Fire

1. Pull the building fire alarm to alert people in the hall.
2. Dial 413-538-2304 or 1-911 to give the exact location of the fire.
3. If you can do so safely, close the door to the room containing the fire to prevent its spread.

Each residential space is equipped with furniture provided by the College. All College-owned furniture must remain in the student's room. The resident(s) of a room will be charged for any damaged furniture and/or furniture missing from their space. Any request for accommodation must be approved through the Office of Disability Services prior to removal of the furniture.

Each room comes with the following as standard furniture a twin bed, desk, desk chair, dresser, wardrobe/closet per person. There are some rooms in which the residents may need to share a closet.  Please note that all furniture must remain in your room regardless of the additional belongings each student brings.

More information about furniture adjustments will be added at a later date.

Student rooms serve multiple purposes and the Office of Residential LIfe encourages roommates to discuss rest, academic, and  social expectations within their room. As a residential college, rest and study have a priority over entertainment. This is a priority occupant sharing a room must honor. This policy on guests applies to all residential students and is in effect for the fall and spring semester. No guests are permitted during summer housing, winter break and Intersession.

Students are allowed to invite guests into the residence halls following the registration protocols. The College considers a guest of the campus to be anyone who is not an actively registered Mount Holyoke student. A guest in a residential context is any student who is not a resident of the hall or assigned occupant in the residence hall room.

Your guests must be pre-registered by the host (you!) before they arrive. The host must submit the Guest Registration Form.

You will not need to wait for any response or take any additional steps once you complete the form. Fill out and submit the form and then your guest(s) are welcome to join you.

The overnight provision of the guest policy is intended for short-term visits. Short-term is typically a weekend. The overnight provision of the guest policy also applies to students living in apartments, singles, and suites as well as students living with roommates.

Specific guidelines for overnight guests:

• Overnight is considered any stay in the residence hall between the hours of 2:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m.
• The actual permitted number of overnight days should be agreed upon by roommates. The maximum number of overnight days per semester is 14 per visitor.
• No overnight guest can stay in residence longer than five (5) consecutive days. Overnight guests are limited to one five (5) consecutive day stay per semester.
• Hosts and guests cannot sleep in residence hall common rooms, nor may any student remove common room furniture or cushions to accommodate a guest in their room.
• The guest policy may be adjusted in unusual circumstances for the safety and security of residents. Students will be notified of changes as soon as possible.

• Student Organizations hoping to have more than 15 guests on any given night must follow the hosting guidelines.
• Guests must abide by the regulations of the residence hall and the larger College community while they are on campus
• Guests must be at least 16 years of age and possess a valid ID. Permission for guests under the age of 16 can only be obtained from the Office of Residential Life.
• If the guest's conduct offends other residents, breaks policy, or if the frequency of visits becomes problematic, the hosts will be asked to have the guest leave immediately.
• Any guest without a host will be asked to leave immediately.
• The host(s) is held responsible for the behavior of their guests.
• The host(s) assumes full responsibility for informing their guests of the College policies, procedures, and community expectations.
• This policy will be applied to currently registered Mount Holyoke students in instances of inappropriate behavior.

Hallways must always be clear in case of fire. Items found in hallways and stairwells are considered abandoned. A delay in removing items from a hallway will result in their immediate removal and disposal. This includes but is not limited to doormats, boots, umbrellas and decorative items.

Each student receives a key to their room when they move into a residence hall. Keys and OneCards are the property of Mount Holyoke College and are on loan to the student. Keys and OneCards are not to be duplicated, loaned or transferred. For security reasons, each student must keep their room and other doors locked at all times.

If a member of the College staff (Public Safety and Service, Facilities Management) finds a student room unlocked while attending to routine business the staff member will lock the student doors. In addition, each student must carry their keys with them and may not lend them to someone else. Keys must be returned to the Office of Residential Life when students vacate their rooms. There is a fee for failure to return keys.

Exterior doors to residence halls are locked at all times and may be accessed through the OneCard system. If your One Card is lost or stolen, please report it to Public Safety and Service and/or the Technology Help Desk immediately. Please visit the OneCard Services page for more information about OneCard. Students are not allowed to loan their OneCard to visitors or other students.

If a student loses their key, they must report the loss to the Office of Residential Life, who will order a new key from Facilities Management. New keys may be picked up Monday–Friday between 9 am and 4:30 pm in the Division of Student Life Suite located at 205 Blanchard Campus Center. Students will be billed for the new key through their student bill. Students must show an identification card when picking up new keys.

