Earlham sees experiences that occur outside of the classroom as just as essential to an education as those that happen inside. Part of that outside-the-classroom experience is captured in the intentional community that Earlham creates. The College has several educational goals for the members of its community: learning to live with integrity, developing and bearing responsibility, thinking about fairness and justice, resolving and managing conflict, learning to be a responsible steward of resources and participating in governance.
Earlham College is a residential college of liberal arts and sciences. As an integral part of their education, we expect all students to live in community and to learn from the experience.
When students come to Earlham College, they step across a threshold into a community that accords deep respect to every individual and that is organized around a set of values we expect will guide the behavior of all members of the community. Stepping across this threshold is often a refreshing experience, but it can also be a difficult one because living in community at Earlham asks a great deal of each and every one of us.
“Principles and Practices of the Earlham College Community” is a document that sets forth our high aspirations for all members of the community. It is organized around five values: respect for persons, integrity, peace and justice, simplicity, and consensus governance. We intend “Principles and Practices” to be an educational document. Rather than state rules of conduct, it poses queries to which we expect all members of the community will return from time-to-time for self- or group-examination.
We expect faculty to work with students, and for students to work with one another to live into those high aspirations. This is an educational process. We strive to be a community of mutual support, responsibility and accountability.
n conjunction with these high aspirations organized as queries, we also have some important rules or basic expectations for all members of the community. These are behaviors we expect of all students from their first day; they are conditions of admission to and of remaining a member of the Earlham College community. They address the same fundamental values around which “Principles and Practices” is organized.
These basic expectations are set forth in a statement of Student Code of Conduct that also sets forth our process for dealing with student behavior that falls below our basic expectations. Through this process we determine responsibility for such conduct, and make decisions about whether and how a student should remain within the Earlham community.
We expect students to recognize and learn from their mistakes. Through the conduct process, the College may impose consequences that encourage students to learn from their mistakes. While the conduct process is in part an educational process, it is also our means for insuring that the College and those who make up its community can focus their best efforts on the pursuing the College’s mission without interference or distraction.
Students who on more than one occasion fail to live up to the community’s basic expectations generally will be asked, through the conduct process, to leave the community either for a period of time (suspension) or permanently (expulsion). When particularly serious, even a single incident may lead to separation from the community.
When serious incidents occur that are threatening or injurious to the well-being of members of the community or the orderly functioning of the College, we may ask those charged to live off campus temporarily while the conduct process is completing its work. Such decisions are made with care to insure the health and safety of all members of the community and to treat all concerned with equal respect.
We also have various policies to improve the quality of life in the community, for example those regarding alcohol and smoking. These also prescribe appropriate conduct in the Earlham community. We consider persistent disregard of these norms a failure to meet our basic expectations for living in community and are addressed through our conduct process.
Behavior by faculty or staff that falls below basic expectations is examined through processes spelled out in the Faculty Handbook and Staff Handbook.
Vision/Mission Statement: Students Teaching Students
Within the broad context of Principles and Practices the Residence Life program is shaped by a view of residence halls and houses as learning environments. The most important learning that occurs outside the classroom takes place between students (Schroeder and Mable, 1994).
The nature of the residential program is interactive and integrated to support strong community development. The priority is on student leadership and involvement.
Students living out their daily experience in reflective dialogue with peers will support connections as they learn from one another.
Students guiding the nature of the program are at the heart of this learning mission.
Airport Shuttles: Shuttle service is provided to the Dayton airport during Fall (Thanksgiving) Break, Winter (between semesters) Break and Spring Break. A fee is charged for the service and is billed to the student’s account.
Community Assistants: Community Assistants (CAs) are seniors or juniors who provide support and resources for students living in campus theme and friendship houses. CAs serve as a primary point of contact for house residents and are responsible for the day-to-day administrative functions within the community.
First-Year Residence Halls: First-Year Residence Halls were established at Earlham beginning in 2011. The opportunity for first-year students to live together establishes a community while creating a cohort and common sense of identity. It also allows the college to more easily create support structures that instill resilience and develop peer-based support networks. First year students are assigned to double rooms in one of the three First-Year Residence Halls: Bundy, Barrett and Hoerner Halls.
Resident Assistants: A Resident Assistant’s (RA) primary responsibility is to be available for residents. The resident assistant acts a facilitator for the residence hall during floor and hall meetings. Other RA responsibilities are referral of students to campus and other information resources, development of floor and hall community through various types of programming and activities, explanation and enforcement of College regulations and policies, and liaison between students and College personnel.
Room Selection: Each spring semester, Earlham students returning to campus for the upcoming fall semester have the opportunity to select a room for the school year. The Office of Residence Life distributes room selection information to students via e-mail and the department website. Information is typically published during late January.
Roommate Agreement: Before they arrive, first year students are asked to fill out an in-depth housing questionnaire. With the help of the Admissions Office and the information provided on the questionnaire, Residence Life staff members match each student with a roommate. When students arrive on campus, they are asked to have a conversation with their roommate to establish guidelines for their living environment. This conversation is to assist students to learn about each other and their styles of living. The guideline also allows them a chance to develop a relationship in which they will be able to communicate honestly any concerns they may have with each other as the year progresses. After the first year, students are able to choose their room and roommate through the lottery process.
