:: Residence Life

• Safety
• Crime & Accident Prevention
• Vacating Dorms
• Alcohol in Housing 
• No Smoking in Dorms
• Semester Break & Holidays
• Candle Burning
• Guests
• Room Transfers
• Special Arrangements
• Probation & Eviction
• Park Area
• Recreational Facilities

:: Think Safety...Act Responsibly top

A guide to your personal safety

Welcome to Texas State Technical College! TSTC is home to many students, of which 398 live on campus. Please read this section to familiarize yourself with safety issues, practices, and responsibilities attendant to college residence life.

We encourage you to discuss these personal safety issues and concerns with your roommate. You'll feel more secure once you have a plan in case of emergencies—to protect yourself and your property.

Although small town college communities like TSTC are generally safer than urban ones, we are not immune to nor isolated from the same safety concerns that affect the rest of the world. Certainly TSTC has and always will work to make the college community as safe as possible. But you read the papers and watch the news, so you already know that TSTC does not and cannot ensure your safety.  It is up to each individual to adopt a personal safety strategy that will not only enhance the quality of life in their residence hall, but also to adopt practices that will assist in off campus situations as well.

This section contains guidelines and suggestions for your safety and that of your neighbors at TSTC. Please be advised that these guidelines are not guaranteed to insulate and protect you in all situations, however by following and practicing these guidelines, you may substantially increase your ability to handle unforeseen circumstances.

The best assurance of a safe and secure environment is a caring and involved community. TSTC encourages everyone to assume personal responsibility for their actions, as well as to contribute to the well-being of the entire TSTC community.

:: Crime & Accident Prevention top

*Prevention* is the key word in avoiding accidents and crimes. These suggestions should help you establish preventive patterns and overall cognizance of steps to increase your awareness of your own safety in your daily routine.

Since every individual bears a certain degree of responsibility for their own personal safety, it will take a commitment from you to learn and practice the necessary precautions to help ensure your personal well-being. Residence Life shares this responsibility with you, and offers the following points for your review, so that your life as a TSTC Harlingen resident will be as accident and crime free as possible.

It would be impossible to list specific measures to protect you from every threatening situation which you might face, but hopefully we can assist you in thinking in terms of "prevention" in your day to day living. The suggestions presented within this brochure should not be thought of as an exhaustive list of measures to ensure a hazard free environment, but as examples of common sense behaviors that will help make life safer and more secure.

This section will focus on the following issues:

• Self Protection
• Protection of Property
• Responding to Emergencies

If you have been keeping current with daily events, you are aware that the safety of students in Texas is becoming more and more of a concern.  This applies to men and women alike.  With this in mind, we would like you to begin taking a few basic precautions to help ensure your personal well-being as well as the well-being of the Residence Life community.

:: Vacating Dorms for All Students top

The Supervisor-Housing/Dormatories will:

1. Upon student notification of their intent to vacate housing, conduct an inventory and property inspection to ensure property is in an acceptable condition.
2. Prepare student housing clearance documents which will include:
   • damage charges
   • lost key charges
   • cleaning fees
   • entitlement for pro-rated amount for unused rental fee, if applicable
3. Pro-rated fees are assessed after the 10th school day.  The unused portion of advanced rents will be refunded.  Refunds are based using TSTC's Colleague System which electronically pro-rates rent based on date of vacancy.  No refunds will be made during the last 10 school days of the semester. A portion or all of the Housing deposit may be withheld to defray the costs of dorm repair, dorm cleaning, or any charge where tenant’s liability is obvious.  It may also be used to defray any charges owed to TSTC.  For example, parking fines, loans, etc.
4. The Housing Office will submit clearance items to the Business Office for processing of refund, if applicable.  All clearances take 10-15 days for processing and additional time for mailing a refund check to the student's address.

Note: Any student (graduating or not returning the following semester) who leaves things in dorm and does not return keys will be charged rent until all things are removed and all keys are returned to the Housing Office. 

:: Alcohol in College Housing (policy #5.29)top

Policy: It is the policy of TSTC Harlingen that illegal use, or abuse, of drugs or alcohol is prohibited in all college buildings and facilities and on all property owned or contracted by the college except as otherwise prohibited by this policy.

