Room Set-Up, Decorations & Safety

Room Set-Up, Decorations & Safety

Section Contents

Appliances, Cooking & Other Electrical Devices

Appliances and related electrical devices that may be acceptable outside of the Residence Halls are regulated in the Residence Halls for fire safety reasons. 

Cooking is not allowed in the Residence Hall bedrooms or public areas (unless it is a designated area). The possession or use of ANY heat producing cooking appliance is prohibited*.

Exceptions to this are: The use of the microwave oven provided in each Residence Hall, the use of a registered microwave in the Bellamy Hall Gathering Area; not exceeding 1.1 cubic feet and the kitchen equipment available for student use.

* Single use coffee makers, such as Keurig, and electric kettles used to heat only water, are allowed, providing they are auto-shut-off and dry boil protected.  Nothing can be within 6 inches from the unit.  Kettles need to be plugged directly into an outlet (no power strip)

Air conditioners, space heaters, multi-cup coffee pots, electric blankets, heating pads, microwave ovens in student bedrooms, lava lamps, halogen lamps, neon signs, power tools and any other electrical appliance/device that, in the opinion of the staff, is hazardous to operate in the Residence Halls is prohibited.

"Decorative Lighting" (i.e., string, LED, fairy, holiday, rope, etc.) are limited to LED decorative lights provided that all of the below restrictions are followed:

  • Are not attached to the wall with any adhesive (Command Strips or fun tack are required)
  • Are not "daisy-chained" (multi strings connected)

Clothes irons and “Hair Straighteners/Curling Irons” must be auto-shut-off. Any non-prohibited electrical appliance/device used by a student must be “UL” or "ETL" approved.

Any illegal electrical device will be confiscated and stored until the resident leaves the halls. Disciplinary sanctions will follow.

There is no cooking outside, with the exception of an official supervised College-sponsored event.

Beds

All rooms have height adjustable beds. Residents may request to bunk their beds or have them single. Bunking beds requires special reinforcement parts. For safety reasons, the resident must complete a Residence Hall work order to have the beds bunked or de-bunked by maintenance. Ladders are available upon request via a Work Order. Side rails must be used on the top bunk when the beds are bunked. The top bunk must remain in the lower bracket.  Bed risers are allowed provided the riser was designed as a bed riser and does not exceed 8" in height (i.e. no cinder blocks, wood blocks, etc.)

Bicycles

When not in use, bicycles should be kept in student rooms or locked in the bike racks (not recommended for overnight). No bicycles are to be stored in the lounges, stairwells or suite hallways at ANY time. Winter bike storage can be arranged by contacting a Resident Advisor.  * This policy does not include eBikes.  Please see section below.

Bunk Beds

Only maintenance staff may install bunk beds. Residents must submit a Residence Hall Work Order to request this.

Ceiling Light

Ceiling lights must remain intact and operational.

Cleanliness

Each resident is responsible for the care and cleaning of their own room, including trash removal. Residents must keep their rooms reasonably clean and neat to prevent a fire hazard or unhygienic atmosphere. Room inspections are done each semester for safety and hygiene. All rooms must be properly swept upon checkout.  Any condition that results in the college having to remediate (ie. obtain services of pest control) will result in a fine to student.

Damage and Vandalism

As indicated in the Room and Board Agreement, residents will be held financially responsible for the condition of their room and its furnishings and any loss or damage other than normal wear that may occur. At the beginning of occupancy, a student completes a Room Inventory Form with their R.A. We encourage students to carefully review this before signing. Damages, which are caused by other students or by other visitors, will be charged to the room’s occupants. Any damage noted on the initial Room Inventory Form at check-in will not be charged against the student upon termination of residency. Any new damage noted at the termination of residency will be charged against the student’s security/damage deposit.  If the cost of damage exceeds the available balance of a security/damage deposit, the student will be charged and a hold placed on the student account until such time payment is made.  If the exact occupant causing the damage cannot be ascertained, the charge will be shared between the room residents. Damage or vandalism, which occurs mid-semester, is normally to be paid by the stated deadline to the Auxiliary Services Office in the Alumni College Center, Room 206. If repairs cannot be made immediately, the charges will be based upon estimates of labor and materials. Charges for rooms not properly cleaned and set-up will also be assessed.

Damage to property in common areas is deemed the responsibility of the students in that immediate area, if responsibility is not determinable. Assessments will be made on the smallest group consistent with a concept of reason and justice, i.e., damage in a suite Gathering Room will be split among occupants of that suite. Residence Council will provide direction in determining common area charges, as appropriate.

Vandalism or intentionally creating a mess will not be tolerated and is cause for dismissal, monetary fines and possible legal action.

