Residence Hall Community Rules and Guidelines

Common Areas

Common areas are all areas within the residence hall other than residential rooms. Sleeping in common areas, whether intentional or not, denies residents the use of the space. Therefore, sleeping in common areas is prohibited. No furniture or other CMC property is to be removed from common areas without permission from the Office of Residence Life. When furniture is lost from common areas, residents of that wing, floor, or hall may be charged for replacement costs if responsibility cannot be determined.

No personal items, including shoes or rugs, may be left in the hallway or other common area at any time.

Damages and Vandalism

When common area damages occur, such as in a floor lounge, hallway, or laundry room, Residence Life staff will attempt to determine the individual or individuals responsible for the damage. Residents should identify individuals and report damage and vandalism to the Residence Life staff immediately. 

Vandalism of any type will not be tolerated. This includes damaging, destroying, or defacing the property of another, as well as college buildings and contents. Individuals are responsible for their actions regardless of their intent and will be subject to strict disciplinary action, including but not limited to repair and replacement costs. 

Relocating Campus Furniture

All CMC, residential, and campus furniture is intended for use by the entire residential and campus community. Removing furniture from any public area is not permitted under any circumstances.

Resident room furniture must also remain in the room to which it has been assigned. Residents found removing or possessing campus furniture may be subject to conduct action and fines of $50 per item plus any damage or replacement cost. Residents are held accountable for keeping track of the specific pieces of furniture they were issued at check-in.

Posting of Public Information and Solicitation 

Posting of public information, such as posters, advertisements, announcements, etc., must be approved by Residence Life staff before posting and may only be posted in designated areas. With the exception of “door decs” hung by Residence Life Staff, the exterior of room doors should remain free of any posted items, including dry-erase boards. Placing information under resident doors is restricted to official college activities and business and must be approved.

Unauthorized canvassing or solicitation on college property, not sponsored by the college, is not allowed.

Online solicitation is also prohibited; please see the Appropriate Use of Technology Statement  in the Student Handbook.

Vehicles, Parking, and Snow Removal

Parking is free on campus. Colorado law requires that vehicles carry liability insurance. We recommend you carry additional coverage if operating a vehicle on campus.

All students are expected to register their vehicles (plated and unplated) as necessary at their respective campuses and park in the appropriate/designated lot. Students are responsible for obeying posted parking and traffic signs on campus. Violations for improper parking are processed through the CMC Adjudication procedures and may include warnings, fines posted to the student account, or towing of the vehicle.

Snow removal from parking lots necessitates strict enforcement of parking regulations. When possible, a 24-hour warning sent to your CMC email address will be provided when snow is to be removed from the parking lots. Due to unexpected weather patterns or emergency plowing, this may not always be possible. Signs will be posted at the entrance of the residence hall, and/or an email will be sent to permit holders via your CMC email account.

To keep vehicles from being towed at the owner’s expense, please observe the following:

1. One vehicle per resident is permitted.
2. Snowmobiles, motorcycles, trailers, and recreational vehicles are not permitted on campus without prior approval.
3. All vehicles, scooters, motorcycles, etc. must be registered with the Office of Residence Life. Unregistered vehicles are subject to towing and/or fines.
4. Park in designated parking spaces and obey all signs and traffic laws.
5. Do not park in front of dumpsters or dumpster encasements.
6. Do not park in front of fire hydrants or in the fire lane in front, behind, and at the sides of the building.
7. Do not park in reserved staff parking.
8. Do not park in ADA-accessible parking without a qualifying permit.
9. Drive on established roadways. Driving on sidewalks, grass, trails, etc., is prohibited.
10. Motorcycles, scooters, dirt bikes, etc. must be stored outdoors in designated areas.
11. To the extent allowed by applicable law, the college shall not be liable for any damages or loss to personal property, motor vehicles, or the contents of motor vehicles of residents, invitees, guests, or other persons while on college premises.
12. CMC prohibits vehicle repairs, including oil changes and other maintenance, on campus. Inoperable or abandoned vehicles will be towed and/or fined at the owner’s and/or resident’s expense.
13. Overnight parking from November 1 through May 1 is restricted to limited areas of the parking lots for snow removal. Leaving a vehicle overnight in a non-designated area will result in that vehicle being towed and/or fined at the owner’s and/or resident’s expense.
14. Do not tow anyone behind or allow anyone to be on the outside of a vehicle in any manner.
15. Playing sports of any kind in parking lots carries an inherent risk of damaging vehicles and, therefore, is not allowed.

