Resources & Policies

CARRY YOUR KEY WITH YOU AT ALL TIMES 

• Protect your space and belongings, and those of your roommate, by locking your door when you are away from your room.  Even if you do not lock your door, your roommate might.

• When completing work orders or conducting routine maintenance in student rooms, the Facilities team will ALWAYS lock student doors.

• Many student doors lock automatically

LOCKED OUT? WHAT TO DO: 

• Call your roommate, if you have one.

• If you can, wait until Community Engagement (CE) hours for free assistance from the RA on CE.

• Call the lockout line at (781) 283-3206 for assistance and wait at your room.  Depending on the time of day and staff availability, you may be helped by a student employee, Public Safety officer, or the Community Director on Call. 

• There is a $10.00 fee to your student account for each lockout, except for those tended to by an RA during CE ​

KEYS:

• Every student is assigned a unique room key and is responsible for returning the same key at move out. 

• If you find a lost key, please return it promptly to the Residential Life and Student Housing office in Billings Hall so that it can be returned to the student.

• If you lose a key, please notify Residental Life and Student housing via email to receive a new key.

• There is a $50.00 fee for a replacement key.  This fee also applies to keys not returned at move out.  

A guest is anyone who is not faculty, staff, or a currently enrolled Wellesley College student residing on campus. 

• Students are permitted to host up to three guests in the residence halls for a maximum of three nights within a seven-day period, with prior permission from any roommate(s). 
• Guests are required to use designated guest bathrooms.  Prior to hosting any guests or visitors, students should identify the location of guest bathrooms in their residence hall. 
• Guests must be escorted by their host at all times
• Students on the meal plan receive a number of guest meals each semester and guests should be signed in to the dining halls for each meal. 
• Students are responsible for the behavior of their guests.  

• There is no on campus storage.

• The College recommends Boomerang Storage for door-to-door pick up, storage, and delivery between academic years or when a student is on study abroad.  The College does not provide residence hall access to any other third party storage companies. 

• Storage costs are the responsibility of the student.

Due to fire and safety concerns, students are not permitted to have the following items in their rooms:

• Candles, incense, or other open flames
• Air conditioners, unless as an approved accommodation form Accessibility and Disability Resources (ADR), portable space heaters, or other appliances. 
• Halogen lamps
• Extension cords, surge protectors, or string lights without UL approved ratings
• Live Christmas trees or other holiday greenery
• Alcohol (if under age 21), drugs, paraphernalia, or weapons
• Electric personal transportation vehicles using lithium ion batteris, unless as an approved accommodation from ADR

The following items may only be used in common kitches but may be stored in a student room:

• Food preparation items with or without exposed heating elements such as hot pots, rice cookers, toasters, electric water boilers, and coffee makers excluding Keurig brand coffee makers which may be used in student rooms.  

Pets are not permitted in any residence halls with the exception of fish, which must be in a five gallon or less sized tank.

Students seeking an approved accommodation for a support animal or acknowledgement of a service animal should contact Accessibility and Disability Resources (ADR) through the Housing Accommodations details below.

Guests may not bring any animal in to a Wellesley College residence hall, except for service animals which have been individually trained to perform a task on behalf of an individual with a disability.  

The safety of College employees, faculty, students and visitors is paramount. It is crucial that the college facilities are maintained in a condition that will allow for quick and safe evacuation in the event of an emergency. This policy will outline the state and local regulatory requirements designed to provide good fire prevention practices as well as maintaining safe egress (exit) routes.

View the College’s complete policy on Decorations in the residence halls

At Wellesley College we all have responsibility for fire and life safety.  An important part of each person’s responsibility is being familiar with your surroundings and following these guidelines to ensure the safe and timely evacuation of all building occupants during a man-made or natural emergency:

• Locate the two exit pathways from your space.  Count the number of doors between your room and the exits. This can assist you during an emergency evacuation.
• Know where the fire alarm pull stations on your floor are so they may be activated in the event of a potential life-threatening emergency.
• Do not block fire extinguishers and other fire safety equipment – maintain these areas for quick and easy access at all times.
• Keep egress paths clear - this includes hallways and stairwells.  Do not store furniture, file cabinets, etc in these areas.
• Ensure that fire doors are kept closed at all times.  
• If the fire alarm signal sounds, respond to it immediately by evacuating the building each and every time.

View all the Emergency Response Procedures and other important Fire Safety Guidelines:

Wellesley College Fire Safety

Statement of Purpose:

Wellesley College is committed to providing an environment of well-being, learning, and accountability for its members. To this end, the Wellesley College Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy is grounded in four community standards derived from the Honor Code:

1. Compliance with governing law and College policies;
2. Respect for the Wellesley College community by minimizing the impact of alcohol and other drug use upon others;
3. Care for one’s own health and well-being; and
4. Prevention of harm and seeking of assistance and support for self or others.

​​This policy informs students of their individual, group, and community responsibilities regarding alcohol and other drugs, the College's response to violations, and the resources available for addressing alcohol and other drug-related concerns. Campus Police and Residential Life Professional Staff have primary responsibility for enforcement of this policy.

Wellesley College Alcohol and Drug Policy

Smoking or vaping any substance inside Residence Halls is not permitted. If smoking or vaping outside, you must be at least 20 feet from the building doors and windows. 

How to Make a Request:

1. Make an appointment to meet or speak with someone from the Office of Accessibility and Disability Resources or email accessibility@wellesley.edu. Entering first year and transfer students will want to make first contact by filling out the Accessibility and Disability Resources Information Form on the portal.

2. Complete the appropriate request form for the type of accommodation being requested. Any time during the year, individuals may fill out a request form to initiate a request for accommodations.

Student Housing Accommodation Request Form

Healthcare Documentation for Housing Accommodation Request

Student Service Animal and Emotional Support /Assistance Animal Policy