:: PROCEDURE

The possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages in College Housing will be permitted in the assigned dormitory room of a student who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older under the following conditions:

1. Possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages must be limited to the student(s) assigned to the dormitory room and invited guests, all of whom must be twenty-one (21) years of age or older. Beer kegs, cases of beer, or other alcoholic beverages, or similar bulk alcoholic beverages of any type are prohibited in the dormitory room and are subject to confiscation.
2. The legal-aged student assigned to the dormitory room must be present and shall be responsible for assuring that person(s) consuming alcoholic beverages are twenty-one (21) years of age or older, that no one becomes intoxicated, and that sounds made by persons present or by any device, equipment, or instrument that generates sound do not disturb other persons in any dormitory room(s).
3. Incidents where abusive or disruptive behavior is encountered and alcoholic beverages are present will be treated in the following manner:
   • It will be assumed that the alcohol is contributing to the disorderly behavior and all alcoholic beverages will be immediately confiscated by the College staff to be returned at some future date if the student is in compliance with state law, but to be legally destroyed if the student is under the age of twenty-one (21). Refusal to comply with a request to hand over alcoholic beverages under these conditions is a violation of College policy. The individual(s) hosting the disruptive gathering will be held responsible for the event and will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action.
4. Open containers of alcohol are not permitted in public areas. Public areas are defined as those areas outside the confines of a dormitory room.
5. The quantity of alcohol that may be brought into a room of a legal aged resident is a quantity that would contribute to responsible personal use. Beer kegs, party balls, or a quantity of individual containers that would be equivalent to a bulk container promotes excessive alcohol consumption that can lead to a community disruption and is, therefore, not permitted. Guests of residents may not bring alcohol into the dormitory room regardless of the age of the guest of the hosting resident.

:: Alcohol Violations

The misuse (under-age drinking, drinking in unauthorized areas, etc.) and the abuse of alcohol (drinking to an extent such that one's behavior and judgment are impaired or result in disruption of others) are the primary contributing factors to the behavioral problems in the residence halls.  The effects of alcohol misuse and abuse include, but is not limited to, excessive noise, interpersonal conflict, and vandalism.  The individual who misuses or abuses alcohol not only negatively affects the community but also endangers the individual resident.  This policy is designed to, first assist the resident who, through the misuse or abuse of alcohol, is violating the community standards, and second to protect the community from the effect of a resident who continues to misuse or abuse alcohol.

• Upon initial* alcohol-related violation of the housing community standards, the resident will be given a written warning and will be required to attend the TSTC's Alcohol Awareness Class. This tw-hour workshop, sponsored by College Police, is designed to assist the resident in understanding their alcohol-related behavior and to improve decision-making skills regarding appropriate behavior. 
• Upon a second* alcohol related violation of the housing community standards, the resident will be referred to the Vice President of Student Services. Should the resident be found in violation of a housing community standard the resident will be placed on probation. Conditions may also be attached to the probation which may include curfew, no visitors, no alcohol, etc.
• Should the prior effort fail, and another* alcohol related violation of the housing community standards occur, the resident will be considered to have no control over their behavior. Upon a third* alcohol related violation of the housing community standards, the resident will be evicted from College Housing.

*When this policy is structured in a step-by-step sequence to provide the resident with an opportunity to learn from their choices and to accept responsibility for those choices, the College Housing staff retains the right to respond to the resident at whatever manner is appropriate given the context of the situation.

:: No Smoking in Dorms 

"The TSTC Harlingen College is a smoke free, tobacco free environment.  Smoking and the use of smokeless tobacco are not allowed in any College building or College Housing."

:: Semester Break and Holiday Stay top

It is the policy of TSTC-Harlingen to allow students to stay in dorms during semester breaks and holidays if they meet established criteria.

Any housing rule violation or disciplinary problem will be reason for eviction from dorm immediately!  Such behavior by the student will forfeit his/her right to a hearing before a grievance committee.  Break fee will not be refunded.

The student will be directed to the Business Office with a written document to be assessed $7.00 per night, and request that the student return to present his/her copy of the cash receipt.  fee must be paid approximately two days before the Semester Break or Holiday.

Requirements are as follows:

Student must be working, be from out-of-state, or live more than 250 miles away. If the student is terminated prior to the end of break, he/she will be asked to vacate dorm.

Will agree not to interfere with scheduled maintenance and upkeep of the premises, such as painting, plumbing, repairs, fumigations, etc....

Will agree to transfer to another dorm/apt. if it is deemed necessary by the Housing Supervisor.

No refunds will be granted on break fee once number of days have been agreed upon on or before break.

Housing personnel or College Police officer has the right to enter dorm if there is suspicion of A Housing Rule violation. If found in violation, student forfeits break fee, will have to vacate dorm immediately, and will no longer be allowed to stay again during any breaks or holidays thereafter.

