Housing and Residence Life (HRL) Policies and Procedures

Residence Life and Housing Policies and Procedures 

The Housing and Residence Life (HRL) Office is responsible for the quality of residential life at Pomona. In collaboration with Students, Pomona College, and the Claremont community, we seek to provide a residential experience that is safe, nurturing, intellectually stimulating and inclusive for all students. The Dean of Campus Life and their staff oversee the Residence Halls Staff (RHS), Orientation, the Sponsor program, Faculty-in-Residence, and Housing assignments. The Office of Housing and Residence Life is the place to go for help with housing or roommate problems or policy questions. Even if you don’t have any issues or immediate needs, please feel free to stop by and get acquainted! The office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. It is located on the lower level of the Smith Campus Center, with the main entrance located across from the Mailroom. 

Professional Staff in the Residence Halls 

There are a number of master’s level professional staff members who live on Pomona’s campus, including the Director of Housing Operations, Director of Residence Life, and four Residence Life Coordinators (RLCs). All six of the these individuals serve as Administrators on call and live on campus to support students during their on call shifts.  Outside of Residence life, several other Student Affairs staff members live on campus as part of the Administrators on call team.  

In addition to living in the residence halls, each of the RLCs have an office in a residence hall that is in their respective zones.  Mudd, Blaisdell, and Gibson’s RLC has an office at the Mudd Desk.  The RLC for Harwood Wig, and Lyon has an office near the Wig lobby, room A107.  Mid campus – Oldenborg, Smiley, Walker, Clark I and Clark V – houses  its RLC in Walker Hall. The north campus RLC works out of Dialynas 174 and oversees Sontag, Dialynas, Clark III, Lawry and Norton.  

Outside of on call responsibilities, RLCs oversee the sponsor program, RAs, manage student conduct, sit on committees, assist with campus collaborations, among other duties and responsibilities. The Director of Residence Life provides direct supervision and support for the RLCs, and oversight of the transitional, educational, co-curricular and developmental needs of the student in the residential community.   The Director of Housing Operations collaborates closely with the RLCs and Director of Residence Life. Other responsibilities of the Director of Housing Operations include managing room draw, facilitating housing changes, collaborating with facilities and Oldenborg staff, managing the office assistants, and working to meet housing accommodations. 

Student Leadership in the Residence Halls 

As a residential college, Pomona takes great care in organizing, maintaining, and supervising residence hall life to ensure optimum enjoyment and safety for the students and community of the College. The Residence Hall Student Staff consists of the Resident Advisors (RAs), Head Sponsors, and Sponsors. Together they assist Housing and Residence Life in providing a safe, nurturing and intellectually stimulating residential experience. 

Resident Advisors (RA’s) 

An RA’s goal is to assist in establishing a positive living environment in the residence halls. RA’s are the first point of contact for the personal, educational, and social needs of students living in the residence halls. They 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 obliged to cooperate with the Residence Halls 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. 

Head Sponsors and Sponsors 

One of the most significant experiences for new students at Pomona is living in residence as part of a sponsor group. The Sponsor Program is a residential program through which all new students are housed with other new students, and one or two sponsors. The sponsors live in the halls with their sponsees (new students) throughout the year, with the objective of easing the transition to college by creating a safe and welcoming living environment for all new students, serving as referral resources, and increasing new student interactions with other students. 

The Sponsor Program is an important program to help the transfers and the first-year class transition to a new environment. It is administered by Housing and Residence Life. There are three head sponsors who help select the sponsors, assist with placing the incoming class in their sponsor groups, assist in supervising the Sponsors, 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 just before the school year which includes training on a variety of different topics..  They also participate in a number of in-service training experiences throughout the year. 

Residence Life Policies and Procedures 

Housing 

Most of the students at Pomona College live on campus. In a residential community it is essential for all students to be aware of the rights and needs of others. Cooperation with the rules and policies of residential life at Pomona is an essential condition of community living. 

As members of the Pomona College residence hall community, residents 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 residents’ rights are not infringed upon. 

