Damages Policies
Room Damage
Students are responsible for maintaining their rooms and furnishings. At check-in, students should review the Room Condition Report with residential life staff and document any existing damage or missing items.
For safety reasons, students may not modify University furniture, construct lofts or platforms, or build makeshift beds or other structures. University furniture must remain in its assigned room and may not be moved from common areas for personal use.
Students may be charged for damage, missing items, or excessive cleaning beyond normal wear and tear. Charges are assessed to individual students when responsibility can be determined; otherwise, room damage charges are divided equally among the room's occupants. Only University personnel may repair residence hall rooms or furnishings. Students are responsible for damage caused by adhesives and for the condition of their room doors, inside and out.
Common Area Damage
Students are responsible for helping maintain shared residential spaces and reporting damage or vandalism to residence hall staff.
When the responsible individual is identified, charges are assessed directly to that person. When responsibility cannot be determined, charges may be shared among residents of the affected floor, wing, suite, or building.
Common areas include lobbies, recreation and study areas, hallways, stairwells, bathrooms, elevators, laundry facilities, and building exteriors.
Responsibility for Community Damage
All residents share responsibility for helping prevent damage to their residential community. Students are accountable for their own actions and those of their guests and are expected to report suspicious activity, discourage irresponsible behavior, and provide information about damage when known.
Common area damage charges apply to repairs or cleanup resulting from vandalism, misuse, irresponsibility, or damage beyond normal wear and tear.
Damage Assessment and Billing
The Office of Residential Life tracks room and common area damage. When determining responsibility for common area damage, ORL considers factors such as the location and type of damage, frequency, access, intended use of the space, and amount of traffic.
Damage may be charged to the residents of a floor, wing, suite, or building when the responsible individual cannot be identified. Factors such as unauthorized entry, propped doors, unreported strangers, guest behavior, and residents' failure to address irresponsible conduct may be considered when determining responsibility.
If the responsible individual or witnesses come forward, charges will be assessed to the person responsible. Room and common area damage charges are billed to student accounts at the end of each month.
Vandalism
Vandalism in the residence halls costs the University, and our students, thousands of dollars each year.
Excessive cleanup resulting from activities such as body-fluid spills, shaving cream, or water fights will be charged at a minimum of $50 (labor charged $50 per hour per person working).