Housing and Residence Life (HRL) Policies and Procedures 

Glossary  

1. A visitor is anyone who is visiting a Pomona student and who is not themselves a Pomona student. A visitor is allowed to stay on campus for up to five consecutive nights and not more than a total of seven nights per semester. A student may host no more than two visitors at a time.  

2. A guest is considered a Pomona student who is visiting another Pomona student in their residence hall or community. Students are allowed to have no more than two guests at a time.  

3. Quiet hours are from 10:00 pm to 8:00 am Sunday through Thursday and Friday and Saturday from 1:00 am to 10:00 am. All other hours are “courtesy hours,” during which the halls must be quiet enough for students to study or sleep.  

4. Pomona College defines “full-time” as taking a minimum of three academic credits during a semester. 

Residence Hall Staff  

Professional Staff in the Residence Halls  

There are several professional staff members who live on Pomona’s campus, including the Director of Residence Life, Assistant Director of Residence Life and three Residence Life Coordinators (RLCs). All five of these individuals serve as Administrators-on-call and live on campus, offering 24/7 support to students. Outside of Residence life, several other Student Affairs staff members live on campus as part of the Administrators on-call team.  

The Director of Residence Life provides direct supervision and support for the Assistant Director of Residence Life and RLCs, and oversight of the transitional, educational, co-curricular and developmental needs of the student in the residential community.  

Responsibilities of the Director of Campus Life Operations include managing room selection, facilitating housing assignments, collaborating with facilities and Oldenborg staff, managing the office assistants, and working to meet housing accommodations in partnership with Accessibility Resources and Services.  

The RLCs provide support to student staff by utilizing the residential educational model. RLCs are tasked with delivering clear direction and oversight of all educational activities of student employees and the RHS. Moreover, RLCs serve as Student Conduct Administrators, ensuring upholding of community standards and swift response to crises. RLCs manage student conduct, participate in committees, and support campus collaborations.  

Student Leadership in the Residence Halls  

The Residence Hall Student Staff consists of the Resident Advisors (RAs), Head Sponsors, Sponsors and Office Assistants. Together they assist Housing and Residence Life in providing a safe, nurturing and intellectually stimulating residential experience.  

RAs are responsible for building a sense of community, planning community programs, assisting with security and safety, promoting sustainable living practices, addressing emergencies, working with Sponsors, providing support and referrals to students living in the residence halls, and reporting damages and maintenance problems.  

Students are required to cooperate with all RHS staff as they perform their duties. It is a serious offense to harass or intimidate an RA or to fail to comply with the directions issued by RAs in the performance of their assigned responsibilities.  

The Sponsor Program is a residential program through which all new students and transfer students are housed with other new students and led by a returning student called a sponsor. The Sponsors provide support to first-year students throughout their first academic semester, with the objective of easing the transition to college by creating a safe and welcoming living environment for all new and transfer students, serving as referral resources, and increasing new student interactions with other students.   

There are four Head Sponsors who help to select and supervise the Sponsors, assist with placing the incoming class in their sponsor groups, and help guide the program during the school year.   

All incoming Pomona College new students are automatically put into the Sponsor Program. Sponsors are prepared for this responsibility during a training program before and throughout the school year.  

The residence hall rooms are Pomona College property. The College reserves the right of access to student rooms. A reasonable effort, where appropriate, will be made to notify the occupant of a residence hall room in advance when a representative of the College seeks access to a student’s room. However, for health, safety, inspections or security reasons or to determine compliance with Pomona College policies, access to student rooms by college staff (including RAs) may occur without notice. The College reserves the right to remove and discard items that violate residence hall policies when they are found in student rooms. Members of the housekeeping staff may enter a student’s room as part of their cleaning responsibilities. Student requests for repairs constitute an invitation for room entry for that purpose. No representative of the College will normally enter a room without knocking.  

On-Campus and Off-Campus Housing Policies  

Full-time Pomona students are eligible for housing. Students who have less than three credits during a semester may not be housed or may be asked to leave housing. All first-year and sophomore students are required to live in the residence halls. No student may live off-campus without the express written permission of the Office of Housing and Residence Life (see policy below). Third and fourth-year students who wish to live off-campus must fill out an off-campus housing application and receive written approval from the Office of Housing and Residence Life. No student should sign a lease before receiving written approval.  

Students who are either married, have children, or are age24 or older upon admission to the college are automatically granted permission to live off-campus but must still fill out an off-campus housing application. Off-campus students are subject to the Pomona College Student Handbook.  

Students who need housing beyond the 8th semester will be housed if there is space available.  

