Saint Louis University commuter students now have the ability to
enter residence halls with the same rights as residents. Until now,
commuters, like visitors, had to sign in when entering residence
halls.

“Residential students pay for the privilege of having access to
the buildings and the resources in them,” said Dee Kauffman,
assistant director of Housing and Residence Life. “Students who
live in the halls also share a distinct community, as well as the
responsibilities and expectations that go with that community.”

An orientation was held last Thursday, Oct. 30, for commuters
interested in obtaining the new commuter student ID. Shawn
Swinigan, director of Residence Life, led the orientation and
explained how the process works.

Forty students attended the meeting, which is mandatory before
receiving the new ID.

The session is designed to acclimate commuters to the
residential community and what is expected of them if they are to
have equal rights of entry.

Students must also sign an agreement stating that they
understand the rules and policies of the residence halls. The
session explained many of these policies and how the security desks
in the residence halls work.

“The Commuter Student Agreement outlines the terms and
conditions of their access to the residence halls, including their
privileges of entry and what policies and procedures they are
expected to abide by to avoid losing their privileges,” Kauffman
said.

The issue of commuters entering residence halls as freely as
residents first came about nearly four years ago, but because of a
change in commuter leadership in the Student Government Association
it never came to any conclusion, Kauffman said.

Commuters who are interested in getting the new commuter ID but
missed Thursday’s meeting will have to attend the next orientation
session, which will be in late January.

“We consider our residence halls and apartments the ‘homes’ of
our residential students. As such, just as you would want to
control who has access to your home, we want to control who has
access to the halls, for safety and security reasons,” Kauffman
said.

“We hope this will be a positive experience for the commuter, as
well as the residential students. It was exciting to have so many
students attend the first orientation session,” she said.