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C O N T E N T S
All of the policies outline the standards and behaviors expected of all University of the Arts students. There are additional standards and policies that apply to students living in University housing. The policies described below are not meant to serve as a comprehensive list and are subject to review and modification by the Director of Residence Life + Conduct as deemed necessary for the safety and security of the community. For more information regarding residential living, please refer to the Residence Life + Conduct website.
Art Projects & Supplies
All residents are expected to exercise caution when completing art projects or collecting materials to complete projects while in the residence halls. Paint should be used in an appropriate manner and in well-ventilated areas, including but not limited to; studios and designated classroom spaces. Students are not permitted to use paint, including spray paint on any balconies or in stairwells. Students may not use spray paint in their rooms or in lounge space. Students may not store hazardous or unsafe materials in their residence hall room at the discretion of the Director of Residence Life + Conduct. Drug or alcohol paraphernalia used as a prop or as part of an art project is prohibited.
Bag Checks
All residents and guests may be asked to open their bags by Public Safety Officers and Residence Life + Conduct Staff if circumstances warrant. Residents or guests who are non-compliant with bag check requests may not be permitted to enter the building.
Bed Bug & Other Pests
The Office of Residence Life + Conduct and the Facilities Department are committed to a timely and effective response to any residents who suspect they may have bed bugs/pests. If pests are found, students should place a maintenance request and contact the resident assistant on duty. Resident assistants can provide traps, the exterminator visits campus once a week to handle any pest issues.
For the safety and health of our campus community, please note the following guidelines in suspected bed bug findings:
- Contact Residence Life + Contact staff or go to the front desk of your residence hall and ask them to contact Maintenance. If bites have been experienced, please visit Health Services as soon as possible for medical attention.
- Facilities will contact the exterminator to inspect the apartment in question. Students may not, at any time, deny the facilities department access to any part of their living space.
- If the exterminator finds evidence of bedbugs in the apartment, the Office of Residence Life + Conduct in conjunction with Facilities will provide the resident(s) in the affected apartment with a list of instructions that must be completed, in addition to the treatment that will be provided by the exterminator.
- The University will not cover the cost of anything a student wishes to dry clean or have laundered by an outside vendor. UArts is not responsible for personal property that may be damaged due to bed bugs. Only the University’s exterminator can confirm or deny the presence of bed bugs.
- Bed bugs have the potential to cause serious community disruption to health and safety, and all students are expected to comply with all instructions given to them within 24 hours of bed bug confirmation. Failure to do so could result in documentation as per the UArts Code of Conduct.
Behavioral Agreements
Residents may be required to adhere to behavioral agreements should circumstances warrant such an agreement. Behavioral agreements are developed by the Area Coordinator (AC), the Director of Residence Life + Conduct and/or Assistant Vice President for Student Services, based on the nature of the concern. These agreements may require students to meet regularly with staff members in the Division of Student Affairs and/or follow behavioral expectations while living in residence. Failure to adhere to the terms of the agreement may result in the termination of the housing contract without refund.
Closing/Break
Residence halls close at various times throughout the academic year in accordance with the University calendar; including winter break, and end of year closing. Residents will be sent closing information prior to each break. Residents should review and adhere to the provided closing checklist to avoid charges.
The Department of Residence Life & Conduct understands that unique circumstances may result in students who need housing during scheduled breaks. Students requesting break occupancy should contact Residence Life at least three weeks prior to breaks. Additional documentation may be requested.
All break occupancy requests are subject to approval by Residence Life. Residents who are not approved for a break occupancy will be required to vacate campus housing for the duration of the break.
Confiscation
The Office of Residence Life + Conduct reserves the right to remove any item(s) that are either prohibited by university policy or compromises student health or safety from the residential facilities, including students’ apartments. In the event that a confiscation occurs while the resident is absent, a notice will be issued.
Damage to Property/Damage Billing
The resident is individually responsible for any damage beyond reasonable wear and tear to their residence hall room/apartment or University-owned furniture. Damage that results from excess negligence or intentional act will be documented as per the UArts Code of Conduct. The resident may not make material alterations or additions to the apartment, residence hall or University-owned furniture. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, the use of nails, screws, bolts, or permanent adhesives.
