ASH has been operating since 2005, and we bring a world of experience to our demographic specific housing. Our policies
have been formed over time, and we find ourselves between the constant forces of parents desire for the well being of thier
children, and the students desires to express thier new found freedom at the ages of 18, 19 and so on.
To
address move-in expectation, remember that the houses are clean and look like the website on August 1. If you move in on August
20 and several student have already moved in before you, we have NO idea what it may look like when you arrive. Please bear
that in mind. To exasperate this dynamic, the weekly limited cleaning doesn't start until about the third Monday of August,
so moving in mid month can be a shock. We ask for your understanding that we cannot prepare your first view of your house
for each subsequent entry. Once the weekly cleaning starts and a routine gets established the houses generally do quite well.
Again, thanks for your understanding!
We have rules which are there for the students safety and wellbeing. We thereafter have a limited application of influence,
which the students have a right to, as they are new adults now. We cannot parent anyone.
Our rules include:
No smoking or burning anything ( candles, incense, etc. ) within any ASH building. However, most any behavior can then
be done outside, without our knowledge or interference.
NO parties. This is for the benefit of all our neighbors, so this is important and non-negotiable. However. only a nieghbor
can 'call' about a party. Even as the landlord, I cannot claim I am being disturbed y one of my houses that is many blocks
from my house, so a nieghbor must be the complainant. But I can have behavior consequences, charges and fee's, based on the
House Rules which are a part of the Rental Agreement. I can add that this is not common place. Most houses understand
and follow the rules. Some must try it, and usually hate the outcome of the general chaos it creates, a disheavaled house
the next morning, and a lot of things turning up missing, etc. We have the following statement about parties:
" Enjoy your home among yourselfs. The houses are full with the renters and invited guests are where the trouble
begins. Roomates begin missing things with strangers in the house. An invited guest comes over and brings 5 unannounced
friends, they text others and within 1 hour the house can fill with dozens! Another 30 minutes and the Police are there. It
is automatic.
This can only be avoided by thinking ahead of time. Lack of acting to stop this in advance will cost fee's from
the deposits and tickets from the Police for underage drinking, public disturbances and more.
Just let your home be your home, and go elsewhere to Party. This is the BEST rule ever!"
We can judge behaviors during our weekly house cleaning visits. We look for:
Unauthorized guests on the couch, or having moved in.
Students who have dropped out and are home too much and now causing trouble.
Evidence of drugs and paraphenalia. We find that if anyone is using substances, they are usually not
doing a good job of hiding and covering thier trail, and we can 'walk up' to the evidence and confront it.
.
Evidence of too much drinking or too much anything ( there seems to always be some, but a mountain of beer cans
will kick in questioning ).
We are available for student complaints, one to one counseling for roomate issues and house meetings for compatibility
and behavior issues. We prefer to respond to student initiated requests for assistance, and we encourage them to excercise
thier new freedom and try democratic solutions to house problems, taking votes, group consensus, etc. We will contact parents
only as a last resort, as we believe the students really must have leave to identify and act on problems within thier own
new powers as adults. But all within the framework of our house rules and within the larger framework of recalling parents
when absolutely needed.
You can be assured the houses are being observed weekly, but not so deeply that the students privacy is being invaded.
Many things can go undetected, and strong behavioral issues may need to be brought out by the other student in each house to
come to our attention.
Your child will develop according to the principals and values you have taught them from early childhood. We can and
will work with you where we can, but we cannot replace the importance of those prior formative years, which will now come
into play for each individual student.
We advocate a smoke free, drug free environment that is never over run by a disruptive and damaging party. We do pretty
good, utilizing the credibility we build by affording all students thier right to privacy. We often are responding to an event
after the fact, and then lecturing and posturing to curb future repeats of the behavior. BUT we do not possess
the tools to avoid issues from ever first surfacing. They are, simply put, still learning not only at campus, but also at
the dorms as well, and all our students are over the age of 18 . . .
Dear S. ( a columnist )
I am so relieved that my daughter is going to a different school this year, a school where
she will be taught the value of reading and the benefits of a college education. She barely got in and I dont know how to
make sure she does'nt mess up though. Signed, Help!
It is so tempting for us to want youngsters to avoid trial and error. If only we could prevent
them from making our mistakes, we imagine they would have a fantastic life. .
What you can do is motivate her so that she can become excited about the benefits of hard work
and the real payoff of a cool college with amazing friends. And you can definately inspire her to study after helping her
find subjects that are really interesting to her, and easing her through any rough spots, right?
Encourage her by letting her know what worked for you and how great you felt when you
got a good grade. Let her know how proud you are of her efforts, and if you can eliminate any lecturing the results should
be excellent.
