Office of Residence Life : Policies and Procedures

All residential communities at The University of Toledo are based on the understanding that every student has both rights and responsibilities. It is the student’s responsibility to respect the rights of all community members regardless of backgrounds, beliefs, values, or attitudes.

The University of Toledo expects all students living in or visiting University housing to follow all policies and procedures.

RIGHTS

To read, sleep, and study in an environment free from undue interference, unreasonable noise, and other distractions.

To reside in a safe and clean environment; to host guests with the expectation that these guests will respect the rights of roommates/suitemates, fellow residents and other members of the UT community.

To discuss grievances with a residence hall staff member, who can assist in addressing the concern.

To be free from fear or intimidation and physical and/or emotional harm.

To expect that the personal belongings of all will be respected.

To expect that these rights will be respected by all community members.

RESPONSIBILITIES

To treat others with respect and consideration and to guarantee them their individual rights.

To verbally express views to others, should these personal rights be violated.

To respond to all reasonable requests made by fellow community members.

To respond to and cooperate with residence life staff members.

To take responsibility for personal and community safety.

To take responsibility for guests and their behavior

To be aware of and abide by The University of Toledo policies and procedures and the laws of the State of Ohio.

Community Living Expectations

DRUGS & ALCOHOL REGULATIONS

DRUGS & PARAPHERNALIA

The use possession, and/or intent to sell, transport, deliver, distribute, exchange or manufacture illegal drugs or being under the influence of narcotics or dangerous drugs, except those permitted by law and under medical supervision, is prohibited and strictly enforced. The person to whom the drugs are prescribed must use all prescribed drugs appropriately. 

All drug paraphernalia, including but not limited to bongs, pipes, roach clips, rolling paper, etc., is prohibited.

Students found to be in violation of this policy will be required to attend and pay for a drug awareness program and/or intense drug treatment (cost to be determined by the program). In addition violators are subject to termination of their housing contract.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES

Federal law mandates that you must be 21 years of age or older to possess or consume alcoholic beverages.  Below are specific residence hall/apartment policies concerning alcohol use?

• Residents, 21 years of age or older are permitted to consume alcohol in rooms/suites with the door closed.
• If a room/suite is shared by residents who are over and under 21 years of age, it must be clear the alcohol is being consumed only by those who are 21 years of age or older. All the alcohol containers must be labeled with the name(s) of the resident(s) who is 21 years of age or older. It is not enough if the label is written on the box, each bottle/can must be labeled.
• No alcohol is permitted in the room/suite where all residents are less than 21 years of age.
• Open containers of alcohol are not permitted outside student’s room/suite in public areas such as hallways, lounges, and University/residence hall grounds.
• Residents, 21 years of age or older, living in the east wing of the International House are permitted to store alcohol in the apartment/suite refrigerator.  However, if any resident of that suite/apartment is under 21 years of age, the alcohol kept in the common refrigerator should be clearly labeled as belonging to the resident who is 21 years of age or older.
• Kegs, beer bongs, party balls, wine boxes and/or large alcoholic containers of any size are prohibited.
• Residents who are found intoxicated on University grounds are in violation of the alcohol policy.
• Intoxication is not an acceptable excuse for misconduct or for infringement upon the rights of others.

A resident in violation of the alcohol policy is subject to attendance at an alcohol education program and associated program costs.

All violations may subject the student to parental notification, alcohol assessment, attendance at an educational awareness program, and/or an intensive alcohol treatment with all associated program costs, and termination of their residence hall contract. At the first offense, the parental notification will occur for residents under 21 years of age found with alcohol, intoxicated or transported to the hospital for alcohol poisoning.

ALCOHOL & SUBSTANCE-FREE FLOORS

• Academic House – Fifth floor
• Carter Hall East — Fifth floor — and Carter Hall West — Fifth floor
• The Crossings – Wings 51 and 53
• International House — Second floor east wing
• Ottawa House West — 1200 wing
• Parks Tower – Third and 16th floors (Note that the other floors are alcohol-free only)

No resident or their guest(s), regardless of age, is permitted to consume or possess alcohol and/or substances in their room or within the building of designated Alcohol and Substance Free floors or Alcohol free buildings.  Empty alcohol containers (cans and bottles) as well as alcohol posters or neon lights are prohibited in Parks Tower and all alcohol and substance-free floors.

