New break policy implemented

After confusion resulting from the unprecedented complete closure of residence halls during breaks this school year, a holiday/break housing policy has been released, which requires all halls to be closed during all-school holidays with the exception of fall and Easter breaks.

“(The policy isn’t) necessarily because the students were asking for it or because the administration (was asking for it), it was sort of just a sensed need that rose to the top that we thought we should address,” said Director of Student Life Kim Parker. “The policy is going to be that the dorms will stay officially open over fall break and Easter break since they’re shorter breaks,” Parker said.

During these two breaks, half of the resident assistants in each large dorm - Hart, Sutton and Webb - will be asked to remain on campus to provide supervision within the residence halls. For example, three of the Hart Hall RAs will stay during fall break with the remaining three RAs staying during Easter break.

“I’ve gone home or gone somewhere over every break this year,” said sophomore Shanna Myers who is an RA in Hart Hall. “It affects me because I have to stay in that way, but I’m sure it will be fine if it’s only one break.”

The remaining breaks, which are Thanksgiving and spring break, the dorms will be closed and the doors locked.

 However, students will be able to receive permission through the Student Development office to remain on campus during these times.

“If it’s for something school-related, like student teaching or sports, (students) just need to notify the Student Development office so then (the residence staff) can have a record of who all is staying in the dorms,” Parker said. “If it’s not school-related, there is a nightly fee.”

According to Parker, the nightly fee will be more than the daily summer fee of $5.

“I think the policy is a really good idea because they're a lot of students that had trouble over the breaks this year with not being able to go home,” said Myers.

Because of the longevity of Thanksgiving and spring breaks, RAs are not required to remain on campus, but the administration has asked that one RA remain in each of the large dorms, as opposed to half of the dorm’s total RAs.

“Basically, we’ll do that on a voluntary basis, and then (the RAs) will get additional compensation for staying during those breaks,” Parker said. Currently, Milligan’s RAs receive free room but will receive a check for their voluntary work.

The policy for Christmas break, which will remain the same, is the exception to this new policy as all students are required to sign out of their rooms, turn in their room keys and leave the campus.

This year, because of problems in the past and security issues, the dorms were completely closed during all breaks, and student were required to leave campus. Students who had planned to remain on campus were forced to find alternative housing with other friends or even with professors.

“That was hard, especially for foreign students and people that live far away, and we didn’t like doing that, but we didn’t have any other policy in place,” Parker said. “(The policy) was just sort of a middle ground, a way to be able to accommodate the students and their needs a little bit better and to ensure they are going to be okay in the dorms over break when nobody’s here on campus.”

Parker said most of the students were taken care of before the beginning of the break.

“We know that there’s just times when students have to be here, like student teachers over spring break, they have to be here,” Parker said. “Because of that, we wanted to be sure to have coverage in the dorms in case something was to happen.”