Despite the success of the UNC-Wilmington safety regulations, some students believe these regulations are beginning to hinge on their freedoms.

According to the 2015 Annual Security Report of UNCW, safety of the students that live in on-campus housing is a major concern. There are twelve housing communities on campus that all have the same rules, regulations and visitor policies.

Freshmen coming into college look at moving out as an opportunity for freedom and to be without parental supervision. The Housing and Residence Life’s strict policies may hinder this freedom.

According to Housing and Residence Life’s visitor policy, a student is not allowed to have an overnight guest of the opposite sex and all guests are to be checked in by 11p.m. on a week night and 2a.m. on weekends.

Amber Hodge, a freshman that lives in the University Apartments, thinks these policies are too restrictive.

“I’ve stayed with friends in the dorms and it’s much easier in apartments because people can walk in and stay however long then just leave,” Hodge said, “and dorms should be like that to.”

Those living in predominately freshmen dorms, such as Cornerstone Hall, Galloway Hall, Belk Hall, Graham & Hewlett Hall, Honors Halls and Schwartz Hall are subject to being affected by these policies due to the desk receptionist.

“I think the whole check on process is a bit tedious. I wish there was a way to have people be able to check in for the day,” Hewlett resident Corey Williams said.

These visitation policies even prevent siblings of the opposite sex checking in for an overnight visit. Students believe this can be a hassle for anyone who stays out late with their guests before checking them in as an overnight, leaving the guests stranded.

“I know that in the dorms any visitor has to check in with a [desk receptionist] even if they’re a UNCW student and that still surprises me,” said transfer student Farris Smith. “The first university I went to didn’t have desk receptionists and didn’t require any visitors to check in at all until after 10 p.m.”

The policy also only prevents “opposite sex cohabitation” and completely ignores the gay and lesbian community that lives on campus, inadvertently giving them an advantage for overnight visitation.

“I know that the visitor policy here is just to ensure our safety, but it seems a little overboard to me,” Smith said.