Housing Rules and Regulations

Alcohol is not permitted on Wayne State College property. Unlawful or unauthorized possession, use, distribution, dispensing, delivery, sale or consumption, manufacture, or being in the presence of any alcoholic beverage, including empty bottles/cans or any alcohol container on any part of College property including outdoor areas and parking lots is prohibited. Alcohol consumption that endangers the health, safety, or property of oneself or another, or requires medical treatment or College staff intervention is also prohibited. This policy is also outlined in the Student Handbook under Code of conduct (pages 22-23) and is consistent with Board Policy.

Students are expected to assist in keeping the bathrooms reasonably clean. Lavatories are not to be used for laundry or dishwashing purposes. Towels and washcloths and other toiletry items are to be kept in rooms. Custodians clean bathrooms on a daily schedule Monday through Friday.

Empty bottle and can collections other than those in designated recycling containers are not permitted. They present a general health and roach-pest hazard. Retaining empty alcohol containers is a violation of the student conduct alcohol policy.

Student construction of bunked beds is prohibited in all residence halls. All residence hall beds have the capability to be bunked.

The State Fire regulations require that all carpet, drapes, or curtains shall be fire rated or of a fire-resistant material. Carpeting that does not meet this requirement shall not exceed 10% of the room floor space.

Prorated charges may be assigned to residents for damage to hall common areas such as hallways, stairwells, bathrooms, lounges, etc. Every effort will be made to identify specific individuals and groups responsible for common area damages. When specific individuals are not identified, the cost of repair or replacement may be divided equally among the floor or hall residents. Charges will be added to student accounts.

Coffee makers, popcorn poppers and small microwaves (1000 watt power consumption or smaller) are permitted. All other cooking appliances (hot plates, toasters, roasters, air fryers, ovens, frying pans, etc.) are prohibited. Students are encouraged to share appliance use with roommates and to use cooking appliances in the hall kitchen. Electrical alterations or room construction is not allowed in any residence hall room.

Students may not cook in their rooms because of the potential fire hazard. All cooking must be done in a hall kitchen. The only exceptions allowed are coffee makers, popcorn poppers, and small microwave ovens. One refrigerator per room is allowed as long as the refrigerator is UL approved and does not exceed 5.0 cubic feet in size.

Each residence hall, except Bowen, has a kitchen facility which may be used to prepare snacks and meals. Each student who uses a kitchen facility shares in the responsibility of washing dishes, utensils, and keeping the counters, floor, stove, sink, and refrigerator clean. Problems of shared cleaning responsibility may result in the temporary closing of kitchen areas.

Any food kept in residence hall rooms must be stored in appropriate, tightly-closed containers. All food should be removed from the room during official vacation periods such as semester and Spring Break. Refrigerators should be cleaned and unplugged before leaving for these vacations.

Students assigned to a room are financially responsible for keeping the room, its furnishings and contents free from damage caused by themselves or others. The cost of any damage or extra custodial service, repainting, or carpentry costs will be charged to the occupants of the room. Students are reminded to check the room carefully and fill out the room inventory sheet, distributed by the Resident Assistants at the beginning of the term.

Nails are not to be used on painted walls, doors, or other surfaces. Tapes and adhesives may be used if they are removed before checking out. Students should not use grey duct tape because of the extensive damage that it causes. Residents will be charged for any damage that results.

Turning in a false fire alarm by pulling an alarm box or through a telephone call, or tampering with alarm equipment, misuse of a fire extinguisher and tampering with an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) can be considered a state and local law violation as well as a disregard for the safety and rights of others. Misuse of emergency equipment is considered a serious vioulation and will result in disciplinary action including possible suspension from Wayne State College as well as civil action.

Fire alarms are installed in all residence halls for the protection of the residents. They should be used ONLY in emergencies. Residents are responsible for learning proper escape routes and for cooperating in orderly evacuations when necessary. When a fire alarm goes off, quickly close windows, wear shoes, carry a towel or article of clothing to cover mouth and leave room with door CLOSED and UNLOCKED. Stay low to the floor in corridors, crawling if necessary to avoid danger of smoke inhalation. All occupants MUST immediately evacuate the hall. Hall staff will check the building to ensure that everyone leaves the hall. Students may not reenter the hall until police or the fire department has checked the building and official permission to reenter has been granted. Regular fire drills are required by state law and will be carried out each semester.

Fire escapes are for emergency use only. They are not to be used as regular exits, lounging, or moving between floors. Violations will result in disciplinary action.

