San José State’s dorm policies shape student life by regulating quiet hours, guest visitation and general housing rules designed to provide safety, though some students believe there is room for improvement.
Over the past few years, dorm life has undergone continuous changes, particularly as policies have adapted in response to shifting COVID-19 regulations.
The pandemic introduced stricter regulations for sanitation and social distancing, but with the lifting of mask mandates, many of these rules were relaxed.
Students were no longer required to provide proof of residency for dorms like the Campus Village B Suites, offering them greater freedom to come and go.
SJSU offers several different dorming facilities, each varying in style, accommodations, and requirements.
Living in different dorms at SJSU can come with vastly different experiences for students including varying levels of convenience and amenities.
These differences often result in disparities in maintenance and accessibility to shared resources, leading to concerns from students.
Ainsley Pingree, a first-year justice studies student and Campus Village C Suites resident, feels that while the policy has its benefits, it could be adjusted to match the lifestyles of students.
“Quiet hours have helped me get to sleep at a normal hour but the guest policy can be frustrating. It should only have to be enforced at night for security reasons,” Pingree said.
A major issue among students living in the dorm is the guest check-in policy.
Some students believe it’s too restrictive while others appreciate the added security in campus housing.
Residents are permitted to bring one guest into the building beyond lobbies and common areas, according to the SJSU University Housing Services webpage.
Beyond guest visitation, access to cleaning services and supplies is another challenge for students.
In dorms like Campus Village Building 2, University Housing Services provides cleaning supplies or lost keys, but Campus Village C Suites and Joe West Hall “Classics” residents must go to Campus Village Building 2 to access these resources.
“It would be helpful if cleaners were assigned to the bathrooms in CVC (Campus Village C Suites) like in other dorms. Vacuums should be available in the CVC lobby instead of having to walk to CV2 (Campus Village Building 2) to get them,” Pingree said.
For students preparing for the next academic year, navigating the housing portal has posed additional difficulties.
Ireana South, a third-year kinesiology student and Campus Village Building A resident has encountered issues with the housing portal, especially when trying to understand agreements and housing assignments.
“The housing portal is so confusing. It’s never clear what you’re agreeing to when choosing a dorm,” South said. “My roommates and I have had trouble figuring out assignments for next year. We’ve considered not dorming but the easy commute to class is too convenient.”
With the opening of Spartan Village on the Paseo in Fall 2024, SJSU introduced an additional housing option featuring 700 student beds, according to the SJSU Administration and Finance webpage.
This new housing option features full bathrooms, along with dining and kitchen areas, a fitness center and study lounges.
Applying for housing in the upcoming semesters, Spartan Village on the Paseo provides students with more options, but fails to address the ongoing issues of the current student housing.
“It’s frustrating because we feel like we’re not getting the full picture of what we’re agreeing to when choosing our dorms and it makes planning for next year even more stressful,” South said.
Although these new features offer students convenient access to new comforts, the guest policy plans to remain the same Spartan Village on the Paseo.
Despite this expansion, many existing policies remain the same, leading students to question whether current dorm regulations effectively meet their needs.
The check-in process remains a point of contention as residents believe it creates unnecessary hurdles for students navigating college.
Some students believe guest policies in the dorms, cleaning responsibilities and check-in procedures should be reconsidered to create a more student-friendly experience
Chandhana Pagidimarri, a first-year public health student and Campus Village Building 2 resident, said that college students, given their age and maturity, should have more freedom when it comes to campus housing policies.
“I get that we don’t want a bunch of people constantly staying over but as long as my roommates are okay with it,” Pagidimarri said. “There should be more exceptions because we’re in college.”
The dorm rules can create tension between roommates as they try to accommodate each other’s guests while staying within the constraints of the regulations.
Many students feel that these policies create obstacles in their daily lives, making it harder to live comfortably in shared dorms with these regulations.
The Spartan Daily reached out multiple attempts to obtain a response from Kevin Kinney, Director of Residential Life and University Housing Services at SJSU, but he declined to comment.
For now, SJSU residents must navigate the current dorm policies while hoping for adjustments that better accommodate students' needs.
Pagidimarri explained that the rigid policies often clash with the realities of living in shared spaces and the difficulty of balancing respect for her roommate’s space with following dorm rules.
“I think the rules need to be more flexible,” Pagidimarri said. “It’s hard to balance respecting her space while also following the rules which doesn’t always make sense with the reality of living with roommates.”
