Department of Residence Life and Civic Engagement Policies

Group living offers a significant contribution to the total educational development of each student. Harmonious living, broadened horizons and increased human understanding are all desired goals of the residence experience. The residence hall program seeks to develop an atmosphere that stimulates growth, encourages individual responsibility in decision-making and provides for acceptance of others as persons of worth. Developing good citizenship, learning and accepting the meaning of responsibility and recognizing the rights of others are goals of residence living. It is important to note that the Department of Residence Life holds a resident's right to sleep and study as the most important consideration when addressing policy violations and conflicts.

Definitions:

Residence Hall: any on-campus structure where Susquehanna students are assigned to live (this includes apartments, University Avenue houses, townhouses and suites.)

Common Area: any area that is not a student’s personal residence hall room (this includes hallways, bathrooms, stairwells, lounges and kitchens/kitchenettes)  

General Provision for Student Occupancy

1. Residency Requirement
   1. It is the policy of Susquehanna University to offer full, equal and non-discriminatory assistance to all students without regard to their race, color, religion, nationality, gender and sexual orientation in both placement in university housing and in the furnishing of facilities and services in connection with that housing.
   2. All full-time undergraduate students are required to live in university housing except those who are: a) commuting from the homes of their parents or guardians; or b) married and residing with spouse and/or children; or c) over 23 years of age. Under certain conditions, the Director of Residence Life may grant requests for special permission to live off-campus.
   3. All campus housing includes room and board. Liberty Alley residents are not automatically given a board plan but my purchase one by visiting the business office.
   4. The university reserves the right to enforce any restrictions or regulations necessary for the general welfare of residents and/or the maintenance of its property.
      
2. Period of Occupancy
   1. Students may not move into the residence halls prior to their opening on the Sunday before classes begin each semester. Students may request permission to move-in early by visiting the Residence Life Web site. Permission is granted on a limited basis.
   2. The residence halls close for fall, Thanksgiving, winter, spring and Easter breaks as well as for the summer. Students are expected to vacate the halls by the appointed closing time and return no earlier than the official reopening. In addition, at the end of each semester, students are expected to leave within 24 hours of their last final exam unless their last exam occurs on the last day of finals. In this case, they must leave by the time the halls close. Extensions on assignments given by professors do not imply that a student may continue to live on campus during a break. The student is still responsible for making a formal request according to the request policies and deadlines.
   3. The university reserves the right to close all residence halls during stated vacation periods. Personal belongings may remain in student rooms during the academic year vacation periods. The university, however, cannot be held liable directly or indirectly for loss of, or damage to, the personal property of individuals. All personal items must be removed from university premises at the end of a student's occupancy of a room. The university does not provide storage for personal belongings.
      
3. Termination of Contract
   1. As stated above, enrollment at Susquehanna University implies a binding room and board contract. Termination of the room and/or board contract may be permitted for the following reasons: change of residence status to commuter or married student; absence from campus because of an internship or student teaching; semester-long study away program; a leave of absence; withdrawal from the university; completion of a degree program. When overcrowded conditions exist in the residence system, permission to terminate this contract may be granted by special approval provided that such release would not create a permanent vacancy.
   2. Termination of the contract as stated above will cancel charges for the remaining semesters of the contract. No refund will be granted for partial semester occupancy.
   3. Termination of the Board Contract is permitted only for medical reasons. The student must provide a complete outlined diet to the Director of Food Service who will then make a recommendation to the Director of Residence Life. The Director will make a final decision.
   4. The university reserves the right to void a housing contract in the event a student's course load falls below the full-time credit requirement.
   5. Any student is subject to dismissal from the university and/or the residence halls for misconduct or violation of university regulations. The university reserves the right to terminate the housing contract and take possession of a room whenever the violation of regulations warrants such termination or whenever the room is vacated or the connection of the student with the university is terminated. Where the termination of a lease results from disciplinary action no refund is allowable. The university also reserves the right to reassign the occupants or terminate the lease when in the university's judgment it is in the best interest of the residence system.
      