Replacement Costs

• Room Key: $25
• Recore charge: $75

The lounges and living rooms in the residence halls are shared space for the residents of that building and their guests to enjoy. The living rooms and lounges are open to the Mount Holyoke community for meetings and gatherings as well. Students can reserve main floor lounges and living rooms for gatherings and programs. Early in the fall semester, each residence hall community will meet to discuss how residents prefer to use the lounge space and community expectations for behavior in that space.

Common spaces in residence halls can be reserved by individuals or student orgs for occasional (not weekly) small meetings, rehearsals, study groups, etc. Make a request for campus space online.

Living Learning Community lounge spaces are not reservable spaces.

Golden Pears are full kitchens. It is the responsibility of the students to properly maintain the Golden Pears and associated areas of the residence halls. Countertops, cupboards, cutting surfaces, dishwashers, floors, ovens, pots and pans, refrigerators, sinks and stoves must be cleaned at least daily to lessen the risk of food-borne illnesses, and to discourage unwanted bugs and rodents. Failure to keep the kitchen area in proper sanitary condition could result in closing the Golden Pear.

The College, through the Office of Residential Life, reserves the right to assign any vacancy in College-owned housing at any time and/or to reassign any student at any time. The College reserves the right to relocate housing assignments as deemed necessary. This includes relocating a student to another room/hall or assigning a new roommate to any open housing space.

Residential Life and Facilities Management assess the condition of each room at the beginning of the academic year. This assessment indicates the physical state of the room and all of its contents at the time of the student's arrival in the fall. Any missing furniture or change in the state of the room or its facilities beyond reasonable wear will be billed to the student. Students will be charged for actual labor and replacement costs of furniture. A $100 cleaning fee is assessed if personal belongings or trash is left behind in the residence hall room when they vacate at the end of their contract period. Any painting of student rooms or College furnishings is prohibited. There will be a minimum $400 fee for any painting in a student room or on College furnishings.

Residential Life staff and Facilities Management staff inspect rooms periodically to ensure compliance with fire safety regulations. Another inspection takes place after students leave. Students will be notified in advance of inspections.

In addition, South Hadley departments of public health, public safety, and fire may send inspectors to conduct routine inspections of residence halls, including student rooms, bathrooms and common areas, and storage areas. These inspections may result in College sanctions for any student who is responsible for violations of College policy.

Routine inspections are scheduled in advance and generally occur during the College business day (Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.). Inspectors will provide a minimum notice of 24 hours. Inspectors are escorted by a Mount Holyoke College employee. To inspect an occupied student room, the inspector must present the appropriate credentials and request permission from an occupant before inspecting.

If permission for a scheduled inspection is denied and the occupant refuses to arrange a convenient time for the inspection, the inspector may obtain a court order permitting entry without the occupant's permission.

These inspections are limited to the purposes for which they are authorized and should not involve examining any desk, bureau, trunk or other presumptively private container. Closets may be searched for illegal heating devices.

If an inspector should see evidence of a crime in plain view, the inspector has the responsibility to report the observation to law enforcement authorities. At Mount Holyoke College, these reports can be forwarded to Public Safety and Service.

To ensure the health and safety of the community, emergency and/or safety inspections can occur at any time without notice.

Nothing in the legal relationship between the College and the student gives the College authority to consent on students' behalf to the search of a student's room, vehicle or other possessions by law enforcement officials.

The College will advise law enforcement officials that they must obtain the student's permission or a judicial search warrant for permission to search a student's room, vehicle or other possessions.

(Note: Law enforcement search warrants must be based on probable cause to believe a crime has been committed and that evidence of that crime is in the place to be searched. Law enforcement officials do not have to have reason to believe that the occupants of a particular room, or the possessors of a vehicle or trunk, have committed the crime under investigation.)

Law enforcement officials who have a valid search warrant are required to show it to the occupant of the room if the occupant is present. Law enforcement authorities have the authority to use whatever physical force is necessary to affect the warrant. Questions about the validity of the search warrant should be reserved for the courts.

In exigent circumstances (such as an immediate situation where there is insufficient time to obtain a search warrant and where evidence would be destroyed by the delay), particularly with motor vehicles, law enforcement officers operating on probable cause may not need a search warrant.

The public safety and service department is responsible for the coordination of all searches and seizures by public officials and outside law enforcement on the Mount Holyoke College campus.