Graduates will not be allowed to stay due to lease agreement termination.

:: No Candle Burning in Dorms top

Blow out the candles and wish for a decline in the number of home fires in the United States. Almost 9 of every 10 fires started by candles in the United States, or 88 percent, occurred in homes.  Another 1.5 percent occurred in dormitories.

Where do home candle fires start?

Between 1991 and 1995, an average of 44 percent of candle fires each year started in bedrooms.  Another 20 percent started in living rooms; 10 percent started in bathrooms; 7 percent started in kitchens.

Your resident handbook and housing flyers stress No Candles allowed in dorms.  Due to State Fire Marshall's inspection, he has enforced no candles in dorms.  Enforcement will be strict on any student not abiding by rules.  Also, no smoking is allowed in bed due to potential fire hazard.

:: Guest Stay Policies top

Student must get approval for overnight guests with a 24-hour notice.  Guest stay is limited to 3 consecutive days.  Resident is allowed 10 days for guest in a semester.  Family residents are allowed only one family per stay.  Abuse of Policy could be reason for eviction from dorm.  Any special arrangements have to be approved by Housing Supervisor.

:: Room Transfers top

Any student initiating a move from on room to another will be assessed a moving charge fee to be paid in advance.  The Housing Office retains the right to deny a change of rooms if it is considered in the best interest of the school.  The Housing Office also reserves the right to move students to another dorm in order to conserve energy, for safety reasons, conducting repairs or remodeling and other circumstances that are in the best interest of the college.  TSTC has no insurance coverage.  The student must purchase any desired insurance coverage.

Miscellaneous Charges

*Miscellaneous charges will be charged at actual cost.

:: Special Housing Arrangement Requirements top

Students requiring special housing arrangements need to first submit justification to Support Services.  They will then contact Housing Supervisor, Charlie Perez, for the necessary special housing arrangements.  Their office is located in Bldg. A.  You can contact them at 956-364-4520.

Where to get help on campus

• Student Service's Office -- 956-364-4301
• Counselor's Office -- 956-364-4310
• Support Services -- 956-364-4520

:: Probation/Eviction Procedures top

Any disruption of satisfactory housing life will result in a report by College Police to the Housing Supervisor who will discipline the student accordingly.  Depending on the seriousness of the offense, the student could be placed on probation or evicted from housing.

If the offense is not a serious matter (not affecting another student's safety, causing property damage, or using drugs), the student will be placed on probation for his/her entire stay in the dorms.  On the second offense, he/she will be automatically evicted from housing with a twenty-four (24) hour notice.

If the offense is of a criminal nature, the case will be handled by the Dean of Students or the Criminal Courts.  If it becomes necessary for TSTC to take legal action against the student for eviction from or damage to the premises, TSTC will charge the attorney's fees to the student(s).  If the student is required to leave housing or TSTC for a violation of the rules, he/she will not be allowed to return to housing as a visitor or a resident.  The student has the right to appeal when evicted from dorms within ten (10) days.

:: Disciplinary Action

Dormitory residents are required to observe the Residence Life book.  Copies are available at the Housing Office.  Students not abiding by these regulations may be subject to disciplinary probation.  Violation of probation may be sufficient cause for eviction from the dorms and/or suspension from Texas State Technical College, depending on the violation.  Before a student occupies a dorm, he must sign a lease agreement and then will be issued a copy of the housing rules.  All housing rules are imposed to allow everyone to live comfortable and not cause any problems.

:: Prior Housing Violations, Future Housing Students

If a housing violation was committed prior to being a Housing resident, and the violation is on file with the Housing Supervisor and/or College Police; you will not be allowed to move into dorms at anytime thereafter.

:: Housing Park Area top

The Housing Park Area includes a Volleyball Sandbox and Tennis Courts that can be used at anytime and small barbecue pits and picnic tables.

       
Volleyball Sandbox                                                       Barbecue Pit Area

Tennis Courts

The Housing Office is now renting out Tennis Balls, Tennis Rackets, and Volleyballs to Housing students for use at the TSTC Facilities available at all times.  

:: Recreational Facilities/Fieldhouse Gym top

The FieldHouse offers many Intramural activities. Anyone who is a student can participate in any of these activities.  You can contact Intramural Supervisor at 364-4341 for further information.

              Baseball                                        Aerobics                                          Flag Football

       
            Basketball                                          Racquetball                                            Weight Room