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Living in your residence hall, house, or apartment entails practical obligations that ensure a safe and healthy environment for everyone. Living closely with others who come from all parts of the world also requires effective communication skills, an open mind, and a willingness to listen and learn.

This means that while you enjoy the privileges of living on campus, you must be conscious of how your actions affect other residents. If your fun offends others—or threatens their safety or your own—then you need to re-channel your energy.

Please thoroughly review your Residence Agreement; this is your housing contract and outlines your responsibilities as a member of your residence community.

Respecting Your Home

Please help us maintain your campus home for future generations of students.

  • Respect the physical facilities and furnishings in your residence.
  • Report any problems in your room, apartment, or residence common areas using the online Fix-it request.
  • Check the Student Housing Cleaning Guide for tips on cleaning your room or apartment on a regular basis.

Respecting Others

Citizenship in a community entails certain basic obligations, and students are expected to abide by the principles of Stanford’s Fundamental Standard which has governed student conduct here for more than a century:

Students at Stanford are expected to show both within and without the University such respect for order, morality, personal honor, and the rights of others as is demanded of good citizens. Failure to do this will be sufficient cause for removal from the University.

Policy On Controlled Substances And Alcohol

Stanford is committed to creating and sustaining a safe and healthy campus through education and enforcement of policies on controlled substances and alcohol.

Stanford Expects You To:

  • Be aware of state and local laws about possessing, serving, and consuming controlled substances and alcohol;
  • Make informed decisions about alcohol use;
  • Be responsible for the consequence of your decisions; and
  • Create environments that are safe and healthy and that promote responsible behavior.

Please review Stanford’s Policy on Controlled Substances and Alcohol in your Residence Agreement. Read more about Stanford policies related to alcohol use in the Party Planning Guide of the Office of Student Activities. Learn more about maintaining a healthy approach to alcohol in Stanford’s Alcohol Awareness Guide.

Smoke-free Environment

Stanford is a smoke-free environment. The smoking of tobacco products in enclosed buildings and facilities and during indoor and outdoor events on the campus is prohibited. In University residences, this includes all interior common areas, individual rooms and apartments, covered walkways, balconies, outdoor areas where smoke may drift into buildings, and during organized indoor and outdoor events.

Smoking is permitted in outdoor areas except during organized events, but only in areas at least 20 feet away from doorways, open windows, covered walkways, and ventilation systems.

Flyers And Posters

Please post flyers and posters only on approved bulletin boards. Signs, flyers, posters and/or banners posted in non-designated areas such as walls, doors, and pillars will be removed and disposed of, and cleaning/repair  charges will be billed to the responsible individual/s.

Any banners or posters used in hallways, common areas, or on residence exteriors must be approved by the Housing Supervisor and flame retardant. For information on flame-retardant products, contact your Regional Housing Manager, Housing Supervisor, or Housing Front Desk.

Soliciting

Door-to-door solicitation in residences is not permitted. Students wishing to display merchandise or to conduct informational meetings in residences must have the prior approval of the residence office, Housing Front Desk, or senior residence staff member. If an unauthorized solicitor bothers you, please notify the police.

Entrepreneurial Enterprises

Student residences are not intended to serve as centers for private enterprise or personal profit in any form. No business may operate out of or use as its base of support any room/apartment/suite or residence. In specific undergraduate residences, students may be allowed to manage their own kitchens for the residents of that house or Stanford student eating associations. In addition, official Stanford theme houses, with the prior approval of the Office of Residential Education, may operate theme-related food services to which Stanford community members may be invited.

Handling Irritating Behavior

If Others’ Behavior Bothers You:

  • Speak up. Don’t look to others or your RA to do the talking for you. If you’re bothered, you have a right and a responsibility to say so. Do not expect troublesome behavior just to go away. If you don’t say anything, no one will know you are upset.
  • Use “I” statements. For example, “I’d like you to turn off the stereo. It’s after 11:00 p.m. and I have a midterm tomorrow” communicates your feelings without making the other person defensive.
  • Repeat the request, if necessary.
  • Go to your RA only after you’ve tried on your own to register your concerns.

If Your Behavior Bothers Others:

  • Acknowledge the problem. Letting the person know that you heard and understood the problem often makes communication a little easier.
  • Attempt to honor the request or suggest a compromise. It may be possible to do what a person asks without breaking up the party: “How about my turning the stereo down so you can’t hear it in your room?”

Last modified Tue, 17 Jan, 2012 at 21:49