stopping roommate conflict before it starts things … · 2017-08-30 · cleanliness inspection...

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Cleanliness Inspection Guide Stopping Roommate Conflict Before it Starts ings to Talk about Today For many incoming students, sharing a living environment can be a brand new experience. Even for returning students, or others who are familiar with sharing a room, the experience can change radically from year to year, even with the same roommate. It is always helpful to discuss potential issues as early as possible in the year, and to create a set of expectations and a plan for resolving conflicts around those expectations. is can be as formal as a written and signed agreement or simply a set of informal ground rules. Also remember that it is oſten helpful to revisit and amend these expectations throughout the year as situations change. Listed below are some of the most frequent points of contention between roommates, with questions you and your roommate should be asking yourselves and talking to each other about to avoid these common pitfalls in the roommate relationship. Schedule: Based on class schedule, personal routine, and general preferences, roommates oſten structure their daily schedule differently. What sleep hours are needed by each of you? What quiet or study hours are needed? What social time is needed? If these needs sometimes conflict, how will that be resolved? Expenses: Many roommates choose to share certain expenses, which may include cable, groceries, etc. If you do so, how will payments be divided? You may want to split a cost evenly, have a different person take different expenses, have the most frequent user pay for an item (what if there is a disagreement about this?), or some combination of these approaches. Sharing Possessions: Some roommates choose to share items, including clothing, electronics, jewelry, games, books, and more. What items are you willing to share, and how will you fairly divide use? Would you instead prefer to define the items which are strictly off-limits? What happens if an item is shared and then is lost or damaged? What are your expectations for the physical environment of your room/apartment? How oſten will chores like vacuuming, taking out the trash and recycling, or cleaning shared bathrooms and kitchen take place? Who is responsible for the different tasks, or if they will be shared, what is the division based on? Visitors: Ithaca College policy allows in-room visitors for no more than three nights, but roommates may restrict this policy further for their room. How many visitors are acceptable, and for how long a stay? Is overnight visitation okay? If the guest is a significant other, what behavioral expectations will be in place? Cleanliness: What are your expectations for the physical environment of your room? How oſten will chores like vacuuming, making the bed, taking out the trash and recycling, and tidying desks and dressers occur? Who is responsible for the different tasks, or if they will be shared, what is the division based on? For additional information, on creating a successful roommate relationship, including a Roommate Bill of Rights, visit http://ithaca.edu/reslife/guide/roommate_tips/ roommate_rights.php. Feel free to contact your Apartment Assistant or Community Director/Residence Director for tips or assistance with creating these expectations for quality of life in your living environment or managing conflicts about these expectations. Balcony Policy Removing room screens, safety bars, suspending articles from windows and/or ledges, throwing objects from buildings, or throwing/jumping from internal or external balconies is prohibited. Additionally, attaching anything to internal or external railings (hammocks, holiday lights, swings, flags) may result in a Health & Safety Violation. Please consult your Community/Residence Director prior to attaching anything to a railing. Fall 2017 Residents sharing apartments are mutually responsible for sharing in the cleanliness and regular upkeep of the common areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and living areas. Weekly cleaning will prevent the build-up of hard-to-remove grime, stains, grease, and mildew. Cleanliness and sanitation issues will be addressed during Cleanliness & Sanitation Inspections which will occur twice a year. e common areas must be thoroughly cleaned at the end of each semester. Cleaning regularly will eliminate spending valuable time during finals cleaning or worrying about paying extra fees to have it professionally cleaned. It is also one way of helping to keep your expenses down. Failure to clean regularly, or living in unsanitary conditions, could lead to rodents, insects, and other health issues. All checks are performed by Residential Life and/or Environmental Health and Safety staff. Two staff members will enter together. Vacuum cleaners and other cleaning tools can be borrowed from Residential Life. Other suggestions are to: • Vacuum weekly • Mop or swiffer kitchen and bathrooms weekly • Wipe down counters weekly • Spray “Scrubbing Bubbles” (or equivalent) once a month in your bathtub; allow it to sit 5-10 minutes and then wipe away with a damp cloth. is will reduce grime in your tub. • Take out recyclables on a weekly basis; sanitize recycling containers on a bi-weekly or monthly basis. Apartment Entry/Inspection It is a Residential Life policy to respect the privacy of the residents. However, the College reserves the right to enter the residents’ apartment and bedroom without prior notice during scheduled breaks or for purposes of improvements, maintenance, health/safety inspection, recovery of college property not authorized for use in the assigned space, safety, health, security, or general welfare of the student or others, as determined by the College, and cleanliness and sanitation inspections which are performed bi-annually in the Apartments by Residence/Community Directors and Professional Residence Life staff. Cleanliness & Sanitation Inspections e Cleanliness and Sanitation inspection will occur in the fall and spring semesters with dates to be determined yearly. Dates will be communicated with students at least 15 days prior to the inspection. It is the responsibility of all residents to maintain his or her room and common areas within reasonable standards of cleanliness. Inspections will yield one of the following outcomes: 1. Approved: e space has been inspected and no hazards or sanitary issues have been noted. Resident Action to be taken: None Follow-up by staff: None 2. Additional Cleaning Requested: e space has been inspected and, while no sanitary issues have been found, it is suggested that the residents partake in additional cleaning to avoid an excessive cleaning charge at the conclusion of the academic year or semester. Resident Action to be taken: Complete an additional cleaning and perhaps work with apartment-mates to create a more consistent cleaning system. Follow-up by staff: No re-inspection will take place. 3. Additional Cleaning Required/Unsanitary conditions present: e space has been inspected and cleanliness or sanitary issues have been found. e issues found may affect the health of the students present and even the surrounding community (i.e. neighboring apartments). Unsanitary conditions can lead to rodent and insect infestations, mold, and hard to remove dirt and grime which may lead not only to excessive cleaning but perhaps replacement of furniture, equipment, or carpeting if the items are unable to be cleaned. Resident Action to be taken: It is required for the students to thoroughly clean the space. Follow up: Re-inspection will take place 7 business days aſter the initial inspection. If situation is still present, Ithaca College Office of Facilities will clean the space at an hourly charge (split amongst residents), material cost, additional damage/maintenance, plus a Health and Safety Fine per resident. Questions? Feel free to contact your Apartment Assistant, your Community Director/Residence or visit the website above. We are happy to answer any questions to ensure that we live in a safe community. Apartment Guide Tips for a successful year living on campus Welcome to Ithaca College! Here is a useful guide for all residents living in Garden, Circle or Quad Apartments. Please keep this reference brochure throughout the year. Please take a moment to ensure your personal belongings, room furnishings and apartment set-up follow the guidelines outlined in this brochure. ese guidelines are designed to help reduce the risk of fire and to help keep our living environments safer. Our residence halls and apartments are equiped with smoke detectors and fire sprinkler systems. Remember that all residents of the apartment are held judicially responsible and assessed a fine for any violations found in a space during Health and Safety Checks. Residents living in traditional halls, please refer to the Room Guide.

