Our goal is to ensure that every tenant feels safe, secure, and respected. That’s why it’s important that you understand our policies and rules pertaining to acceptable behaviour in our residences. Please read the following information carefully. If you have any questions or concerns, talk to a member of our residence life staff.
Possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages by, or distribution of alcoholic beverages to, individuals under the legal drinking age is a violation of college policy and provincial law. In the province of Prince Edward Island, the legal drinking age is 19. Students are responsible for knowing, understanding, and complying with applicable provincial and college laws regarding alcohol. Disorderly conduct resulting from consumption of alcohol and/or failure to comply with alcohol policy will result in disciplinary action. The term “alcohol” will be used to describe all beverages that contain alcohol. “Open alcohol” is any alcoholic beverage not sealed in its closed container.
The purpose of this policy is to address the concerns associated with the use and abuse of alcohol in residence. The policy outlines the rules and regulations used to monitor alcohol consumption in the residences during the academic year. The abuse of alcohol, or drunkenness, is prohibited anywhere on the Holland College residence property.
Objectives of this Policy
Terms and Conditions
The following terms and conditions for the possession and consumption of alcohol in residence apply to all Holland College residence students and their guests. Violations of these regulations will result in disciplinary action up to and including eviction from residence. Emergency response personal (i.e. police and/or firefighters and/or ambulance attendants) will be called when there is a reasonable concern for the safety of a student(s) or guest(s) as a result of consuming alcohol. Any costs associated with/resulting from such a call (i.e. ambulance ride to the hospital) will be the responsibility of the student(s)/guest(s) for whom the call was made.
To decrease the potential of broken glass within the residence, bottled drinks are not permitted outside your room. All alcohol products brought into the residence must be in cans. Kegs will not be permitted.
Student tenants and their guests who are of legal drinking age are permitted to have and consume alcoholic beverages under the following conditions:
COMMON ROOMS
TRANSPORTATION OF ALCOHOL WITHIN THE RESIDENCE
HALLWAYS
Open alcohol may be transported from one room to another room or common room under the following conditions:
STAIRWELLS
Closed alcohol may be transported between floors, provided that it is concealed in a box or non-transparent bag. No open alcohol is permitted in the stairwells at any time, so as to prevent spills, breakage, or other related accidents.
APARTMENTS
Drinking games or activities promoting excessive or irresponsible drinking are not permitted. This is to encourage the responsible consumption of alcohol, and to prevent any personal injury that may occur from excessive drinking. Residents and their guests must comply with all residence rules and regulations.
The trafficking, use, or possession of illegal drugs is a federal offence and is strictly prohibited. Storing illegal drugs in your residence room is considered possession. Those found in violation of this policy may be subject to criminal prosecution and are usually evicted from the residence without a refund.
As of 2018, cannabis is legal in Canada. Please be advised of the following regulations set in place by Holland College for students living in residence:
The college provides a tobacco- and smoke-free work and study environment and will not permit the use or sale of any tobacco product, or the smoking of any products on college owned or leased properties.
Violations of the smoking policy will be considered as misconduct and subject to the sanctions described under that section of the handbook (see below). As a tenant, you are responsible for ensuring your guests are aware of these requirements and for ensuring they do not violate the no smoking policy. Smoking will result in a non-smoking room being rendered unacceptable to receive that designation without substantive cleaning and restoration to bring it back to a non-smoking condition. Tenants will be charged for damage repairs for the cost of restoring a room to a non-smoking condition. Residents are required to sign a Smoking Policy prior to moving in.
Smoking has a two (2) strikes and you will be evicted policy. As per our student accommodation agreement/ contract, staff have the right to enter any room to investigate any possible rule infractions.
People don’t usually intend to hurt someone when they play a prank on them; but there is no excuse for pranks that cause harm to someone or damage property. Tenants who participate in pranks are responsible for their own behaviour and can expect to be disciplined if their behaviour is harmful, disruptive, or malicious.
