Shortly after the start of the 2016-17 academic year, the Residence Hall Association resumed their fight to uplift visitation restrictions in some of the residence halls on campus. The association formed a petition in hopes of getting enough signatures to remove these rules by next semester.
Currently, the predominantly upperclassmen residence halls such as Roberts, East, Central, Crowe and Greyhound Village have 24/7 visitation, while freshman dorms such as Cory Bretz, Warren and Cravens are only allowed to have visitors from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on weekdays, but still allowed 24-hour visitation on weekends.
The current punishment for not complying with the visitation hours starts with a write-up, but after multiple occurrences, students may begin receiving fines.
Sophomore graphic design major and Warren Hall residence assistant Johana Rosendo said that removing visitation hours rules would not only make her job easier, but she believes it would also leave residents responsible for making their own decisions and acting appropriately.
“Last year, I lived in Cravens, and that’s when they started asking for the signatures, and I did sign it. And this year, I went to Cory Bretz and put my name down again,” Rosendo said. “I feel like once you’re in college, you need to realize you’re an adult and be responsible for yourself. It’s less responsibility for me [as a resident assistant] and more for you guys [as freshman residents] to become an actual adult and be responsible for your actions. It’s just not the best way to get someone in trouble.”
Honors freshmen in Crowe and select freshmen in East, Central or Roberts halls also are not restricted in their visitation hours. Rosendo said that it is not fair to students living in freshman halls that some of their peers have no limitations on guests while they do. RAs of these halls also are forced to comply with the guidelines, along with the rest of the building’s residents.
Freshman public health major and Cravens Hall resident Claire Butler also believes the change in visitation hours would make a positive impact on the UIndy community.
“Even while studying late, it’s stressful to have to keep track of time,” Butler said. “It would be easier to hang out with my friends without basically having a curfew.”
The RHA has been working to change the freshman visitation hours to allow for 24/7 visitation to match other halls. The RHA’s petition has been circulating on campus in hopes of revoking the restrictions on guests.
“As long as they get the amount of signatures they need, they might be able to change it for next semester,” Rosendo said, “and that’s the thing that people don’t know. And they think, ‘Oh I don’t care, since I’m going to move to another hall next year.’ So it should be as soon as possible, once they get all of the signatures needed.”
To be a voice in the discussion, students can attend upcoming RHA meetings during the rest of the semester or sign the petition online here. Upcoming meeting dates which allow students to participate in the discussion, or sign the petition are at 9 p.m. on Oct. 10 in Central, Oct. 24 in East, Nov. 7 in Crowe, Nov. 21 in Roberts and Dec. 5 in Warren.
