Apparently, the old-school tricks, such as hanging a towel on the doorknob, aren’t used to give roommates a heads-up anymore. Why not?

Good question, because Tufts University has received about a dozen complaints from students who said their randy roommates didn’t think twice about having sex — even if they were still in the room. The complaints prompted school officials to revise the school’s 2009-10 guest policy.

Now, Tufts’ students have sexual-behavior expectations in black and white: Students are prohibited from having sex while their roommates are present in the room. Further, the school doesn’t allow sexual activity in dorms if it will disturb a roommate’s privacy, study and sleep.

Seems like an issue most schools would rather not have to deal with, because campuses across the country are treading lightly on this issue. Here are a few examples:

• Boston College is a Catholic university that doesn’t allow cohabitation in dorms, but notes “consideration for others is an important aspect and privilege of having a guest.”
• Harvard University’s student handbook disapproves of serious or persistent sexual conduct.
• Emerson College’s visitor policy reminds students that the right to live in “reasonable privacy takes precedence over the privilege of entertaining a guest.”

Has your school received complaints from students about their roommates? If so, let us know how your school is handling the problem in the comments section below.

Tags: Boston College, Emerson College, Harvard University, Tufts University