Johnson and Wales (Downtown / Washington Park)

Student Affairs / Community Standards and Conduct
Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Phone: (401) 598-4853
Contact: Jennifer Rosa, director of Community Standards & Conduct
E-mail: jennifer.rosa@jwu.edu / (401) 598-5138
Reporting procedure: See options below

JWU’s Office of Student Affairs oversees its relationship with “local citizens in the neighborhoods and districts where students live and spend time. Working with government officials, community organizations, civic leaders, property owners, and residents, the office serves as a liaison between the university community and local community on matters involving JWU students off campus.”

As of Fall 2024, JWU requires entering students to live on campus until their senior (fourth) year.

Campus Safety & Security
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Phone: (401) 598-1103 / -2947
Contact: LeRoy Rose, Jr., director of Campus Safety and Security

“Johnson & Wales University is committed to fostering a culture of compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations, ethical standards, and university policies and procedures.”

JWU Reporting Procedures

“Employees, students, and third parties are encouraged to report all known or suspected violations” of the student code of conduct [see below].1 “Doubts about whether to report should be resolved in favor of reporting.”

Third parties can report a violation of the student code of conduct using one of the following options (24 hours a day, seven days a week):

  • E-mail: jwureport@jwu.edu* — This has the advantage of allowing reporters to retain a copy of their reports.
  • Online (JWU’s preferred method): Fill out a confidential report form on the Compliance Services webpage. To submit an anonymous report to Campus Safety & Security, use the Silent Witness form instead.
  • JWU Reporting Hotline: Leave a voicemail message at (833) 598-5463.* If you want to leave an anonymous message, dial “67” plus the hotline telephone number (67-401-383-7026) to block your caller ID before leaving your message.

JWU’s website says that “Reports should be made as soon as possible” and “provide as much relevant detail as possible [answer these questions], indicate whether the report is confidential, and if comfortable doing so, provide a name and contact information (address, e-mail address, telephone number, etc) and indicate preferred times and methods of communication.”

“Including details is important, as a meaningful investigation may not be possible if a report is unduly vague or general and follow-up is not feasible” (e.g., the reporter is anonymous). Campus Safety & Security and / or other departments may conduct further investigation if needed — including contacting the reporter (if they provide contact details) to request additional information.

Community Standards and Conduct reviews all incident reports, and usually completes the process within 60 days or less. Its responses to code violations range from informal warning letters, informal conflict-resolution (involving a third-party dispute), educational conversations, sanctions-only administrative hearings, and administrative hearings.2

A student found responsible for a violation of the code of conduct “will be given one or more sanctions … designed to help prevent future code of conduct violations [and] educate students on appropriate behavior required to … live in society.”

Sanctions range from educational mandates (e.g., classes, seminars, interviews, presentations, papers, projects and / or other creative tasks), community service (for a specified time or project), monetary fines, and conduct warnings to conduct probation (and potential restrictions) for a specific period of time, suspension of privileges, and temporary suspension or permanent dismissal from the university.

Below are noise-related excerpts from JWU’s website and student code of conduct.3 We have included its on-campus noise policies to contrast them with those for off-campus students.

On-Campus Living Guide

Residents should not deprive others of the following:

• The ability to read and study without interference, unreasonable noise, or other distractions.
• The ability to relax and sleep without unreasonable interference, noise, or distractions and the responsibility to help others have this right.


XIII. Quiet Hours & Courtesy for Others

As members of a residence hall community, residents must understand that the actions of one person can affect the comfort of others in direct and indirect ways. It is the responsibility of every resident to be considerate of those around them.

Quiet hours for all residence halls are as follows:

• Sunday through Wednesday 10:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m.
• Thursday through Saturday, midnight (12:00 a.m.) – 8:00 a.m.
• 24-hour quiet periods are in effect during the examination period of each semester and at other times as announced.

During quiet hours, sound must not be audible beyond the limits of any individual room, hallway, or common area.

Moreover, as also discussed elsewhere herein, any time during the day or night, residents must be respectful of one another and maintain a community that does not interfere with anyone’s ability to study, relax, sleep, and enjoy other appropriate activities. Residents should, at all times:

• Avoid slamming doors
• Be cautious of [stereo] speakers / TV volume
• Keep voices at an acceptable level. This includes in your room and in common areas such as hallways, the lobby, building entrances, common rooms, stairways, and elevators.
• For those with parking privileges on site, set the volume of your car stereo at a reasonable level.

