Student Telephone Services and Policies

Residence Hall Telephone Facilities

A telephone and voice mailbox are supplied to every student residence hall room and are shared by the occupants of the room. Off-campus calls into residence hall phones may dial the phone number directly (740-427-6###) without having to go through the campus switchboard.

On-campus callers may simply dial the 4-digit PBX number. Kenyon does not offer long-distance phone service to students. However, students can call 800-numbers, use phone calling cards, and place collect calls to outside numbers.

Voice Mail Service

Kenyon offers free student voice mail service that allows callers to leave a message after the fourth ring when students are unable to answer their phone or when they are already talking on the phone. Students must request that their voice mail service be activated before they can use it. They can do so by contacting the Telecommunications Coordinator at PBX 5703 or actisb@kenyon.edu .

Students can access their voice mail messages remotely from anywhere on or off campus by calling the Message Center number at (740)427-7000 (dial only 7000 if on campus) and entering their 4-digit PBX phone number and voice mail password. (In the fall of 2011 all student passwords are initially set to 2011.)

Long Distance Calls

Kenyon does not offer telephone long distance services to students. Below are list the options for making long distance calls from your room.

* You can purchase a cell phone if you don=t already have one. Verizon has the strongest signal in this area, with a tower installed nearby.

* You can purchase a pre-paid phone calling card through one of the major phone service providers. The Kenyon Bookstore also has $5 & $10 pre-paid cards.

* You can call 800 numbers from your room phone by dialing 9, then 1 before the 800 number.

* You can make collect calls. You are able to accept collect calls, although you should not do so unless it is an emergency. A $10.00 handling fee will be charged for every collect call accepted, in addition to the more expensive collect call fees.

Cell Phone Service

Verizon has erected a tower near Gambier, with a greatly improved signal. Cingular/AT&T has also erected an antenna on top of the Gambier water tower, with significantly improved reception. Kenyon does not offer a discount program with these companies. Students must negotiate individual contracts.

POLICIES FOR TELEPHONE USE

All students are responsible for the telephone and voice mail in their room or suite. There is one telephone and one voice mailbox in every residence hall room or suite. Students are responsible for all calls accepted or performed during the time they reside in that residence.

* Students may use their own telephone brought from home, but they are responsible for any repairs that are needed. Kenyon phone technicians do not test, repair or replace personally-owned telephones.

* Students may use their own answering machine. However, they must re-program it to answer on the second ring. Kenyon's voice mail answers on the fourth ring.

* Students may use a cell phone, calling card, credit card, an 800 number, or a collect call to call home or elsewhere.

* In case of an emergency, students should dial x5555 (Campus Safety emergency number) or 9+9+1+1 (Knox County 911 call center). The first 9 connects to an off-campus phone line in order to connect to 911.

* Students are responsible for any damage done to any telephone equipment beyond normal usage, in accordance with the College's established damage policies.

* Students should not accept collect calls unless it is an emergency. A $10.00 handling fee will be charged for every collect call accepted, in addition to the higher collect call fees.

* All student, faculty, administration and staff phone numbers are accessible through the Search capabilities of the online Kenyon Phonebook, whose homepage is found at http://www.kenyon.edu/phonebook.xml. Telephone information and instructions for using the telephone system are also available there.

* All telephone repair problems should be reported to the HelpLine at x5700. This includes problems with the phone equipment, static on the phone line, phone jacks that are broken, etc.

* Questions regarding telephones can be directed to: Bev Actis, Telecommunications Coordinator, at pbx 5703 or actisb@kenyon.edu.