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Page 1: Stopping Roommate Conflict Before it Starts Things … · 2017-08-30 · Cleanliness Inspection Guide Stopping Roommate Conflict Before it Starts Things to Talk about Today ... Vacuum

Cleanliness Inspection Guide Stopping Roommate Conflict Before it Starts

Things to Talk about TodayFor many incoming students, sharing a living environment can be a brand new experience. Even for returning students, or others who are familiar with sharing a room, the experience can change radically from year to year, even with the same roommate. It is always helpful to discuss potential issues as early as possible in the year, and to create a set of expectations and a plan for resolving conflicts around those expectations. This can be as formal as a written and signed agreement or simply a set of informal ground rules. Also remember that it is often helpful to revisit and amend these expectations throughout the year as situations change. Listed below are some of the most frequent points of contention between roommates, with questions you and your roommate should be asking yourselves and talking to each other about to avoid these common pitfalls in the roommate relationship.

Schedule: Based on class schedule, personal routine, and general preferences, roommates often structure their daily schedule differently. What sleep hours are needed by each of you? What quiet or study hours are needed? What social time is needed? If these needs sometimes conflict, how will that be resolved?

Expenses: Many roommates choose to share certain expenses, which may include cable, groceries, etc. If you do so, how will payments be divided? You may want to split a cost evenly, have a different person take different expenses, have the most frequent user pay for an item (what if there is a disagreement about this?), or some combination of these approaches.

Sharing Possessions: Some roommates choose to share items, including clothing, electronics, jewelry, games, books, and more. What items are you willing to share, and how will you fairly divide use? Would you instead prefer to define the items which are strictly off-limits? What happens if an item is shared and then is lost or damaged? What are your expectations for the physical environment of your room/apartment? How often will chores like vacuuming, taking out the trash and recycling, or cleaning shared bathrooms and kitchen take place? Who is responsible for the different tasks, or if they will be shared, what is the division based on?

