Harding University’s residence life program seeks to enhance the spiritual, academic, physical, social and emotional development of students within the context of a residential community.
Living in residence halls is a special experience that you have as a Harding student. It allows you to begin exploring the responsibilities that come from being on your own. It is a time for learning, understanding, and making commitments and decisions.
The housing office is designed to help you make your college career a rewarding and fulfilling experience. Our staff is ready to help you meet the demands you will face during this academic year. Please contact us if we can be of help in any way.
Residence Life Coordinators are live-in staff members who serve as primary resources in the residence halls or complexes. RLCs manage the residence halls, and they strive to create an environment that is supportive to academic, social and spiritual development. The RLC hires and supervises Resident Assistants to help create a safe, inviting and comfortable living space for the residents. The name and phone number for each RLC is listed below:
Resident assistants are trained student leaders who have been selected for this position because of their leadership skills, concern for others, ability to communicate, knowledge of University resources and willingness to take on additional responsibilities. The RA works closely with the RLC to develop a sense of community. Your RA can assist you with any concerns you might have, refer you to the appropriate resources on campus and give you advice on ways to get involved.
Harding is always seeking returning students with good interpersonal and leadership skills as future resident assistants. You must be friendly, responsible, a good communicator, knowledgeable about Harding and willing to tackle the challenges and opportunities of working within a small community. Compensation includes financial assistance, development of leadership skills and an experience with immeasurable rewards. Prepare early for this great opportunity by getting involved and acquainted with your RA. Contact a residence life staff member or the Office of Student Life to learn more. The job description is found on Pipeline. The application and job description is found at harding.edu/life-at-harding/living-at-harding/
Bicycle racks are provided outside each residence hall. Bicycles may not be stored in resident rooms or common areas (hallways, stairwells, etc.) of residence halls. They may not be chained to rails, columns, trees or any structure other than the bicycle racks outside. Bicycles stored in unauthorized areas or not removed at the end of the spring semester (graduation day) will be subject to removal by the University.
Several residence halls are equipped with a public kitchen space that residents may use at the discretion of the RLC. A deposit may be required. Residents are responsible for cleaning the kitchen after every use. Problems noticed with any of the appliances (oven, stove, microwave, refrigerator, etc.) should be reported to the RLC.
Residents who are unable to make it to a dining area due to illness or injury may have another person pick up a meal for them. Please notify your RLC if this service is needed.
DormNet is a service that brings the internet and campus network to your room and directly to your personal computer. Additional information about DormNet may be obtained by contacting the Help Desk at 501-279-4545.
Laundry facilities are available to all University residents for personal use on both the east and west ends of campus. Several residence halls have laundry rooms inside the building. Only the residents of that hall are authorized to use those facilities.
Some residence halls contain recreational items (ping-pong tables, board games, televisions in the lobbies, etc.) available for the residents’ enjoyment. Contact a Residence Life staff member about the availability of such items in your hall.
Harding University encourages good stewardship through recycling. Bins for recycling paper, aluminum cans and plastics are provided on campus.
Study space is available in most residence halls. See your RLC or RA to find out about the available space in your hall.
Limited storage is available to residents who live more than 500 miles away. See your RLC for additional guidelines and instructions.
If you lock yourself out of your room or residence hall, locate your RA or RLC. You will be allowed two lockouts per semester without charge. Each additional lockout will be assessed a $5 charge. If your room key or student ID is misplaced or stolen, please contact your RLC. The student resident is responsible for the cost of rekeying/ replacing any lost or stolen keys or ID. The unauthorized possession or duplication of keys is prohibited.
Vending machines are located in each residence hall. When a machine malfunctions, please submit a request for repair by completing the proper form at the front desk. Be prepared to describe the machine, location, malfunction and amount of your loss. In many cases, a refund can be obtained from the vendor, not the residence hall staff.
