Bernardi Policies and Procedures

Building entry is gained via a small keypad outside the main gate and the second main entrance of the building. Residents and overnight guests will be given the numeric code upon arrival. Each student is given a keycard that opens their room and assigned bathroom. Students must carry their keycard at all times. If lost, replacement keycards are €5.00. Do not store your keycard near a mobile phone or laptop, as this can demagnetize the card.

From Sunday through Thursday, you must be in the building by 11:30 p.m. 

On Friday and Saturday, you must be in the building by 1:30 a.m. 

Violation of the building hours will result in disciplinary action. 

Quiet hours will be enforced on the student floors, student common areas, terrace, and courtyard after 9:00 p.m. or at the discretion of the staff. All other hours are considered courtesy hours, and residents are expected to adjust their noise levels accordingly.

Students are encouraged to address noise complaints directly with those causing disturbances. If necessary, discuss noise concerns with the campus director and together come up with a plan to resolve the situation. 

Guests — such as parents, family members and alumni — often stay in unoccupied student rooms or guest rooms of the residence. All room reservations must be made in advance with the director.

The host resident is responsible for the behavior and actions of their guests. The host resident is responsible for making guests aware of expected conduct and the appropriate university and campus regulations.

Italian Law dictates that overnight guests must register as official guests of the residence, and guests must present a valid passport to the front office upon check-in. Host residents should greet their visitors or guests upon their arrival. Visitors are not allowed unaccompanied in the building. Student bedroom wings are not co-ed, and visitors of the opposite gender (including family members) are not allowed on these floors. It is strongly recommended that resident students not to have overnight guests in the last two weeks of the semester due to final exams and end-of-the semester projects and papers.

Students are provided continental breakfast daily from 7:00 – 8: 45 a.m. unless instructed otherwise. Students will receive one weekly group dinner in the Bernardi Campus dining room throughout the semester, except during Fall and Easter break.

Students with special dietary needs should inform the campus director prior to their arrival in Rome to ensure that they will not encounter any difficulties with food choices and availability.

Guests are welcome for dinner on the designated dinner nights with at least 48 hours advance notice and approval by the campus director. Guests must fill out a guest meal request form, available from the director. The cost for a guest meal is €25 per person and it must be paid by credit card. No more than 40 people can be present for dinner on any given night. Please let the campus director know in advance if you will be absent from a scheduled meal.

Closing information and procedures are distributed to the students weeks in advance of their scheduled departure date. All students must vacate the campus by 10:00 a.m. on their scheduled departure date.

There are two residential floors – one for men and one for women. The corridor of bedrooms on each floor beyond the entry doors is not co-ed. This applies at all times in order to protect student privacy. Exceptions are made only for Bernardi Campus staff, faculty or maintenance people accompanied by a staff member, for the purpose of responding to an emergency or a maintenance situation, cleaning, student check-in/out and health and safety inspections.

All common areas in the building are gender neutral and they are available to all students.

A Room Condition Report (RCR) is prepared for each room by the Bernardi Campus staff. At check-out, the RCR will again be used to assess and record any damage to the room. Damage found upon checkout will be assessed and charged to the individual’s student account. Students are responsible for cleaning their room, removing trash and maintaining safe and sanitary conditions. Basic cleaning supplies are provided and garbage bins are located at the entry of each floor and in public spaces. Three recycling bins (for compost, paper and plastic) and a dumpster (for trash) are located outside the south gate of the building.

Students are not permitted to remove furniture or equipment from their rooms or common areas. All bookshelves in the rooms are anchored to the wall. Nails, hooks, tape and screws should not be used on the walls. Material may be posted on wooden surfaces using proper adhesives. No fishnets, candles or other flammable items are allowed in the rooms due to fire hazard.

Liability charges for damage done in hallways, stairs and all public areas will be levied equally to all students in the hall unless the responsibility is found not to be equal. In this case, disciplinary action will be taken against the violators.

The Bernardi Campus Director lives in the building. Kitchen and housekeeping staff are also on site daily. Service people (gardeners, maintenance workers, etc.) are always accompanied by Bernardi staff.