Visitors: Ithaca College policy allows in-room visitors for no more than three nights, but roommates may restrict this policy further for their room. How many visitors are acceptable, and for how long a stay? Is overnight visitation okay? If the guest is a significant other, what behavioral expectations will be in place?

Cleanliness: What are your expectations for the physical environment of your room? How often will chores like vacuuming, making the bed, taking out the trash and recycling, and tidying desks and dressers occur? Who is responsible for the different tasks, or if they will be shared, what is the division based on?

For additional information, on creating a successful roommate relationship, including a Roommate Bill of Rights, visit http://ithaca.edu/reslife/guide/roommate_tips/roommate_rights.php. Feel free to contact your Apartment Assistant or Community Director/Residence Director for tips or assistance with creating these expectations for quality of life in your living environment or managing conflicts about these expectations.

Balcony PolicyRemoving room screens, safety bars, suspending articles from windows and/or ledges, throwing objects from buildings, or throwing/jumping from internal or external balconies is prohibited. Additionally, attaching anything to internal or external railings (hammocks, holiday lights, swings, flags) may result in a Health & Safety Violation. Please consult your Community/Residence Director prior to attaching anything to a railing. Fall 2017

Residents sharing apartments are mutually responsible for sharing in the cleanliness and regular upkeep of the common areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, and living areas. Weekly cleaning will prevent the build-up of hard-to-remove grime, stains, grease, and mildew. Cleanliness and sanitation issues will be addressed during Cleanliness & Sanitation Inspections which will occur twice a year.

The common areas must be thoroughly cleaned at the end of each semester. Cleaning regularly will eliminate spending valuable time during finals cleaning or worrying about paying extra fees to have it professionally cleaned. It is also one way of helping to keep your expenses down. Failure to clean regularly, or living in unsanitary conditions, could lead to rodents, insects, and other health issues. All checks are performed by Residential Life and/or Environmental Health and Safety staff. Two staff members will enter together.

Vacuum cleaners and other cleaning tools can be borrowed from Residential Life. Other suggestions are to: • Vacuum weekly • Mop or swiffer kitchen and bathrooms weekly • Wipe down counters weekly • Spray “Scrubbing Bubbles” (or equivalent) once a month in your bathtub; allow it to sit

5-10 minutes and then wipe away with a damp cloth. This will reduce grime in your tub. • Take out recyclables on a weekly basis; sanitize recycling containers on a bi-weekly or

monthly basis. Apartment Entry/InspectionIt is a Residential Life policy to respect the privacy of the residents. However, the College reserves the right to enter the residents’ apartment and bedroom without prior notice during scheduled breaks or for purposes of improvements, maintenance, health/safety inspection, recovery of college property not authorized for use in the assigned space, safety, health, security, or general welfare of the student or others, as determined by the College, and cleanliness and sanitation inspections which are performed bi-annually in the Apartments by Residence/Community Directors and Professional Residence Life staff.

Cleanliness & Sanitation Inspections The Cleanliness and Sanitation inspection will occur in the fall and spring semesters with dates to be determined yearly. Dates will be communicated with students at least 15 days prior to the inspection.

It is the responsibility of all residents to maintain his or her room and common areas within reasonable standards of cleanliness.

Inspections will yield one of the following outcomes:

1. Approved: The space has been inspected and no hazards or sanitary issues have been noted.

Resident Action to be taken: None Follow-up by staff: None

2. Additional Cleaning Requested: The space has been inspected and, while no sanitary issues have been found, it is suggested that the residents partake in additional cleaning to avoid an excessive cleaning charge at the conclusion of the academic year or semester.

Resident Action to be taken: Complete an additional cleaning and perhaps work with apartment-mates to create a more consistent cleaning system.

Follow-up by staff: No re-inspection will take place.

3. Additional Cleaning Required/Unsanitary conditions present: The space has been inspected and cleanliness or sanitary issues have been found. The issues found may affect the health of the students present and even the surrounding community (i.e. neighboring apartments). Unsanitary conditions can lead to rodent and insect infestations, mold, and hard to remove dirt and grime which may lead not only to excessive cleaning but perhaps replacement of furniture, equipment, or carpeting if the items are unable to be cleaned.

Resident Action to be taken: It is required for the students to thoroughly clean the space.

Follow up: Re-inspection will take place 7 business days after the initial inspection. If situation is still present, Ithaca College Office of Facilities will clean the space at an hourly charge (split amongst residents), material cost, additional damage/maintenance, plus a Health and Safety Fine per resident.

