Bill of Rights

Each student in Longwood University-managed properties possesses certain individual rights and responsibilities that must be held in high regard. This statement is intended to define minimal expectations of rights and responsibilities of hall residents, in actualizing their freedoms, without placing constraints upon such rights of other residents. Each individual has the right to engage in those physical, educational, and social pursuits that are a necessary part of his or her Longwood University life. However, these rights carry with them a reciprocal responsibility on the part of the individual to ensure those same rights for other residents. Primary rights of the individual include:

1. The right to read and study free from undue interference in one's room: One of the basic purposes of the University is the dissemination and application of knowledge. Unreasonable noise and other distractions inhibit the exercise of this right.
2. The right to sleep, the right to one's personal belongings, the right to free access to one's room, suite, and apartment facilities, and the right to a certain environment in which to live: Optimum physical conditions are essential as they support, reinforce and provide for positive conditions in which to learn and live.
3. The right to identify and seek resolution of grievances: If the academic and residential communities are to function in the most educationally profitable manner, the right to initiate actions and referrals for impartial and fair adjudication of grievances is held paramount. In exercising this right, the student further holds the right to be free from fear of intimidation, physical and/or emotional harm, and without the imposition of sanction apart from due process.

Secondary rights of the individual are those which should be protected, but which should not infringe upon the reasonable exercise of the primary rights defined above. These secondary rights include:

1. The right to personal privacy: All persons should have freedom from interference with their personal activities and should be able to maintain privacy for other than academic reasons.
2. The right to host visitors: All persons should have the opportunity to maintain personal contacts and friendships with other persons to fulfill their needs for socialization. Visitors are to respect the above-stated rights of those who surround them and to adhere to all regulations. Processes of mediation involving students and hall staff should be considered the first step as a means for resolving most conflicts. However, any abuse of these rights is subject to review and action in accordance with the adjudication procedures described in the Longwood Student Handbook.