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

Similarly, as members of the Pomona College residence hall community, the College expects the following: 

1. You will support the College’s commitment to be a “community of scholars and leaders in which integrity, engagement, and inclusiveness are paramount.” * 

2. You will strive to do your best academically. 

3. You will respect our rules and policies. 

4. You will support the College’s efforts to be more sustainable. That is, you will work with us to conserve water, recycle and cut down on our use of electricity. 

5. You will work within our system to make any changes you feel are necessary. 

* Statement of Community Values, Student Affairs Committee, 2007 

In all of these matters, 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 may be held responsible for violations committed by those attending their events; such violations will be referred to the appropriate disciplinary bodies for adjudication, which may result in monetary fines, restriction on future activities, or removal of official registration of the organization. 

Access to Residence Halls by College Officials 

Residence hall rooms are Pomona College property. The College reserves the right of access to student rooms. 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, 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 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. 

Air-Conditioning Units 

Students may not install air-conditioning units in windows, or, use stand-alone air-conditioning units. Exceptions to this prohibition will be made only for students who have a formal accommodation  that requires air-conditioning. 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. If the student’s accommodation is approved through the Dean of Students Office,  the student can purchase an air-conditioning unit that meets specifications set by the Office of Facilities and Campus Services. Facilities will then be responsible for proper installation of the unit. The need for air conditioning should be reported to Campus Life prior to Room Draw. In the case of new students, they must notify Housing and Residence Life one month prior to move-in. 

All other air-conditioning units are prohibited and will be removed by the College. Such units will be stored for one semester; units that are removed and stored but not retrieved by their owners will be discarded at the end of the semester during which they were removed. 

Students who wish to have air-conditioning but do not have a qualifying medical condition should do their best  to secure a room during room draw in Mudd-Blaisdell, Dialynas, Sontag or Oldenborg during Room Draw and/or the Oldenborg application process. 

Common Areas 

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 the area housekeeper will contact Facilities and/or the Office of Housing and Residence Life. It is, first and foremost, the responsibility of the residents of the residence hall to clean it up. In the case of a hallway, the smallest identifiable group of residents has the responsibility of restoring the area to reasonable cleanliness. 

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 standards, 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. 

It should be noted that in some cases this means that students not directly responsible for the mess will be held responsible for the cleanup if no individual or group can be identified. 

Cooking and Appliance Use in the Residence Halls 

Fire safety standards make it necessary to prohibit the use of cooking appliances that use heating elements. Students may bring their own microwave oven and mini-fridge (5.4 cubic feet or smaller), but full-size refrigerators are prohibited.  

The College is committed to sustainability and encourages students to use energy efficient appliances and practices. In selecting lamps, energy-efficient lighting is preferred, such as LED and CFL bulbs. The use of surge suppressor/power strips with on/off switches is recommended to reduce phantom power consumption. In support of the College’s ongoing efforts with regard to sustainability and energy conservation, students living in Dialynas and Sontag Halls are NOT permitted to have individual room refrigerators. 

Because of energy usage in Southern California, especially during warmer months, campus residents should anticipate occasional power outages. The College, therefore, strongly recommends that students use Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) devices to protect personal computers from being damaged by such outages. The College will not be responsible for damages to computers or other personal property resulting from outages or blackouts. 

Damages in residence halls 

Common areas 

It is the obligation of every student living in or visiting the residence halls to 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. Charges reflect the cost of replacement and/or repairs. 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, and residents will be held responsible for damages caused by their guests or visitors. 

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. It is assumed that when residents have checked into a room, they are then responsible for all damages and/or losses which may occur during their occupancy. 

Costs for acts of unclaimed vandalism may be charged back to those residing within the smallest identifiable space where the vandalism has occurred. 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 fined.  

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. 

Lock Outs 

All students should lock their doors when leaving their rooms and carry their room keys with them, even if only to walk down the hall to a friend’s room. Not only is this a good safety and security practice, it also prevents you from locking yourself out of your room. If you should lock yourself out of your room between 5:00 p.m. and midnight on weekdays, or from 6:00 pm until 1:00 a.m. on weekends, call the on-call RA for assistance (you must show proper identification). At all other times, lock-out calls should be directed to Campus Safety at ext. 909-607-2000. This service will cost $25, for which the student will be billed. You must show proper identification and authorization (to enter the room to be unlocked). From 8:00 a.m. -12 p.m. or 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. you may also contact HRL who may assist you in entering your space if staff is available for this courtesy service.  

