Residence Life Processes and Policies

3 students, 2 female and 1 male, outside of Village 1.

Thriving in Residence 

Residence Life Dons, and Residence Life Co-ordinators (RLCs) work alongside our residents to maintain a series of Policies and Processes that aim to support a safe and secure residence community. The Residence Life Team prioritizes an environment that is conducive to learning and community building. These policies and procedures uphold the values that Campus Housing deems integral to building successful and engaging communities.

Policies that have significant community impact include:  

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Cleanliness

As part of a community, it is up to every individual to respect and maintain our residence spaces. This may include a quick wipe of counter spaces in washrooms and common areas after use, maintaining a reasonable level of cleanliness in your personal spaces, ensuring your garbage is taken to the appropriate spaces, and reporting any damages you notice. We have a wonderful and dedicated Residence Hospitality Experience team committed to the upkeep of our buildings, but all community members are responsible for the space.  

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Guests

As a student living in residence, we understand the importance of building connections through sharing your space with both on and off-campus friends. It is important to remember that each guest you bring into your community has the potential to make an impact. For this reason we encourage you to work together with your guest and community members to ensure this impact is positive. Guests are permitted to stay no longer than 48 hours and must be accompanied by their host at all times. Residents are responsible for the behaviour of their guests while in residence. 

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Noise

Living in residence requires community members to work together to find the balance between acceptable levels of noise and respecting the varying sleep and study schedules of fellow community members. Residence Life enforces regularly scheduled quiet hours to support students’ wellness and we ask that all individuals living with us respect these efforts. Noise travels and iIt is encouraged that members consider the impact of their noise levels at all times.  

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Smoking and Vaping

Campus Housing, in line with the University of Waterloo’s policies, is a smoke-free campus (including, tobacco, cannabis, and vaping) as part of the University’s ongoing efforts to foster a healthy and safe campus environment for all, Further, providing a smoke-free environment strengthens our commitment to the Okanagan Charter: An International Charter for Health Promoting Universities and Colleges, where it is our responsibility to create environments where health is embedded into campus culture and policy.

Learn more about this policy on the University's smoke-free website.

Escalting procedures for residence life action.

When Campus Housing staff observe or are made aware of a possible violation of the Residence Terms and Conditions, staff will document the incident or interaction. This documentation is captured primarily to help Residence Life Staff follow up with the residents involved to ensure they have the supports they need and to further investigate the incident if necessary. Our documentation also helps Campus Housing understand common challenges with current policies and identify trends across residence to inform how we educate our residents every day.   

If documentation occurs, students involved may be invited to a meeting with a Residence Life Staff member to discuss the incident and share their perspective. Depending on the community impact of the incident, a resident may be issued an outcome. Outcomes may include a sanction or further follow up. It’s important to note that being documented in an incident does not mean you will receive an outcome; often we reach out to residents who are involved to provide support and resources.  

Residence is a shared living environment, and it is the joint responsibility of all our community members to be informed of and adhere to the rules and expectations that support the ongoing safety, comfort, and reasonable enjoyment of our community. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a sanction?

A sanction is an outcome that is shared with a resident to help educate them on the impact of their actions on their residence community. Depending on the severity of the incident a variety of sanctions may be issued by Residence Life Staff.  

What other kinds of outcomes are there?

The following list describes some of the outcomes that may be issued by Residence Life staff. This list is not exhaustive, and some incidents may require Campus Housing to work with other resources.  

Peer conversation 

Many issues or concerns that come up are addressed in meetings with the resident’s Don. The focus of this conversation is to educate residents on the purpose of residence policies and clarify the residence rules and expectations.  

Educational sanction 

You may be asked to complete an educational activity (like writing a reflection or preparing an informative poster) and/or participate in a designated workshop or program on campus to encourage learning and reflection.  

Mediation 

When there are ongoing community or roommate disputes, or existing roommate agreements are not supported by all roommates, you may be requested to participate in a mediation facilitated by Residence Life staff to identify an appropriate resolution.  

Notice of Behaviour  

In the event of ongoing or repeated incidents following previous attempts to address behaviour, a Notice of Behaviour may be issued.  A written notice summarizing incidents and actions is delivered to the student and reviewed by themselves and Residence Life staff in a meeting, and the expectations to continue living in residence are discussed and agreed upon.  

Policy 71 (Student Discipline) notice 

Repeated violation of the community rules and expectations, especially those related to public health rules at the University of Waterloo, may result in written notice delivered to the  Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies and the faculty may choose to follow up with the student directly. 

Financial restitution  

Fines may be issued for, but not limited to, tampering with fire safety equipment, property damages, and extensive vandalism. Fines may also be issued in relation to move out processes. More information about these expectations can be found in section 6.5 of the Terms and Conditions or on the Campus Housing website. All fines are set at the discretion of the Campus Housing staff and will be issued in writing and applied to a student’s Quest account.   

Relocation  

In some cases, Residence Life Co-ordinators may determine the current accommodation is no longer a suitable space for the student to participate safely and/or responsibly in the community and a temporary or permanent relocation to another residence community will occur.   

Eviction  

Eviction is reserved for those residents who have seriously breached the expectations for living in residence and/or infringed on the comfort and/or safety of the community.   

Can I have a room change?

It can take time to get comfortable living with someone and therefore all students with roommates are encouraged to complete a Roommate Agreement. If the Roommate Agreement is completed and you still have concerns, ask your Don for support as they can help to mediate a conversation. Residence Life Staff require active participation from all roommates to resolve roommate conflicts or suite concerns. Room changes are only reserved for extenuating circumstances, and requests to change rooms will not be received before Reading Week. 

If you require a room change for accessibility purposes, please follow our Accessible Housing Process so we can support you. 

What is the Disciplinary Appeal Process?

To appeal disciplinary action and/or eviction from residence, the student must submit a Notice of Appeal to the Manager, Residence Life within 10 working days of the eviction being served. Submission of the Notice of Appeal form does not change or delay the disciplinary action in question and the student is expected to carry out the sanction that has been imposed by the Residence Life Co-ordinator.  

Illnesses/Illness disclosure (e.g. COVID-19) in residence

Illnesses in residence 

Please refer to Ontario Public Health for relevant guidance on self-isolation and illness disclosures.  

  • Students who want to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can purchase it through  Instacart to be delivered to residence.  
  • Cleanliness & Hygiene: Practice good hygiene at all times including washing hands, cleaning surfaces, wearing a mask, washing reusable masks, etc.  

Campus Housing is here to support your well-being. If you have any questions or concerns, you are encouraged to access the following resources:  

Resources for your reference   

Support for your well-being