Each resident is responsible for becoming familiar with and adhering to all residence hall and Student Code of Conduct policies. Certain violations of residence hall or campus policies may be resolved through a meeting with the RLC. The RLC will contact an assistant dean of students for serious or repetitive violations. Appropriate sanctions will be given to restore the individual or group to a healthy community membership. See the Student Handbook for complete details. Unless otherwise noted, a $25 fine applies to most policies. Any students with questions regarding this process should contact a Residence Life staff member in their building or an assistant dean of students.
Appliances and Furniture
Heat-producing appliances (space heaters, halogen lamps, etc.) or other appliances with an exposed heating element are not permitted in residence halls. Due to potential fire hazards, only the following appliances are approved for use in residence halls:
Each residence hall room is air-conditioned and furnished with beds, mattresses, desks, chairs, dressers, tables, etc. These furnishings may not be altered in any way and must be used only for their intended purpose. Furniture may not be removed from the rooms. With RLC approval, residents may add small furnishings to their rooms. Couches, recliners, loveseats or other large furnishings will not be considered. Lofts or any other structures that require assembly are not permitted. Anything considered a safety hazard (e.g., cinder blocks) is prohibited. The RLC may request removal of additional furniture at any time. Residents failing to comply with this request will be subject to a $50 fine and/or other disciplinary action.
Housekeeping functions are the responsibility of the residents. This includes providing your own cleaning supplies and vacuum. Housekeeping instructions and suggestions will be provided by the RLC. Each resident is expected to share in the responsibility of keeping the assigned room reasonably clean at all times and correct any abuse pointed out by the residence hall staff. Each room will be inspected by the staff prior to occupancy, upon termination of occupancy, and every other week during occupancy. A resident not passing one of these inspections will be given a warning and an opportunity to correct within 24 hours. If the corrections have not been made when the room is checked again, a $25 fine will be assessed, and the resident will be given an additional 24 hours to correct. Then, if the corrections are not made, the resident will be referred to an assistant dean of students.
Rooms will be inspected prior to each University break. Failure to abide by RLC instructions for room preparation is considered an improper check-out. A fine will be assigned accordingly.
A repair request for an item in your room or a common area can be made by completing the proper form online and submitting it to the RLC. Your request will be forwarded by the RLC to the Physical Resources Department. Contact your RLC if you have questions concerning the status of a particular maintenance request. In case of emergency, call the Department of Public Safety at 501-279-5000.
The University reserves the right to enter and inspect a resident’s room without prior notification or permission. Any observed contraband will be removed. Contact your RLC for information and procedures regarding retrieval of confiscated items. Violations of University policies, rules or regulations will be referred to an assistant dean of students.
Painting the room or any of the furnishings is prohibited. The cost of repair may be assessed to the student. Inappropriate and/or offensive decorations (posters, pictures, empty alcoholic containers, signs, advertisements, screensavers, etc.) that are in conflict with the mission of the University may not be displayed. Decorations considered safety hazards are prohibited (e.g., live Christmas trees).
No adhesives are allowed on sheetrock. Five paneling nails per resident will be given out by the RLC in residence halls with sheetrock. 3M Command Strips may be used on cinder block walls. Nails, adhesive tape, glue, screws, tacks, stickers and other adhesives that scar walls should not be used. See your RLC for a list of acceptable items to be used for wall hangings. Residents are responsible for removing all residue from walls, inside and outside doors, door/window frames, etc. prior to checkout. Damages to surface finishes caused by unapproved adhesive items will be charged to the student.
Budget funds are allocated to repair normal wear and tear to residence halls. Damages beyond this or damages due to vandalism are not covered in the budget. It is extremely important that you complete the online Room Inventory/Key Receipt Form at check-in and report any pre-existing damages. You will be held responsible at checkout for any damages not documented on this form.
The cost of the damage or vandalism will be assessed to the student’s account within 30 days of checkout. Questions regarding an assessment should be directed to the Office of Student Life.