Failure of residents, guests, invitees, or other persons to follow these guidelines and/or posted signs relating to parking and operation of vehicles will result in towing and/or fines of the offending vehicle at the cost of the vehicle owner and/or resident.

General Residence Hall Rules and Guidelines 

Animals

Emotional Support Animals

The use of an emotional support animal (ESA) is determined by the Access Coordinator at your campus. Submit your accommodations request as early as possible for best consideration. The priority deadline to submit requests is July 1 for the fall semester and December 1 for the spring semester. Requests submitted after the priority deadline will be subject to space availability and reviewed on a rolling basis. An ESA is required to be approved and registered in advance with the Access, Inclusion, and Disability Office and the Office of Residence Life. The animal should not be brought to campus until written approval for the animal has been received. ESAs are required to be reapproved each academic year.

If the animal is creating a disturbance or any other emergency situation appears to exist with respect to that animal, staff will attempt to contact the resident to remedy the situation. The Office of Residence Life will be in touch with the Access Coordinator to determine next steps. If the animal has been left alone and is causing a disturbance, a staff member may enter the resident’s room and make necessary arrangements for the animal’s care, including removing the animal and placing it in a temporary home, such as a boarding kennel. Any costs incurred will be the animal owner’s responsibility and will be due upon receipt.

The resident is responsible for any necessary cleaning above and beyond a standard cleaning. Repairs and/or any pest control required will be done at the expense of the resident.

Pets

Residents cannot keep pets other than freshwater fish in a 10-gallon tank or less.

A resident having a pet or unapproved animal in or around the residence hall will be asked to remove it immediately. If the pet is seen again, it will be turned over to the nearest animal control facility. The resident will also be financially responsible for any damages done by the animal.

Service Animals

Individuals with service animals who are applying to the residence halls are encouraged to contact the Access Coordinator at the campus they plan to attend to facilitate a smooth transition to living on campus.

Appropriate Attire and Obscenity

Public areas of our community are meant for the use of all residents. Individuals have varying comfort levels with the manner of dress, conduct, and display of affection that may be greater or lesser than your own. To maintain a community level of decorum and respect, obscene or indecent behaviors are prohibited. This includes but is not limited to public nudity, indecent affection, public sexual activity, stripping, mooning, flashing, streaking or public urination.

Academic Year Breaks

The residence hall will remain open during Thanksgiving and spring breaks; however, Dining Services will be closed during those break periods.

The Residence Life staff will provide guidelines on how to prepare your room for winter break, including the requirement to leave your room in a safe and sanitary condition. The Residence Life staff will conduct safety checks and enter each room over winter break. Residents returning for the Spring semester may leave their belongings in their room during the college closure; however, residents without an approved winter break stay do not have access to the building.

Winter break housing is available for qualified residents for an additional cost.

Availability of summer housing will be made on a yearly basis and is not guaranteed. Residents in need of year-round housing should consider an on-campus apartment.

Check Out Process

At the end of the spring semester or fall semester (if you are not returning for the spring semester), or if the contract is terminated, residents are required to follow check-out procedures provided by the Residence Life staff. Residents are responsible for cleaning their rooms and bathrooms before check-out. After check-out, fees will be assessed for failure to adhere to procedures, damages not noted on the Room Condition Form, or failure to return keys.

Residents must vacate their room no more than 24 hours after their last exam or by the closing day/time of finals week, whichever comes first. Please contact your specific campus for specific dates and times.