4. Residence Life Staff and Policies
   The Director of Residence Life and his or her professional staff and paraprofessional staff members supervise residential living. These staff members serve the residents as resource persons, seeking to establish an atmosphere conducive to learning. They are available to assist students with their social, personal or academic concerns. They are responsible for enforcing university regulations and are authorized to refer offenders for disciplinary action. In addition to the general rules and regulations outlined in the Code of Student Conduct, specific policies governing resident students are listed below. Students, as tenants, are entitled to reasonable privacy in university residence rooms.
   
5. Entrance to Student Rooms
   1. Inspections and Maintenance Visits: The university makes periodic inspections of, and maintenance visits to, all university residence hall rooms for reasons of health, safety and maintenance. The university reserves the right to enter rooms at any time for the purpose of making these inspections and maintenance visits.
   2. Searches and Seizure: A room may be searched and items seized if there is reasonable cause to believe that a student(s) is using his or her room for a purpose in violation of federal, state or local law or of university regulations. The Dean of Students or a designee must authorize all room searches, except those conducted by law enforcement officers. University officials shall give the student(s) involved the opportunity to be present during the search unless the student(s) is unavailable. The student(s) involved will be informed of the purpose of the search and whether any material is found to be in violation of federal, state or local laws and/or university regulation, or both.
   3. Emergencies: Rooms may be entered without authorization in the event of an emergency, i.e., a situation in which a person's health or well being is threatened and/or personal or university property is thought to be in immediate danger.
      
6. Room Assignments and Changes
   The Director of Residence Life or a designee is responsible for making room assignments in residence halls and determining the occupancy of any room.
   Students residing in university residencies are not permitted to move to an off-campus location, facilitate a room change to another building or within the same building or in any other way change their domicile without prior permission from the Director of Residence Life. Students shall not take roommates other than those assigned or approved by the Director of Residence Life. If during the academic year the Director of Residence Life approves a room change, a key exchange will be made at the Residence Life Office. Students who change rooms without permission will be subject to a fine and/or judicial action, and may be required to return to their original room assignment.
   
   The university reserves the right to assign another student to a partial vacancy or to require a student to move from a partial vacancy to another room.
   In order to accommodate all students applying for space, it may be necessary to assign students to temporary accommodations. Withdrawals and cancellations will permit these students to be transferred to permanent rooms. When vacancies in permanent rooms occur, temporary spaces must be vacated, upon request of the
   
   Department of Residence Life.
   This contract is personal and may not be transferred or assigned to another person. Space may not be sold, loaned or sublet.
   
7. Damage
   By virtue of living in a residence hall, each resident is a member of a community. Along with that membership comes many responsibilities. It is expected that residents will treat the physical space in which they live with respect, doing no intentional harm to university property and reporting harmful acts of others. In keeping with this philosophy, residents are held responsible for damage to residence halls in excess of “fair wear and tear.” To provide maximum equity the following procedure is followed:
   1. Initial Room Check: At the beginning of each school year, both the Facilities Management staff and the Resident Assistants complete an inventory of each residence hall room. This is to ensure that each room is clean, that all items in the room are functioning properly and that all necessary furniture is present. Residents are then responsible for verifying the good condition of their room upon arrival. If an item is not in good condition, the resident must contact a RA and ask that a work order be filed with Facilities Management. If the condition is not rectified, the resident may be charged for the cost of repair upon vacating the room.
   2. Closing Room Check: The Office of Facilities Management will make a closing room check at the end of the academic year. Any damage to walls, woodwork, furniture, floors, window treatment, windows and screens, etc., not reported at the time of original occupancy will be corrected and the cost will be charged to resident(s) of the room. Rooms are to be left in the original condition, with trash disposed of and floors swept.
   3. Community Damage: Cost of damage done to common areas will be assessed to all residents of the area or living unit in question, should the responsible party or parties be unknown. This is in keeping with the philosophy that residents are members of a community and therefore should make an effort to police activity within that area. If a resident witnesses another student damaging university property, it behooves the resident to report the incident so the responsible party bears the cost of the damage rather than the community members.
      