DAMAGE, DISTURBANCE AND DISTRESS

Individual or group activities that may result in a disturbance or distress to others, or that cause damage or destruction to self or property, are prohibited.  If there is damage to your room or the furniture that was not noted on your Room Condition Checklist, you will be responsible for the damage and get billed for it, unless you can prove otherwise. Additional cleaning and damage charges may be assessed after checkout.

Every effort will be made to identify and charge the individual(s) responsible for damage, disturbance and/or distress. When loss of or deliberate, malicious, or accidental damage to property in common areas occur, and the responsible party can not be identified, the residents of a unit, floor, or wing may become collectively responsible for restoration costs.

Examples of behavior covered by this policy include, but are not limited to noise, damage to building, laundry equipment, or furniture, engaging in sports in the hallway including using water guns and having water fights, smoking, graffiti, and publicly spoken or displayed materials that are pornographic, obscene, sexist, racist, homophobic, etc.

ROOM CHANGES 

Residents may change rooms only after approval by a Hall Director. Room changes may be requested from the third week through the sixth week of each semester. Requests are granted on a first come first serve basis and subject to space availability. Room changes must be completed within forty-eight hours of receiving permission to move. Residents must complete the necessary paperwork at both information desks. Unauthorized room changes may result in a $30 fine.

CHECK OUTS

When checking out of your room, you must make an appointment with your RA to complete the check out process which includes returning your room/suite key, checking the room for damages and cleanliness, completing the room condition checklist and signing all necessary paperwork.  Failure to follow this process may result in a $25 improper checkout fee, plus cleaning costs and a minimum charge of $125 per lock change if the key(s) is not returned at check out.

• Room and meal plan refunds, if applicable, will be credited to your student account when your room checkout paperwork has been processed.
• All furniture must be left in its original place, the room must be cleaned and all of your belongings removed before the RA comes to complete the checkout.
• Checkout at the end of the semester - you must leave the residence hall within 24 hours after your last final exam or by 8:00 p.m. Friday of exam week, whichever comes first, unless you get permission from your Hall Director.

REMAINING OCCUPANTS OF A ROOM

When vacancies exist, the University reserves the right to assign new occupants to fill those vacancies. In order to accommodate a new roommate, the resident of a partially filled double room is required to keep clear and make one set of furniture available for use and to keep the rest of the room clear and ready for occupancy.

In a partially filled room or suite, the Office of Residence Life may do the following:

1. Allow the resident to find a suitable roommate to fill the vacancy
2. Assign a new resident to fill the vacancy without prior consultation of the current resident
3. Allow the existing resident to pay the appropriate rate to buy out the double room as a single room only throughout the current contract period
4. Reassign the remaining occupant(s)

When a new roommate or suitemate is assigned, the current occupant(s) is expected to treat the new resident with respect as outlined in the Resident’s Rights and Responsibilities.

Failure to respect the new resident’s rights and responsibilities by any current occupant of a room is considered a policy violation and subject to judicial referral.

FURNITURE & DECOR

LOFTS/BED

All residence halls have loftable furniture except Parks Tower (only lofts rented from Residence Life are permitted).

PAINTING 

Students are not permitted to paint their rooms (walls, ceilings, floors etc.). Painting requests are to be directed through the front desk to the Residence Hall Operations Manager who will evaluate the condition of the walls. Painting will not be authorized just to change the color. Guidelines for painting hallway murals are available through the Residence hall director. 

NAILS, TACKS, TAPE & ADHESIVE

Nails, tacks, or other materials should not penetrate walls, ceilings, doors, or other room surfaces. Tape, glow-in-the-dark pieces and other adhesives must be completely removed from all surfaces at the time of checkout.

DECORATIONS

Live trees, non-UL approved electric lights, and decorations that may be fire hazards are not permitted in rooms, hallways, or windows. Decorations depicting drugs, alcohol and pornographic related materials are not to be displayed in windows or on the outside of room/suite doors. Decorations are restricted to bulletin boards and the interior surface of the room/suite doors, and must be removed prior to the end of the semester. Streamers, tape and decorations must be removed immediately after an approved function. Smoke machines should not be used inside the residence hall.

VANDALISM

Vandalism is defined as intentionally, recklessly or negligently causing damage to the property of the University or of an individual. Residents will be held responsible for vandalism caused by themselves or their guests. Sanctions include restitution for the repair cost and may include additional judicial sanctions.