Violent behaviour or physical aggression in the residence will not be tolerated. Physical aggression is defined as any offensive action or attack that results in an individual being placed in danger. These behaviours include, but are not limited to, hitting, punching, slapping, kicking, pushing, pulling, fighting, and threats of violence.
Displaying or making available for viewing pornographic material in the hallways, common rooms, lobbies, stairwells, bathrooms, exterior room doors or any interior area of a room that can be seen from an open area is prohibited (in accordance with the Criminal Code of Canada, Section 163).
The use of open flames such as candles, oil lamps, and incense burners is prohibited. If a tenant requires the use of an open flame for religious purposes, they must contact the accommodations manager first.
A tenant’s right to be able to study and sleep in peace and quiet is more important than another’s right to make noise. Tenants need to be prepared to compromise with their roommates and neighbours about how much noise is acceptable, and at what times. If a tenant is disturbed by excessive noise at any time, either in their room or in the lounge, they have the right to ask the person or people responsible for the noise to quiet down. If the dispute is not settled, they should request assistance from the residence life staff member on duty or the accommodations manager.
Stereo and computer sub-woofers are not permitted and will be confiscated and put into storage until the tenant leaves the residence.
QUIET HOURS
Quiet Hours are times when tenants are prohibited from making noise that can be heard outside of their bedrooms, or that may disturb their roommate, or which can be heard outside of their unit or outside of the building.
Absolute silence isn’t possible, but excessive noise will not be permitted during the following hours:
SUNDAY TO THURSDAY 11 PM – 8 AM
FRIDAY TO SATURDAY 2 AM – 8 AM
DESIGNATED HOLIDAYS 2 AM – 8 AM
Sometimes, the accommodations manager will suspend quiet hours to allow for special events. If so, tenants will be warned of the suspension in advance.
If residence life staff determine that a tenant’s noise levels are excessive, they will take steps to deal with the situation:
(AR-30-04-3-MEC-D1 MANAGEMENT DIRECTIVE)
No person, while on property controlled or owned by Holland College (including the residence), shall store or carry a weapon as defined in the directive. Individuals found in possession of unauthorized weapons on campus will be immediately reported to the police and may be excluded from college property pending an investigation. In the case of a student, an individual may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the college.
For further information refer to the college’s quality website.
Playing hockey, throwing balls, biking, roller blading, roller skating, skateboarding, wrestling, or other activities that are usually conducted outside or in a sporting facility are prohibited throughout the residence.
A guest is anyone who is not a tenant in the building. Anyone who is invited into the building by a tenant, accompanies a tenant, or is accepted or admitted to the residence by a tenant is deemed to be a guest of that tenant. Uninvited visitors are trespassing and may be prosecuted. Provided it is safe to do so, tenants have the right and the responsibility to ask uninvited visitor to leave the premises. If it is not safe to do so, the tenant should request assistance from the front desk staff.
Each tenant is permitted up to three guests at once until 1 a.m. Only one guest per tenant may stay after 1 a.m. and will be considered an overnight guest. All guests must be at least 18 years of age to be signed in. If a tenant or guest is under 18 years of age, their parent or guardian must email the accommodations manager to request permission to be signed in.
After 7 p.m., tenants must sign in their guests at the front desk by completing the guest sign in form. The guests must present photo ID. The ID will be held by staff until the tenant signs the guest out. All guests must be with the tenant who signed them in at all times, with no exceptions, and must be signed out by the tenant who signed them in. A guest must be accompanied by the tenant they are visiting to sign in. If there is no desk attendant on duty when the guest arrives (such as before 7 p.m. on a weekday), tenants must bring their guests to the front desk at 7 p.m. to sign them into the residence.
Guest IDs that have not been claimed by 1 a.m. will be placed in the tenant’s mailbox, and the guest will be considered an overnight guest. If staff learn of an unregistered guest, the tenant will be contacted and must either sign the guest in or indicate that they do not want the guest in the residence.
A tenant must always have possession of their assigned apartment keys. The lending of keys to another tenant or a guest is strictly prohibited.
For the 2025/2026 academic year, no overnight guests will be permitted until September 14 (inclusive).