All residents are equally responsible for damage to common areas within the residence halls, including but not limited to; lobbies, lounges, hallway space, laundry facilities, or equipment provided for common use. In the event that the person(s) directly responsible are not identified, the Office of Residence Life + Conduct will notify students when and if there will be common space charges placed on their account. Advance notification of common space charges will be provided, when possible. When a bill is assessed to the community, the Area Coordinator will notify all impacted residents of the damage, provide the cost to fix the problem (and brief explanation of how the price is determined, when available), and encourage those responsible to take ownership and/or those students with information to report to Residence Life + Conduct. Community billing is only reversed if the responsible individual is identified, either through proof (photographic, written, audio, or video evidence) or a statement of admission from the responsible person is provided.
Defenstration
Residents may not defenestrate, which is the act of causing an object to fall out of a window. This includes, but is not limited to trash, ashes, cigarette butts, other items or fluids. Students will be responsible for any injury or damage caused to University or private property damaged in the act of defenestrating.
Early Arrivals
If students are returning to campus prior to the startof the Housing Contract, due to involvement in an official University function (ie. on-campus jobs, student organization leadership, requirements for academic purposes), early arrival requests must be submitted by the sponsoring faculty or staff member via email to reslife@uarts.edu. Requests and sponsorship must be received by August 1 for the fall semester and January 1 for the spring semester.
Requests for students not sponsored by faculty or staff will generally not be approved.
Unauthorized Early Arrival Fee
Students who arrive on campus prior to their scheduled move-in date, without prior approval are subject to a $100/daily fee. Students who arrive on campus prior to their scheduled move-in date to drop off personal items will be considered early arrivals and may be charged the daily fee. Fees associated with early arrivals will be billed directly to the student’s account.
Empty Beds/Bedrooms
Residents assigned to a space that has unoccupied beds or bedrooms should expect another student to be assigned to these spaces at any time. Advance notification of a new roommate will be sent to students, when possible.
The university reserves the right to make room assignment and residence hall changes, which includes consolidating residents who have no roommates. All unoccupied spaces should be kept accessible and clean. Residents should not disassemble university issued furniture or utilize unoccupied beds, furniture or space. If a vacancy is not accessible and clean for an incoming resident, the resident(s) of the assignment may be assessed the cost of housekeeping and maintenance work required to prepare the space for new residents(s). The cost will be split among the occupants of the designated assignment.
Fire Safety
Residents are required to exit residence halls immediately in the event of a fire alarm and may not return to the residence hall until instructed to do so by the University. The resident may not:
- Intentionally cause a false fire alarm;
- Interfere with the proper functioning of the fire safety system;
- Tamper with the sprinkler, smoke detector or fire hose system;
- Misuse the chemical fire extinguishers;
- Place items on an active heating device.
The following items and/or acts are prohibited:
- Items that involve or could involve an open flame. These items include, but are not limited to candles, incense, sterno lamps and kerosene lamps.
- Any electrical device that the University deems a fire hazard. These include but are not limited to; electrical outlet powered string/rope lights, halogen lamps, hoverboards, extension cords and live Christmas trees. Students may use surge protector power strips in lieu of extension cords.
- Wall tapestries, flags or other wall hangings unless made from fabrics that are compliant with NFPA 701 flammability standard.
- Compliance may be established by a label on the fabric item, or by treating the fabric with an approved product. Following treatment of fabrics, students must send notification to reslife@uarts.eduattesting to this treatment along with the receipt for purchase of the product and the product label.
- The Fire Marshal or University may cut and test a piece of these fabrics and students must accept this as a condition of having fabric hangings in University housing.
- Tapestries may not be hung from the ceiling.
- Smoking, polluting or lingering on the fire escapes or stairwells as they provide an egress to the ground level in case of fire.
- Obstructed path from the bed to the front door.
Furniture (University Provided)
All of the furniture and appliances provided by the University remain the property of the University throughout the resident’s occupancy. The resident may not remove or disassemble any University-owned furniture or appliances from the apartment. The resident may not remove any University-owned items from the common spaces within the residence hall. Any furniture brought into the halls that is deemed a health hazard, as defined by the Director of Residence Life + Conduct, is subject to removal. Construction such as, but not limited to, panels, dividers, lofts, shelves and bunks are not permitted. Beds may not be placed on top of other furniture. Residents are not permitted to adjust university furniture into an unsafe position.