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.  

Move-In and Move-Out 

When moving into a residence hall, students must check-in with the Office of Housing and Residence Life. A student will be considered to have taken possession of and responsibility for a campus room when they receive a room key, resides in the room, or places belongings in the assigned room. A student also 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 room within a suite. A student not assigned to a room may not take up residence within it. 

The Office of Housing and Residence Life must approve all changes in room assignments. Rooms and roommate assignments are contracted for the academic year. Students who feel their living situation is not satisfactory should consult with their Resident Advisor and/or Residence Life Coordinator. 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. Residents 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. 

It will be necessary for anyone changing rooms for the second semester of the academic year to pack and store their belongings during the Winter Break so that both the old and the new room can be cleaned. Student room fees cover the academic year, which does not include the winter vacation period. When the campus is closed during Winter Break (usually mid-December through early January) the residence halls are closed and students are not permitted to stay in their rooms. Use of residence halls during this period can result in fines and other sanctions.  

Students are encouraged to inform a Resident Advisor, Sponsor, roommate or neighbor if they intend to be away from the hall overnight or for a weekend. Such information is important in reaching that individual should an emergency arise. In case of a longer absence (a week or more), students should contact their class dean in the Dean of Students Office who can be helpful in notifying faculty members and resolving other problems that may arise. 

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 ($75) of said change. 

Noise Policy 

Student rooms are designated spaces to study and to sleep. For that reason, students should not create persistent or excessive noise audible to surrounding residents. Mutual respect is the expected standard. If someone is disturbed by noise, they have the right to request a decrease in the level of the noise and the student receiving the complaint is expected to respond by decreasing the volume of noise. Noise should be kept to a minimum, regardless of time of day or established quiet hours. 

Quiet Hours are from midnight to 8:00 a.m. Sunday through Friday and 2:00 a.m.  to 10:00 a.m. Friday and Saturday. All other hours are “courtesy hours,” during which the halls must be quiet enough for residents to study or sleep. In addition, all residence halls will maintain quiet hours from midnight on Wednesday preceding final exam week until 8:00 a.m. on the Saturday of final exam week. There are no registered social events with alcohol allowed in the residence halls at any time, including during Substance-Free Opening, Finals Week (Fall and Spring), and Senior Week. 

If a resident is bothered by noise, that person should ask the individual causing the noise to reduce the volume. However, if, for any reason, the resident cannot speak with the student causing the disturbance, the student may contact the RA on-duty, campus safety, or Live Safe’s reporting feature for assistance. If the resident, guest, or visitor does not decrease the noise level and the RA or complainant must ask a second time, the person’s conduct may be documented by the RA, which will result in a conversation with the Residence Life Coordinator. 

Students who repeatedly violate the noise policy may be removed from the residence halls at the discretion of the Dean of Campus Life.  

Off-Campus Housing 

All first-year and second-year students are required to live in a residence hall. Students who continue studies at the College beyond eight semesters will be housed on a space available basis.  

Third- and fourth-year students who wish to live off campus must submit a formal application to and secure authorization from Housing and Residence Life. This application must include verification from the Financial Aid Office. Selecting a room is a binding commitment. Students who elect to live off campus after choosing a room during the Room Draw (or in any of the room selection procedures) will forfeit their $500 deposit. 

Students who are married, have children, are of non-traditional age or have serious health problems will be granted permission to move off campus. A few additional applications from seniors, and sometimes juniors, are approved each year. 

Off-campus students are subject to the Pomona College Student Handbook. 

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. If current insurance is not sufficient, the parent or student should increase coverage.  

Students should avoid keeping valuable items in the residence halls and storage rooms. Students should lock their doors when leaving their rooms and carry room keys at all times. Unfortunately, theft does occur. All students should be aware of strangers in the halls and report suspicious behavior to a Resident Advisor (RA) or to Campus Safety. Students should keep their rooms locked when they are away from them and when they are sleeping. 

Bicycles 

The College is not responsible for lost or stolen 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.  