8. Maintenance of Student Rooms
   1. The Office of Facilities Management is responsible for completing maintenance in all university premises. Students should contact a RA, a Head Resident or the Department of Residence Life to report maintenance needs. A work order will then be sent to Facilities Management.
   2. Residents are expected to also participate in the maintenance of the residence halls. Broken or malfunctioning items within student rooms should be reported immediately so they can be fixed. In the event that a report is made but the condition persists, residents are expected to notify the Department of Residence Life until the situation is rectified or information is received indicating that the problem cannot be fixed.
   3. Periodically, the Office of Facilities Management or Health Center may require that students complete a task or alter their routine in order to aid in the accomplishment of a maintenance procedure. For instance, students may be asked to move certain items of furniture in their rooms so that filters can be replaced or use an alternative door to the residence hall while a lock is being changed. Students are required to comply with these requests in the same manner as any official request from a university official.

On-Campus Housing Policies

1. Bicycles:
   Storage of bicycles is not permitted inside a residence hall except in sanctioned bicycle storage areas located in some buildings. Please see the Department of Residence Life to obtain a list of storage rooms and a key to access the storage room closest to your residence hall. Students must remove bicycles from campus at the end of academic terms in which they are enrolled as a student. When returning a room key, the storage room key must also be returned to the Department of Residence Life. The university reserves the right to remove any bicycle in violation of this policy and will bill and/or fine the owner for the cost of the labor involved.
   
2. Cleanliness:
   Residential spaces must be kept in a clean and orderly condition at all times. Custodial service is provided for all common areas only. Cleaning of student rooms is the responsibility of the individual occupants. Cleaning supplies and tools must be supplied by the student. Custodial services may determine a common area to be unclean; they have the right to remove and discard of personal items left in common areas at any time. This includes personal items that are left in bathrooms; personal items should be stored in a resident’s personal residence hall room at all times. Because of communal living, if it comes to the attention of a university official that a residence hall room poses a health or safety risk, the resident(s) of the room may be asked to rectify the situation as instructed.
   
3. Laundry Facilities:
   Laundry units consisting of a washer/drier set are available to students based on the number of occupants in a residence hall/residential area (with exception to the Avenue Houses and Liberty Alley apartments). Damage to units will be charged to the residents of the residence hall or residential area should the responsible party or parties be unknown. Students are expected to remove clothing from machines at the completion of a laundry cycle and use the machines in the purpose for which they were intended.
   
4. Room Furnishings:
   Room furnishings (i.e. beds, mattresses, chairs, desks, screens, closet doors) may not be removed from the room or dismantled or altered in any way. Beds placed on desks, radiators, windowsills, etc., constitute a safety violation. Beds may be raised no more than 12 inches off the ground. Cinder blocks (lying horizontally) or store-bought risers are permitted; however, if at any time a university official deems a riser unsafe, the student must remove it. Self-constructed lofts are prohibited. If students provide their own window covering, they must do so without damaging or altering the room. Susquehanna's in-window shades or pull blinds must remain in the window and be shut during breaks.
   
5. Electrical Appliances:
   Reflecting fire safety and electrical concerns, residents are limited in the use of electric appliances and cooking devices.
   
   1. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, air-conditioners, microwave ovens, portable heating units of any kind (unless provided by Facilities Management) and refrigerators over 5 cubic feet.
      
   2. Some kitchen appliances, including hot plates, toasters, coffee machines, hot plates, electric frying pans, broilers and griddles, may be stored and used in kitchens / kitchenette areas of residence halls at the owners own risk. Kitchen appliances may not be stored or used in residence hall rooms. Appliances should be unplugged and restored immediately after use.
      