College 101

Residents may be required to participate in a 1 credit College 101: The Student Experience course as a condition of residing in the residence hall. This course assists students in developing skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary to be successful in college and in life. Students may also be enrolled in College 101 as a condition of their academic probation recovery plan or for reasons related to conduct. Students who transfer in 12 or more college-level credits with a “C” grade of better are exempt from taking the College 101 course. Contact the Office of Residence Life at your campus is you have questions.

Courtesy and Quiet Hours

CMC is committed to providing an environment within the residence hall that is conducive to academic achievement. The right to sleep and study supersedes the privilege to entertain oneself or others at all times.

Quiet hours are effective from 10pm to 8am Sunday through Thursday and midnight to 10am on Fridays and Saturdays. During quiet hours, noise from any resident room emanating into any public area and noise in public areas emanating into any resident room is prohibited. Noise from the areas immediately adjacent to the building is expected to be minimized.

During all those times when quiet hours are not in effect, “courtesy hours” will be in effect. Courtesy hours mean any resident has the right to ask someone to quiet down. The right to sleep and study will always take precedence. Residents are expected to comply with all requests from fellow residents and Residence Life staff to minimize noise and maximize the academic environment in the hall.

Quiet Hours are in effect for 24 hours a day during the last week of classes, “finals week,” each semester. This policy is necessary to support residents completing academic projects or preparing for final exams. Policy violations during finals week may result in you being asked to vacate the residence hall immediately.

Dining Services

While attending meals, residents are required to attire themselves in a manner that adheres to the health code, which includes wearing a shirt and shoes.

Do not take dining hall service items, including, but not limited to, dishes or silverware from the dining hall. Misplaced dishes and silverware are expensive to replace; therefore, a fine may be assessed for their removal.

Food may be removed from the cafeteria only under the guidelines provided by Dining Services and the Office of Residence Life. Dining services and the college are not responsible for food quality or safety after it leaves the Dining Hall.

Residents must use their CMC ID to access the Dining Hall and may not share their ID or student number with others to use their meal plan.

Guests

Guests are a privilege. Residents must inform their guests of CMC policies and procedures; guests are expected to comply. Residents are responsible for the conduct of their guests and must be with them at all times. Residents will be held accountable for any policy violations, inappropriate behavior, or damages by the guest. Guests will be asked to leave the residence hall should they be involved in a violation of residence hall or college policy. A resident’s right to privacy and quiet prevails over a resident’s right to guests.

1. Guests are permitted on campus between 8am and midnight Sunday through Wednesday.
2. All guests in the residence hall after 10pm or overnight guests must register at the residence hall front desk and/or with the Residence Life staff.
3. Up to two overnight guests per room are permitted on Thursday, Friday, or Saturday nights. Overnight guests are limited to three consecutive nights per visit, with a maximum of 12 nights per semester.
4. Overnight guests under 18 may be permitted with prior approval from the Office of Residence Life.
5. A resident may only host an overnight guest with the prior consent of their roommate.
6. Overnight guests are not allowed in the building during New Student Registration/Orientation, finals week, and winter break.
7. Students who have been suspended or non-residents who have been restricted from campus are not allowed in the residence hall.

Instruments and Speakers

Amplified instruments, excessively loud speakers, subwoofers, and drums of any kind may not be played in the residence hall at any time. Playing acoustic instruments will require prior arrangements with the Office of Residence Life. We reserve the right to prohibit the use of an instrument should it become necessary.

Stereo speakers may never be positioned so music is directed outside the room. Local community and neighborhood ordinances should also be respected. Repeated violations will result in the removal of equipment. 

Sports and Recreational Equipment

Recreational sports equipment such as bicycles, skis, snowboards, skateboards, roller skates/blades, and all other recreational equipment is to be kept clear of hallways, lounges, laundry rooms, and access areas. . Equipment must be stored in the resident’s room or an approved designated area.

Recreational equipment should not be used or ridden inside any campus building or near vehicles. Repairs, tuning, or maintenance to bikes, snowboards, or skis are not permitted except in designated areas.