Doors

Absolutely no nails, screws, tacks, stickers or similar items are to be used on room doors. Substantial charges will result for any damage.  Decorative items, such as message boards, may only be placed on doors "Fun Tack" or CommandTM type products.

Extension Cords/Plug Adapters

Standard household extension cords (zip cords) and plug adapters are not allowed.  

If additional outlets are needed, the only acceptable items are:

  • “Power Strips”
  • “Power Towers”

Any other multiple plug adapter is NOT allowed.

Any Power Strip or Power Tower that you use must meet every specific below:

  • Over-Current Protection
  • 14 Gauge Cord
  • 15 Amp
  • Circuit protection with an auto shut off (on/off or reset to turn back on)
  • UL or ETL approved

Two examples that meet these specifications are: 

First Example:

Second Example

Food Storage

Storage of perishable foods in rooms is not advisable, as this tends to attract rodents, fruit flies, ants and other insects. All non-perishable food should be stored in airtight containers and be well wrapped. Food must be properly stored. Food must be discarded during vacations and/or when it is no longer fresh. Any condition that results in the college having to remediate (ie. obtain services of pest control) may result in a fine to student.

Furniture: Room Set-Up and Decorations

You may personalize your room to feel “homey,” but must follow these safety and fire‑code rules. Any violations may result in fines or disciplinary action.  Notice:
Residence Hall Staff may require the removal of any decoration deemed a fire hazard or obstruction to safe egress.

Fire Code for Decorations

Only paper-based wall decorations covering no greater than 50% of any wall are allowed.  Wall coverings in dormitories are governed by fire code as noted below: 

“807.2 Combustible Decorative Materials
In Groups A, B, E, I, M and R-1 and in dormitories in Group R-2, curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and other similar combustible decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall comply with Section 807.3 and shall not exceed 10 percent of the specific wall or ceiling area to which such materials are attached …

Exceptions: …
In Group R-2dormitories, within sleeping units and dwelling units, the permissible amount of curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and similar decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall not exceed 50 percent of the aggregate wall areas where the building is equipped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.”

807.3 Acceptance Criteria and Reports
Where required to exhibit improved fire performance, curtains, draperies, fabric hangings and other similar combustible decorative materials suspended from walls or ceilings shall be tested by an approved agency and meet the flame propagation performance criteria of Test Method 1 or Test Method 2, as appropriate, of NFPA 701 or exhibit a maximum rate of heat release of 100 kW when tested in accordance with NFPA 289, using the 20 kW ignition source. Reports of test results shall be prepared in accordance with the test method used and furnished to the fire code official upon request.

  • Furniture Responsibility
    All assigned items (bed, dresser, desk, chair, wardrobe) must remain in the room. Missing furniture may lead to fines or disciplinary action. 
  • Wardrobes
    Do not lay wardrobes on their side or remove them from your room—doing so incurs a $25 fine. 
  • Furniture Placement
    Arrange furniture safely. No stacking or lofting of furniture—only two‑drawer stackable dressers are allowed. 
  • Doorways & Beds
    Doorways must stay completely clear. All beds must be visible from the room door.
  • Ceilings & Wall Hangings
    You may not hang anything from ceilings or ceiling vents, nor remove or alter ceiling tiles. Only paper-based wall decorations are allowed, covering up to 50% of wall area if the building has sprinklers. 
  • Fire Equipment – Sprinkler, Heat Sensor and Smoke Detector
    No items can touch or hang on fire equipment (sprinkler heads, detectors, alarm horns, pipes, etc.). Residents are responsible for any damage caused. 
  • Prohibited Items
    The following items are strictly banned in residence halls:
    duct tape, cinder blocks, waterbeds, loft beds not built by maintenance, bed risers over 8″, real Christmas trees, snow spray, e‑bikes/e‑scooters/hoverboards (with lithium-ion batteries), wireless routers, candles/incense, non‑LED holiday lights, halogen/lava lamps, space heaters, air conditioners, free‑standing outdoor furniture, weightlifting equipment, BBQ grills, firearms/fireworks, utility knives over 3″, dartboards, and alcohol containers or cannabis paraphernalia. For More Information See “What to Bring”

Heating Equipment

Students are not to tamper with heating equipment including the baseboard heaters.  Violators will be held responsible for any damages and may face disciplinary action. 

Hygiene

Residence Hall students are expected to maintain personal hygiene out of respect for themselves and the shared living environment. This includes regular bathing, use of deodorant, and laundering of clothing and bedding. Good hygiene helps promote a healthy and comfortable community for all residents. Basic hygiene supplies, such as deodorant, are available free of charge in C3 for any student in need. If a student’s lack of hygiene creates a disruption to the community, Residence Life staff will intervene, and the student will be required to take corrective action.