Guest/Visitation
A guest is defined as any person not assigned to the resident host’s room. Resident hosts must sign in their guest(s) following proper procedure at the front desk of their residence hall. Resident hosts may not have more than three (3) guests signed in at any given time. Each guest is required to leave a photo identification card at the front desk while in the building. The guest(s) ID card(s) must remain at the desk until the guest(s) vacate the building. Acceptable forms of photo ID include: driver’s license, non-driver’s ID, school ID, or passport. No other forms of ID will be accepted. Guests without ID will not be permitted access into the residence hall, except in emergencies. Resident hosts must escort their guest(s) at all times within the building, including when they exit the building.
Resident hosts are responsible for their guest’s actions. A guest may not occupy a resident host’s room when the host is not present. A resident may not pressure a roommate to tolerate the presence of a guest. All guests to a room are subject to the agreement of all room residents. The presence of guests must not restrict free access for assigned residents to all common spaces and any private space they may have or create any situation that infringes on the need of roommates to remain undisturbed. Any student wishing to visit a hall other than the hall to which they are assigned must be signed in as a guest by a resident of that hall. Students may not sign in or sign out guest(s) for other residential students. UArts students, in the role of guest or host, are responsible for following the guest policy.
Residents are permitted to have overnight guests in accordance with the above-mentioned policy. Cohabitation is not permitted and is defined at the discretion of the Director of Residence Life + Conduct. Residents, who have guests that are deemed to be cohabitating, or are causing a disruption to the community, will be asked to have their guest leave.
To host a guest overnight without a valid photo ID or a guest between the ages of 11 and 16, the host must email Residence Life + Conduct the following information no later than 48 hours (Monday-Friday) prior to the date of the visit and wait for approval:
- Guest Name:
- Guest Age and Date of Birth:
- Guest Emergency Contact Name and Relationship:
- Guest Emergency Contact Cell:
- Guest Arrival Date and Time:
- Guest Departure Date and Time:
- Host Name:
- Host Building:
- Host Room:
- Host Cell:
The student host assumes responsibility for the welfare of guests between the ages of 11 and 16 and those without photo identification.
Verified immediate family members who come to visit a resident student and do not have proper ID can be issued an emergency ID by the Professional On-Duty (POD) staff member. Students should contact the Public Safety Officer at the front desk of the residence hall for assistance contacting the POD. Requests from non-family members without ID who request building access will be handled on a case-by-case basis by the Public Safety Officer at the desk and the POD. Emergency IDs will only be issued when non-admittance to the residence halls could impact a person’s safety. Emergency IDs will not be issued to guests simply because they do not have proper identification.
No guest, regardless of age, may bring alcoholic beverages or any other prohibited item into the residence halls.
Health & Safety Inspections
Residents are responsible for keeping their apartments in a safe and healthy condition. The Office of Residence Life + Conduct performs regular inspections of the resident’s apartment to ensure compliance with University standards of health and safe living practices. The dates and approximate times of these inspections will be scheduled with residents at least 48 hours in advance and will be conducted by two (2) residential staff members from Residence Life + Conduct. Residents who do not pass inspection will be subject to additional inspection appointments.
Health and Safety inspections consist of:
- Checking-in with residents and following-up on reported maintenance issues.
- Assessment of food storage and waste cleanliness.
- Visual checks for prohibited items or behaviors that pose a risk to residents and the larger community (e.g., candles, cooking appliances in non-kitchen areas, non-surge extension cords).
If an apartment or room condition are deemed unacceptable, the Residence Life staff will notify the resident(s) by issuing a warning. The resident(s) will have two days, or deadline otherwise specified by staff, to correct/clean the areas of concern. If the apartment, or room remains unacceptable, the residents will be reported to the Director of Residence Life + Conduct.
In addition, Residence Life staff will inspect apartments, suites, and bedrooms at the beginning of Winter Break. Residence Life staff provides information to residents to prepare their room for Winter Break. Students who do not follow closing procedures may be subject to fines held from their Dorm Damage Deposit at the end of the academic year. Students will be notified of charges via email prior to their return to campus for the spring semester.