Bicycles may not be locked to trees, handrails, poles, fences, benches, or kept in hallways, stairwells, or trash closets. They also may not be stored in any other areas in which their storage can impede an emergency evacuation, prevent individuals from making use of access ramps and similar structures, or inconvenience the Housekeeping Staff.  Bicycles will be removed from these locations and impounded without notice; the locks will be cut and rendered unusable. To retrieve an impounded bicycle, you must provide ID and a detailed description of the bicycle to the Facilities Department. 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.   

Bicycles left outside on campus over the summer will be donated to the Green Bikes program. 

Storage 

The College does not assume responsibility for loss or damage to personal property belonging to students, whether stored or in a student’s room. The College does not offer on-campus storage beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year. 

You may not store items in hallways, stairwells or common rooms. Students will be given 24 hours to remove personal items in these areas or they will be removed by Facilities without guarantee of return. 

Pets in the Residence Halls 

Animals in the residence halls create sanitation problems and/or adversely affect the health of others living there. Under no circumstances are students permitted to have animals in the residence halls. Only two (2) completely and consistently caged, non-poisonous pets that are legal in the state of California are permitted and then only if they do not adversely affect other residents. Housing and Residence Life must give permission and issue a permit for any animal kept in the residence halls. Farm and exotic animals are not permitted in 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. Please read the policy here: https://www.pomona.edu/accessibility/student-accessibility/accommodation-services/service-and-support-animals-campus-policies-and-procedures 

If a pet is found in a residence hall that is not permitted, the owner will be fined $100. The animal then must be removed within 24 hours. After 24 hours the owner will be fined $50 per day until the animal is removed. If the situation is not corrected after a reasonable amount of time, the College retains the right to remove and rehome the animal. The student will also lose the right to house an animal in their room for the remainder of their time at Pomona College. 

In compliance with California state law, animals are not allowed in areas where food is served. This policy is strictly enforced in the College’s dining halls, The Sagehen Cafe, and in the Coop Fountain. 

Any person(s) found neglecting, abusing, teasing, tormenting, or inflicting any type of cruelty to an animal on campus will be held accountable by the College through the Dean of Students or by the Judiciary Council. The animal can be removed from a student’s room and rehomed when these concerns are present. Penalties for violating this policy may include mandatory community service, fines, suspension of on-campus privileges, suspension or expulsion from the College. Students may also be held legally accountable for violation of state law prohibiting cruelty to animals.  

Prohibited Items/Actions 

• Hammocks are prohibited in residence halls and may not be attached/hung on trees and other structures, i.e. light poles, railings, balconies, etc. 

• Satellite dishes are not to be installed by residents or any outside vendor on any Pomona College building without written permission of the Vice-President of Student Affairs/Dean of Students. 

• The use of roller-skates, roller blades, skateboards or bicycles in any campus building is prohibited. In addition, students are not allowed to play sports (e.g., frisbee, hockey, soccer, football, etc.) inside campus buildings, including residence halls.  

• Windows, balconies, ledges or rooftops of any campus building cannot be used for social gatherings or as entrance or egress from a room. Throwing items out of or off of any of these locations is also prohibited.  

Propping Doors 

The external doors to the residence halls are locked to prevent the intrusion of unwanted and possibly dangerous individuals. 

Student IDs

Each student is given a student ID card that will open all card-keyed residence hall doors. Students are not allowed to prop residence halls doors open. Propping doors endangers the safety of every hall resident. Any student found propping a door will be fined. 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 be de-activated, further protecting students from intrusion.

All Pomona students are issued a college ID. It is the expectation that students have their ID on them at all times. The Pomona ID allows you 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.) 

If asked by a college official, including RAs and Campus Safety, Pomona students are required to present their ID.

The first replacement ID is free, any other copies will cost $10.

Room Draw/Selection 

Room selection is conducted by Housing and Residence Life each spring for the following year. Each student is randomly assigned a lottery number by computer, establishing priority within their class. The lowest number has the highest priority. Roomdraw policies and procedures may be modified from year to year. 