Safety & Security 

On-Campus Community Standards  

As members of the Pomona College residence hall community, students may reasonably expect the following:   

1. The right to reasonable quiet.   

2. The right to reasonable privacy.   

3. The right to a comfortable and well-maintained living environment that is reasonably safe and secure.   

4. The rights to individual choice, provided that other students’ rights are not infringed upon.   

5. The right to fair and equitable enforcement of residence halls rules and policies.   

No person shall create safety or health hazards in any residence hall. Examples of prohibited actions or items include, but are not limited to:  

Note: Students may bring their own microwave oven and mini-refrigerator (3.1 cubic feet or smaller). Appliances should be turned off when not in use. Students living in Dialynas and Sontag Halls are not permitted to have individual room refrigerators because refrigerators are provided in the suite.  

The College will not be responsible for damage to computers or other personal property resulting from outages or blackouts.  

Students residing in non-air-conditioned residence halls may secure an evaporative cooler. The following buildings may not have evaporative coolers: Oldenborg, Dialynas, Sontag, Mudd-Blaisdell, Gibson. The unit must be a self-contained water source, requiring no more than 120 volts at 300 watts.  

Vandalism  

Students may not engage in any activity that will injure, deface, or damage any part of the Residence Hall facilities.  This includes posting signs or advertising notices in non-approved areas. Students may not install, heavy electrical equipment (i.e. washers, dryers, air-conditioners), or personal locks.    

Noise Policy  

Students should not create persistent or excessive noise audible to surrounding students regardless of time of day or established quiet hours. If someone is disturbed by noise, they have the right to request a decrease in the level of the noise. If the resident, guest, or visitor does not decrease the noise level, they can expect to go through a conduct process. All residence halls will maintain additional quiet hours from midnight on the last day of classes until 8:00 a.m. on the Saturday of final exam week. 

Modifications to Residence Hall Rooms and Areas  

Students may not install equipment and make significant alterations to a residence hall room, common area or exterior area without prior permission. This includes, but is not limited to large outdoor decorations, tarps, canopies, lofts, etc. 

Students are not permitted to paint individual rooms or common areas. Students will be charged for wall re-painting. Students are charged for excessive wall or surface damage. Ceilings, smoke detectors, pipes and fire safety equipment are not permitted to have decorations affixed. 

Fire Safety  

No person shall refuse to observe any safety regulations or procedures. All persons must evacuate the residence hall during a fire alarm. Fire Safety, Campus Safety/ HRL staff may enter rooms during fire alarms to ensure compliance with evacuation procedures. Examples of prohibited behavior or items include, but are not limited to:  

1. Any electrical wiring that is frayed, broken, or taped. (HRL staff reserve the right in these cases to remove items immediately from the residence halls.)  

2. Surge protectors that are plugged into other surge protectors (they must only be plugged into the wall).  

3. Charcoal fires, gas stoves or barbecue grills are prohibited indoors or on balconies.  

4. Covering or tampering with smoke detectors or sprinklers 

Weapons, Knives, and Dangerous items  

Weapons are prohibited in the residence halls. This includes, but is not limited to, paintball guns, fireworks, firearms, tasers, stun guns, projectiles, fake guns, hunting equipment, martial arts weapons, prop-style weapons and weapon replicas, bows and arrows or crossbows, swords, any objects with an express purpose to injure or hurt individual.  

Any knife that has a blade that exceeds three inches and has a sharp edge is prohibited. Students may carry pepper spray that is three ounces or less, as is permitted by California State Law. Improper usage of pepper spray, however, is prohibited. 

Note: There are special circumstances when certain weapons may be authorized on campus and at campus-sponsored events. Some examples include for use of classroom instruction and events: fencing, archery, theatrical performances, and movie shoots. But they must be stored outside of residential spaces. Please work with the Office of Housing and Residence Life (housing@pomona.edu) or the appropriate Pomona College office to find storage. 

Personal Property  

The College does not assume responsibility for loss or damage to personal property belonging to students. All items are brought and kept on campus at the student’s own risk. Parents and students should inspect insurance policies and determine whether the limits are sufficient to cover the student’s belongings while away from home. 

Bicycles 

Bicycles may be kept in a student’s own room or in a bicycle rack (or other authorized bike storage) during the academic year if they live in a single 

Bicycles may not be locked to trees, handrails, poles, fences, benches, or kept in hallways, stairwells, or trash closets. Bicycles will be removed from these locations and impounded without notice. If unclaimed after two weeks, impounded bicycles will be offered to the Green Bikes program. Bicycles left outside on campus over the summer will be removed from bike racks and may be donated to the Green Bikes program.   

