Rights and Responsibilities

Do you have questions about staff access to your room?

The wellbeing of the residence community rests on the balance of the community’s ability to respect the needs of the individual, and the individual’s ability to respect the needs of the community. Our staff work with residents to create communities that support academic success and are based on mutual respect and personal development.

The guiding principles below describe your rights, privileges, and accompanying responsibilities as a resident within the residence community.

Safety
Right: Every person has the right to be safe.
Responsibility: Act in a way that does not endanger yourself or others, utilize the security mechanisms provided in your residence, and report any unsafe behaviour or conditions.

Respect
Right: To a community based on mutual respect and acceptance; free from intimidation, harassment or discrimination.
Responsibility: Treat all members of your community with respect, acceptance and understanding. This also means speaking up when you are aware of acts of harassment, intimidation or see others being treated with a lack of respect and dignity.

Fairness and Support
Right: To expect fair and consistent service from Residence Staff to address your questions or concerns.
Responsibility: Be responsive and cooperative in all dealings with Residence Staff, follow applicable processes, and respond to their requests (including email correspondence and meeting requests) in a timely manner.

Clarity of Residence Standards
Right: To expect that the Residence Standards are clear.
Responsibility: Know the Residence Standards and ask questions if you do not understand them. Residence Standards Process and Regulations (Section 2.0 Residence Life and Section 3.0 Residence Standards and Regulations).

Cleanliness
Right: To a living space that is clean and kept in good condition.
Responsibility: Assist in the upkeep of common areas by promptly cleaning up after yourself, participating in making and maintaining a cleaning schedule with your room/unit-mates, using appropriate composting, recycling and waste receptacles, and by reporting facilities or equipment that are broken or dirty.

Reasonable Quiet
Right: To live in an environment conducive to sleep and study.
Responsibility: Always be considerate of your noise and speak with the relevant community member and/or staff member when noise levels are unacceptable.

Managing Personal Health
Right: To access the services available from the University of British Columbia designed to support your physical and/or mental health and wellness.
Responsibility: Manage your health and wellness.

Consideration
Right: To enjoy your living space with consideration for and from your roommate(s), and others living around you.
Responsibility: Treat others with respect and consideration, and engage in the outlining of reasonable expectations in your shared living space.

Reasonable Privacy
Right: To reasonable privacy and safety of your possessions.
Responsibility: Take necessary means to maintain the security of your community including upholding the integrity of access points to your residence, securing your valuables, and reporting suspicious activity promptly to the appropriate authorities.

Living in student residence is a privilege extended to students at UBC. By choosing to live in residence you:

  • acknowledge your commitment to the above principles, rights and responsibilities
  • are provided with secured, maintained, convenient student housing
  • benefit from living in a community that values academic success, personal learning, development and growth
  • are afforded opportunities to get involved (student involvement in extra-curricular activities has been shown to be a strong contributor to academic success)
  • are able to talk with residence staff and be referred to other UBC, AMS, and community resources and support services that can support your health and wellbeing
  • have the privilege of enjoying social activities provided they do not conflict with other residents’ rights to pursue academic success or personal well-being

For additional information please review your Residence Contract  and your Residence Standards.

Will anyone but me have access to my room?

Residence Life or maintenance staff may need to access your room. SHCS staff and representatives are trained and expected to adhere to a protocol for entering a resident’s room or unit regardless of whether earlier notice of entry has or has not been provided. They are to:
1. Knock on the door, announce themselves, wait.
2. Knock on the door, announce themselves, wait.
3. Knock on the door, announce themselves again as they open the door slowly. Wait and listen for a response.
4. Enter the room/unit.
5. Lock the door when leaving (even if the door was unlocked).
6. Leave a card to let the resident know they have been in their room/unit.

For additional information, please review the Room Entry section of your Residence Contract.