Questions? Feel free to contact your Apartment Assistant, your Community Director/Residence or visit the website above. We are happy to answer any questions to ensure that we live in a safe community.

Apartment GuideTips for a successful year living on campus

Welcome to Ithaca College! Here is a useful guide for all residents living in Garden, Circle or Quad Apartments. Please keep this reference brochure throughout the year. Please take a moment to ensure your personal belongings, room furnishings and apartment set-up follow the guidelines outlined in this brochure. These guidelines are designed to help reduce the risk of fire and to help keep our living environments safer. Our residence halls and apartments are equiped with smoke detectors and fire sprinkler systems. Remember that all residents of the apartment are held judicially responsible and assessed a fine for any violations found in a space during Health and Safety Checks.

Residents living in traditional halls, please refer to the Room Guide.

Page 2: Stopping Roommate Conflict Before it Starts Things … · 2017-08-30 · Cleanliness Inspection Guide Stopping Roommate Conflict Before it Starts Things to Talk about Today ... Vacuum

Cooking Appliances

Gas Grills(Charcoal Grills OK)

Hot Plates

More than 1Refrigerator per room

A kitchen microwave is provided

RefrigeratorsUnder 5 cubic feet

OK

Microfridges

OK

Coffee Makerwith auto shut-off

OK

Hot Water Kettles with auto shut-off

OK

Electrical Equipment

Halogen Lamp Extension CordsSun or Heat Lamps

Octopus Lamps(3 or more heads)

Mutli-plug Adaptors

Non-Overcurrent Protected Powerstrip

Surge Protector w/a reset button

Decorating

Candles(Even if not burned)

Incenseand Burners

Items hung fromCeiling or Pipes

Tapestries, Flags,and Cloth decorations

Cloth Curtainsover windows or closets

Other Violations

Alcohol (under 21), Drugs, and Paraphernalia

Binge DrinkingParaphernalia or Drinking Games

No “Piggy Backing” Do not plug a

surge protector into another surge protector. Instead,

purchase one with a longer cord.

It is important to keep our apartments a safe place for everyone in the community. If you are found in violation of the Health and Safety policies, each person in the space will be held accountable in the following manner: •$25 fine, removal of item, and a judicial sanction •Common area violations and bedroom violations will be billed separately, which makes the maximum fine $50 per resident for each set of inspections.

Please note that all judicial sanctions will increase everytime a violation is discovered. Fines are not assessed during the educational checks in fall as long as the space is brought to compliance by the given date or the violation is removed by staff.

When violations are identified, students will be informed of the violation, given an outline of potential outcomes, and invited to meet with a Community Director/Residence Director to discuss judicial charges.

Sanctions may include: written warnings, reflection papers, special projects, seminars, disciplinary probation and removal from college housing. Sanctions are assigned based on the severity of the violation, and individual judicial history.

If other violations are observed (such as the possession of stolen property, or drugs) they will be documented and you will be held judicially responsible.

Judicial Fines & Action

Frequently Asked QuestionsUse of Charcoal Grills: Charcoal grills are permitted to the following regulations: ❏ Grills must be portable with legs no longer than 12 inches and a cooking surface no larger than 250 square inches. ❏ Grills are not to be used on patios or balconies. ❏ Grills may only be used at a distance of 30 ft from any building. ❏ Use EZ light type charcoal. Lighter Fluid is prohibited. ❏ Store charcoal indoors in a cool and dry place. ❏ Charcoal embers must be extinguished prior to disposal. ❏ Grills must be free of charcoal and ashes whenever stored. ❏ Charcoal embers must be disposed of in ash cans only.

Q: What are the updates to the Ithaca College Alcohol Policy?A: The updated Alcohol Policy that is in place for 2016 now states that “Persons who are under the age of 21 may not possess empty alcohol containers, including but not limited to beer bottles/cans, wine bottles/boxes, and liquor bottles.” and “ The following are prohibited in residence halls and apartments, for all persons, regardless of age: high-risk drinking paraphernalia, including but not limited to beer pong tables and beer bongs/funnels; and all drinking games, with or without alcohol.” For the full alcohol policy, visit the website for the Office of Judicial Affiars at http://www.ithaca.edu/sacl/judicial/aodpolicy/.

Q: Why do we have Health and Safety Checks?A: Ithaca College and the State Fire Inspector have identified items and behaviors that are dangerous to the community, and the checks allow staff members to identify violations, and work with students to address them.