Residence Life + Conduct staff will not conduct a room search that infringes on residents’ privacy, but they may open cabinets or closets to find fire equipment and/or locate safety hazards. If, in the course of doing so, item(s) or items that are prohibited are located, Public Safety will confiscate the item(s). See the Confiscation policy for more information.
Housing Agreement
Students sign an electronic Housing Agreement for the current academic year and are provided with an assignment for a space on campus, not a particular apartment or room. Students who leave the University due to withdrawal, leave of absence (medical or general), dismissal, or termination of the housing agreement must contact the Office of Residence Life + Conduct and are responsible for officially checking out of their housing assignment. Similarly, students who are notified during Winter Break that they are being academically dismissed or who choose not to return to the University, must contact the Office of Residence Life + Conduct and check out of their assignment. The check-out process occurs no later than 72 hours prior to the Spring Semester opening of the Residence Halls. If a student is mandated by the Office of Residence Life + Conduct and/or Student Affairs to relocate to a new apartment or out of the residence halls, they must do so according to the timeline outlined by University administration. Upon departure, items that remain in an apartment more than 48 hours after the student has been re-assigned or removed from residence will be disposed of.
Cancellation. University approved cancellation of the Housing Agreement will result in refunds in accordance with the tuition refund policy as listed on the UArts website:
| Cancellation Occurring |
Housing Cost Charged |
Housing Cost Refunded |
| Prior to First Day of Classes |
0% |
100% |
| Before the End of the Second Week of Classes |
20% |
80% |
| Before the End of the Third Week of Classes |
60% |
40% |
| After the End of the Third Week of Classes |
100% |
0% |
Residents who wish to apply for cancellation of their Housing Agreement, must complete a Contract Cancellation form, available in the Office of Residence Life + Conduct. This form also allows students to apply to cancel their meal plan, or move to another plan.
Refunds of meal plans are issued in accordance with the tuition refund policy as listed above and on the UArts website.
Residents wishing to cancel their meal plan for medical exemption should contact the Office of Educational Accessibility by emailing access@uarts.edu.
If a resident’s cancellation is not approved, they are financially obligated for the entire academic year housing and meal plan costs.
This Housing Agreement may be terminated by the University under the following conditions:
- The resident fails to maintain a healthy and safe living environment, as determined by the Director of Residence Life + Conduct (or designee).
- The resident receives a sanction that includes suspension/expulsion from University housing.
- The resident ceases to be eligible for University housing under the terms of the agreement.
- The resident experiences a medical emergency or unforeseen financial hardship (Contract Cancellation form required for review).
ID Cards
All residents must display a valid, University-issued ID card with the appropriate residential building sticker and Student Financial Services verification to gain access to the residence halls. Residents must enter and exit residence halls through the main entrance at which the Public Safety front desk is located. Residents may not intentionally provide another person their ID card for the purpose of that other individual gaining access to the residence hall. If a student loses their ID card, they should report it to Public Safety immediately so access is shut off.
Keys/Lockouts
In the case that the resident is no longer in possession of the apartment key, the lock mechanism for the apartment door will be replaced for security reasons. The resident will be charged $65.00 for this replacement. A $10.00 charge will be assessed for replacing the mail key.
Failure to return the apartment key upon checkout will require the lock mechanism for the apartment door to be replaced for security reasons. When a resident vacates an apartments they must return their old key within 72 hours. A $65.00 charge will be assessed for replacement keys or lock replacement.
In the event of a lockout, a $10.00 fee will be charged to the account of any resident student who requires a member of the University staff to open the door to that resident’s apartment.
Lounges
Juniper and Pine Hall Lounges are open to commuter and residential students. All other residence hall lounges are for residential students and their guests only. Students are not permitted to sleep or conduct inappropriate behavior in the lounges.
Maintenance/Repairs
Residents are responsible for submitting online maintenance requests for repairs needed to their apartment through the UArts portal. In emergency situations, residents should notify the RA on Duty or ask the Public Safety Officer at their residence hall front desk to contact Maintenance on their behalf. Residents are also responsible for reporting pest concerns/sightings. Pest Control services are on site once a week to address reported concerns. Most routine requests will be addressed in 24-72 hours. See Bed Bug/Pest policy for more information.
