# This is college, not boarding school! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 9, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618 "2003-09-09T21:54:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Angel\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Angel\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_Heart)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/1 "2003-09-09T21:54:55Z")
[http://www.thehilltoponline.com/news/460412.htmlStudents](http://www.thehilltoponline.com/news/460412.htmlStudents) Ready to Protest Dorm Searches I am so glad this didn’t happen while I was living in the Annex. The big thing was that they didn’t knock or anything, just walked in as if it was their own personal space :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Angel\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_Heart)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/2 "2003-09-09T21:56:43Z")
That should be [http://www.thehilltoponline.com/news/460412.htmlStudents](http://www.thehilltoponline.com/news/460412.htmlStudents) Ready to Protest Dorm Searches ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/3 "2003-09-09T22:11:51Z")
That page is registered only. Care to post an excerpt? ---
**Author:** ![Angel\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@Angel\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angel_Heart)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/4 "2003-09-09T23:38:02Z")
> [@](#): > > The university reserves the right to enter ones premises at anytime for purposes of maintenance and establishment of order for security purposes. Room inspection are permitted at anytime with reasonable notice to the student." The clause, found in section one of the Housing Contract, as well as recent dorm room searches has many students who reside in Bethune Annex, Tubman Quadrangle, and Meridian Hill Hall ready to protest. > … > Director of On Campus Housing Charles Gibbs said that the reason for the searches was because unauthorized people were reported in these buildings. > … > " They [Resident officials] came at 4:20a.m. to search my room," senior political science major Mercedes White said. " I had just finished typing a paper for my 8:00 class and I was awaken by people banging on my door. When I went to Residence Life to complain, they said that they were doing it because [unauthorized] students were on the floor." > Junior rtvf major Kamani White said that he was undressed at 5:00a.m.,but Resident officials still came in. > " I told them to wait a minute before they came in so that I could get dressed, but they still came in," White said. " I feel that they invaded my privacy." > Gibbs said that Residence Life felt it necessary to hold the searches at these times because most students are settled in their rooms after midnight. Here are the most relevant parts, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/5 "2003-09-09T23:54:00Z")
Their house, their rules. You signed a paper agreeing to these conditions. Tough. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2003, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/6 "2003-09-09T23:58:59Z")
I agree. Those not wishing to submit to the authority of the fasciest room inspectors may presumably choose to live off campus, or attend a school with residential policies more to their liking. ---
**Author:** ![Gadfly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/aeb1de/32.png) [@Gadfly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadfly)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/7 "2003-09-10T00:10:12Z")
> [@](#): > > “Room inspection are permitted at anytime with **reasonable notice** to the student.” (emphasis mine) I suppose that knocking at 4:20 AM with no prior notice is the epitome of giving reasonable notice? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![saramamalana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/74df32/32.png) [@saramamalana](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saramamalana)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/8 "2003-09-10T02:00:12Z")
My freshman year, I had some problem with the phone in my room (provided by the school) and had filed a repair request with the quad office. Several days later (I don’t remember the exact time span), I woke up around 9 am to find the lights on, the door open, some strange guy sitting at my desk working on the phone, and a female RA from another floor. I was so completely baffled that they would just send someone in at any time, even if with the courtesy of a female escort. But dude, what if I’d been sleeping naked or something? I really should’ve registered a complaint when it happened. I think this room inspection business is crap. Any “health and safety inspections” we had in the dorms were with a 2 day warning. ---
**Author:** ![Siegfried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Siegfried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siegfried)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/9 "2003-09-10T02:24:18Z")
I agree with **Neurotik** and **friedo** about it the housing department being able to set their own rules on what the procedures are regarding the staff entering students’ rooms. However, I don’t think that’s the issue here. The issue is as **Gadfly** noted: staff members allegedly entered the rooms without giving any sort of notice or identifying themselves in violation of the policy the department set. From the last line of the quoted material, it looks like this is a regular and accepted habit as well. I’d say the residents has a right to complain, and they ought to go above the director’s head and complain to the VP of student affairs. I worked in the residence halls for two years, and it was always drilled into us during training when and how it was acceptable to enter a resident’s room. If something like that had happened here, the higher-ups would have freaked out. ---
