Austin Hall
Student Life Editor
Changes in requirements for housing eligibility will go into effect this year. The changes occurring concern background checks, credit hours and GPA. The changes are a product of the TJC administration’s effort to improve overall quality of life for campus residents.
Every year the administration examines students’ behavior.
“We take a point and we go back and look at all of our conduct records; what’s the most prevalent problem, how severe were those incidents and we’ll sit and look at our guidelines. And can we make a few tweaks and changes to improve and make it a better campus for all the students,” said Diana Karol, Director of Auxiliary Services.
Karol, along with Vice President of Financial and Administrative Affairs Sarah Van Cleef, worked together to review guidelines. Based on that information, they have proposed changes to the executive cabinet that they believe will make positive changes for students living in the residence halls.
Currently, a criminal background check is run on students before they are placed in housing. With the changes, the initial check will be run in the spring along with a second added check before the students move in.
The 2016 – 2017 Residence Hall Contract Terms and Conditions states:
“Student must be enrolled full-time in classes at TJC in at least 12 hours per semester. A student not enrolled in classes will not be able to remain in a Residence Hall,” stated in the 2016 – 2017 Residence Hall Contract Terms and Conditions.
In the statement above, the type of classes taken in the 12 credit hours is not specified. Now residents must take at least six credit hours of college-level courses. For example, a student cannot take 12 credit hours worth of developmental classes and live in the residence halls.
Another requirement being changed is the following:
“New Freshmen students must achieve an overall cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.0 at the end of two consecutive semesters (Fall and Spring semesters of this contract year) to be eligible to live in a Residence Hall. Returning Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 every additional semester in order to continue to be eligible for housing and to remain in a Residence Hall.”
This requirement change will be that students must maintain at least a 1.5 GPA during their first semester of residence. For example a student cannot have a 1.0 GPA one semester and the next a 4.0 to get by with a 2.5. In short, the student’s GPA must not fall below a 1.5 GPA if they are to remain in the residence halls.
The modification of these requirements is intended to raise standards and expectations for residents to create an environment conducive to being a successful student.
The Bounce Back program is offered to students who are having trouble maintaining the GPA standards to help them remain in the residence hall. Assistant Director of Residential Life Aukse Harris manages the program and contacts students that are falling behind to offer support so that they are given every resource possible to bounce back.
“Housing is very open, we want people to succeed,” said Karol.