Noise
All noise must be kept at a moderate level. Use of musical instruments, especially amplified musical instruments or particularly loud instruments (e.g., brass instruments or drums), are not permitted in the residence halls. Courtesy Hoursare in effect at all times, when a resident must lower the level of noise being created upon another resident’s request. Quiet Hoursare in effect 24 hours a day during Final Examination, Critiques and Juries Weeks. Outside of those weeks, quiet hours are in effect Sunday-Thursday from 11pm-7am and Friday-Saturday 12am-7am. All residents are expected to act in a conscientious fashion regarding noise levels.
Occupancy
If a resident’s eligibility status changes during the length of the Housing Agreement, the resident is expected to move out of the residence halls within forty-eight (48) hours. If an extension is required, the resident must submit the request in writing to the Office of Residence Life + Conduct. Students participating in the University’s Commencement are permitted to remain in their assigned residence hall space until 5pm the day following Commencement.
Personal Property (Loss)
The University is not responsible for loss or damage of personal property in the residence halls. Students are encouraged to purchase private insurance and/or to obtain personal lockboxes. In addition, students should refrain from keeping cash and/or expensive items in their residence hall apartment. Students should keep their apartment doors locked whenever they are not present.
Pets
Pets of any kind are not permitted in the residence halls, except for fish. The maximum size for an aquarium is 2 gallons, and fish must be non-carnivorous. Failure to abide by the above restriction will result in a $25.00 fine for each day the pet remains in the residence hall.
Animals, live or dead, may not be used in pranks or otherwise for amusement or ceremony. Use of animal materials, bi-products or bodily fluids is prohibited in the residence halls
Students requesting exceptions to this policy under the auspices of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), must do so through the Office of Educational Accessibility. The University is committed to providing reasonable and appropriate accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. The University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) and the Fair Housing Act (FHA). UArts permits Support Animals (often referred to as Emotional Support Animals) in campus residential housing as a reasonable accommodation once the student has met the guidelines under which approval of a Support Animal is determined, and the procedure for requesting housing accommodations has been completed and approved. Please note that if you are found responsible for having a support animal without approval, you are no longer eligible. Anticipated or current roommates of a student applying for an emotional support animal (ESA), must sign off on the animal as part of the intake process. Residents are responsible for their emotional support animal’s actions. If a roommate is experiencing an issue with a Support Animal, they should contact Residence Life & Conduct to file a grievance.
Physical Activities
Students may not participate in any physical activity or recreation inside the residence halls that poses a threat to the safety of other students or to the facility itself. These activities include, but are not limited to: riding hoverboards, skateboarding, rollerblading, roller-skating, bike riding, and throwing objects.
Posting
Bulletin boards are designated for posting residence hall information, community activities board notices and other similar items. All postings on bulletin boards or common areas of residence halls must receive approval from Residence Life. Approved signs, posters and advertisements will be given to Residence Life + Conduct staff to be hung accordingly. All signs, except those regarding residence hall business or publicity for hall events, must display appropriate approval stamps from Residence Life. Unauthorized removal of postings or vandalism of bulletin boards is prohibited.
Prohibited Areas
For safety and security reasons, residents may not access the following areas of any residence hall:
- Roof and/or terraces;
- Balconies;
- Storage Basements;
- Fire-escapes except for exit due to fire or other emergency.
Prohibited Items
The following are prohibited for use and/or possession in the residence halls. Any other item that is deemed unsafe or inappropriate for residential living may be considered prohibited, at the discretion of the Director of Residence Life + Conduct.
- Air Conditioners not provided by the University
- Alcohol containers (empty or not), alcohol paraphernalia
- Candles/incense/wax burners (open flame, hot plate heating element, or lit ember)
- Drugs and drug paraphernalia
- Electric Blankets
- Extension cords
- Fireworks
- Halogen lamps
- Hot tubs/pools/slip ‘n slides
- Hookahs
- Hoverboards
- Microwave ovens not provided by the University
- Refrigerators not provided by the University
- Space Heaters
- String lights, rope lights, holiday lights (limited to 3 strands per apartment, must be solar or battery powered)
- Body Modification Equipment (including branding, tattooing, piercing guns or other body modification equipment)
- Weapons
- Wall tapestries, flags or other wall hangings
- Permitted when made from fabrics that are compliant with NFPA 701 flammability standard.
