RD couples not allowed to stay the night

By Matt Rupel

At what point is it alright to have someone of the opposite sex stay overnight? For live-in staff at Santa Clara, that point is marriage.

The Resident Staff Housing Contract states that "due to the live-in nature and high visibility of the position, it is essential that Resident Directors model the values of a Jesuit, Catholic university and demonstrate the Department of Residence Life's commitment to the mission of Santa Clara University."

In an email Director of Residence Life Heather Dumas-Dyer said that as professionals who live and work in the communities serving undergraduate students, it is essential for live-in staff to be positive role models.

This means that Resident Directors, Faculty Directors and Resident Ministers can't bring their boyfriends or girlfriends home to spend the night.

Some members of the Resident Staff do not feel that this tradition necessarily stands in the modern world, but according to Vice Provost Jeanne Rosenberger, this is an issue of discussion that is often raised.

"It comes up periodically, and we review that, but we don't review it in isolation," she said, "I'm aware that there are discussions in the RD group, but it's also a question of what's the FD group (saying) and the RM group."

Perhaps more interesting was the unwillingness of the live-in staff to comment on the issue.

Despite the fact that Rosenberger acknowledged that the conversation is ongoing in the RD community, no live-in staff agreed to speak about the topic. In fact, one RD even cited that he did not want to put himself in a bad situation with the university on a sensitive topic.

According to Rosenberger, what makes the question difficult is that the university must balance between holding its values as a Jesuit institution and maintaining a living environment for a diverse group of adult staff.

"What's important is that we're open to talk about it," Rosenberger said, "Regardless of whether anything changes. We need to be willing to have those conversations about where those moments of challenge are, but that doesn't change our identity as a Catholic insitution."   

Contact Matt Rupel at mrupel@scu.edu or call (408) 554-4849.