For health and safety reasons, animals (including fish) are prohibited in residence halls. Residents will be assessed a $50 fine and/or other disciplinary action for any pet that is found in their possession within residence halls.
Sports and related activities (skateboarding, frisbee, rollerblading, bicycling, running, wrestling, boxing, water guns, water balloons, slip-and-slides, paintball guns, etc.) that present a risk of injury or damage to property are not permitted in residence halls.
Damage to common areas within residence halls will be assessed to the smallest logical group (i.e., wing, floor, building, etc.). The residence hall is viewed as a community. Therefore, the assessment for damages due to vandalism is similar to taxes paid by citizens to cover damages to public property. Whenever possible, damage/ vandalism/messes will be charged to those responsible. As with room damages, the cost of the damage/ vandalism will be assessed to the student’s account within 30 days of checkout. Questions regarding an assessment should be directed to the Office of Student Life.
Community sanctions may be imposed to effectively deter random damage to property in the common areas (hallways, bathrooms, stairwells, lounges, kitchens, etc.) when it cannot be attributed to any certain individuals. Members of the community will be notified when damage occurs. If no member of the community claims responsibility or provides an adequate explanation within 24 hours, all those living in the community will be held responsible. Damage costs will be equally divided among the students in the defined area. In some situations, kitchens, lounges, recreation rooms, etc., may be declared off-limits until cleanup or repair is completed.
Community billing will not exceed $100 per individual student during an academic year. Community charges will be assessed to the student’s business office account.
Furniture and equipment are available in common areas for residents to use. Furnishings are to remain in their assigned locations at all times and may not be moved in any way without permission from the RLC.
Custodial and maintenance services are provided in residence hall common areas. However, residents are expected to share in the responsibility of maintaining the cleanliness of public restrooms, hallways, lounges and residence hall exteriors.
A primary right of students in residence halls is to be free from unreasonable interference when studying or sleeping in their rooms. Thus, noise and other distractions that inhibit the exercise of this right are strictly prohibited. Nightly quiet hours begin one hour prior to curfew, extend through 6 a.m. the following morning and are subject to the following guidelines:
Courtesy hours are in effect at all times, even beyond designated quiet hours, and require residents to refrain from noise that is disruptive or disturbing to the residents or staff. REMEMBER: The right to quiet always supersedes the privilege to make noise!
All solicitation and/or selling within residence halls by faculty, staff, students or commercial salespersons is prohibited. Any advertisements in residence halls must be approved by the Office of Student Life.
Anyone who is not a Harding student and plans to visit a resident’s room must sign in at the front desk. Overnight guests must abide by the policy stated on Page 14. Members of the opposite sex are only allowed in resident rooms under certain circumstances and must be announced via the intercom per approval of RLC. Child care in residence halls is prohibited.
The use, possession, distribution or sale of drugs or drug paraphernalia is prohibited.
The use or possession of tobacco in any form is not permitted at any time. The use of electronic cigarettes or vaporizers — with or without tobacco — is not allowed.
Bulletin boards are conveniently located throughout residence halls. These boards are used to communicate information to the residents from the staff. Residents are responsible for all information posted on these boards.
Residential curfew on the University campus is midnight until 5 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday nights, residential curfew begins at 1 a.m. and extends until 5 a.m.
Room checks will be conducted nightly at curfew. At this time, all residents are required to register their presence in the residence hall. This requirement may be met by being seen by your RA, either in your room or another room checked by your RA or covering RA. It is your responsibility to be sure that the RA checking your room that night has seen you.