Actual room selection takes place after numbers have been assigned. Based on the number, students will be permitted to select a room. Students who do not draw a room during room draw are placed on a deferred list. Those students on the deferred list will be assigned housing in August. Students entering their second year or above may choose a roommate of any sex or gender. Detailed instructions on the room selection procedures and policies are sent to all students at the appropriate times during the year. (Again we should just link to the detailed policy.)Policy on Students with Dependent Children 

Pomona College is committed to providing on-campus residences, if available, for students with young dependent children. The spaces available for such use will be determined annually by the Office of Housing & Residence Life. Students with children under the age of eight at the start of the academic year may apply to the Office of Housing & Residence Life  for on-campus housing. 

Housing assignments or lotteries for students with dependent children will take place in March, before any other housing lotteries. Prior to the beginning of housing selection, student-parents are invited to meet with a dean from the Office of Housing & Residence Life to discuss available options. All student parents will be included in consideration for available rooms although preference will be given to parents who have disabled children or who are themselves disabled and to parents with more than one child, in order of the number of children. 

For all students with one dependent child, lottery numbers may be assigned that will determine the order in which they select housing from the remaining rooms. Rooms not chosen will be returned to the regular housing draw. Student parents may elect to be on or off the meal plan. 

The college, annually, will set fees for the room and board of dependent children. This information is available on request from the Office of Student Affairs or the Office of Campus Life. 

Student-parents who live on campus are required to have medical insurance for their dependent children and to present evidence of such insurance to the College prior to moving into the residence hall. Student-parents are responsible for the behavior of their children. 

Nothing in this policy shall be understood to constitute an exception to the College’s policy prohibiting cohabitation. 

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 online. 

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 https://my.pomona.edu/ICS/Facilities_Service_Request.jnz. Students may also contact Maintenance at extension 909-607-2236.  

Room Repair/Work Order 

In case of repairs or general maintenance, students may fill out a work order online (link). Students may also contact Facilities and Maintenance at 909-607-2236, or x72236. 

The College is committed to maintaining safe and attractive residence halls. Each residence hall is periodically renovated and refurbished between renovations. Students are encouraged to decorate and personalize rooms through the addition of rugs, lamps, pictures and other enhancements. However, in order to prevent damage that requires excessive maintenance, limits are set on student enhancements. 

Students are urged to report broken windows, locks, and doors to Facilities via filling out a work order online, RA’s or Housekeeping Staff in order to ensure the safety of residents. 

Students are not permitted to paint individual rooms or common areas. They may not install equipment or make significant alterations to a residence hall room or common area without prior permission. The cost for repainting a residence hall room is $100 per wall. 

The College issues all students with a roll of blue tape (aka painter’s tape) to affix posters, art, and other decorations to walls. The blue tape can be obtained at the Housing and Residence Life Office. Students are charged for excessive wall or surface damage. Students may have decorations on 33 -50% of walls can be covered by decorations. Ceilings, smoke detectors, pipes and fire safety equipment are not permitted to have decorations affixed. 

Smoking 

Smoking and vaping is prohibited in all Pomona College residence halls. Prohibited smoking includes the use of “Hookah,” water pipes, e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems, as well as any other vapor emitting devices, with or without nicotine content, that mimic the use of tobacco  products. Smoking is prohibited in any area, including outdoors areas, if it results in second-hand smoke entering a non-smoking area. Smoking is prohibited in any area, including outdoors, if it results in second hand smoke entering a non-smoking area. You must be 20 feet away from any campus building to smoke.  

All other spaces within Pomona College on-campus buildings are non-smoking areas. Non-smoking areas include, but are not limited to, all public and common areas, such as hallways, social rooms, stairwells, lobbies, dining rooms, lounges, lavatories, laundry rooms, computer rooms, and offices at Pomona College are smoke-free. Cigarettes, cigars, other tobacco products, hookahs, water pipes, e-cigarettes, electronic nicotine delivery systems and vapor emitting products found to be in violation of these policies will be confiscated and discarded. 

Social Rooms  

The Heritage Lounge, located beneath north campus residence hall Norton-Clark, may be used for meetings, but alcohol and parties are not permitted in this space.  

Some buildings may have reservable study spaces through EMS. Should you have trouble making a reservation please contact the RLC of that building.

