Residence Life Policies

All Residence Life information, forms, and contact information can be located below.

https://www.alfred.edu/student-life/living/residence-life.cfm

Residency Requirement

Resident's Rights & Responsibilities

Guest Policy



Access to Residence halls and residence rooms by University Personnel - Residence Life, Public Safety, and Physical Plant staff make every reasonable effort to respect your privacy. There are times, however, when authorized personnel may enter your room, suite, or apartment. This occurs under the following circumstances:

  • when either you or your roommate provide permission or submit a work order
  • when there is an immediate threat, or reason to believe that there is a threat, to the health and/or safety of residents or property
  • when it is necessary to preserve campus order, security, or discipline
  • during fire drills and alarms
  • for purposes of routine maintenance repairs or inspections
  • to shut off unattended loud stereos, radios, persistently ringing alarm clocks or telephones, or other noise-producing devices, after attempting to contact you or your roommate
  • to conduct semester health and safety inspections after receiving at least 24-hour notice
  • by search warrant issued by an agency of the law

Please be advised that Residence Life staff members will lock any unsecured doors (front doors only in the suite and apartment communities) found during the room/suite/apartment entry process. Residents are expected to lock their doors at all times.

The Office of Residence Life may conduct periodic unannounced safety inspections of your room/suite or apartment to ensure that fire-safety equipment is operational and that smoke detectors have not been covered or disengaged. If you have reason to believe that your room has been entered, inspected, or searched under conditions not consistent with the above statements, contact your Resident Assistant or Resident Director.

Alarms

Activating a Fire Alarm (Malicious)

Intentionally activating a fire alarm when there is no safety emergency necessitating the alarm is a criminal offense and any student found to have done so is subject to criminal charges along with Alfred University’s disciplinary action.

Activating a Fire Alarm (Unintentional)

Some violations of policy result in the unintentional activation of the fire alarm, bringing the Alfred Fire Department. In these cases, the violation places our own community in danger as well as those community members around us who may be in serious need of emergency assistance. Therefore, in cases where a policy violation leads to the activation of a fire alarm, further sanctions will be assessed. For example, students who set off a fire alarm by smoking in their rooms will be subject not only to the smoking policy sanctions, but also to additional sanctions listed below.

Careless Cooking

All of the common area kitchens in residence halls are equipped with smoke detectors. The sensitivity of the detectors is set as low as allowed by law. However, burnt toast, unmonitored pans of oil or butter, pizza boxes in ovens, cooking in dirty ovens, or other burning food will set off the fire alarm and bring the Alfred Fire Department. It is the responsibility of the person(s) using the kitchen to ensure that the food does not burn or set off an alarm. In communal living environments, if no one takes responsibility for the alarm, each member of the house/apartment will be held responsible. The same rules apply to students using microwaves in their residence hall rooms.

Maintaining Fire Safety

Blocking of a Fire Exit and Propping Fire Doors

In the case of a fire in a campus building, timely evacuation of the building is imperative. Therefore, all members of the community must take care not to block the fire exits that make evacuation possible (i.e. hallways, entrances, and any area that leads to an outside door), or prop the fire doors that help contain a fire.

Tampering with Fire Safety Equipment

All fire safety equipment on campus is vital in the case of an emergency, and therefore tampering with fire safety equipment in any way is strictly prohibited. Tampering with fire safety equipment includes, but is not limited to: moving or removing fire extinguishers, signs, and poles; unnecessarily discharging a fire extinguisher; marking on or covering fire safety signs; or hanging anything from a sprinkler system, including all pipes and sprinkler heads. Tampering with any fire protection equipment is a criminal offense. Covering, removing, and/or damaging the heads of smoke detectors is extremely dangerous. In the event of a fire in a residence hall room, the smoke detector engages our automatic Fire Alarm System. If a fire were to break out in a room with a covered or damaged smoke detector, the fire would likely grow to an unmanageable size before it was detected.

If a smoke detector in a common area or shared room is disabled, and no one takes responsibility for the act, each member of the house/apartment will be found responsible and all occupants will be assessed the sanctions, regardless of who tampered with the smoke detector.

Available equipment varies from hall to hall. Equipment may include vacuum cleaners, games, athletic equipment, etc. To sign out equipment, a student must give their ID card to a residence hall staff member. The card is returned to the student when the equipment is returned.