Being unaccounted for at curfew is considered a severe violation of nightly room check. Any student can accrue other curfew violations by leaving the residence hall after closing time without permission from the RLC; failing to sign out or improperly/incompletely signing out when leaving the residence hall overnight; being in the residence hall but remaining unaccountable; illegibly signing in; or violating the all-campus security curfew. Some curfew violations may be avoided by contacting your RLC in the event of an unforeseen delay, such as car trouble. Residents who violate curfew in any of the above ways will automatically be referred to the following disciplinary action:
Visitation between members of the opposite gender is permitted in residence hall lobbies and other designated areas within the specified hours posted on the main entrances of each residence hall. Open House visitation is planned and scheduled throughout the year by each residence hall. These provide opportunities for members of the opposite gender to visit the living areas of each other’s residence halls. Visitation of the same gender is permitted between the residence halls prior to curfew.
You are required to sign out of your residence hall online any time you will be away overnight, even on a school-sponsored athletic trip, chorus trip, club lock-in, or when staying in another residence hall. The link to the sign-out form is provided by Residence Life staff at check-in and must be completed before you leave the residence hall. Some important items to remember regarding sign-out:
RLCs must be notified and approve of any overnight guests. Guests must sign in at the front desk. Residents may host an out-of-town guest, except during the first week of class and finals week. Guests should limit visits to approximately three days per semester and are expected to abide by residence hall and University policies, including curfew and dress code. Guests who violate these policies may be asked to leave, and disciplinary action may be initiated against the host. Based on availability, guests may choose to pay for a room in the Heritage Inn on campus.
Residents who violate any fire safety regulation, including failure to evacuate, or participate in any activity that poses a significant risk of fire will be subject to a fine of up to $100 and/or other disciplinary action. If the responsible party is not identified, each resident may be fined $10 per incident.
Residence hall meetings are an important part of living in a residence hall community. Meeting times, dates and locations will be posted 24 hours in advance. If you are unable to attend, you must contact your RLC prior to the scheduled meeting time. Those failing to timely attend these mandatory meetings will be subject to a $25 fine and/or other disciplinary action.
Movie or music content that conflicts with the mission of the University is prohibited.
Security doors are a vital part of the security system in each residence hall. Designated entrance and exit doors are locked and alarmed and have restricted use (except in an emergency) during certain hours. The Residence Life staff and the Department of Public Safety periodically check the security of these doors; however, the security of residence halls ultimately rests with each resident taking the responsibility to adhere to the policies governing the use of these doors.
Students are encouraged to use designated main doors and must return all secured/locked doors to a secured/ locked position when they are used. NOTE: At no time should a student tamper with interior or exterior door locks, prop doors open, use a propped door for entrance, exit a window or an alarmed door (except in an emergency), or assist someone with unauthorized access into a residence hall. Students should immediately report a propped door to the front desk.
Individuals found responsible for propping security doors and/or compromising building or room security will be subject to disciplinary action:
The above disciplinary action does not apply when exterior doors or door alarms are vandalized. In situations where door locks have been disassembled, alarm wires have been cut or pulled, or any action has rendered the alarm inoperable, students found responsible may receive more serious disciplinary action. If the responsible student is not found, each resident may be charged for repairs according to the Damage Assessment Policy on Page 10. Students having information that helps identify the responsible party may be eligible for a monetary reward. See your RLC for details.
Access to residence halls is limited to entrances with card access locks. These locks require a student ID and recognize only cards of those who live in a particular residence hall. See your RLC for information on the proper doors to use for entrance and exit. All exterior doors will be locked and alarmed during curfew hours. Those needing access to a residence hall after curfew — due to school-sponsored trip or curfew violation — must contact the Department of Public Safety. Proper identification will be required. The Department of Public Safety periodically patrols the residence halls 24 hours a day.
During severe weather, students should tune into local radio or television stations to monitor current conditions. A tornado watch indicates weather conditions are right for a tornado. In the event of a tornado warning — which means a tornado has been sighted — all persons are required to go to the interior lower level of the building. It is important to remain clear of the windows and other open areas. Staying in this protected area until the warning has been canceled is imperative.
The successful operation of a residence hall requires the cooperation of all residents. Failure to comply with reasonable requests of the RLCs, RAs, desk assistants or other University officials in the fulfillment of their job responsibilities will not be tolerated.