Sports (such as hacky-sac, soccer, skateboarding, biking, skiing, snowboarding, running, etc.) are not allowed in the residence hall. These types of activities have the potential to cause damage to rooms, hallways, stairwells, and common areas, as well as create potential harm to individuals and excessive noise. 

Non-Electric Bicycles

Non-electric bicycles on campus must be locked in the designated area and in operable condition. If you choose to bring your bicycle to your room, contact the Office of Residence Life for proper bicycle storage within your room.

At the end of each semester, bicycles need to be temporarily cleared from outdoor racks to do routine maintenance to the bicycle racks and surrounding areas. Bicycles that are broken or abandoned will be recycled, donated or destroyed per the timeline provided; damaged or cut locks will not be replaced or refunded. Residents are required to take their bicycles home at check-out, and bicycle storage is not permitted outside the residence hall for non-residents. Residents returning for the fall semester are required to take their bicycle home for the summer.

At the Spring Valley Campus and Steamboat Campus, bicycles operated/possessed on campus must also have a valid tag affixed. To register your bicycle, you must have the brand name, color, and type of bicycle. Please bring this information to the Office of Residence Life to register your bicycle. There is no cost for a tag. 

Electric-Powered Transportation Devices

Electric-powered transportation devices, including electric-assist bicycles (e-bikes), electric scooters (e-scooters), self-balancing scooters, hoverboards, and similar devices, are prohibited from use, possession, charging, or storage inside all buildings. 

Resident Rooms

Cleaning, Trash/Recycling, and Odors

The resident assumes responsibility for the care and cleaning of their room at a level acceptable to the college. Residents are responsible for providing their trash bags and cleaning supplies.

Do not allow trash and recycling to accumulate in your room or open food to sit out in your room for extended periods. Residents are responsible for disposing of their personal trash and recycling in the trash dumpster and recycling container outside the residence hall. Do not dispose of your trash/recycling bags in receptacles located inside the building.

The following items cannot be placed in the dumpsters or left on campus: furniture, paint, motor and hydraulic oil, tires, batteries, gasoline, antifreeze, pesticides, contaminated soils, untreated medical waste, cans or drums that once held hazardous or flammable materials, explosives, chlorine, appliances containing freon or asbestos, microwaves, electronics, TVs, and refrigerators. Due to our mountain location, the lids of dumpsters must remain properly closed.

Scents must be contained within the room and should not be detectable from the hallway. The atmosphere and smell of the room should not impact shared spaces and the community.

Pests

Residents shall report the need for pest control to the Office of Residence Life right away. Pests might include bed bugs, lice, fleas, ticks, cockroaches, mice, etc. Residents agree to cooperate with pest control services and abide by guidelines given by the pest control service or the Office of Residence Life. State Codes may require notification of chemicals to be sprayed and days of services. Residents are expected to inspect their room at the beginning of each semester, and before health and safety inspections, and notify Residence Life staff of the presence or infestation of any insects or vermin (including bedbugs) within twenty-four (24) hours of the resident’s knowledge of such presence. Residents agree to maintain their room in a manner that prevents the occurrence of an infestation of insects and vermin. Trash should be removed regularly, the room should also be cleaned on a regular basis, and no food should be left out. Residents are required to comply with the Office of Residence Life’s reasonable measures to permit the inspection for and treatment of the presence of pests. Residents are responsible for all costs associated with preparing their room for inspections and treatments, and for the costs of treatment to the Residents personal belongings. If Residents knowingly and unreasonably fail to comply with inspection and treatment requirements, they may be liable for the cost of additional treatments necessary to the room and contiguous rooms due to resident’s noncompliance, as well as additional or other sanctions deemed appropriate.

