Quiet hours: honor thy neighbor?

While growing up, many University students held a stereotypical image of college life: partying at frats, staying up until 5 a.m., and not having class until noon. For the lucky among us, such visions of college life may be realized.

For the most part, however, the reality of being a college student isn't nearly as so carefree: the classes are challenging, the homework is intense, and the exams are far too frequent. While some students have the ability to complete work in a dorm room with paper-thin walls and music blaring across the hall, many other students do not. Consequently, University dormitories follow mandatory quiet hours as part of the Residential Life Habitats contract.

Obligatory quiet hours extend from 11 p.m. to 8 a.m. from Sun. evening through Fri. morning and 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. from Sat. morning through Sun. morning. In the next few weeks, during reading period and finals, quiet hours will extend to 23 hours per day: rather than a "quiet hour," between 10 and 11 p.m. is a "consideration hour."

Though many students are not aware of them, "consideration hours" are also intended to be a part of dormitory life. Residential Life Director Yolanda King describes consideration hours as "the times outside of the designated quiet hours when residents should consider their neighbor's rights."

Consequences for quiet hour violations have changed in the past few years. According to Wren Hall resident proctor Michelle Breen, fines were levied on repeat offenders about three years ago. Now, King describes the consequences as ranging from "a written warning to residential probation to removal from housing."

While such consequences might seem slightly stringent, the majority of University students understand, if not support, the theory behind mandatory quiet hours. In practice, however, students' adherence to quiet hour regulations often depends on the situation.

"I don't think anyone pays attention to [quiet hours]," freshman and Lewis Hall resident Akua Boake said. "Regardless though, during the week at 11 p.m., most people are either doing work or sleeping."

Boake's situation, however, is fairly anomalous. Many students, particularly those living in "social" dorms such as West and Tilton, have to deal with noise at all hours of the day and night.

Allyson Zubrin, a freshman living in Tilton, is one such student. Though she understands that an all-freshmen dorm is by nature extremely social, Zubrin feels that there's a point where things should quiet down.

I think [quiet hours] need to be enforced more," she said. "I think once it gets to about midnight, people shouldn't be screaming in the halls, especially on Thursdays."

As articulated by King, the Residential Life policy states, "If, at any time, you are asked to be quiet because you are disturbing another resident, you are expected to be considerate of the needs of others."

Many students complain, however, that often the same people that ask a hallmate to quiet down will later carry on the longest and loudest conversations.

"It bugs me when people are being noisy if I'm trying to study, but I also know that I'm often the noisy one," freshman and Lewis Hall resident Sarah Samuelson said. "Bottom line, you're in college. If you want quiet, go to the library. You live in a dorm, so you can't expect others to cater to your studying habits."

While it might seem a little harsh, this opinion is a common one on campus. Many of those University students who know they cannot concentrate with people talking around them tend to go to the Tisch Library to do their studying. For those who need absolute silence to study, there exist designated reading rooms where any talking is prohibited.

"[In the dorm], we can be as loud as we want," freshman and South Hall resident Nila Mitra said, "which is why I'm always in the library."

In the case that somebody has been asked repeatedly to be quiet, either a resident advisor or the hall proctor might be called. Breen feels that quiet hours have a different importance in each dorm. In Carmichael, for example, the hallway structure of the rooms creates a larger range for sound to move. On the other hand, noise doesn't travel as easily in a suite setup, like that of Wren or Haskell.

"Most of the students will just tell each other to be quiet," Breen said. "But if an RA is called, they'll make a note in their log as they do their rounds. If repeated, the person might be written up and will have to talk to me."

Should violations continue beyond that, "staff will then submit an incident report upon which a student will be scheduled for a judicial meeting with a staff member in the Residential Life office," King said.

Most students, seeking to avoid such consequences, resolve disputes themselves.

This is in keeping with King's description of the overall goal of the University's quiet hours policy: "For students to hold each other accountable as part of a community, and work together to provide an environment conducive for studying and sleeping."