Confiscation Policy  

Pomona College officials and TCCS Campus Safety have the authority to confiscate prohibited items (please refer to the prohibited items section above). College officials may determine that certain items are connected to violations of the Pomona College student handbook, laws, or regulations, or may pose risks to student health and safety. Students may be held accountable through the conduct process, and confiscated items may be returned at the college's discretion. Some confiscated items may be returned to students at the end of the semester to be brought home. 

Damages in residence halls  

Common areas  

It is the obligation of every student living in or visiting the residence halls not to damage or allow their guests or visitors to damage any College property. It is the policy of the College to charge individuals responsible for damages which occur or for items which are lost from the residence halls. Furthermore, it is the policy of the College to attempt to establish financial responsibility for damages which occur in public areas of a residence hall for which individual responsibility cannot be ascertained. Costs for acts of unclaimed vandalism may be charged back to those residing within the smallest identifiable space where the vandalism has occurred. 

All students are expected to keep the common areas (hallways, lounges, common rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, etc.) of the residence halls in a reasonable state of cleanliness. When an excessive mess is found. A 24-hour period will be given to affect the clean-up. At the end of this time period, if the conditions are not up to standard, a fine will be assessed to each person responsible for the clean-up task. If no people are identified, the clean-up costs may be charged to those residing in the smallest identifiable space where the mess occurred. 

Upon check-out, students are required to remove all personal property from common areas in the residence halls. The custodial staff will discard all personal property left beyond 24 hours in common areas.  

Individual Student Rooms  

All damages and losses which occur within an individual student’s room beyond the range of reasonable wear and tear are charged to the resident(s) of the room. The room condition form completed at the beginning of each resident’s occupancy protects the student from being held liable for previously existing conditions. Students are responsible for ensuring that their space remains sanitary at all times. It is assumed that when students have checked into a room, they are then responsible for all damages and/or losses which may occur during their occupancy. Appeals may be made through Housing and Residence Life.   

At the end of the academic year, charges are assessed for room damage and loss through year-end inspection and check-out procedures. These charges are placed on the student’s bill. For students not returning the following year, the charges are deducted from their fees or deposit, and if the charges exceed the amount of the fees or deposit, the difference is billed to the student.   

Individual and Common Room Furnishings   

Residence hall room furniture may not be removed from a student’s room. Common area furniture must remain in common areas and may not be removed or relocated. If furniture is discovered by HRL or Facilities staff outside of a residence hall room, the resident will have 72 hours to move it back. If they fail to do so the furniture will be moved, and the resident will be charged for the cost of the furniture (see below for estimated costs) as well as labor. 

The College provides every resident with a single bed, a study desk, a dresser, a chair, a recycling bin, and a wastebasket. Fire and safety codes require that all corridors and exits are unobstructed, therefore, furniture and other items are not allowed to be placed in hallways or common areas. Students provide their own study lamps (CFL or LED bulbs/lights are preferred), linens, and in some cases, bookshelves. Lofts are prohibited. All rooms have window shades or blinds. Blinds should not be removed by students.   

Common area furniture is not to be removed from common areas (including lounges, courtyards, kitchens, academic buildings, etc.). If furniture from a common area is found in an individual’s room or moved in such a way that it obstructs emergency evacuation procedures, a minimum fine of $150 will be levied along with an additional fine of $25 a day until the furniture is returned to the common area.  

Housing Financial Charges  

Listed are common financial charges. Please note that these charges are subject to change and are determined by facilities and campus services staff. If damage to a room that was not noted on the Room Condition Form at the time of move-in is identified, the following minimum charges will apply.  

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list. Additional charges may be assessed in consultation with Facilities, based on the time, labor, and resources required for repair or restoration. Provided are estimates:  

Health and Safety Inspections  

College housing spaces must be kept clean and free from dirt, grease, garbage and trash. Proper care, cleaning, and use of community area and facilities, including stairs, stairwells, laundry rooms, and grounds are a student’s responsibility.     

To ensure a clean and healthy living environment for current and future students, health and safety inspections may be conducted  twice a semester as during Winter Break. All students will be given one week’s notice to coordinate cleaning efforts within their bedroom space and in the common living area. The HRL staff has the authority to enter room/suites regardless of whether or not students are present. 

