Rules and Guidelines for Learning Commons Users

The Learning Commons is a campus hub for student-centered learning activities.  It is NOT open to the public.  The Security Guards may require individuals entering the Learning Commons to show their university cards for identification purpose.

Inside the Learning Commons, users must exhibit respectable behavior, and must not jeopardize the rights of other users of the facility.  While interactions and group discussions are encouraged, such activities should be carried out in a manner as not to cause undue disturbance to other users.  The following is a list of Rules and Guidelines which users of the Learning Commons must observe –

Animals

Animals and pets, except service animals assisting disabled persons, are not allowed in the Learning Commons.
 

Bad weather arrangement

When Typhoon Warning Signal No. 8 or above is hoisted, Chi Wah Learning Commons (including the 24-hour zone) will be close. All users should leave immediately.

When Black Rainstorm Warning Signal is in force, Chi Wah Learning Commons (including the 24-hour zone) will remain open. Users are recommended to stay in the safe location.

Cell phone

Please set cell phones, pagers, and other electronic devices to silent or vibrate mode in areas designated as Quiet Zone.  Keep your voice down when using cell phones.
 
Children
 
Children under the age of 17 other than HKU students must be accompanied by and under the supervision of an adult at all times, adults are responsible for the behavior of accompanying children.
 
Closing time
 
Users are expected to cooperate with staff on duty and leave the Learning Commons when closing time is announced.
 

Clothing

Users must wear appropriate attire at all times when inside the Learning Commons.
 
Control of Study Spaces Hogging
Hogging space with personal or any other belongings is not permitted.
 
All users must not bring in any personal belongings which exceed 56cm x 36cm x 23 cm (22” x 14” x 9”) in size
 
Personal items left unattended for 30 minutes or longer may be removed by Security Officers as Lost and Found items to make the occupied space available to others.

Learning Commons staff regularly check unattended belongings and will report unattended personal items to Security Officers for removal.

Students found to be hogging spaces and blocking them for use by others risk losing their rights of access to the Learning Commons.

Food and Beverages

Please help us to achieve the goals of preservation, cleanliness and safety by observing the following policies:

Drinks

 
Alcoholic beverages must not be brought into the Learning Commons.
 
Drinks in spill-proof/sealable containers are recommended in the Learning Commons.

Please keep drinks away from electronic sockets and equipment to prevent damage.

 
Food
 
Allowed
Dry snack-size food items are allowed at the designated area
 
Not Allowed

Hot food, fast food and meals are not allowed anywhere inside Learning Commons

Learning Commons staff reserves the right to determine which food items and drinks are acceptable, and will respond to any complaints from other users.

We ask all Users of the Learning Commons to be considerate of others and to help us keep it clean.  Food residue also attracts insects and rodents. Please take your trash with you when leaving Learning Commons.

 
Gambling
Gambling is strictly prohibited at all times in the Learning Commons.

Lost and Found

Lost and Found items at the learning commons of ITS are handled by the service counters of learning commons in coordinate with the University’s Security Office.
 
Personal Property
 
Users are responsible for their personal property at all times and should never leave personal belongings unattended. Thefts of laptops, purses, phones, backpacks, jackets, etc. may occur.
 
Users are held responsible for any loss or damage of personal belongings
 
(See notes regarding the control of study spaces hogging)
Posters
 
Posting of posters inside the Learning Commons is strictly forbidden unless prior approval has been given by management of the Learning Commons.

Quick Access Corner

The Quick Access Corner consists of a number of PCs which can only be used for a short amount of time (20 minutes and 1 hour) this is to ensure that PCs are continuously available to students during busy periods.  Multiple “Log-ins” from the same account to use the PCs for longer are not allowed.
Quiet Zones and Quiet Study Rooms
Please be quiet, and turn your mobile phones into silent or vibrate mode, in areas designated as Quiet Zone.
 
Talking and telephone use is not allowed in the Quiet Study Rooms.
Smoking
Smoking is prohibited in the University campus.

Soliciting

In order to respect the privacy, security and comfort of all Learning Commons users, soliciting is not permitted unless prior approval from Learning Commons management has been obtained. This applies to requesting of money, services, favors, goods, opinions and signatures; petitioning; interviewing; and selling of any products or services.
 

Study Rooms

Study rooms are for academic purposes, such as group works, of groups of three (3) or more.  Prior booking is necessary to secure the use of the rooms.

Details of the study rooms:
Please click here.

Room-booking link here

Each person can book up to 4 sessions per day. Duration for each session is 30 minutes. All current staff and students are eligible to book a study room.
 
User should check in on-site within the first 15 minutes of the first session. This will activate all consecutive sessions of the room under booking(s) by the users. Session(s) not activated within the first 15 minutes will be released for reservation by other user.

Safety

Evacuation Procedures
When you hear a fire alarm or voice announcement, or notice flashing of ceiling/wall mounted red lights, follow the following –
  • Stop what you are doing immediately.
  • Leave the Learning Commons building quickly and calmly by the nearest emergency exit.
  • Do not use the lift.
  • Stay away from the building, and do not re-enter the building until the “all-clear” has been announced.
Users with Disabilities
 

If you believe you would have difficulty using the stairs in case of a fire or other emergency, please make yourself known to the staff at the Service Counters (during office hours) or security guards (after office hours) when you enter the Learning Commons. The duty staff will keep a record of your presence in the Learning Commons. Please notify the duty staff when you leave.

First Aid
If there is an accident in the Learning Commons, report the case to the patrolling security guards or the duty staff at the Service Counters immediately, or call 3917 2882 (24-hour hotline of the Security Office) or 999 (Police emergence call centre) as appropriate.
 
Use of IT facilities
The policies and guidelines governing the use of IT facilities are at https://its.hku.hk/policies-and-guidelines/.

Visitors

Visitors access is temporary suspended

Individual visitors to the Learning Commons must be accompanied by a staff or a student of the University.

Visits by groups of more than THREE must be arranged at least one working day in advance with duty staff at the Service Counters.

Unaccompanied visitors will not be given access to the Learning Commons.

Communal PCsAll communal PCs in Learning Commons will be automatically logged off after idling for 30 minutes and all files saved in the PC will be DELETED after 24 hours.
Performing, playing or showing of copyright worksUnder the Hong Kong Copyright Ordinance (Cap. 528 s. 43),performing, playing or showing copyright works is allowed if it is before an audience consisting wholly or mainly of teachers and pupils at an educational establishment, parents or guardians of pupils at the establishment, and other persons directly connected with the activities of the establishment for the purposes of giving or receiving instruction.  The performing, playing or showing of a sound recording, film, broadcast or cable programme in public or for other purposes may require further licensing and permission from the copyright owner or licensing bodies to avoid copyright infringement. Consult the Copyright Licensing Bodies Registry maintained by the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department.