Storage: Residence Life provides limited space for students to store items during the summer or while on a study-abroad program. Note: This space is extremely limited. Currently students are allowed to store six 20” x 20” x 20” boxes. Hours to be let into storage are offered at the beginning and end of each semester. Other times must be arranged with the Area Director.
Theme/Friendship Houses: There are currently 28 theme and friendship houses on campus; they are listed on the residence life Web pages. Sophomores, juniors and seniors are eligible to live in these houses.
Emergency Preparedness
Everyone has a part in emergency preparedness. Your responsibility first is to verify that the EarlhamURGENCY Network has your most current contact information entered. You may check and update this information by going to www.earlham.edu and selecting the “information services” link. Once at this location select “self-service” and then “contact information.”
In an emergency (an event that requires immediate personal action to preserve life safety) you will be notified through the use of the EarlhamURGENCY Network to:
EVACUATE: Leave your building or area and go to a location a minimum of 1,000 feet away from the area you are leaving. Remain in that location until you have been contacted by Campus Safety and Security.
OR
SHELTER WITHIN: Move to an area of your building with no windows or glass and wait for “all clear” from Campus Safety and Security.
The most likely emergencies that could occur at Earlham include fire, tornado, chemical spill, gas leak and violent person.
- In a fire your response is: EVACUATE.
- In a gas leak your response is: EVACUATE.
- In a chemical spill your response is: EVACUATE, upwind from the spill area.
- In a tornado your response is: SHELTER WITHIN; move to an interior room or hallway with no glass panels or windows.
- In a violent person incident: SHELTER WITHIN; move to a room you can secure, only move if you can do so safely.
What to Expect in an Emergency or Crisis
Definitions
An emergency is an event that threatens the life or safety of our students. For Earlham, this includes a tornado, fire, gas leak, infectious disease, chemical spill or violent person on campus. In response to an emergency, students are alerted through the EarlhamURGENCY Network, a system that sends e-mails, voice messages, text messages and TTY/TDD.
A crisis is an event that, while upsetting, does not threaten the life or safety of others. Examples of crises include a snow closing, destruction of campus property or the passing of a community member. In the aftermath of a crisis, the College’s Counseling Services, Office of Religious Life and residence life offices work together to provide counseling, comfort and support to members of the campus community, often for several days.
EarlhamURGENCY Network
During the Enrollment Confirmation process, Earlham will ask your students to share contact information with the College through a computer-based entry process. Students are encouraged to enter these items into the College’s Database:
- Emergency contact information
- Cell phone number
This enables us to reach students in the event of an emergency with a brief message and safety instructions. An “all clear” message is sent when the situation has been resolved.
Throughout each year the Campus Safety and Security Department offers informative workshops for students about emergency response.
Stay Informed at www.earlham.edu.
Earlham relies on its website as its primary source to share official notices with the families of Earlham students and the extended College community in the event of an emergency or crisis.
Only initial messages are sent via the EarlhamURGENCY Network. It is our goal to post informative messages at the website with links to additional information as soon as possible.
On campus, students receive additional updates and announcements about support services through listservs, residence hall meetings and individual contacts with Campus Safety and Student Development Office staff members.
Families are encouraged to make arrangements for staying in touch with each other through phone calls or e-mail messages.
Contacting Campus Safety and Security
First dial 1400.
The caller should stay on the line until the security dispatcher terminates the call — do not hang up. Each incident is documented by a written report. Follow-up counseling services are arranged by Student Development as needed for the survivor.
Contacting the Earlham Safety Shuttle (ESS)
The Earlham Safety Shuttle (ESS) operates nightly from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. The shuttle is designed to transport you when you are unable to travel with a group to a location. The shuttle transports to and from both on campus and off campus locations.
To dispatch the ESS, please dial 1400.
In emergency transportation situations that occur outside of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., you may request an escort from a Campus Safety and Security Officer. To make arrangements contact Campus Safety and Security.
Services Provided
- An officer on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- After hours dispatch/call center
- Safety education
- Campus escort service
- Campus Safety Shuttle (CSS)
- Crime and safety alerts
- Motor vehicle registration
- Bicycle registration
- Lock out service
- Automobile battery jump
Campus Safety Tips
- Share your class/activities schedule with parents and a network of close friends (like your roommate), effectively creating a type of “buddy” system. Give network telephone numbers to your parents, advisers and friends.
- Always travel in groups.
- Use the shuttle service after dark.
- Never walk alone at night and avoid shortcuts.
- Always lock your door when absent, even when you just run down the hall.
- Immediately call Campus Safety and Security at 1400 when you feel unsafe in any situation on campus.
- Immediately call Richmond Police Department at 911 when you feel unsafe in any situation off campus.
- Carry a cellular phone with both above numbers programmed.
- Do not openly display money or valuables while walking in public.
- Report suspicious loitering or following to Campus Safety and Security.
- Watch for the yellow flashing lights of the Campus Safety and Security truck.
- If you lock your keys in a vehicle or need a battery jump while on campus, contact Campus Safety and Security and wait inside a building until an officer arrives.
- Lock your residence hall room and house first and second floor windows.
Campus Safety and Security Educational Opportunities
The Campus Safety and Security team offers safety presentations throughout the school year. CSS team members are available to answer any questions you may have regarding safety and security.
The team partners with various areas around campus to assist all members of the Earlham community in working together to create an environment of safety.