Entering Resident Rooms

In addition to routine health and safety inspections, it is occasionally necessary for college staff to enter a resident’s room for maintenance or personal safety reasons. Whenever possible, CMC will do so with advance notice and in the presence of the occupants. However, CMC reserves the right to enter a resident’s room to inspect the premises when authorized college staff has reasonable cause to believe, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

1. The occupant of the room may be harmed or endangered, or a welfare check is needed.
2. Damage is being done to college property.
3. There is sufficient reason to believe that a violation of a college policy, as stated in the CMC Handbook, the Academic Catalog, or policies and procedures, is occurring or has occurred, or there is sufficient reason to believe a public law is being violated.
4. Maintenance or repair is necessary.

Residence Life staff have the authority to clear a room upon discovering any policy violation.

Health and Safety Inspections

Residence Life staff will enter your room to conduct regularly scheduled routine maintenance, safety, and health checks. The staff members will look for things that might contribute to maintenance, safety, or health problems. They will not search the rooms for violations but are obligated to report. A search may occur if any violations of the residence hall regulations or guidelines are observed during their inspection. The Residence Life staff will inspect each room and bathroom for cleanliness and sanitation. Dates and times for room checks will be posted in the hall at least 48 hours prior so that residents can rearrange their schedule to be present should they wish to do so. Residence Life staff will only inspect a room in the presence of the resident or another Residence Life staff member.

Possession of Public Signs

Street signs, road signs, construction signs, property, business advertising, and other public signs taken/stolen/acquired illegally are prohibited and subject to confiscation. Theft and display of public signs reflect poorly on the college and the character of CMC residents. Residents in possession of legally obtained signs must have the purchase receipt attached to the backside of each sign.

Room Consolidation

CMC reserves the right to consolidate a single occupant residing in a double room. This may result in the resident needing to relocate within the residence hall. If space is available, a single resident may request to pay an additional fee to keep as a single room.

Room Damages

Residents are financially responsible for damages to their rooms. Residents are encouraged to participate in reviewing the condition of their room during the check-in and check-out process and to immediately report any breakage or damage that occurs throughout the semester. Each resident is expected to take responsibility for any damages they cause beyond normal wear. If neither roommate takes responsibility for the damage, the cost is split equally. Costs of repairing damages are determined by the Office of Residence Life in partnership with the Facilities Team and charged to the student’s account. 

Search and Seizure

The right of individuals to be secure in their persons, living quarters, belongings, and effects against unreasonable search and seizure is guaranteed. However, authorized college staff may enter a resident’s room or vehicle and conduct an administrative search when there is sufficient reason to believe that violations of the CMC Student Handbook and/or local, state, and federal regulations are being committed. For example, when a delay of an administrative search may endanger the health and safety of the residents or result in the probable destruction of the evidence of the violations. “Sufficient reason” means having reasonable grounds for suspicion supported by facts and circumstances sufficiently strong to justify a reasonable person’s belief that a party is violating or has violated a regulation. Search of an area assigned to a student should be made in the presence of a witness, and when reasonably possible, in the presence of the student. Any item not permitted in the residence hall may be confiscated by college staff. Items may be discarded or turned over to authorities for further investigation.

Safety

Doors, Locks, Keys, Cards and Lockouts

Residents are issued a CMC ID card, which grants access to the residence hall and their room. The CMC ID is college property and must be returned upon request. Residents must carry their CMC ID at all times.

Do not leave your ID card unattended or loan it to to anyone, including a roommate, friend, or family, as this compromises the safety of individuals and the community. Lock-keys and mailbox keys must also not be shared. Lost IDs or keys must be reported to Residence Life staff immediately. Fees apply for lockouts and replacement IDs or keys.

CMC strongly encourages residents to lock doors and windows when leaving their room and sleeping. Propping doors or preventing them from locking/latching is strictly prohibited. 

Elevators and Restricted Areas

Residents are prohibited from entering any restricted area that is not open to public access. Elevator access may be restricted to residents who require it due to physical limitations. Other areas that have restricted access include but are not limited to, behind the residence hall front desk, elevator service areas, janitorial/maintenance areas, storage, mechanical rooms, and any crawl space.

It is strictly forbidden for any resident to climb on roofs, ledges, windowsills, or any interior/exterior walls of any CMC building.