The potential for theft of your personal belongings can be significantly minimized by doing the following:
Because residence halls are closed during breaks, residents are required to make other housing arrangements during Thanksgiving, Christmas and spring break. Specific closing times will be posted, and any variation requires special permission from the Office of Student Life.
For obvious safety reasons, the possession or use of weapons of any kind (firearms, firearm replicas, BB/pellet guns, airsoft guns, fireworks, explosive devices, archery equipment, paintball guns, ammunition, extraordinary knives, slingshots, darts/dartboards, launching devices, etc.) is prohibited in residence halls and on campus. Violators will be subject to a $100 fine and/or other disciplinary action. Students who bring weapons on campus must register and store them with the Department of Public Safety.
Residents are not permitted on the roof of any building. Throwing or shooting items from a hallway, roof or window is prohibited. Violators will be subject to a $100 fine and/or other disciplinary action. When an object is thrown from the window of a resident’s room and the identity of the person cannot be determined, the residents of that room may share any fine or sanction that is assessed.
Window screens should remain in place at all times. Residents will be responsible for any missing or damaged screens. To maintain the appearance of residence halls, items may not be hung from the outside of the windows or ledges.
Checkout procedures are:
NOTE: If you are moving to another dorm or withdrawing before the end of the semester, follow steps one through three. If you are moving off campus before the end of the semester, you must first obtain permission from the Office of Student Life, and then follow steps one through three.
Failure to abide by RLC instructions is considered an improper check-out. A fine up to $100 and the cost of damages may be assessed by the RLC.
Students are required to vacate residence halls within 24 hours of their last final exam. Any exceptions must be granted by the RLC.
Residents are required to have a key to their housing assignment. The unauthorized possession or duplication of keys is prohibited.
Private rooms are subject to space availability and are subject to an additional charge above the double-room rate per semester. For more information, contact the housing office.
When students meet certain criteria, they may choose to apply for Upperclassmen housing by application. No student who is currently on disciplinary or academic probation may apply. Anyone previously approved who later incurs disciplinary or academic probation will have that approval status retracted. Residents of Shores and Cone Halls must reapply each spring for the fall semester. To apply, students will log on to Pipeline, click on the Student tab, select Housing and click on the Upperclassmen Housing by Application link.
Students must meet one of the following criteria by the time of check-in:
*See the Upperclassmen Housing by Application Deadline on Pipeline*
Application Approval:
Final approval considers the following criteria:
Assignment
Preference will be given to students according to application and approval deadlines. A change in student status including housing regulations, academic standing and code of conduct may result in removal from Shores Hall or Cone Hall at any time in the application process or during the semester.
Room changes are discouraged; however, residents may request permission to move if there is a valid reason. All room changes must be approved by the housing office, and proof of approval must be provided to the RLC prior to moving. Any moves made prior to approval will result in a fine and/or other disciplinary action. Proper check-in and check-out procedures must be followed during the change.
In most cases, requests for room changes that occur more than four weeks into a semester will not be granted.
Residence hall room rates are based on double occupancy. If a vacancy occurs in a room during the first four weeks of classes, the remaining occupant may try and find another roommate. Once a new roommate is found, the Residence Hall RLC will notify the housing office for the change to be processed.
If a vacancy occurs in a room after the first four weeks of classes, the Residence Hall RLC will assist in matching those residents without a roommate together. During this time, the remaining person must be open to having a new roommate assigned at any time without his or her permission. They should keep the other half of the room empty and clean for the possibility of another resident moving into the room.
Residents must complete a housing form according to instructions given by the housing office to reserve a room. Students must follow all housing deadlines to ensure their reservations and to avoid additional charges.
Each student is encouraged to participate in a ministry of the church. Many local congregations would welcome your attendance and involvement. Following is a partial list of those in the immediate area:
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