At least three fire drills a year are conducted in each residence hall by the staff to make sure that the equipment is in working order and that students are familiar with evacuation procedures. When an alarm sounds, You must leave the building immediately. The New York State Fire Code requires that a building must be completely evacuated during a fire alarm because you cannot be sure there is not a fire in progress. You will be permitted to return to your room after the fire department has checked the entire building, reset the alarm system and given permission to re-enter.

Room Condition Report

A Room Condition Report (RCR) will be completed by both a residence hall staff member and each resident at the time the student moves into a room. It is the responsibility of each individual student to assist in the filling out of a RCR and to indicate certification of the accuracy of the comments by signing the form in the appropriate place. The purpose of the form is to note any defects or damages present when a student moves into a room which are not that student’s responsibility.

Each resident of the room, suite or apartment should understand that reasonable care is expected with regard to the room, suite or apartment and its furnishings, and that it is incumbent upon the resident to report any damages or losses to their Resident Assistant (RA) as they occur. At the end of the school year, or when a student vacates a particular room in the case of a room change or early departure, the RA will note any changes or damages in the room using the same criteria used at the beginning of the year. Each resident will be held responsible for any damages to the room and its furnishings; roommates will be held jointly responsible for any damages unless individual responsibility is clearly established prior to checkout. The student will again have the opportunity to review this. No charges, however, are applied until reviewed by the Resident Director.

Health Safety Inspections

Inspections of residence hall facilities are conducted on a regular basis by Residence Hall Staff to ensure compliance with all University policies and procedures and local health codes. Authorized representatives of the University will enter residence hall rooms at any time to inspect facilities or to plan or carry out repairs and maintenance. Scheduled, regular inspections throughout each semester will be announced. As indicated in the Housing & Dining Contract Terms and Conditions, the University may authorize entrance to a room without prior announcement if convinced that a clear and present danger or violation of University regulations exists.

Each student assigned to live in on-campus housing (residence halls, suites, apartments and houses) will receive a room key. This key is the property of the University and may not be duplicated, exchanged with, or given to another person. Students are expected to keep their keys with them at all times, and expected to always lock their room doors when they are not present. The room key will open the student room and main outside door of the residence hall, suite or apartment.

  • Residence Hall keys must be returned to the Office of Residence Life upon check out of any room. Failure to do so will result in a lock change for that room, and all fees for that change as described below, plus an additional $50 improper check-out fee.
  • Mail box keys must be turned in to the mail room at the Powell Campus Center at the end of each academic year and a mail forwarding card completed. Failure to return the mailbox key will result in a $10.00 charge.

Lock Outs

All lock outs will incur a $25 charge applied to the student bill. The lock out will be recorded and a receipt will be given to the student at the time of the lock out.

Lock Changes

A safe living environment is a top priority for the Office of Residence Life. The loss or theft of a key is considered a security risk because a found or stolen key gives anyone access to residence halls and individual student rooms. A lost or stolen key will always result in a lock change and is the responsibility of the student.

  • Lock changes for corridor-style halls are $70 for a single room. This is $10 for the student’s replacement key, plus an additional $50 for a core change including labor, and $10 for one additional key for the Office of Residence Life.
  • Lock changes for corridor-style halls are $80 for a double room. This is $10 for the student’s replacement key, plus an additional $50 for core change including labor, and $20 for two additional keys; one for the roommate and one for the Office of Residence Life.
  • Lock changes for suites and apartments are a flat $100 for the two or three double rooms and the front door. This is $10 for the student’s replacement key, plus an additional $90 for all core changes, additional keys for roommates, and keys for the Office of Residence Life.

Students may not paint any residence hall room.



The following items are considered fire hazards and are a violation of the Student Code of Conduct:

