The UC Merced Residence Education department welcomes you to your new home. We’re glad you’ve chosen to live in the residence halls, and we look forward to a successful and exciting year.
As a campus resident of UC Merced, you possess specific individual rights that your roommate and those living around you must respect. These rights carry with them a reciprocal responsibility on your part to ensure that these same rights exist for your roommate, suitemates, and other residents. Your basic rights are listed here; you and your community may choose to add to this list. It is important that these items and the concept of others' rights and responsibilities be discussed throughout the year.
You have the right...
- to read and study in your room.
- to have control over your personal possessions.
- to access your room [and suite].
- to live in a clean, safe environment.
- to sleep and relax in your room.
- to confront another's behavior which infringes upon your rights.
- to seek the aid of staff in resolving possible roommate conflicts.
UC Merced Residence Education neither can, nor does, guarantee you will achieve these rights at all times — you share the responsibility. Help ensuring these rights are upheld through thoughtful discussion and open communication with your roommates, suitemates, and other floor/hall residents. Residence Education staff is available and wants to help you accomplish this goal.
UC Merced campus residents are responsible for their actions. You are expected to show respect for the rights of others and the educational mission of the university. Conditions that are part of your residence hall contract govern acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Residence Education staff will intervene if your actions are contrary to policy or considered a disruption to community standards. Our sincere desire is that students will choose behaviors which support and respect all community members.
Residents must comply with the University of California: Standards of Conduct for Students in the residence halls, and failure to do so may result in disciplinary action. Disciplinary sanctions include warnings, censure, restitution, probation, loss of privileges, suspension, or dismissal from UC Merced. A student's actions may also subject him/her to criminal or civil liability.
Residence Education staff, while striving to protect due process for individuals, are compelled to act on behalf of the interests of the entire community. Though we prefer to work directly with individuals involved in behavioral problems, students collectively involved in negative behavior can expect to be confronted and may be moved to other halls or have their contracts terminated. You are responsible for your actions and will be held fully accountable.
Remember:
If something is illegal off campus, it's illegal on campus. University property does not insulate you from being accountable for all your actions.
The University of California, Merced is a public, land-grant institution created to serve the communities of the San Joaquin Valley, the State of California, the nation, and the world through excellence in education, research, and public service.
These principles reflect our ongoing efforts to increase access and inclusion and to create a community that nurtures lifelong learning and growth for all its members.
- We recognize and celebrate the identities, values, and beliefs of our community.
- We affirm the inherent dignity and value of every person while cultivating a campus climate rooted in mutual respect and compassion.
- We uphold the right to freedom of expression and encourage a culture of dialogue, understanding, and civility in all interactions. We seek to create a campus where a rich tapestry of ideas is shared, collaboration is embraced, and innovation is promoted.
- We pursue excellence in teaching and learning through contributions from all community members fostering a culture of open exchange.
- We promote opportunities for active participation and leadership in our communities.
- We champion civic engagement, environmental stewardship, research, and teaching that connects theory and practice to learning and doing.
- We take pride in building, sustaining, and sharing a culture that is founded on these principles of unity and respect.
The UC Merced Principles of Community were developed by the Chancellor’s Advisory Council for Campus Climate, Culture and Inclusion in collaboration with the campus community. These principles were issued on March 25, 2014.
For more information on services and amenities available in on-campus housing, please click here.
View the online handbook: https://housing.ucmerced.edu/ABC-policies
Summary of housing handbook policy changes in response to COVID-19