RESPONSIBILITY FOR GUESTS’ BEHAVIOUR
Any guest causing noise or a disturbance must leave the building immediately. Tenants must inform their guests of all policies and are responsible for their guests’ behaviour at all times. Tenants must accompany their guests at all times, and failure to do so will not mitigate or relieve them of their responsibility for their guests’ behaviour. Tenants will be held responsible for any offences committed by their guests whether they participated, condoned, or were aware of their guests’ behaviour. Sanctions against the tenant will be determined according to the offences committed by their guests.
OVERNIGHT GUESTS
From September 2 to September 14 (inclusive) no evening or overnight guests will be permitted.
Overnight guests (guests staying after 1 a.m.) are only welcome when the roommate or roommates have been consulted and have been given assurances that they will not be inconvenienced by the visitor.
Each tenant is permitted a total of 10 overnight visits per month. This means that one guest could stay 10 nights, or one guest could stay five nights and another guest for the other five nights, for example. Overnight guests must stay in the tenant’s room. They are not permitted to sleep in hallways or common rooms. Overnight guests are not permitted to stay for 10 nights in one tenant’s room and then stay additional nights in another tenant’s room.
Holland College residences are not designed to accommodate couples. Special requests may be honoured by contacting the accommodations manager prior to a proposed visit.
As a representative of the college, the accommodations manager or their designate may enter a student’s room without prior notice under the following circumstances:
At Holland College, non-academic standards of behaviour on the Holland College campuses and facilities are as important as academic standards.
The Student Accommodations Discipline Code is directed toward non-academic standards of behaviour and seeks to define the rights and responsibilities of students as members of the college community. All Holland College students, whether or not they live in the college’s residence, are responsible for their behaviour and must accept the consequences for the choices they make.
All students who reside in residence must abide by the applicable terms of the Holland College Code of Conduct for Learners as provided in Board Regulation 50-06-1, as well as the policies and regulations set out in this handbook, the Student Accommodations Agreement, the Holland College Student Handbook and updated policies, regulations and procedures as distributed during the academic year. Students are responsible for their own behaviour and conduct as well as that of their guests.
If a student causes physical damage to college property, their account is charged the amount it costs to repair the damage and the appropriate disciplinary steps are taken. If a student behaves in a way that may cause harm to themselves or others, the appropriate safety measures are taken (medical assistance or security is summoned) and disciplinary steps are taken. In extreme cases, or those that involve violation of criminal law, the accommodations manager or their designate may waive the steps outlined in this policy and move to evict the student.
The ultimate goal of the college is to provide a residence environment in which students are able to pursue academic success, engage in fun and social activities that promote the development of lasting friendships, and explore opportunities for personal growth. This procedure is in alignment with this goal, and provides an opportunity for student to participate in the development of a self-governing community.
In order to assist all tenants of the residence to be successful in community living, the following protocol has been established:
Below are examples of misconduct which will result in disciplinary actions. This list of negative behaviour is not exhaustive and must be interpreted broadly:
DISCIPLINARY SANCTIONS
The accommodations manager or a residence team member may impose one or more of the following sanctions for incidents of student misconduct:
This list is not all-inclusive and the college reserves the right to invoke additional disciplinary sanctions or action.
HANDLING INCIDENTS OF MISCONDUCT
When misconduct occurs, the protocol followed by the accommodations manager and residence life coordinators will be:
Within the residence, general complaints regarding the residence, other tenants, noise, etc., should be made to the accommodations manager or after business hours and on weekends and holidays, to the residence life staff on duty. New complaints, or complaints that have not been resolved, may also be made in writing to the accommodations manager or email residence@hollandcollege.com. Students may also lodge a complaint under one of the Holland College formal complaint procedures identified below:
All complaints of harassment or discrimination must be dealt with under the process described in Quality Procedure D03. Accommodations staff who become aware or who are informed of incidents of harassment or discrimination must report it to the accommodations manager. The supervisor will attempt to remedy the situation and, if unable to remedy, or if consultation is required, report the incident to the vice president of corporate services.
