Although the policy varies from the protocol students have become accustomed to in previous years, Jenifer Campbell, director of Residential Life, explained that it is actually the enforcement of a preexisting regulation.

“It has always been a rule,” Campbell said. “But in recent years, students were obtaining guest passes on demand, and [the instant acquisition of passes] became egregious.”

Vickki Massy, assistant director of Residential Life, also noted that students had altered guest passes in previous semesters as well.

“Students would forge Resident Assistants’ signatures and dates, change room numbers and make their own copies,” Massy said.

After conversations with parents and students, Campbell and Residential Life administrators said it was time to re-introduce the policy.

“For residents, this is their home,” Campbell said. “They’ve opted to live on campus, pay extra money and live with a set number of roommates. If they are slotted to live with three or four roommates, that number shouldn’t increase to five or six with frequent visitors.”

Maria Vasaturo, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’11, whose sister has visited her in McMahon in the past, said that a lack of flexibility may keep friends and family members away if earlier plans are not made.

“The policy won’t discourage me, but it will discourage any sleepover possibilities because no one really plans these visits,” she said.

Natasha Pascetta, FCLC ’11, said, “I really think that this policy will push even more students to find off-campus housing. By senior year, many students, myself included, are fed up with McMahon’s guest rules, and may decide to leave for freer living situations.”

However, Campbell said that the newly instated enforcement of the rule revolves more around academics than potential social concerns and feels that the policy stands up for students who may be too timid to speak up.

“Maybe a student doesn’t want ‘Bob’ in the suite five out of the seven nights of the week with a big test or paper looming,” Campbell said. “The aforementioned resident may not be confident enough to express his or her displeasure with hosting a frequent guest.”

Some students say that travelling late at night when denied a guest pass may compromise their safety. Saverio Sportella, FCLC ’11, said, “Since I live across the East River, I may have to stay at Fordham one night. Going home past a certain time would be dangerous.”

Roughly 30 students attended an open forum held on Sept. 1 to express their views about the change, which lasted for an hour and 10 minutes. The meeting did not result in a reinstatement of the old policy, but Massy said Residential Life administrators are using the fall semester as a trial period and may soon alter the rules as they relate to commuters.

“We want to see if students are truly planning ahead during the fall semester,” Massy said. “But we understand that clubs like United Student Government are holding meetings very soon, and we are looking to introduce a relaxed commuter policy, possibly by the end of this month.”