Every college campus has its fair share of urban legends, and Kent State is no exception. But when it comes to urban legends related to sex, Small Group and the Honors Plaza are kings.
Several anonymous sources recounted hearing stories of sexual exploits in the common area kitchens and study lounges—even on a stove. Heer Hall reportedly had a sign listing ground rules for the laundry rooms, and one rule stated, “No sex on the washing machines.”
One tale has reverberated across campus: sex in the showers.
Eileen Dorsey, a junior fine arts major, recounts hearing two people having sex in the showers on her floor. She believes the couple got caught doing the dirty work.
Cassie Craig, a senior psychology major and front desk employee at Tri-Towers, says she has often heard residents complain about people having sex in the shower. “One girl I knew who was a resident assistant had to reprimand a girl for having loud sex six times in one week in her room,” Craig says.
A common complaint among dorm residents is hearing their neighbors through the “paper-thin” walls, especially in Tri-Towers.
Ashley Wells, a senior justice studies major, was sitting in her room one night when she started to hear the groans of carnal desire coming from the room to the left of her. Then she heard more sex noises coming from the room to the right of her.
“I could hear everything from both sides because my window was open,” she remembers. “It was like surround-sound Saturday night.”
The Expert Opinion
Despite the raucous sexual rumors, truths and urban legends circulating around the residence halls, there’s really nothing that can be done about it. The Department of Residence Services Policy Handbook lists no blanket policy on sexual activity in the dorms except those related to sexual assault, abuse and harassment.
Some dorms have more strict rules about visiting procedures, but the rules differ from hall to hall and floor to floor.
“Our policies are enforced regularly throughout our halls,” says T.J. Logan, assistant director of Residence Services. “Olson and Prentice have fairly strict visitation policies, but they don’t differ from those of our First Year Experience halls.”
The majority of roommate problems are due to roommate preference, location and living experience preferences—not necessarily unwelcome sexual activity, Logan says.
Nothing is listed in the Department of
Residence Services’ Policy Handbook
relating to sexual activity in the dorms.
“Our RHDs (residence hall directors) and ARHDS (assistant residence hall directors) are trained to deal with a variety of issues in the residence halls,” Logan asserts.
Noise policies, like visitation policies, also vary from hall to hall and floor to floor. “Some halls are quiet halls for students that want a hall more conducive to studying,” Logan explains. “And nonquiet halls may not have the exact same policies.”
Brian Hellwig, a resident assistant at Engleman Hall and Allerton student apartments, has worked in the halls for five years.
“I have encountered a couple of incidents in which the issues of the roommate’s sexual activity in the room became an issue between the roommates,” he says. “But overall, I believe that students are willing to respect their roommate’s privacy and the fact that they share a common living area.”
Kicked Out
Katie McNamara probably doesn’t feel like her roommate is respecting her. The freshman visual communication design major has been kicked out of her room for four hours and is pacing the Student Center with friends this evening. She disgustingly admits that she was kicked out so that her roommate could have sex. “OK, it’s all right if you’re going to do it in the privacy of your own place,” McNamara says. “But have some respect.”
She says she has walked in on her roommate with her boyfriend unintentionally. During that incident, McNamara knocked and received no answer, then called her roommate’s cell phone and received no answer. Because she had to get into her room to get her books, she had no other choice but to enter the forbidden spontaneous pleasure haven.
“I swiped my card to enter,” she sighs. “And there they were, fooling around on my futon.”
As McNamara heads home, she might be hoping that one day she will be able to enter her college dorm room without the fear of opening the door to a pretzel knot of naked bodies—the day she gets a single room.
Steven Harbaugh is a senior magazine journalism major. He was editor of The Burr last semester.
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