Tufts University revised its Guest Policy last week to prohibit students on campus from engaging in sexual activity while their roommates are in the room. The policy is intended to facilitate tact and communication, spokeswoman Kim Thurler said in an email. ‘The guideline is meant to encourage students to be mindful of how this situation may make their roommates feel,’ she said. ‘We also believe it will enable roommates to initiate conversation about what could be an uncomfortable subject and discuss it in a more effective manner.’ The Tufts Office of Residential Life and Learning has received numerous complaints in the past years about sexual activity taking place in a dorm room while a roommate was present, she said, which prompted the policy change. ‘Because of the nature of this behavior, a problem would likely only be addressed if it were brought to the attention of the Office of Residential Life and Learning,’ she said. ‘In that case, we would help that student have a conversation with his/her roommate in order to address what is going on in the room.’ If initial conversations between roommates do not resolve the issue, she said, ResLife would intervene directly and meet with the student in question. The new rule also asks students to be considerate of their roommates’ privacy and study and sleep time when engaging in sexual activity, she said. This includes banishing a roommate from the room in order to have privacy for sexual activity, a practice often known as ‘sexiling.’ Boston University spokesman Colin Riley said BU’s Office of Residence Life and the Dean of Students Office review the guest policy annually. This year’s policy is already set in place, he said, and he does not foresee making specific changes regarding sexual activity. ‘It does not specifically address that,’ he said. ‘But it does talk about consideration for others.’ Thurler said student response to the new policy has been mixed. While some support the decision, others question its effectiveness and necessity. ‘I think that it wasn’t necessary,’ Tufts junior Ariana McLean said. ‘Those are the kind of things that are common courtesy.’ McLean, who was a resident assistant last year, said residents already sign roommate agreements that cover such situations, and are expected to solve problems through open communication. ‘It’s kind of babying the college students in a way,’ she said. ‘People should be able to deal with issues like that among themselves.’ Freshman Scott Mimnaugh said he thinks the policy is reasonable. ‘To be in a room with someone, you have to expect them to work with whatever you want to do,’ he said. ‘It’s not too bad. It’s not like no sex in the dorm.’ Junior Julia Carlson said while the new rule could be restrictive, its intention of promoting communication is sound. ‘It does give students who live on campus who may be in a situation that they’re really uncomfortable in a way to respond,’ she said. ‘On the other hand, this might be hard for people who are in long distance relationships . . . but I think it really does encourage students to really talk to each other about it.’ BU students said they think Tufts’ new policy, while well meaning, is unnecessary and will be difficult to enforce. College of Arts and Sciences sophomore Karen Huang said she doesn’t think sexual activity in the presence of a roommate is a huge issue at BU. ‘Most roommates would leave for the night,’ she said. ‘I don’t see why Tufts would have that policy unless it’s a huge problem there. I don’t know of anyone who would complain.’