Q: When do these checks happen? A: We will inspect your space twice a year: once in the fall, and once before Spring Break. Be on the look out for more information in your area. The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control also will inspect the residence halls and apartments once a year. The timing of this inspection is determined by the state. College personnel accompany the State Fire Inspector during their checks, and information about any violations found, will be passed on to residents. Anytime a violation is noticed, it will be addressed, even if it is not during a published inspection time.

Q: I was fined for a violation that was not on my side of the room or apartment. It was on my roommates’ side. Why am I being fined?A: All residents in a space are responsible for everything that happens in your space. Unless one person takes responsibility. Please review this document with your apartment mate(s).

Q: What happens if a violation is found?A: If a violation is found during the fall checks, you will be given a warning and staff will remove the violation. Dangerous items, like propane tanks, are confiscated, and are subject to judicial fines and sanctions. All violations found, after educational checks, are subject to judicial fines and sanctions. All confiscated items will be stored by the Circles Community Director for up to a semester. Students are able to arrange a time to retrieve an item, however, once returned the item must immediately leave campus.

Q: My violation has been there since the previous check and no one has said anything until now. Why am I being fined now?A: Sometimes violations are missed during checks. It is unfortunate, but it does happen, and it does not exempt you from being fined when the violation is discovered.

Q: I own hunting equipment. May I store it on campus?A: You may not store any hunting equipment in your residential space, but the Office of Public Safety will store them for you during the academic year. Items that need to be stored include firearms, ammunition, bows, hunting knives and reloading equipment. Please call (607) 274-3333 for more information about this free service.

Q: Can I bring my hoverboard to campus?A: Hover boards will not be allowed to be charged, operated, or stored in any residence hall or apartment on the Ithaca College campus.

Other Violations:Blocked Egress - all exits must be free and clear of items at all times. This includes tapestries hung in front of doorways, furniture, or piles of personal belongings.

Weapons - including but not limited to: firearms, ammunition, bows, arrows, hunting knives, swords, throwing stars, brass knuckles and nunchuks and reloading equipment.

Pets - the only pets permitted are fish in a ten gallon tank or smaller, approved guiding eye dogs, and service animals.

Fireworks, Propane, and Camp Fuel

Possessing College Property - including lounge furniture, folding tables and chairs, computing equipment, parking cones, and college signs.

Tampering with Fire Safety Equipment- including smoke detectors, heat detectors, fire extinguishers, fire hoses and fire alarms, and exit signs.

String lights - Are not to be wrapped around handrails, guardrails, or bannisters, etc. As fraying can occur and pose a fire hazard. Students may have multiple strands of lights if the total number of bulbs does not equal more than 100 and the strands are not “piggybacked”.

These items cannot be stored or used in any residence hall space:

Amplifiers - can be stored in rooms, but cannot be used in and around any residence hall spaces. This includes being plugged in, both in and outside of hall spaces at anytime.

Bicycles - You must store bikes in your room, on balconies, or on a bike rack on campus. They cannot hang from trees, ceilings, block any exits, or block any stairs. Lock your bike when not in use.

Decorating - We recommend using blue painter’s tape and 3M Command Adhesives only. Do not use Duct Tape on any surfaces . Any damage you create will be charged to you. Window stickies are only allowed on glass surfaces, as they can stain.

Storage - the campus does not offer spaces for storage. Please consider when packing for campus.

❏ TV❏ DVD Player❏ Freestanding fan❏ Game System❏ Computer❏ Small Stereo System❏ Headphones❏ MP3 Player

Feel free to bring and use these items into your residence hall space:

❏ Humidifiers❏ Non-halogen Lamp❏ Surge Protectors❏ Non-halogen Desk Lamp❏ Iron with auto shut-off❏ Blue Painter’s Tape

Prohibited Items

z Electric Cooking Pots z Electric Blanketsz AC Units not provided by Ithaca Collegez Large Appliancesz Flammable Liquids (i.e. gasoline, etc)

z Lighter Fluidz Lava Lampsz Spray Paintz Heaters

Approved Items

NOTICE: This document is not a comprehensive listing of all health and safety violations and prohibited items. Please refer to our website,

or ask your CD/RD if you are unsure about a policy or item.

Overload Protector

OK

No more than 100 Bulbs per room

Door Policy: Only a dry erase

board and 1 nametag per resident are

allowed on the resident(s) door

20% Rule: No more than 20% of a wall

may be covered in combustible materials such as posters and decorations.

OK

OK

No Empty Alcohol Containers (under 21)

No Hoverboards