There are water pressure fire extinguishers located on every floor of each residence hall on campus. There are powder extinguishers in laundry room and kitchen areas. Extinguishers are to be used only in case of a fire emergency. A WATER EXTINGUISHER SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO EXTINGUISH A FIRE ORIGINATING FROM AN ELECTRICAL OUTLET OR ELECTRICAL BREAKER BOX. A staff member should be notified if it has been necessary to use an extinguisher, regardless of the cause. UNNECESSARY USE OR MISUSE OF A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

The possession or storage of firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, fireworks, or explosives of any kind in residence halls is prohibited. If it is necessary to bring such items with you to Wayne State, make arrangements with off-campus friends to keep these items for you.

Candles, incense or other flammable materials may not be burned in student rooms or public areas within a residence hall except for use in a group ceremony that has been approved by the Residence Hall staff.

Each student will be issued a room key when checking into the residence hall. The replacement cost for a room key is $42.50. The replacement will include the repining of the door lock and the issuance of new room keys. After a lock is repined, the original key will not open the door. Duplication of any college key is prohibited by state law. Students locked out of their room may ask a staff member to unlock the door. 

Front door keys have been replaced with electronic access using the resident students' ID cards. Students residing in on-campus housing will use their ID cards to grant them access into their assigned residence hall as well as other halls on campus during limited times.

• 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.: Any on-campus residential student with an active on-campus housing assignment can gain entry to any residence hall using their ID card.
• 8 p.m. to 8 a.m.: Students will only be able to access the residence hall they are assigned to.
• Weekends: 24/7 access only to the residence hall students are assigned to.

Break periods when the halls are closed: All halls will have access restricted 24/7. Students approved to remain on campus over break will be granted temporary access to their assigned residence hall only, for the days they need to remain on campus.

Student construction or purchase of loft beds is prohibited in all residence halls. See Section VII: Services and Amenities for information on available loft options.

All personal property must be stored in the student's room and may not be left in hallways, bathrooms, kitchens, or other common areas. The college does not assume responsibility for lost, stolen, or damaged articles. Students are urged to mark all personal items with permanent identification, to avoid leaving valuables and large sums of money in unlocked rooms, and to lock rooms during any absence. All losses should be reported immediately to residence hall staff who will report the loss to a member of Campus Security. Any problems with door locks should be reported immediately.

For reasons of health, sanitation, and state law, pets are not permitted in student rooms, lounges, or lobbies. Fish contained in fishbowls or aquariums no larger than 10 gallons, not requiring mechanized air-water recirculation system (i.e., aquarium), are allowed in residence hall rooms. Because damage to an aquarium can cause extensive damage to campus and student property, only one 10-gallon water-filled aquarium per room is permitted.

With the continued increase of new products and technology that are released on a regular basis, it is sometimes not possible to list every item that should be reasonably prohibited from the residence hall. Should an item come into question that is not listed, a student should inquire with the Office of Residence Life in advance to determine if an item is appropriate for a residence hall room. The Office of Residence Life will check with appropriate civil agencies (Fire Marshall, Health Inspector, etc.) on the safety of the item in a residence hall and will look at its own policies to see if it is sustainable for every resident to have such an item within the hall and not be a threat or infringe on the rights of the campus community. The Office of Residence Life reserves the right to add prohibited items to the list throughout the year as necessary and will make such announcements to the residents in a prompt manner.

• Air Conditioning Units, Dehumidifiers, Space Heaters: These units may create a significant energy draw to some of the facilities and would create an unstable electrical system that could lead to harm to the facility as well as residents personal property. As a result, air conditioning units and dehumidifiers are prohibited. Should residents require a temperature-controlled environment, the Office of Residence Life has multiple residence hall options that provide that service.
• Electronic Skateboards: Self-balancing boards/scooters (e.g. hoverboards) and other similar equipment are prohibited from being used, stored, and/or charged inside any college housing facility due to the potential fire hazard.
• Cooking Appliances: Appliances such as hot plates, air fryers, deep fat fryers, roasters, ovens and electric fry pans that require heated oil are not allowed.
• Large Audio Systems/Equipment: Large entertainment units are not allowed.

Quiet hours, or study hours, will be observed in residence halls according to policies agreed upon by the residence hall staff of each hall. These hours will be defined in general terms as the period of time during which it is reasonable to assume that the noise level is low enough to concentrate on reading assignments and other associated study exercises. Consideration for fellow students is essential at all times and should set the atmosphere for community living. Unreasonable noise or disruptive activity will not be permitted and will be defined by the residence hall staff members.

To ensure the safety of students, gaining access to a roof of a campus building is considered extremely dangerous and is prohibited.

Room changes are permitted only during select times of the academic year and only with approval from the Office of Residence Life. The room change period begins two weeks after the beginning of each academic term and lasts five weeks. Students requesting a room change must submit their request for change to the assistant director of residence life in charge of the hall they wish to move to. At the time of request, students will be asked to provide a reason for the change request and will be given insturctions on the change process as well as guidelines for completing the move. Room changes are made only with the approval of the assistant director in charge of the hall. Not all moves will be approved. Generally, the process requires students to meet with and collect signatures from all individuals involved including current roommate and future roommate. Students are not permitted to change rooms outside of designated room change periods.