A chapel is located on the main floor of the residence. Residents are expected to treat the chapel with reverence due to any place where the Sacrament is reserved. Please maintain a respectful volume when gathering in the adjoining “salotto” (living room) or other rooms on the main floor; there are often people praying in the chapel.

A chaplain is available for spiritual direction, providing the sacraments, service opportunities (when applicable) and other opportunities for Christian growth.

Students are expected to follow kitchen cleaning procedures as explained during student life orientation and to follow instructions and guidelines posted in the kitchen area. Students are expected to clean up when done eating and keep their kitchen area clean and sanitary on a daily basis. Any food items placed in the refrigerators must be marked with the student’s name and the date. Students are responsible for cleaning the refrigerators at least once a month. Anything that is open, over a week old or not marked to be saved will be discarded. If students do not follow cleaning and sanitary procedures, the Bernardi staff has the right to lock the kitchen without advanced warning.

No dishes may be taken from the student dining room. The main kitchen and dishwasher room are reserved for staff use.

There are three washers and two dryers. They are token-operated: one token to wash and one token to dry. Laundry tokens cost €2 each and can be purchased at the front office during posted hours. Please bring exact change or smaller denomination currency notes to buy laundry tokens if possible. Depending on the temperature used (see posted instructions), a load of laundry can take 55 – 65 minutes to wash and 30 minutes to dry. Please be courteous and timely when doing your laundry. Once the washer is running, the door cannot be opened until the cycle has finished. Be cautious not to overload the washers or dryers. Laundry detergent is dispensed automatically by the washers.

Report equipment problems to staff immediately. Do not tamper with the washers or dryers; those who do so will be subject to disciplinary action and fines.

Dry cleaning is available at nearby establishments.

There is a bi-weekly linen exchange service for students to receive clean bed sheets, pillowcase and a bath towel. There is a €25 charge for each missing linen item. Any charges can be paid in cash or will be posted on the student’s account using the day’s currency exchange rate (euro vs dollar). All linen provided must be cleaned by the linen service, not in the campus washers. Students are responsible for following the linen exchange procedures as explained during Bernardi Campus student life orientation.

In order to keep residents safe and the building well-maintained, sports-related activities are prohibited within hallways, rooms, stairwells or other public areas of the Bernardi Campus, including the garden and courtyard. Appropriate disciplinary sanctions and a fine will be assessed to the violators. Suggestions for alternative locations for any sports activity can be provided by the Bernardi Campus staff.

The campus is secured by a front gate and building entrances that are locked at all times. Residents and overnight guests will be given an access code for exterior entrances, and each student is given a keycard that opens their room and assigned bathroom.

The Bernardi Campus Director lives in the building. Kitchen and housekeeping staff are also on site daily. Service people (gardeners, maintenance workers, etc.) are always accompanied by Bernardi staff.

Possession or consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited on Bernardi Campus, except when served as part of a hosted meal or special event approved by the campus director and University of St. Thomas administration. Appropriate disciplinary sanctions and a fine will be assessed to the violators. Any alcohol purchased with the intention of being shipped and/or taken home at the end of the program must be stored in the director’s office.

Health and safety inspections of all the rooms, bathrooms and common student areas will be conducted each semester. The director will notify the students at least one week in advance. It is very important that all residents take precautions to prevent problems with pests. Snack items should be kept in closed food containers and perishable food products should be refrigerated in the community kitchen.

As always, residents should practice fire safety procedures. Extension cords, halogen lamps and candles are prohibited. If a room does not meet sufficient minimum standards of cleanliness, sanitation or safety practices, the residents will receive a citation and be given 48 hours to respond. Failure to properly respond by cleaning and maintaining the room will result in a fine of €50 posted automatically to the student’s account.

Smoking is not allowed on Bernardi Campus, including the building and outdoor campus spaces such as the rooftop terrace, garden and courtyard.

If students plan to travel outside the city or be absent from the residence overnight, they must inform the Bernardi Campus Director via WhatsApp or email with all pertinent travel information: destination, departure and return day/time, and names of others (if any) in the traveling group.