  • Mobiles and decorative hangings (paper or fabric)
  • Posters are permitted in student residence hall rooms as long as they are affixed to the wall and secured on all sides. Posters/pictures/papers can only cover 25% or less of walls/doors exposed, and must be hung 1' or more from the ceiling. Posters/pictures must be securely fastened to the wall but shall not be oversized or in large groupings (no collages of pictures)
  • String lights
  • Tapestries or any type of fabric suspended from ceiling or wall
  • Large amount of combustible material (paper etc.) on door into residence hall room/suite/apartment
  • Paper lanterns and/or paper lamp shades
  • Extension cords (only those over current surge protectors that are approved/provided by Residence Life are permitted)
  • Open flames of any kind
  • Halogen lamps
  • Candles and incense (whether lit or unlit)
  • Electric wax melting units, and plug-in scented oil warmers
  • Cut natural trees
  • Bottled gasses
  • Gasoline/fuel-fired engines
  • Personal Furniture (sofa/chair) that does not meet proper flame spread requirements will not be permitted in student housing
  • Hover Boards-In light of incidents nationwide regarding hover boards self-igniting and therefore becoming a serious fire hazard, as well as improper or unsafe usage thus causing serious personal injury, the use and storage of hover boards will not be permitted in the Residence Halls. A hover board is defined as any self-balancing two-wheeled board, or self-balancing electric scooter on which the rider stands. As with any prohibited item, Residence Life staff will take action in accordance with the following procedures: Items which are identified as prohibited may be removed from student rooms by Residence Life staff. Residents need not be present when the item is removed. Information regarding the property will be left with/for the student at the time it is taken.

Appliances

No electrical appliances drawing more than 800 watts or incorporating unshielded heating elements (including but not limited to hotplates, heating coils, toaster ovens, “George Foreman” type grills, toasters, electric teapots, electric heaters and air conditioners) may be used in student rooms. Cooking appliances are not permitted in residence hall rooms with the exception of a microwave or coffee maker with an automatic shut-off.

Confiscation

When items are found in student living areas that are not the students’ personal possessions, or are not permitted to be in the location in which they are found, the Residence Life staff will take action in accordance with the following procedures:

  • Removal of University Property - Furniture which is identified as University property may be removed from student rooms by residence life staff. The student(s) do not need to be present when University property is removed, although the University will notify the student(s). Information regarding the property will be left for the student at the time it is confiscated and returned to its proper location.
  • Removal of Prohibited Items - Items which are identified as prohibited may be removed from student rooms by professional residence life staff and/or public safety staff. Prohibited items may include but are not limited to: candles, incense and/or incense holders, drugs, illegal drug paraphernalia, [e.g., bongs, hookahs, etc.] weapons, alcohol containers (empty or not), kegs, taps, extension cords, unshielded heating elements (toasters, toaster ovens), etc. Firearms may not be confiscated by residence hall staff; police assistance will be requested. Residents need not be present when the item is removed. Information regarding the property will be left with/for the student at the time it is taken.

Posting & Distribution of Printed Material in Resident Halls

All printed materials (posters, invitations, etc.) that are to be posted or distributed in residence halls must be approved by the Director of Residence Life and stamped before distribution. Recognized student groups may receive approval/stamp from the Director of Student Activities.

Social Events in Resident Halls

Students who wish to hold a social event in the residence halls may do so with the prior approval of the resident director. Such approval is necessary when the numbers of guests in the room, suite, or apartment increase to such an extent that the activities in that room interfere with other resident’s rights and for fire safety concerns.

"Quiet" may be defined as being unable to hear any noise from a room, apartment or suite with a closed door. The following minimal guidelines exist for quiet ours within each residence hall:

Sunday – Thursday: 10:00 p.m. – 8:00 a.m. and Friday – Saturday: 12:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

"Courtesy Hours" are always in effect, which means that noise should not be a disturbance to others It is expected that residents comply with any reasonable request from fellow community members, residence life or public safety staff regarding courtesy hours. Note: During exam periods, continuous 24-hour quiet hours are in effect.

Residents who wish to change rooms must file a Room Transfer Request form with their Resident Director. Room changes may not occur until after the first two weeks of classes, regardless of semester. Any changes in room assignments must be requested of, and approved by, the Office of Residence Life based upon the Room Transfer Request form. Those requesting a space currently not available will be placed on a waiting list. Assignments will be made in order of the waiting list.

In compliance with State and local fire code regulations, storage is not available in the residence halls. This includes storage between academic sessions, e.g. semester, summer session, or otherwise; even for one week or a “few days.” Students must contract with local storage facilities to accommodate their storage needs.

Vending Machine Refunds

Students requesting refunds from soda and snack vending machines located in the residence halls may do so at the Powell Campus Center.

Washing Machine or Dryer Malfunctions

Malfunctions should be reported immediately to our contracted provider, Mac-Gray, Inc.: 1-800-577-8041, and to Physical Plant work order request system. Please be sure to include the building name and machine number in your voice message/email.