Student Life, Dorm Rules, and Inconsistencies

In recent posts I've been discussing the dangerous tendency in some corners of WestConn to value process or bureaucracy over real solutions. One area where this axiom seems to be taken up on a regular basis is in the Residence Life. I pride myself on being relatively close to a number of WestConn students, so I've come to know about some of the draconian and downright illogical policies that have been promulgated to regulate WestConn's dormitories. It frequently suprises me that WestConn professors aren't up in arms over these policies, deciding instead, apparently to adopt an out-of-sight, out-of-mind attitude.

Here are some of the objects and actions that Residence Life bans, either in or anywhere around residence halls on campus:

Exercise equipment.
Wicker wastebaskets.
Christmas trees.
Parties of any kind (even those not involving alcohol)
Message boards
Water fights.
Snowball throwing in or around the residence halls.

Talk about the Grinch coming for Christmas. I'm glad I don't have to visit any of my students in their dorms. I might be afraid of being carted off for snowball throwing, or there might be too many people in their room and it might be considered a party. On top of all this, the quiet "lights out" hours at some dorms start unreasonably early (at ten or eleven in some locations) and the very restrictive guest policy. If I didn't know better, I'd wonder if these weren't the rules for the military academy.

What's worse is the inconsistency built into the rules. WestConn's alcohol policies are an example: you can't have ten people in your dorm playing cards and drinking Perrier, because that would be a violation of the rules. But if you want to come in with six packs and drink alone in your room until you pass out, by WestConn rules, that would be perfectly fine!

This inconsistency, I have heard, is also built into enforcement. I have had a student and have heard of others who have been threatened with expulsion on marijuana charges even if they were not present in the area in which marijuana was found. The internal process for dealing with such charges is arbitrary at best. Student participation in setting the rules and student self-government is appallingly minimal. In the meantime, students with real concerns, such as stalking or assault, seem to be given the run around, or routinely ignored. Apparently, student life programs at WestConn are too busy imitating the Harper Valley PTA to actually get around to providing for student safety.

Why doesn't this change? I suppose the faculty and staff on campus know to little about these policies to care, and students, apparently, have to deal with a recalcitrant administration, at least on this subject. But this, if anywhere, strikes me as a key area where action is needed.