Fire Alarms, Evacuation and Drills

During a fire alarm, emergency, drill, or extenuating circumstances, all residents must immediately evacuate the building, follow all staff instructions, and proceed to the designated assembly area. Do not return to the building until instructed by college staff.

To avoid interfering with emergency response efforts, residents are prohibited from driving out of the parking lot during an alarm unless permitted by college staff.

CMC may evacuate the residence hall in response to facility issues or an emergency. During an alarm or evacuation, residents must stay on campus until a headcount is completed and they are released by college staff.

CMC reserves the right to evacuate the residence hall for facility issues and/or emergencies.

The Alertus system is used to communicate an active threat on campus. Residents are required to comply with directions provided by college staff.

Fire Hazards

Draperies, tapestries, blankets, and/or posters cannot hang from ceilings, block entrances/exits, cover or hang off of fire and life safety equipment, or cover outlets as this could facilitate an ignition.

In addition, the following are not allowed due to the potential threat to fire safety:

1. Electrical appliances that are not UL (Underwriter Laboratories, Inc.) approved.
2. All electrical appliances with open coils, including but not limited to air fryers, toasters, hot plates, toaster ovens, coiled cup heaters, space heaters, etc.
3. Any lamp that uses a halogen bulb.
4. Appliances that use excessive electricity, for example, microwaves (1000-watt max), refrigerators (4.0 cubic feet max), etc. 
5. Barbecue grills; camp stoves; charcoal or starter fluid; propane; lighter fluid; other flammable liquids, gasses or chemicals, etc. must be stored in personal vehicle; if items are required for a CMC course, contact Residence Life staff for an alternative location outside the residence hall.
6. Candles, sage, scented wax warmers, incense, etc., are forbidden for use or décor due to their high fire potential and the smoke or odor they may create.
7. Vaporizers, e-cigarettes, hookahs, cigarettes, cigars, or any other incendiary device.
8. Electric-assist bicycles (e-bikes), electric scooters (e-scooters), self-balancing scooters, hoverboards, and other similar electric-powered devices.
9. Fireworks, firecrackers, etc.
10. Other hazardous or combustible materials.
11. Unapproved room and common area decorations, such as holiday decorations and live trees.
12. Obstruction of/blocking a clear path out of the room.
13. Obstruction of/blocking fire exits, hallways, stairwells, or other common areas with bicycles, chairs, etc.
14. Extension cords of any type or outlet multipliers (surge protectors with long-reach cords are an allowed substitution).
15. Starting any fire, including but not limited to open flames, bonfires, or campfires is strictly prohibited on all college property except as a part of a college-sponsored function. Residents may not organize or request fires for personal or unofficial events.

Prohibited items may be confiscated and may not be returned to the resident.

Hall Access and Exterior Doors

For safety and security reasons, exterior doors are locked. Please report suspicious individuals or activities to the Residence Life staff. The propping of exterior doors is not tolerated. Doors that cannot be opened by key or card swipe are not to be used by residents, including if opened from the inside by another party. This includes doors that have time-restricted access. Propping doors or allowing/gaining access through a locked door is considered tampering with a security device.

Personal Safety and Security

Crimes occur on all college campuses. You are encouraged to report any occurrence immediately. Colorado Mountain College’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report for all locations is available on the Your Right to Know page. 

Video and Audio Surveillance

Colorado Mountain College residence halls employ video/electronic surveillance to include moving and still images and audio in common areas of the buildings. These systems are maintained to assist in ensuring the safety and property of the college community and its members and serve as a deterrent to crime. These systems may be viewed live or archived and accessed when needed to address Code of Conduct issues, residence hall violations, criminal investigations, or property management. Residents may not tamper, disable, or destroy any device or function related to video/electronic surveillance systems.

Footage may be requested by submitting a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request. All requests are subject to review and applicable privacy laws.

Window Screens and Windows

Residents are prohibited from removing window screens and hanging, throwing, or dumping items or fluids out of their windows. Entering or exiting a room through the window is strictly prohibited. Removal or damage will result in a fine in addition to any repair or replacement cost.