Villanova University
- Campus Strictness

Suspensions Are Plentiful

The administration is in no way afraid of pulling your card so avoid any situation in which they can gain leverage on you. At Villanova, it's enough to simply smell like marijuana to be given a citation for it, so be careful.

Strictness' Negative Influence on Social Life

Villanova's campus is way too strict and has a very negative effect on students' social lives. Campus police and Residence Assistants (RAs) are likely to knock on a student's door simply if they hear talking inside of the room or apartment. One time, I was hanging out with three of my friends in my apartment, and an RA knocked on the door to look for alcohol. There wasn't any alcohol involved; we were simply spending time together. This strictness is not uncommon at all and discourages students from spending time with one another on campus. Instead, many students choose to spend time off campus, which is less safe than spending time on campus. If Villanova were not such a strict campus, it would promote significantly more social activities on campus.

I'm Not Saying Its a Police State, but...

The campus is ridiculously strict which is a large contributor to the label of Villa-no-fun. Many RAs are strict and unreasonable and administrative fines and punishments are steep. Anytime a student is caught with alcohol they face not only being written up (a slap on the wrist and sort of strike 1 from the administration), but also monetary fines based on the type and amount of alcohol. Public safety officers are posted at the entrances to most underclassman dorms and regularly patrol campus in cars and on bikes. Most are helpful and polite but a few are very gung-ho and hassle students unnecessarily. I have even seen them hassle designated drivers, threatening to have them arrested for transporting drunk students back to campus from the off campus social scene. Worse than public safety is the Radnor Police. The town has a special dislike for the Villanova students and this could not be expressed more clearly than in the actions of the Radnor PD. They follow Designated Drivers and cabs to find and break up house parties, and there is a very short leash for any student who steps a toe out of line. Citations for underage drinking and public drunkenness are quite common and there are often speed traps on the roads to campus in the mornings.