College staff (including but not limited to Public Safety and Service , the professional staff on call, Residential Life, Facilities Management and LITS personnel) may enter a student's room to perform services and maintenance or respond to an emergency. Professional Residential Life staff may enter a student's room in case of health and safety concerns.

Occasionally, rooms may have to be entered in a student's absence to carry out non-requested services or maintenance, or the restoration of heat, water or electricity. In these circumstances, the College will endeavor to leave behind notice of the entry and its time and purpose.

All student rooms will be regularly inspected during vacations and other scheduled times throughout the year by College custodial, housekeeping or maintenance personnel to inspect for fire, health or safety hazards; to liberate confined pets; or to ascertain damage to College property.

The College reserves the right to escort insurance inspectors, engineers and other officials through the residence halls and to conduct surveys of selected buildings or rooms for the purpose of planning renovations. Advance notice of these inspections will be given whenever possible.

The College reserves the right to enter a student's room when necessary for the furtherance of College business, which includes, but is not limited to, inspection for compliance with fire, health and safety regulations; inspection and inventory of College property; maintenance of security; the furtherance of security investigation; and necessary building maintenance.

All residence halls are completely smoke-free spaces. The definition of smoke-free includes all tobacco products - cigarettes, cigars, pipes, bongs, etc. - as well as all types of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) - vaporizers, vape pens, hookah, hookah pens, electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), and e-pipes. No smoking should take place in any space in these buildings. This includes, but is not limited to, student rooms, lounge spaces, bathrooms, balconies, and porches. Students caught smoking in the residence halls will be assessed a minimum fee of $50.

Please review the Smoke and Tobacco Free Campus Policy.

The College provides storage to active students during the academic year. There is a trunk room in the basement of each residence hall to provide storage to students during the academic year. The trunk room is intended for academic-year storage only. The Mount Holyoke College Academic year begins with the opening of school, in September, and ends with the closing of the residence halls for the underclass students in May. The trunk room is designed to provide space for boxes, suitcases, and those few extra items students bring from home but realize they do not need. Trunk rooms are only large enough for students to store a few belongings. Items stored in trunk rooms must be clearly marked with name, class year and date of storage.

At the end of each academic semester, Facilities Management staff go through the trunk rooms and remove abandoned items and unsafe items. Room furniture, upholstered/overstuffed furniture, bikes and items stored in open containers pose fire risks to the community and are prohibited from the trunk rooms. If these items are found in a trunk room, they will be removed and disposed of immediately.

Students store belongings there at their own risk. The college is not responsible for protecting or securing items stored in basements. The College is not responsible for anything stored in the basements. Items may be inadvertently removed and discarded, misplaced, stolen, or subject to other accidental damage or loss. We strongly encourage students to make off campus arrangements for storage that need be secured.

To obtain the trunk room key, please contact your Senior Community Advisor or designated hall student staff member. Campus Police, Facilities Management, and the Office of Residential Life will not unlock trunk rooms. The trunk room is a locked but unsecured area. Access is available to any student or staff member affiliated with the College. The trunk rooms are located in the residence hall basements and subject to moisture and climate changes.

At the closing of Spring Semester or upon any extended separation for the College (Medical leave, withdrawal, graduation) students MUST take belongings home or locate an off campus summer storage facility.

Storage Guidelines

What types of items CAN be stored?

• Luggage and trunks

• Plastic storage bins with lids

• Refrigerators and microwaves

• Rugs (must be rolled, tied, and labeled)

• Items stored in trunk rooms must be clearly marked with name, class year and date of storage.

• All items must be in a closed or sealed container. Open crates, bags of any kind, and open boxes are NOT allowed. Anything improperly stored will be discarded.

What types of items CANNOT be stored? Below are examples of items that cannot be stored.

• Furniture of any kind such as futon frames, upholstered chairs, etc.

• Items stored in large travel bags or garbage bags

• Crates or boxes with no lids

• Bikes

• Floor Lamps

• Flammable or hazardous materials

Summer Storage
There is absolutely no storage available during the summer months. Students must take their belongings home during the summer months or locate an off-campus storage summer facility. Graduating seniors must remove all belongings from the trunk rooms immediately following graduation. After graduation, any items remaining in the trunk room belonging to graduated seniors will be removed and disposed. The Office of Residential Life maintains a listing of local storage providers.

Any items found in trunk rooms during the summer months will be discarded.