Dormitory Daily Schedule

Dormitary Daily Schedule
 
The student dormitories found on the DBS campus strike a balance between encouraging our students' academic life and giving students the opportunity to experience and participate in a traditional monastic environment. Vegetarian meals are provided at the dining halls on most weekdays and there are a number of cafes and restaurants on campus for dining out. Students participate in chanting and meditation activities in the morning and some evenings on weekdays. In the spirit of cultivating generosity and service to others, a core value at FGU, Students will volunteer at times to help with cooking meals cleaning during the semester.

Fo Guang University Department of Buddhist Studies is one of the faculty among the multi-disciplinaries in the university. Therefore, DBS students are free to enroll in the courses offered by the other disciplinaries, participate in the extra-curriculum activities and enjoy university life.

Students are required to attend the scheduled practical courses every Monday to Friday. They can arrange their own programs during the weekends.

Implementation Guidelines for Communal Living and Work Practice

Department of Buddhist Studies, Fo Guang University

(Approved and revised through multiple faculty and college meetings from 2019 to 2023)

 

I. Guidelines for Kitchen Duty, Meal Service, and Shrine Duties

1. Kitchen Duty and Meal Service

1. All students in the Department of Buddhist Studies must participate in kitchen duty and meal service at least twice per week. Adjustments may be made flexibly by the dormitory advisor and confirmed at the beginning of each semester.

2. Kitchen duty reporting times:

   • Breakfast: 5:30 AM

   • Lunch: 10:30 AM

   • Dinner: 4:30 PM
     (Report to the kitchen)

3. Meal service reporting times:

   • Breakfast: 6:20 AM

   • Lunch: 11:20 AM

   • Dinner: 5:20 PM
     (Report to the dining hall)

4. Punctuality is required.

   • Late arrival: deduct 0.5 conduct points and assign two additional kitchen duties

   • Absence without reason: deduct 1 point and assign two kitchen-cleaning duties

5. If unable to attend, a substitute must be arranged in advance. If the substitute fails to appear, penalties apply to the substitute.

2. Shrine Duties (Incense and Lighting)

1. Students assigned to shrine duty must follow group assignments (ritual instruments, incense, patrol, etc.).

   • Absence or incomplete work: deduct 1 point

2. Shrine duty is performed only once per semester and cannot be substituted, except under special circumstances with approval.

II. Environmental Cleaning, Dormitory Order, and Self-Discipline

1. Cleaning and Dormitory Maintenance

1. Public area cleaning:

   • Assigned by group and rotated daily

   • Failure to clean: deduct 0.5 points

2. Dormitory cleanliness:

   • Prohibited items are not allowed

   • Random inspections conducted

   • Three failures: deduct 1 point

   • Repeated violations: handled according to university dorm regulations

2. Self-Discipline

(1) Morning and Evening Practice

• All students must attend daily chanting/practice sessions

• Absence without leave: deduct 0.5 points each time

(2) Meals

1. Failure to cancel meals or attend within 20 minutes after announcement:

   • Every 3 occurrences: deduct 1 point

   • 10 occurrences: meal privileges suspended for the semester

2. Meal cancellation must be completed before kitchen duty begins; otherwise counted as absence

3. Dress code and etiquette:

   • Neat clothing required

   • Lay students: sleeved tops, long pants or skirts

   • Monastics: proper monastic attire

   • No phone use or talking during meals

   • Violations: deduct 0.5 points

4. On Mondays and lunar days (1st and 15th), formal meal practice is required

   • Absence: deduct 1 point

(3) Practice Retreats

• Participation in Chan (Zen) or Buddha recitation retreats is required

• Late arrival: deduct 1 point per hour

• Absence from orientation: deduct 3 points

• Withdrawal without valid reason: must retake course next semester

III. Communal Living

1. Students who cannot maintain harmonious relationships or disrupt dormitory order, despite counseling, may be denied housing after review.

2. Students must resolve disputes through proper school channels. Taking legal action directly is considered a violation of communal harmony and may result in loss of housing eligibility.

3. All aspects of daily conduct (walking, standing, sitting, lying down) are part of discipline training and must reflect proper Buddhist practice.

4. Point system:

   • 15 points deducted: warning issued

   • 25 points deducted: eviction from dormitory

5. Students exceeding 15 points may apply for point reduction through corrective work, arranged by advisors (limited to once).

IV. Implementation

• These regulations take effect after approval by the departmental meeting.

Appendix I: Dormitory Violation Point System

(According to university regulations)

• Minor violations: 0.5 points

• Moderate violations: 5–10 points

• Serious violations: 15 points

• Severe violations (e.g., violence, theft, drugs): 25 points → immediate eviction

Examples include:

• Noise or arguments

• Possession of prohibited items

• Unauthorized appliance use

• Smoking in dormitory

• Property damage

• Bringing unauthorized guests

Appendix II: Point Reduction Agreement

Students who accumulate violation points may apply for corrective work to reduce points. Failure to comply or exceeding 25 points results in mandatory eviction.