Housing guide seems to be contradictory on trash

Residents of Wilson Hall can expect to find at least four $25 charges on their bills next semester. The charges stem from bags of trash that were left inside the hall by unidentified persons. The Responsibility for Communal Property section of the Housing and Residence Life 2002-2003 Guide for Living outlines the responsibilities of residents of campus housing as it relates to the fines. It states that: “In halls/apartments or sections wherein the University has determined that the majority of the residents are tolerating undue abuse of University property and the responsible individual(s) cannot be identified, all residents will be held responsible for paying a prorated share of the cost of labor and/or supplies for such abuses.” Key phrases to focus on include “the University has determined that the majority of residents are tolerating undue abuse” and “all residents will be held responsible for paying a prorated share …” There are many questions arising from this stipulation, especially in light of the fact that all residents of Wilson Hall are being charged, what seems to some residents, an equally excessive rate for trash left behind by unidentified people. The first question is when did the university determine “that the majority of the residents are tolerating undue abuse of university property” and what would be considered as “tolerating” it? The word “tolerating” is important as used above based on the fact that the trash was reported as hidden in stairwells or behind elevators.And if it was hidden and not in plain sight of the “majority” of Wilson Hall residents, why would all residents of Wilson Hall be charged with tolerating the trash? Assuming, however, that the above were true of the residents, question number two, then, would be, if the residents are responsible for paying “a prorated share of the cost of labor and/or supplies,” how would the cost be assessed? That is, how much is a bag of discarded trash really worth, and who makes the determination? Not to mention, how much of the cost would actually equate to the “cost of labor and/or supplies?” The guide also states that, “All common areas are cleaned on a regular basis by the Housekeep-ing Staff.” If this is true, then where is the money that the students are paying back to the school going? For example, if at least 100 people occupy one floor of Wilson Hall, and if all 400 residents are charged a $25 fine, then the total amount of money that the school would take in would equal $10,000.Is $25 per resident even a “prorated” share of the costs that the hall incurs because of discarded trash? Lastly, item number 10 of the online Housing and Residence Life Contract Agreement states something that seems to contradict the quoted statement above.It reads that: “Students are jointly responsible for the proper care of all public or joint areas within residence halls; including walls, doors, locks, equipment, and appliances, and for jointly controlled grounds, walkways, appliances, furniture, and equipment within the residence hall community.”Because the meaning of “jointly responsible” can be interpreted in numerous ways (monetary responsibility, janitorial, etc), it undermines the idea that the university must have “determined that the majority of the residents are tolerating undue abuse” and must be held responsible for paying “a prorated share of the cost of labor and/or supplies for such abuses.” Either the residents should pay a portion of the expenses incurred by the dorm after the university has established that the majority of the residents were aware of the property being “abused,” or the students should pay a set fine imposed by one person. It appears to be the latter, although actions taken to offset the problem may still be devised and established in the future.