If a resident’s room does not meet suitable standards, students will be given 24 hours to address the issue. If, while conducting the inspection, any prohibited items are found, they may be confiscated and the student can expect to go through an appropriate disciplinary process. The following areas will be inspected during the safety inspection: 

• Fire safety issues 

• Policy violations 

• General facilities issues 

Religious Policy for Housing  

• Candles for religious services must be approved in advance by the HRL professional staff. 

• Prayer and Meditation: For students seeking spaces to practice their faith privately, please note there are many options to do so outside of your Residence Hall room. As a result, we do not assign private (single) residential rooms to students due to requests regarding religious practices. Many Residence Halls have meeting rooms and lounges that may be used for religious activities. There is also a Prayer and Meditation Room, including late hours access, at the McAllister Center for Religious Activities. 

• Single Rooms: Pomona College Housing and Residence Life does not assign single rooms as a function of religious practices. Single rooms can be assigned to students with ADA accommodations, per HUD guidelines and with consultation from the Accessibility Resources and Services office. Incoming and Returning students occasionally receive a single room in the Housing Selection or Assignment processes, but not directly due to religious practice. Housing ADA Accommodations and placements are limited according to the current residential facilities available (please see more below). We do not have any suite-style living available for incoming students. 

• Requesting a room assignment due to religious practice: We do not request documentation for religious requests; students may fill out a housing consideration form to request room placements based on religious practices. 

• Semi-Private (Suite-Style) Bathrooms: Upper-class residential halls contain a mix of suite-style (2-8 person use) and communal hallway bathrooms. Incoming student halls consist only of communal-style bathrooms. Bathroom formats range in multi and single use and are designated as gender neutral or gender specific. 

Housing Operationss 

Move-In and Move Out 

When moving into a residence hall, students must check-in with the RHS Staff. A student will be considered to have taken possession of and responsibility for a campus room when they either receive a room key, reside in the room, or places belongings in the assigned room. An enrolled student is considered to occupy a room if they fail to notify the Office of Housing and Residence Life by the tenth day of the semester that they do not intend to occupy the room which has been drawn or assigned.   

Occupancy of any room is limited to the student(s) assigned to that room. A student may not transfer, sublet, loan or assign the room to another person under any circumstances. This includes rooms within a suite. A student not assigned to a room may not take up residence within it. Students who change room assignments without notice and/or permission of the Office of Housing and Residence Life will be required to return to their original room. 

There is a three-week room freeze at the beginning of the fall semester starting with the first day of classes. There is a two-week room freeze at the beginning of the spring semester starting with the first day of classes.  

The Office of Housing and Residence Life must approve all changes in room assignments. Rooms and roommate assignments are contracted for the academic year. A room change can be considered in cases of roommate conflicts after those wishing to make a change have made a sincere effort to resolve their differences. Students may not attempt to force a roommate to move out of the room or prevent a new roommate from moving in. Students may not intimidate others within the hall or prevent their reasonable use of facilities. 

Student room fees cover the academic year, which does not include the winter vacation period. When the campus is closed during Winter Break, the residence halls are closed and students are not permitted to stay in their rooms. Students who wish to stay over Winter Break need to apply through the HRL Office.  

When moving out of a residence hall, students are required to return all keys to HRL. Failure to do this will result in a lock change and the student will be responsible for the costs of said charge.   

Pomona students who are found occupying an unauthorized space may go through the judicial process and receive the appropriate sanctioning. This includes unauthorized occupancy any time before or after agreement dates, termination of occupancy dates, after eligibility for housing has ceased, or during the housing closure period.  

AC Unit Accommodations 

Pomona College is committed to accommodating qualified students with disabilities who may require the installation and use of an AC unit provided by Pomona College in their on-campus residence hall assignment. The AC accommodation is met through either pre-installed AC window units or through a central AC system. Students may not bring their own AC unit. Students who believe they have a condition to merit accommodation work with Accessibility Resources and Services (disabilityservices@pomona.edu), located in the Dean of Students Office.  

All other air-conditioning units are prohibited and will be removed by the College, and students will be financially charged for their removal. For more information on how to apply for housing accommodation please visit the Registration with ARS webpage. 

Pets in the Residence Halls  

Students should meet with the Accessibility Resource Services in the Dean of Students Office if they believe they may be eligible for an accommodation for a service animal or an emotional support animal (ESA). This process must be completed and formally approved prior to brining an ESA on campus. 

If a pet is found in a residence hall that is not permitted the owner will go through the Pomona College conduct process as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Any person(s) found neglecting, abusing, teasing, tormenting, or inflicting any type of cruelty to an animal on campus will also be subject to the conduct process. 