**Author:** ![laigle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@laigle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/laigle)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/10 "2003-09-10T02:53:18Z")
Forget the policy case. Think about what these idiots are saying. “Hey, if a random stranger demands entrance to your room at 4 AM and claims to be from housing, you better open the door.” I mean, did the serial rapists and murderers actually come up with the idea, or was there just concern in the housing department that things might be too hard on them? ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/11 "2003-09-10T03:43:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Siegfried \* > **However, I don’t think that’s the issue here. The issue is as Gadfly noted: staff members allegedly entered the rooms without giving any sort of notice or identifying themselves in violation of the policy the department set. From the last line of the quoted material, it looks like this is a regular and accepted habit as well. I’d say the residents has a right to complain, and they ought to go above the director’s head and complain to the VP of student affairs.** The reason they said that they performed the searches was because there were unauthorized people reported in the dorm at the time. That’s a legitimate reason to not give 48 hours notice or something. Of course, the resident has the right to complain. Just don’t expect it to go anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Short](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Short](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/12 "2003-09-10T05:00:40Z")
I would be surprised if the requirement to give notice prior to entering a leased property isn’t somewhere in the state law (which state is this anyhow). Washington (State–the real Washington) requires 24-48 hours notice (depending on the nature of the visit) to enter a property _no matter what the lease states_. Emergencies are, of course, excepted. The possibility of a violation of dorm policies may be an emergency to some, but not to me. I am of the old fashion opinion that the authorities should have evidence sufficient to get a warrant before searching a residence. Reasonable searches and seizures, and all that. I don’t think the bill of rights should be surrendered simply on the grounds that one is a student. Hmm… Dorm searches at **420** … and they are looking for _people_ :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/13 "2003-09-10T05:03:04Z")
Short: It seems to me that there’s a huge difference in renting a single-family residential unit (such as an apartment) and paying for the priviledge of living in a dormitory. ---
**Author:** ![Short](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Short](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/14 "2003-09-10T06:06:38Z")
> [@](#): > > _Monty wrote_ > Short: It seems to me that there’s a huge difference in renting a single-family residential unit (such as an apartment) and paying for the priviledge of living in a dormitory. I don’t see a difference between a kid living in a dorm and a kid living in an off-campus apt… Why should the organizational structure of the housing provider influence what rights the tenant has? Perhaps I’m missing something. I lived off-campus for my entire undergrad. My 200th post, in as many years. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/15 "2003-09-10T08:11:15Z")
48 hours notice? 2 min would be a nice start: time enough to get fucking dressed! ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/16 "2003-09-10T12:08:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Short \* > **I would be surprised if the requirement to give notice prior to entering a leased property isn’t somewhere in the state law (which state is this anyhow). Washington (State–the real Washington) requires 24-48 hours notice (depending on the nature of the visit) to enter a property _no matter what the lease states_. Emergencies are, of course, excepted.** Dormitories aren’t considered leased property. > [@](#): > > **The possibility of a violation of dorm policies may be an emergency to some, but not to me. I am of the old fashion opinion that the authorities should have evidence sufficient to get a warrant before searching a residence. Reasonable searches and seizures, and all that. I don’t think the bill of rights should be surrendered simply on the grounds that one is a student.** The Bill of Rights doesn’t apply to a private institution like Howard University. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/17 "2003-09-10T12:14:26Z")
Yet another reason I don’t want my daughter living on campus next year… ---
**Author:** ![j\_kat\_251](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71c47a/32.png) [@j\_kat\_251](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_kat_251)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/18 "2003-09-10T12:21:16Z")
That and the fact she’ll be fucking everything with a penis and a lot without, chainsaw wielding boyfriend or not. ---
**Author:** ![DwGrumby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@DwGrumby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DwGrumby)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/19 "2003-09-10T12:31:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by j\_kat\_251 \* > \*\*That and the fact she’ll be fucking everything with a penis and a lot without, chainsaw wielding boyfriend or not. \*\* Sheesh, **j\_kat** , project much? ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2003, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618/20 "2003-09-10T13:24:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by FairyChatMom \* > \*\*Yet another reason I don’t want my daughter living on campus next year… \*\* You’re nuts. Living on campus was one of the best things about living on campus. Of course, our college had rules against these sorts of searches (RA’s and security couldn’t just walk in at any old time). But she should live on campus for at least the first semester to see how she likes it. Provided you can afford it and all. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-college-not-boarding-school/200618.md?page=2)