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Current Residents – Your Responsibilities

As a resident of the Universityof Tennessee, there are certain responsibilities that you must assume when you move in to the residence halls. A more detailed description of all University and residence hall policies is published in other University publications. Some fundamental responsibilities deserve emphasis and those are outlined below.

  1. Responsibility for the Rules

    The rules and regulations of the University and the residence halls are clearly spelled out in the Guidebook/Calendar for University Housing and/or in Hilltopics. You are responsible for knowing these rules and for adhering to them at all times.

  2. Responsibility for Attending Floor Meetings

    Floor meetings are held at the beginning of each semester and periodically as needed. Floor meetings are for your benefit and you are responsible for any and all information discussed there. If you are unable to attend a floor meeting, you should contact your resident assistant for clarification of anything missed.

  3. Responsibility for Your Living Area

    4. Along with your roommate, you are fully responsible for activities that occur in your room and living area. Even if you are not actively involved in a policy violation, you will be held responsible if you are present during such a violation, or if you give others access to your room. Therefore, you should always lock your room when you leave, even if for only a few moments. This will prevent others from committing violations in your room that can get you in trouble. Do not condone a violation by your presence. It is your responsibility to put an end to any violation that occurs in your room, and to call an RA or hall director you need assistance.

  4. Responsibility for Your Guests

    5. You are responsible for the conduct of your guests when they are present in the residence halls. Each year, cases of vandalism and policy violations occur as a result of visitors who lack respect for our residence halls. If you intend to have visitors or guests in the hall, be aware that YOU may be subject to disciplinary action because of THEIR behavior. Additionally, residence hall staff members reserve the right to ask any individual who is not a resident to leave the residence halls.

  5. Responsibility to Staff

    6. All members of the University community share the responsibility for governing their own conduct. Staff members who, in the course of their duties, are confronted with violations of University policy, are obligated to report them. Employees are not expected to tolerate abuse in the performance of their duties, therefore the harassment of any resident assistant, desk assistant, custodian, or other employee will result in disciplinary action. (See “Failure to Comply” policy on page 17 of this publication.)

  6. Responsibility to the Housing Contract

    7. As a member of our residence hall community, you have a contractual responsibility with our department and to your community. Part of that responsibility requires that you have a thorough knowledge of the terms and conditions of the housing contract. You are responsible to fulfill your financial responsibility to the contract and all of its terms and conditions. The Department of University Housing is available to assist you, in its best interest, to fulfill such responsibility. (See page 22 for more specific information on the housing contract.)

  7. Responsibility for Room Maintenance & Damages

    8. You and the Department of University Housing share responsibility to maintain your room and the residence halls. Maintenance request forms are provided at the front desk and are to be used to report all damages and/or other maintenance problems. Your responsibilities include: maintaining the condition of your room and its contents, timely and specific reporting of all damages or problems, arrangement of furniture and personal belongings to facilitate easy access by maintenance and housekeeping staff, immediate correction of unsafe or potentially hazardous conditions which you may create in your room (such as overloaded power outlets) as requested by residence hall staff, and restitution for damages to the physical area of your room (including the window and the outside of the door).