Students are responsible for the cleanliness of their rooms. Cleaning equipment is available in each hall and should be used and returned immediately for the use of others. Health and safety inspections may be conducted, if deemed necessary.

All furnishings belonging to the college are to remain in the student's room. The college strictly prohibits any room furnishings from being removed and stored off campus. Anyone removing college property from a residence hall will be charged and billed accordingly. Unnecessary furniture such as a large entertainment center should not be placed in student rooms. Students may be requested to remove excessive furniture. Public signs are property of governmental agencies and any signs displayed in student rooms will be confiscated.

The right to privacy is of paramount importance. However, the entry into and/or search of the living quarters of a student may be conducted by the following people for the purposes and under the procedures below:

• By law enforcement officers in the performance of statutory duties in accordance with legally defined procedures governing search and seizure.
• By authorized College officials when there is probable cause to believe a violation of College or civil regulations is being committed, and that the delay required in procuring permission would endanger the health and safety of residents or result in the probable destruction of the evidence of the violation.
• By authorized College personnel during vacations to ensure that health, fire, and safety regulations are maintained.
• By authorized College personnel or agents to make improvements and repairs. The College shall give at least 24 hours notice of such entry when possible. When a student requests maintenance or repairs, no notice is necessary.
• By authorized College personnel in emergencies to protect the health and welfare of residents or to make emergency repairs to protect damages to the property of the students or the College.
• By authorized College personnel to conduct room inspections to ensure that fire, health, and safety regulations are maintained or to search for missing student or College property. The College shall give at least 24 hours notice of such entry when possible.
• By authorized College personnel out of consideration for neighboring residents when an unattended persistent annoying noise (such as an alarm clock) is occurring in the room.
• By authorized College personnel when invited in.
• When it is necessary for authorized College personnel or their agents to enter an unoccupied room, there should be two people present whenever possible. Students are responsible for what occurs in their rooms and may be held responsible for activities that occur in his or her room, even though that student may not be present or involved in the policy violation. Students are responsible for their guests.

Violations of College regulations observed while entering a student room will be reported and forwarded for possible disciplinary action. Residence Life and Campus Security staff have the authority to request that students open closets, drawers, backpacks, refrigerators, or other personal property if they have reason to believe they contain illegal or prohibited items (such as alcohol beverages, etc.) or if they have reason to believe a violation of College or civil regulations is being committed.

Possession of traffic or street signs and construction equipment (traffic cones, barricades, flashing lights, etc.) is prohibited. Incidents will be reported to Wayne State College Campus Security and/or the Wayne Police Department and student may be required to provide evidence that the items were lawfully obtained or have the items confiscated.

Current fire regulations require the installation of room smoke detectors. This is an important safety device for the benefit of the occupant. Any student who willfully removes, damages, destroys or disables a smoke detector or its contents, will be charged current replacement costs and be subject to disciplinary action.

All Wayne State residence halls are smoke/tobacco-free facilities. Smoking and tobacco use (such as chewing or spitting) is prohibited inside every campus residence hall. Students who smoke outside a residence hall must do so in the designated smoking area far enough from the building to avoid having smoke drift into the hall. Cigarette butts, packaging and other tobacco debris must be disposed of properly.  Vaping is prohibited in all residence halls due to smoke detector sensitivity.

Residence hall rooms are not to be used for any commercial purposes. Soliciting for charity or business purposes in campus buildings or on the grounds by anyone is prohibited. The sale of items in residence halls by campus organizations must be approved in advance by the Director of Student Activities and is restricted to the main lounges at hours agreed to by the staff of each hall. Students are requested to notify the hall staff if a commercial solicitor is in a residence hall or on a residence hall floor.

Suspicion of illegal drug activity will be brought to the attention of the alleged violator. If the behavior continues, the person may be subject to disciplinary action that may result in removal from his/her residence hall.

To preserve the health and safety of students living in the residence halls, the active use of sporting equipment inside the residence halls, including, but not limited to sports balls, bats, skateboards, scooters, bikes, roller blades, etc. is strictly prohibited. The active use of such property within the halls can pose a safety risk to others and potentially cause damage. Students are welcome to store such equipment at their discretion but are adked to refrain from using it within the residence hall buildings.

Because of possible structural and water damage, the use of waterbeds is prohibited in all residence hall facilities.

No articles of any kind may be dropped or thrown out of a residence hall window. Use of windows for entry or exit of a building is prohibited. Window screens may not be removed. Violations may result in disciplinary actions and charges will be issued for damages to windows or screens