PUBLIC & COMMON AREAS

Students are responsible for the proper care and use of community property and the facilities. Building/floor residents will collectively share financial responsibility for damage in public areas resulting from inappropriate behavior when persons responsible for the damage are known to be building/floor residents, but not identified.   

University furniture in public/common areas is to remain in its designated location. Only authorized personnel may move University furniture and property.

SPORTS

Sports and sports-related activities are to be conducted in appropriate areas inside or outside the buildings. Roller blades are not to be used in any residence hall or dining facility nor should bicycles be ridden inside the residence halls. 

TOYS

Remote control toys are not to be operated in the hallways. Staff members reserve the right to confiscate equipment used in violation of this policy. Note that toy guns are prohibited in the residence halls.

SMOKING

Smoking is not permitted in any residence hall. Students must stand well away (minimum of 30 feet) from all residence hall buildings while smoking outside.

ADVERTISING & SOLICITATION

Individuals or groups wishing to post advertising materials in the residence halls must have prior approval from the Residence hall director. Items approved to post in other campus buildings still must be approved for posting in the halls. The complete University policy for posted materials is outlined in the Student Handbook.

Obscene, racist and/or offensive materials directed toward an individual or group of individuals is not permitted for public display in the residence halls, including the outside of resident’s room/suite doors.

Solicitation is not permitted in any public area or residence hall rooms, excluding hall-sponsored fundraising programs. It is not permissible for any student to operate a business from any residence hall room.

DELIVERIES

Flowers, mail and packages are delivered to the information desk of each residence hall, and students are notified via their mailbox.  Local food establishments may deliver orders to the lobby.  Room deliveries are not permitted.  Illegal items, explosives, weapons and drugs will be confiscated if delivered to the residence hall.

ROOM KEYS 

Residents are expected to secure their keys at all times. Immediately report lost keys to the Residence hall Information desk and obtain a temporary administrative key. Room, suite, and building keys must remain in the possession of the resident to whom the key(s) was assigned and may not be duplicated or loaned to others. Students must return all keys in person, when they check out of their rooms. Be certain your keys are recorded on the resident data card when you check out.

Residents who are locked out and need to use an administrative key(s) must return the key(s) immediately after unlocking their room/suite door(s) and must show that they have possession of their room and/or suite key(s).  After 30 minutes, failure to follow the procedure will result in activating the lost key process and associated lock change charges (minimum of $125 per key).

To encourage responsible use of room/suite key(s), the following schedule of fees applies for use of the administrative key.  This fee will be charged to your student account:

• 1st use:   No Charge
• 2nd use: $10
• 3rd use: $15
• 4th use: $50, meet with the hall director
• 5th use: $75 for each additional use

The fees schedule resets at the beginning of each semester.

APPLIANCES 

A student room is not to serve as a kitchen for meal preparation. All permitted appliances are to be used in a safe manner. The list below is not exhaustive.

WHAT CAN I BRING? 

ROCKET CARD

The Rocket I.D. card is to be used only by the student to whom it is issued. It is not to be loaned to anyone. The Rocket I.D. card is used for meals, gain entry into your assigned residence hall, as proof of ID and serves as a debit card. You should carry your I.D. with you at all times. If you wish to add money to your Rocket Account, contact the Community Support Services Office in Rocket Hall, Room 1610 or online at www.rocketcard.utoledo.edu. The Rocket I.D. can be used on campus and at selective off-campus dining facilities, the UT bookstore, vending machines and residence hall laundry rooms.

If your Rocket Card is lost or stolen, call UTPD at 419.530.2600 immediately to deactivate it or deactivate it online by visiting www.rocketcard.utoledo.edu.

ROCKET TELECOM 

Residents may choose to activate telephone long distance service in their room phones. All U.S. long-distance calls from residence hall room phones are individually billed and cost 6 cents per minute with no additional charges. Dialing instructions are available on the UT Telecom Web site at www.telecom.utoledo.edu, and will also be available during the move-in process. Pick up your free copy of the UT Academic calendar at your front desk that will also have printed instructions for land-line telephone and voice mail services. To activate your personal long-distance calling code and to learn how to activate your free campus voice mail, visit our web site www.telecom.utoledo.edu. The voice mail service along with local calls, campus calls and toll free calls are free so we recommend that you use a landline telephone in your room to take advantage of these free services to save money and be more productive.

