A new policy at Tufts University — a private research university in Massachusetts — is prohibiting students from engaging in sexual activity with a roommate present in the room.  

Tufts’ 2009-10 housing handbook states:  “You may not engage in sexual activity while your roommate is present in the room.  Any sexual activity within your assigned room should not ever deprive your roommate(s) of privacy, study or sleep time.”

In addition, the policy also prohibits “sexiling” or kicking a roommate out so the other roommate can engage in sexual activity.   

N.C. State’s Director of Student Conduct Paul Cousins said this type of behavior has never been a primary issue in the cases he has dealt with.   

“Most of the things that are serious enough would be assaultive behavior and threats,” Cousins said.  “Behind the scenes, one of the stressors usually [was] roommates weren’t communicating, and one felt they had been taken advantage of.”   

Cousins said smaller private schools have a different approach to how they address student conduct compared to state schools.

According to Cousins, the disparities between how the institutions handle student conduct comes from the cultural differences between a private and public institution.   

“If you look at some of the smaller private universities in New England, you might find a number of polices inconsistent [with] what we have,” Cousins said.  “A lot more effort here has been trying to prevent conflict.”

In addition, Cousins said the roommate agreement — which is a contract negotiated between roommates on rules and regulations — has been essential in facilitating conversation between roommates on issues.

“It really helps set up some boundaries and guidelines,” Cousins said.   

Davis Flory, a senior in mechanical engineering, said Tufts’ involvement in the students’ affairs wasn’t necessary, as roommates should be able to talk to each other about their concerns.

“You have to be able to communicate,” Flory said.  “Everything is about communication these days.”   

Nate Boler, a sophomore in business management, said the policy is unwarranted and unenforceable.   

“It’s not okay for [Tufts] to get involved.  It should be left up to the roommates,” Boler said.  “My roommate and I have always been able to work things out.”   

Boler’s roommate, Philipp Wullimann, a sophomore in civil engineering, said they discussed certain issues they may have in the roommate agreement, and made compromises.   

Tufts’ policy, Cousins said, is a different response to this sort of problem than he would expect.

“There must have been something going on at a lower level that this had to be formulated into a policy.  It’s a different response for the problem which I’ve seen always worked out between roommates,” Cousins said.  “Whenever you are talking about changing or making a policy, it involves a higher level of administration in the university, as policies require that sort of oversight.”   

“If we had that problem, we would work to better educate the residents.  I’m sure all our initial efforts would be put into educating and facilitating conversation between [roommates],” Cousins said.