Soliciting on Campus 

The College does not allow soliciting, promoting, or selling any product or service by anyone from outside of the College. No soliciting is permitted in the residence halls by anyone — student or non-student—when it involves a non-Pomona business or group. 

1. Those who are not Claremont Colleges students or personnel who desire to solicit on Pomona College property must first obtain permission from the Director of the Smith Campus Center. Groups granted permission will be allowed to set up a table at the Smith Campus Center. This is the only area in which non-College personnel will be permitted to solicit. 
2. Groups granted permission will be given a card indicating the permission and the dates on which the table will be permitted. 
3. It should be noted that Sixth Street and College Avenue are public streets and therefore not subject to College solicitation restrictions. 
4. In general, it is the policy of the College to allow non- profit groups to make such arrangements. Groups or individuals not in this category will be considered on an individual basis. 
5. On-campus student groups desiring to solicit will be permitted to set up tables in certain central areas of the campus or at the Smith Campus Center, after receiving permission of the Director of the Campus Center. In general, only students soliciting for campus organizations and for non-profit groups, or those desiring to sell their own handicrafts or personal property, will be permitted to solicit. Others will be considered on an individual basis. 
6. On-campus student groups desiring to solicit in the residence halls for such things as disaster relief efforts must receive permission from the Office of Housing and Residence Life 
7. Students who are representatives for businesses or other outside organizations must register with the appropriate office. 

Special Interest Areas 

Areas, including Friendships Suites and Substance-Free housing, are established by Housing and Residence Life. Detailed instructions for applying to these areas are distributed prior to the Room Selection Process. 

Substance Free Opening 

All Pomona students should note that Substance Free Opening extends from the arrival of students for pre-semester training through the Sunday after classes begin. 

During this period the College does not permit alcoholic beverages to be served or consumed on campus or on Orientation Adventure trips. Possession of open containers is also prohibited. College policies concerning illegal drugs will be strongly enforced as provided by the Student Code. Violations by Pomona students that occur off campus may also result in disciplinary action. 

Violations of Substance Free Opening will result in 10 hours of community service and the appropriate sanction points. In addition, violators will not be allowed to move into a residence hall prior to the opening day established for all returning students the following fall. The student would be required to live off campus during pre-opening training, for Sponsor or Mentor, Admissions intern, Resident Advisor, Head Sponsor or Orientation Adventure Leader, student athletes, among other positions. Violations of substance free opening may jeopardize students’ ability to hold these leadership positions. Substance Free Opening violations may also result in Judiciary Council hearings if other Student Code violations are associated with the sanctioned incident. Violators with egregious or multiple policy violations during subfree opening will not be allowed to live on-campus prior to opening in August.

Vandalism 

Students may not damage College property or the property of other students within the halls. Financial responsibility for damage to College property will be assigned to the smallest identifiable population within the residence hall if the specific perpetrator(s) is not identified. 

Students found responsible for damage will be charged for the cost of repair and/or replacement of property and, additionally, may receive a fine for the act of vandalism itself. Students found responsible for vandalism may be referred to judicial council. 

Visitors and guests 

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. 

A guest is any non-resident of a residence hall room, including other Pomona students. Residents are responsible for the actions of their guests. 

1. The following regulations apply to visitors on campus and in the residence halls. 
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 residents of the hall, visitor privileges may be revoked. 
3. Students are responsible for the conduct of their visitors. A student host may be charged when their visitor violates the Student Code. 
4. Visitors are not allowed to sleep in lounges or other common areas. 
5. Any student hosting an overnight visitor on campus must register the visitor with Housing and Residence Life (or the Office of Admissions, if the visitor is a prospective student). A Visitor Pass will be issued, which must be in the visitor’s possession at all times and shown upon request. 
6. If the visitor does not plan to stay overnight but wishes to attend a College event, event passes are available from the Campus Center and the Office of Housing and Residence Life. 
7. Students in double rooms must obtain the written consent of their roommate before registering their visitor. Cots and linens are available for visitors staying in student rooms. Students may contact the Housekeeping Office to arrange for this service (proof of visitor registration will be required). A cot, pillow and linen, which includes two sheets, a blanket, and pillowcase, are available for $5 per night.