Don't turn out the lights yet.
Before the school year started, Ainsley Carry, vice president of Student Affairs, approved new visitation hours for on-campus housing.
Quad and Hill residence halls had their hours extended from 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thursday and until 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. New hours for the Village are from 10-2 a.m. daily.
A spring survey conducted by Residence Life showed that students wanted a change to hours more similar to other universities. Interest in changing the hours had been displayed for months, according to Director of Residence Life Becky Bell.
"It was important to review our guest policy because residents were requesting a review," Bell said. "The increased hours, while probably not increased enough for some residents, are a start to an ongoing review process."
The Village residence halls were allowed more lenient hours because of their private living spaces.
"There are differences between the Hill and Quad residence halls and the Village halls," Bell said. "In the Village, residents have individual rooms in addition to common space for the suites, so having guests in a Village room does not have the same impact on a roommate as having a guest in a shared room."
Bell noted the increased hours will have a positive effect on residents as they now have additional time to study or meet with friends who do not live in their hall.
The only concern expressed on the survey was a possible noise increase throughout the halls, but according to Bell, there have been no complaints.
Auburn now has visitation hours comparable to the University of Alabama, but remains strict compared to Birmingham-Southern College, which has 24-hour visitation in select halls.
Teague Hall resident Stephen Fristoe, freshman in actuarial science, explained how the increased hours will help him become acquainted with other students.
"The new hours are great to have, meaning we have more time to get to know people, and it is important to get to know people around campus," Fristoe said.
The former visitation policy was from noon until midnight daily, something many students found inconvenient considering after hours, group activities were restricted to outside of their designated hall.
Teague Hall resident assistant Spencer Pursley, junior in building science, found the changes something the residents deserved.
"I think it's a step in the right direction," Pursley said. " It's what the residents asked for because before the rule really was strict."
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