If residents or guests in your hall are making enough noise to bother you, you have the right (at any time of day or night) to politely ask them to be quieter. If the issue persists, please contact a Residential Life staff member to help address the noise.

Comment: Note the repeated use of the word “noise” and the amount of specific information — including “quiet hour” times and potential sources of noise — provided for on-campus students. Contrast that with the off-campus information below.

Off-campus policies

“When you live off campus as a JWU student, you’re actually part of two communities: JWU, and the neighborhood in which you live. Being a good citizen of both is a major responsibility you undertake when you decide to live off-campus. Furthermore, it’s important to realize that the JWU Student Code of Conduct extends to your behavior off campus. Living off campus carries certain responsibilities.”


Key Reminders

• Exercise good judgement and be sensitive to the needs of your neighbors

• Keep a professional and positive relationship with your landlord

• As a social host,4 you assume all risks associated with state and local laws regulating drinking age, noise, and public safety when you host a party at your apartment or home.

Comment: The brief policies above include that the code of conduct applies to students when they’re off campus, but it’s worth noting that noise is cited only in relation to a party, rather than general student behavior (as in the on-campus policy). The “Good Neighbor Policy” below is both more explicit and comprehensive in regard to noise, and should be included in the off-campus policy.5 

Good Neighbor Policy

Off-campus students must understand and appreciate that residents of a particular community have made a long-term commitment to their neighborhood; students are transient members of the community and usually remain only for the duration of their academic tenure.

The quality of life and the overall character of a neighborhood can be greatly influenced by the behavior exercised by student residents. Displaying a respectful and courteous attitude may make the neighborhood a more pleasant place to live.

Families and individuals living in the neighborhoods around campus have the right to enjoy a reasonable level of peace and quiet. Students’ academic and personal schedules often conflict with the more routine schedules of families. Students are expected to exercise good judgment and be sensitive to the needs of their neighbors.

Rowdiness, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, and people partying outside with loud music or other noise is inconsistent with the university’s behavioral expectations.

Johnson & Wales University Campus Safety & Security will respond to complaints from neighbors and others when behavior occurs off-campus that is inconsistent with the behavioral expectations of the university, and students will be subject to the University’s Conduct Review Process and resulting sanctions when a violation of the Student Code of Conduct occurs.

The university may find student tenants of an off-campus residence responsible for a violation of the Good Neighbor Policy that occurs at their address, regardless of their presence at the time of the incident.

The following are some examples of the behavioral expectations of the university with regard to off-campus living:

Noise

Music and general noise should be maintained at reasonable levels and in accordance with relevant laws and ordinances. Music should be directed toward the interior of the residence. Students should remind visitors to exercise common courtesy when visiting, to refrain from excessive shouting between the street and the house, and to limit vehicle noise whenever possible.

Responsibility and the Social Host

When entertaining guests, students must understand that ... [they] may also be subject to civil and criminal liability if their guests act irresponsibly. As a social host, a student assumes significant risks associated with state and local laws regulating drinking age, noise, and public safety when the student hosts a party.

JWU’s Providence off-campus living page includes even more specific information about noise that is inexplicably not part of its off-campus and Good Neighbor policies — but should be:

Noise

Providence’s noise ordinance states that citizens (your neighbors) have a right to enjoy a reasonable level of peace and quiet, free of unnecessary, excessive or annoying noise.

Reduce noise levels between 8:00 p.m. – 7:00 a.m. (including weekends).

This includes but is not limited to loud gatherings, stereo or TV noise, instruments, machinery, dogs barking, etc. Providence Police enforce this law and will respond to violations and complaints.

The off-campus housing page also includes an embedded video about student conduct.

__________
1 At the request of the reporter, the university will confirm receipt of the report. The Noise Project recommends this, to have a record of the report‘s submission.

2 A student who engages in informal conflict resolution or educational conversation will not be charged with any violations of the code of Conduct or receive any sanctions.

3 Please note that underlining, italics, and bold formatting has been added for emphasis.

4 The term “social host” refers to someone who arranges or allows a social gathering or other event, such as a party, in a location or area they are responsible for and have control over, such their house, apartment, and related property.

5 The reference to a “violation” of the Good Neighbor Policy implies it is binding rather than merely advisory.