6. Keys:
   Each student receives a key to his or her room and a key to the exterior door of the residence hall in the case of halls that are not outfitted with an electronic locking mechanism. Students must sign for keys, which are issued by a Residence Life Staff member. Upon termination of residency, the keys must be returned and a staff member must acknowledge its return. Lost, stolen or missing keys must be reported to the Department of Residence Life within 24 hours of the student becoming aware of the loss. Students who lose or do not return a room key, exterior door key or bike key will be charged for changing of locks and replacements of new keys. Keys issued by the university may not be duplicated in any fashion. Copying keys will results in judicial action. Students may not loan a key assigned to them to any other person. Students are always responsible for the key(s) they are assigned.
   
7. Noise Level:
   Students are expected to respect the right of others to live, study and sleep in a quiet environment at all times. Therefore, residents are expected to use discretion where noise is concerned.
   
   1. Quiet Hours: Noise should not be heard from one door away. Please note that Quiet Hours may be extended during midterm and final exams and any other time as determined by a university official.  Quiet hours occur from:                           
      10 p.m. – 8 a.m. Sunday through Thursday                        
      Midnight – 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday   
   2. Courtesy Hours: Noise should not be heard from three doors away. Courtesy hours are in affect 24 hours a day
   3. Excessive Noise: any noise deemed disruptive to the ability to sleep and study by other students.
      
      Excessive noise is prohibited at all times. Radios and stereos should be kept on low volume at all times. Residents reserve the right to politely enforce courtesy hours with one another in an entire residence hall.  Stereo speakers may not be placed on windowsills and/or directed outside.
      
8. Activities:
   For reasons of safety and maintaining courtesy hours within the residence halls, sports and other related activities are not permitted to be played anywhere within any residence hall (this includes personal residence hall rooms). This includes but is not limited to hockey, skateboarding, soccer, frisbee throwing, water fights, snowball fights, bouncing balls, running, weight lifting and the use of other exercise equipment.
   
9. Animals:
   Animals (with the exception of small, non-carnivorous fish in 20 gallon or less tank and service dogs) are not allowed in campus buildings. Students and visitors to campus with animals on university premises must have them leashed and under control at all times and may not enter any campus building, including residence halls.
   
10. Personal Property:
    Students are responsible for the care and safety of their own personal property. The university cannot be held liable directly or indirectly for loss of, or damage to, the personal property of individuals. Students are urged to confirm whether their personal property is covered under their parents' or guardians homeowners' insurance policy and to make arrangements for additional insurance coverage if necessary.
    
11. Decoration Policy:
    Students may personalize their residence hall room but may not make structural changes to the areas. Restrictions include
    
    1. No part of the room, suite or house may be painted. Borders and/or wallpaper are also prohibited.
    2. Standing any kind of object or container on outside windows, ledges, porches or roofs is prohibited. No alcohol containers or related items may be displayed in/on windowsills.
    3. Empty alcohol bottles / cans and paraphernalia are not permitted in rooms where an occupant is under 21. (i.e. Empty alcohol bottles as vases, filled with fluorescent fluid, alcohol boxes hung on walls, etc.)
    4. Dartboards and bars are not permitted in residence hall rooms or university-owned houses.
       
12. Fire Safety Restrictions:
    
    1. No fabric may be hung from ceilings or draped on walls or over doorways.
    2. Halogen lamps are prohibited.
    3. Miniature decoration lights (i.e. Christmas lights, novelty lights) cannot be attached to room fixtures using metal fasteners (white adhesive putty is recommended) or used in any other manner contrary to manufacturers' recommendations.
    4. All candles (new or burnt wick), open flames and the burning of incense are prohibited and will result in the confiscation and/or disposal of the item in question.
    5. Placement of furniture cannot block easy exit from the room.
    6. The possession or use of fireworks on university premises is prohibited. Fireworks are defined as any substance prepared for the purpose of producing a visible or audible effect by combustion, explosion or detonation.
       