For details on UT’s cellular service plans, visit www.telecom.utoledo.edu, or stop by the Rocket Telecom Office (Rocket Hall Room 1917). Rocket Wireless cellular is easy, no credit checks, no deposits and no sales taxes; you can start saving right now on Sprint and Verizon plans.

SEMESTER BREAK PERIOD GUIDELINES

All residence halls will be closed at the end of fall and spring semesters. Residents must check out of the building during the semester break or receive permission through the Office of Residence Life to stay on campus during the break period.  The University and residence hall policies, regulations and Student Code of Conduct are in effect during the break periods.

All residents desiring end of semester break housing must complete a transition housing application and receive approval by the posted dates. The resident will be assessed a fee of $15 per night. Transition housing is very limited and will be available in a temporary space that will be shared with other students. Food service is usually not available during the break periods.

RESIDENCE HALL VISITATION GUIDELINES

Visitation hours for the following facilities

Academic House, Carter Hall, Dowd/Nash/White Halls, MacKinnon and Parks Tower

Mon. – Fri. 10 a.m. –2 a.m. each day

Fri. – Mon. 10 a.m. – 2 a.m. - 24 hours

Horton International House 

Sun. – Sat. – 24 hours

ROOMMATE RIGHTS

The need of roommates/suitemate(s) to sleep, study, be comfortable and otherwise free from interference and disruption, as well as the right to privacy, are paramount. Roommates reserve the right to reasonably refuse visitors to the room at any time.

GUESTS AND VISITORS

GUESTS

A guest is defined as any individual who visits a UT residence hall in which he or she does not reside. Guests are expected to observe all University rules and regulations. Overnight guests may be accommodated for a maximum of two consecutive nights with written roommate consent via a guest pass permit available at the information desk. The hall director must approve all guest passes in advance. Guests are not permitted during the break periods. Residents who have unauthorized overnight guests will be charged the daily cost of the room rate and may be subject to disciplinary action.

Violations of the guest policy includes, but is not limited, to the following:

1. Allowing a guest to enter a residence hall without a host (i.e. tailgating)
2. Violation of any State, University or Residence Life regulations by a guest

Hosts assume full responsibility for the behavior and activities of their guest(s) regardless of whether the host is present to observe the behavior of the guest(s). For safety and security reasons, hosts are expected, whenever, reasonably possible, to accompany their guests at all time.

Guests are required to register at the residence hall information desk. They are to check out at the same location when the visit is complete. Residents may have overnight guests for a maximum of two consecutive nights with written roommate consent via a guest pass permit available at the information desk. The residence hall director must approve all guest passes in advance. Residents who have unauthorized overnight guests will be charged the daily cost of the room rate and may be subject to discipline action.

Guests are not permitted during the break periods. All guests are expected to follow all residence hall rules and regulations. Residents will be held responsible for any infraction of the rules on the part of their guests.

NOISE GUIDELINES

QUIET HOURS

Certain hours of the day have been designated as “quiet hours”:

• Sun. - Thurs.     10 p.m. - 10 a.m.
• Fri. - Sat.           Midnight - Noon

Some buildings/floors may establish, through community agreement, extended quiet hours in addition to those listed above. During the final exams week, 24-hour quiet hours are in effect in all residence halls beginning at 12:01 a.m. on the Saturday prior to finals’ week and ending at noon on Friday of finals’ week.  During quiet hours, noise should not be heard outside the room door or window.  During finals’ week, 24-hour quiet hour violations will result in a $25 fine, per occurrence, and/or other disciplinary action.

COURTESY HOURS

While there are standard quiet hour guidelines, courtesy hours are in effect 24-hours a day and require that all sound be kept to a reasonable level without disturbance to other members of the community.

PETS

Pets are not permitted in the residence halls with the exception of assistance animals and fish kept in properly maintained aquariums no larger than 20-gallon total capacity per room. Removal of fish during break periods is required.

COMPUTER LABS

Students must only use their assigned login/access code and are not permitted to send, receive or view pornographic materials via the computer labs. For additional University policies regarding computer and computer lab usage visit http://www.utoledo.edu/it/computer-usage-policy-1.html.