Boston is known for having some of the most prestigious universities in the country, but according to The Huffington Post, it's also home to one of strictest in Boston University.
BU was listed by the website as one of the 11 "strictest colleges' in the United States in early July, citing its "zero tolerance policy for parties in residence halls" as the reason for its selection.
BU outlines its policies, ranging from drug and alcohol consumption to moped ownership, in the Lifebook located on the BU website.
According to the Lifebook, BU's alcohol policy accords itself with state laws. However, "the University's standards of personal conduct substantially exceed the minimum expectations of civil law and custom," the website states.
For each alcohol violation committed, a student faces charges ranging from fines to separation from university housing. Students must also complete "e-CHUG," an online assessment and education on alcohol use.
However, some of BU's restrictions appear less unusual than those at other colleges and universities on Huffington Post's list.
At Pensacola Christian College, for example, students must bid goodbye to frayed jeans, beltless pants, pornography and electric guitars.
Similarly, at Oral Roberts University, students must part with long hair, tattoos, piercings and messy beards.
Bob Jones University requires freshmen to be accompanied by "prayer captains" to walk to a study location late at night.
In response to BU's rank, BU spokesman Colin Riley emphasized the university's aim to provide a nurturing atmosphere for its students and residents.
"BU takes great pride in creating and maintaining a living environment that is most conducive to studying, learning, making friends, experiencing new things and helping students make a successful transition to becoming independent, responsible, caring and civic-minded adults," he said.
Concerning the "strictness" within BU dorms, Riley pointed to residential life student and staff workers' "efforts to ensure students' safety on campus."
"Some 300 resident assistant peers and role models along with more than 25 professional residential life staff work hard throughout the year to create a safe and secure residential environment that fosters personal development," he said.
Yet BU's reputation didn't come as a shock to BU students.
As a freshman in the College of Arts and Sciences, Xena Dreyfuss hasn't come into much contact with BU's supposed stringency. However, she said the policies "sounded strict" from the many orientation lectures.
"When I hear about other schools, like friends' schools, BU sounds more strict," she said.
CAS senior Jared Freeman said he wasn't surprised by the strict assignation.
"I think it's sort of valid," he said. "The way BU polices its dorms is different than other schools. My friends who go to other schools can more easily have social gatherings, but students here have to go off campus to drink."
School of Hospitality Administration freshman Nikki Bruner condemned BU's severity on "little things that shouldn't matter."
"We can't have our own microwaves, which makes it more expensive for us because we have to get them through the school, and we can only have three guests at a time...and something stupid like writing on sidewalks isn't allowed," she said.
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