13. Guests:
    A roommate must be consulted and give consent prior to inviting a guest to stay overnight in the residence hall. The rights of a student to privacy, quiet, etc. are paramount and take precedence over the desire of a roommate to have visitors or guests in the room. An individual may be an overnight guest in a residence hall for a maximum of two nights in any given two-week period. A person may not be an overnight guest of more than one resident per two-week period. In addition, a host may not have more than one guest in a two-week period.
    
14. Visitor’s Policy:
    
    Individuals who will be staying with a current Susquehanna University student as an overnight guest must carry a Visitor’s Pass on their person during the entirety of their stay on Susquehanna’s campus.
    
    Visitor’s Passes must be obtained in the Public Safety Office (open 24 hours a day: (570) 372 – 4444, or ext: 4444 from any campus phone) in the Degenstein Campus Center. A pass must be obtained upon arriving to campus.
    
    Visitors must provide the following information:
    
    • A cell phone number
    • The name of the Susquehanna University student host and his or her cell phone number
    • The building and room number of the host’s on-campus residence
    • A name of an emergency contact and his or her number (i.e. parent or legal guardian)
    • The reason for the visit (this should include the particular department who invited the guest to campus - i.e. field hockey recruit, prospective student from
    • Admissions, Music Department recruit, etc.)
    • The name of the Coordinating Administrator and his or her contact number (if the guest is a prospective student)
      The dates of the visit.
      
      Guests may also be asked to provide this information to the administrator responsible for coordinating their visit. If a Visitor’s Pass is given to a guest by a Coordinating Administrator, the guest does not need to go to Public Safety to obtain a pass.
      
      Guests are obligated to spend the night in their host’s residence hall room unless previously instructed by an administrator or coach.
      
      Hosts (Susquehanna University students) are responsible for the conduct of their guests on or in university premises and at functions sponsored by the university or any student organization. Hosts may be held responsible for their guest’s behavior. All guests are subject to university regulations.
      
      Should a guest be found without his or her Visitor’s Pass or violating university policy, he or she  may be arrested by the Selinsgrove Borough Police for trespassing or asked to leave campus.
      
      Last Revised August 13, 2008
      
15. Avenue Housing Standards:
    
    Living in a University Avenue house is considered a privilege.  Residents of the Avenue enjoy a much higher degree of autonomy, the use of family-style kitchens, more private restrooms and access to yards and porches.
    
    Because the houses were originally built as single-family homes, great care must be taken to ensure they remain in good condition. The responsibility for maintaining the houses, a process that can be considered stewardship, lies both with the university and the students that occupy the houses.  Furthermore, while University Avenue is a part of our campus, it is also a well-traveled street within the community of Selinsgrove.  Thus, it is important that this area be well-kept for the sake of our neighbors and the impression the university makes within the borough.
    
    To this end, the purpose of the Avenue Housing Standards document is to clearly outline and define expectations for residents of University Avenue houses and to promote consistency within those facilities.  These policies are in addition to those found in the Code of Student Conduct and any other policy document relating to student housing on campus. 
    
    
16. Group Housing Standards:
    
    Group housing includes housing that is designed to house three or more individuals in a suite, apartment or townhouse.
    Any violation of the standards will result in action taken by the staff of Student Life and/or Facilities Management, with any applicable notice being directed to the organization and/or individuals that inhabit the space in question.  This may include, but is not limited to, documentation for violation of university policy, assessment of fines or cleaning/disposal fees and loss of the privilege of living in the space. 
    
    Notice of violations may come from the Department of Residence Life (including resident assistants), the Office of Facilities Management (including housekeeping staff) or the Department of Public Safety. 
    