Reserving Common Areas   

The following residential spaces may be reserved for organized events (social, academic, or co-curricular): Mudd Lounge, Heritage Lounge and Walker Lounge, residence hall courtyards, and the Sontag and Dialynas Lounges via Engage. All residential spaces available for reservation are substance-free. Students may not have amplified sound including a DJ or loud music. Events may be approved, pending, and or denied based on the RLC’s discretion. 

Walker Beach and Athearn Field may be reserved without Housing and Residence Life approval but all events must end by the time quiet hours begin. 

Lock Outs  

Lockouts are handled by the Office of Housing and Residence Life and Resident Advisors for free during specific hours. All lockouts handled by Campus Safety will be charged to a student’s account. 

Lockout no-charge schedule: 

Monday – Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. 

Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; 7:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. 

Saturday: 7:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. 

Sunday: 7:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. 

Room Selection  

Room selection is conducted by Housing and Residence Life each spring for the following year. 

Detailed instructions on the room selection procedures and policies are sent to all students at the appropriate times during the year.  Students may refer to the Housing and Residence Life website for further information.    

The spaces available for selection will be determined annually by the Office of Housing & Residence Life team. 

Room Condition Reports  

Room Condition Forms, which describe the condition of the room prior to occupancy, are provided for students when they move into rooms. They are used at the end of each semester to evaluate any damage which might have occurred during that time. Students will receive notice from the Office of Housing and Residence Life when these forms become available on their Symplicity Residence Portal.   

At move-in, if the level of maintenance of a particular room is not adequate, or if any college-issued item needs to be fixed, students may fill out a work order online.    

Room Repair/Work Order  

In case of repairs or general maintenance, students may fill out a work order online. Students may also contact The Maintenance Department.    

Tel: (909) 621-8300   

Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday-Friday   

Emergencies, after hours, and weekends: Contact Campus Safety at (909) 607-2000.   

Soliciting on Campus  

The College does not allow soliciting, promoting, or selling any product or service by anyone from outside of the College. No door-to-door or table soliciting is permitted in the residence halls by anyone — student or non-student—when it involves a non-Pomona business or group. Students are permitted to showcase flyers and door decorations on their doors and whiteboards to the right or left of their door. 

Student IDs/Keys  

Your official Pomona College ID is the property of Pomona College and is non-transferable. It must always be carried while on the Claremont College premises and must be presented to college officials, including Campus Safety, upon request. Students may not loan or give their ID to another individual, whether it be a student, visitor or guest.   

Each on-campus student is given a student ID card that allows students to eat in the Dining Halls across all 5Cs, enter Pomona College residence halls, and allow you entrance into 5C social events. (Students 21 and older may use their ID in order to drink alcohol at 5C events.) Students living off-campus do not have access to residential halls.  

In the event of theft, damage or loss, new ID cards may be obtained at the Office of Housing and Residence Life in the Smith Campus Center. Lost cards should be reported promptly so that they may be de-activated. Any lost IDs will cost a minimum of $15 billable via student accounts. In cases where a student ID is damaged, and the damage is verified by an HRL staff member, a replacement ID will be provided free of charge.  

Alteration or unauthorized use of this card will subject the holder to applicable disciplinary policies. 

Visitors and Guests 

Students are responsible for the behavior of any guests or visitors, including students from the other Claremont Colleges, who are present in a building at their invitation, and penalties may be assessed on the hosts for violations committed by guests or visitors. Furthermore, groups sponsoring events can expect to go through the conduct process for violations committed by those attending their events. 

The following regulations apply to visitors on campus and in the residence halls.   

1. Any student hosting an overnight visitor on campus must register their visitor with Housing and Residence Life via their Housing Portal. The registration form will then be reviewed by their Residence Life Coordinator (RLC) for approval. Should an overnight guest like to attend a Pomona College event the Pomona College student would need to contact the Smith Campus Center for an event pass for their visitor.  

2. Visitors on campus must conform to the rules of the residence halls and the provisions of the Pomona College Student Code. If a visitor violates College policies or disturbs other students of the hall, visitor privileges may be revoked. 

3. Visitors are not allowed to sleep in lounges or other common areas.  

4. If the premises are occupied by more than one person, the approval of all occupants of the premises shall be required prior to the resident’s permitting an overnight guest to stay in the premises, and the overnight guest/visitor may only occupy the resident’s room during the visit. 

5. An overnight guest/visitor may not stay on the premises for more than five (5) consecutive nights and no more than a total of seven (7) nights per semester. If any student or their guest/visitor occupies a room or residence without authorization, students can expect to go through the conduct process.