- Compliance may be established by a label on the fabric item, or by treating the fabric with an approved product. Following treatment of fabrics, students must send notification to reslife@uarts.eduattesting to this treatment along with the receipt for purchase of the product and the product label.
- The Fire Marshal or University may cut and test a piece of these fabrics and students must accept this as a condition of having fabric hangings in University housing.
- Tapestries may not be hung from the ceiling or used as room divider.
The following items are permitted, but must display a manufacturer’s label that shows the electrical ratings and listing by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (e.g., ETL, UL, etc.):
- Electric skillets
- Hot plates
- Induction cooktop
- Panini makers/George Foreman grills
Roommate Conflicts
To support students experiencing roommate conflict, Residence Life and Conduct staff host mediations. Mediation is a guided conversation which allows the parties to respectfully voice their concerns and reach a mutually beneficial solution. Residence Life staff are trained to facilitate mediation and students are encouraged to take advantage of their skillset. While there are some situations where mediation is not appropriate, most problems can be effectively mediated and is often the first required course of action. Please refer to the following steps to resolve a conflict with a roommate.
- Students should attempt to solve problems on their own first. Conflict resolution skills are vital for harmonious living and being a successful professional in your career field.
- Address the problem, how you perceive it, and why it is of concern to you. Avoid profanity or disrespectful language. Do not assume that others know how you felt about an issue. Be willing to work toward a compromise. It may be helpful to talk it through with your resident assistant first to prepare for the conversation.
- If the situation is not resolved, the student should notify their resident assistant. The resident assistant will then facilitate a conversation between the students and draft an updated roommate agreement to be signed.
- If the problem persists, the resident assistant will notify the Area Coordinator. All residents involved will discuss the problem with the Area Coordinator.
Room Entry & Search
The University respects each student’s right to privacy and is committed to protecting this right. However, University officials (such as Residence Life + Conduct, Public Safety, and Facilities staff) may enter a student room when there is reason to believe that the health or safety of residents and/or residential space is in jeopardy or a University policy is being violated. Maintenance may also enter rooms to perform necessary repairs, as needed.
A room search will only be conducted when authorized by one of the following people:
- Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Affairs
- Assistant Vice President for Student Services
- Director of Residence Life + Conduct
- Director of Campus Life
Students do not have to be present for the search, but University personnel will make a good faith effort to contact the student and provide them with written documentation of search authorization either at the time of the search or the next business day. During a search, the student may be required to open any locked trunks, suitcases, etc. If the student is not present, any item in the room, including purses, trunks, etc., may be searched. The University will take due care to ensure proper handling of student’s belongings, but it is not liable for damage or clean up as a result of a room search.
Smoking
The University of the Arts maintains a smoke-free environment. Smoking is prohibited on all University property, including outdoor building courtyards, balconies, stairwells, and steps. Smoking is, in part, defined as carrying or holding of any lit or ignited pipe, cigar, cigarette, electronic cigarette, or any other lit or battery operated smoking equipment or device. Smoking is permitted only out of doors and 20 feet from building entrances and exits. Smoking is therefore prohibited in all areas of the residence halls. Students found smoking in their apartments, hallways, roofs, stairwells, catwalks, and/or balconies will be in violation of the smoking policy. Any used cigarettes, ashtrays, smoking paraphernalia, and/or ashes will be considered a violation of the smoking policy.
Solicitation
Residents are not permitted to use their room, suite, or apartment for any commercial purpose. Solicitation by residents or guests is prohibited in the residence halls. Door to door advertising by outside vendors is not allowed.
Accommodation Requests
Students who wish to request housing accommodations or adjustments due to a disability must contact the Office of Educational Accessibility at 215-717-6616 or access@uarts.edu. For more information, please refer to the following website: uarts.edu/accessibility
Weapons
Students are not permitted to have weapons on campus including, but not limited to, firearms of any kind, nunchucks, shuriken, knives (other than eating utensils), cap guns, ammunition and explosives (or explosive chemicals), among other dangerous weapons or substances. Weapons used as props, whether real or otherwise, are not permitted in the residence halls.
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