    This is considered to be a living document and therefore, may be added to or augmented at any time when conditions warrant it.
    1. Bathrooms:
       1. The existing campus policy for bathrooms will be enforced. This means NO storage of personal items/toiletries will be allowed in the bathrooms, unless there is an existing/purposeful cabinet or shelf provided.
       2. Items left in other locations, especially those impeding proper cleaning, will be discarded without notice. Other areas include, but are not limited to, the tops/counters of vanities, in showers/tubs, added hooks/racks, etc.
    2. Billings/Damages:
       1. Bedroom damages will be billed to the individual resident(s) of that room.
       2. Common area damages will be billed to all building residents.
       3. From there, it is the responsibility of the house residents to reconcile damages that were caused by other members of their organization.  Non-residents must come forward and report responsibility to the Department of Residence Life in order to have the charges removed from the accounts of the residents.  This must be done before the end of each semester when the billings are posted to student accounts.  If the person responsible does not come forward before the billing, he or she will need to privately reimburse the house residents for the amount that was billed to their accounts.
    3. Furniture:
       1. Bedroom furniture will be provided by the university.
       2. Common area furniture will be provided by SU.  Additional furniture (two chairs or one couch) can be self-provided as long as it meets fire and safety inspection standards.  At any time, university staff may deem the amount of furniture excessive and officially request that items be removed.
       3. All personal items, including furniture must be removed from the space at the end of the spring semester.
    4. General Condition:
       1. It is expected that all areas of Avenue houses, both interior and exterior, will be maintained in a clean, orderly fashion.  If, at any time, a house is found to be in violation of this, the residents may receive an official request to rectify the situation.  Failure to comply with the request will be considered a violation of university policy.
    5. Kitchenettes:
       1. A refrigerator, microwave and sink may be provided by the university.
       2. Any other small appliances must be provided by the residents and removed at the end of the academic year.  The university may choose to limit the number of self-provided appliances at any time.
          
17. Smoking:
    All campus buildings (including residence halls) are completely smoke-free. Those who smoke outside of campus buildings are asked to stay more than 50 feet from an entrance or window and are asked to use the ashtrays that are located outside building entrances for the disposal of cigarettes and cigars.
    
18. Solicitation/Fundraising:
    The solicitation of sales, services, memberships or gifts on campus, including residence halls, without the permission of the Director of Residence Life or a designee is prohibited. No fundraising activity may involve the solicitation/completion of a credit card application.
    
19. Unauthorized Entry or Use of Facilities:
    No student, group of students or student organization shall make or attempt to make unauthorized use of any university building, office, property or other facility. Upon appropriate notice by university officials, authorization for the use of university facilities and premises may be withdrawn or otherwise restricted. Examples include, but are not limited to: being on top of buildings (including Greek houses and residence halls); entrance or use of University Avenue house attics, basements and second floor porches; having lobby/lounge furniture in personal residence rooms. Throwing anything from windows or doorways of university facilities is prohibited. Pets are not allowed in campus buildings. Visitors with pets on university grounds must have them leashed and under control at all times. Also see part b, section 8 under Office of Campus Activities.
    
20. Fire Safety:
    Fire extinguishers, fire alarm systems and other fire prevention and protection equipment are provided in university buildings as a safeguard for lives and property. Tampering with fire bells, alarms, extinguishers, hoses, exit signs, instruction signs, sprinkler systems and the rendering of a false alarm are all prohibited. Individuals are required to vacate a building when a fire alarm sounds or when asked to do so by university officials.
    
    The Department of Public Safety conducts regular fire drills in the residence halls. Students receive instructions for their specific living unit at the beginning of the academic year.
    
21. Sanitation:
    Failure to maintain a student or student organization's facilities or property or surrounding property so as to prevent a potential danger to the health and safety of members of the university community is prohibited.
    
22. Student Identification:
    Students are required to carry their Susquehanna identification card and upon request of authorized university personnel, including Residence Life staff, library staff, dining hall staff and Public Safety staff, students must present their I.D. cards. Students may not forge, alter or loan their ID to others.