Residential Policies

Residential Life, alongside the University, works to support individual students in their goals for healthy behavior change while cultivating a healthy environment where students can thrive and succeed. Residential Life staff facilitate programming and enforce policies around alcohol and other drugs/substances in the halls to create safe communities of care and respect. Residential students are also encouraged to take advantage of the many resources on campus related to substance use or misuse and general wellness, including but not limited to: Student Health & Wellness Center, Center for Health Education and Wellness (CHEW), the Counseling Center, Religious & Spiritual Life, and various peer education and support groups on campus.

Students who observe or are in the presence of a violation of the Alcohol and Drug policies, may be responsible for violating Student Conduct Code 19 Condoning, which expects that students who observe or are in the presence of a violation of university policy or law, are expected to remove themselves from participation and encouraged to report the violation.

For incidents involving residential students and alcohol or other drugs, the Office of Residential Life follows the progressive sanctioning guidelines consistent with the Homewood Undergraduate Alcohol Policies.

Outcomes may include Parent or Family Notification, educational programming, and other corrective measures. The University and the Office of Residential Life reserve the right, at its discretion, to impose different or more stringent outcomes depending on the facts and circumstances of a particular case.

Alcohol

In accordance with the University’s Student Conduct Code, students who are under the legal age for possession/consumption of alcohol may not have alcohol in their residential space. The legal age for possession/consumption of alcohol is 21. This means if any student is under 21 it is illegal for them to possess, consume, or purchase alcoholic beverages.

• Students who are under the age of 21 may not host anyone, regardless of age or relationship, who is possessing, consuming, selling, providing, or distributing alcohol.
• Students age 21 or older may only possess and/or consume alcohol in a residence hall room or apartment in which all occupants are of legal drinking age.
• Regardless of age, the following are prohibited in residence halls and apartments:
  • High-risk drinking paraphernalia, including but not limited to beer pong tables, beer bongs/funnels, kegs, and all items associated with drinking games, with or without alcohol.
  • Manufacturing of alcohol.

Alcohol, high-risk drinking paraphernalia, and items previously containing alcohol may be confiscated and/or discarded.

Drugs

In accordance with the University’s Student Conduct Code, the possession, use, or distribution of illegal drugs or drug paraphernalia as defined by local, state, and federal laws is prohibited at any time on University property. This prohibition includes medical cannabis. No one may use/consume, possess, distribute, dispense, manufacture or grow cannabis, also known as marijuana or weed, on University property or at any University-affiliated activities.

Paraphernalia, drugs, and items previously containing drugs may be confiscated and/or discarded.

Amnesty and Responsible Action Protocol

To encourage students to immediately seek necessary medical attention for themselves or others, the University may not impose disciplinary action of record for a violation of student alcohol or drug possession or consumption against individual students or Recognized Student Groups/Organizations when they seek assistance from on-duty medical staff or law enforcement for a medical emergency or condition.

To initiate the Amnesty & Responsible Action Protocol, you must:

1. Call for help: In the moment of witnessing a medical emergency or personal crisis, you must take immediate action to call Campus Safety and Security (410-516-7777), 9-1-1, or if you’re on-campus, contact an RA-on-duty. You may also use any Blue Light on-campus.
2. Stay: Remain with the individual(s) needing help until the on-duty emergency medical staff or law enforcement arrive.
3. Cooperate: Provide information and assistance as needed from the emergency responders and University officials reporting to the needs of the individuals. Meet with the appropriate University staff following the incident and agree to the timely completion of any recommended educational alcohol or other drug corrective measure as assigned by a Conduct Administrator or Hearing Board.

In order for amnesty to apply, a student or Recognized/Student Group/Organization must follow the above-mentioned steps. This amnesty does not preclude disciplinary action for other violations of applicable policies

Residents and university staff alike, should take an active role to work together to foster a strong residential and university community by making reasonable efforts to discourage other residents and community members from engaging in inappropriate or abusive conduct. Said conduct or pattern of conduct could be related to or stem from inappropriate or unwanted behavior online or virtually (e.g., via computer, email, social media, messaging platforms, etc.), on the phone (e.g. calls, texts, etc.), verbal or written communication, or third-party interventions – any of which could create a hostile environment for an individual or group. Reports of behavior that allege harassment, bullying, or other abusive behaviors will be pursued with serious investigation and disciplinary action per University procedures.

If any student engages in an identity-related, bias-related, or hate crime incident (any action or situation involving verbal, mental, or physical assault, and/or abuse, including harassment, intimidation, or other conduct that recklessly or intentionally endangers or threatens the health, safety, or welfare of another community member) they will face serious disciplinary action by the Office of Residential Life, the Office of Institutional Equity, and/or the Office of the Dean of Student Life.

Additional information regarding complaint procedures can be found on OIE’s Discrimination and Harassment site.

Small appliances without a visible heating element are acceptable in University Housing as long as the appliance has an automatic shutoff function. The following items are restricted or prohibited:

• Refrigerators and freezers leased or brought from home may not exceed 5 cubic feet or 1.5 amps.
• Microwaves must not exceed 1100 watts.
• Halogen lamps and other lamps with plastic heads are prohibited in University Housing. If found, they will be confiscated and disposed of properly.
• The use of portable comfort heaters is limited to specific types and specific needs. All personal comfort heaters must be approved by Health Safety & Environment, Housing, and Facilities to ensure fire and electrical safety. Students can gain approval by emailing [email protected]. Unauthorized heaters will be confiscated. Approved portable comfort heaters must meet the criteria outlined in the University’s Health, Safety & Environment Policy HSE017.
• Unauthorized air-conditioning units (window or portable) and open element space heaters are prohibited and will be confiscated.
• Self-installed bidets are prohibited. For students who require an accommodation, please contact Student Disability Services at [email protected] or Office of Institutional Equity at [email protected].

Residential communities should be free and clear of all potentially dangerous objects to ensure the safety and security of the residents, guests, visitors, and staff present in the buildings at any given time. This includes fireworks, explosives, weapons of any kind, and chemicals or hazardous materials. For clarification on substances that fall into this category, please refer to the Student Conduct Code.

JHU strives to ensure the Hopkins community is a safe, healthy, and environmentally responsible place to work, study and live for faculty, staff, and students. Members of the Hopkins community must conduct operations in compliance with all regulations, laws, and prevention methods necessary to address fire safety at its highest levels. Residents should understand and acknowledge the importance of fire safety, fire safety equipment, and recognizing hazards present in university housing and the surrounding communities.

Candles (including decorative and ceremonial), incense, and hookahs are prohibited in all residence halls and apartments. Items will be confiscated and disposed of and residents will be subject to disciplinary action. Residentially, policies around fire safety also include activating fire alarms, disabling fire equipment, and improper use of fire doors or extinguishers. The Student Conduct Code covers an exhaustive list of fire safety codes around unauthorized use or abuse of fire equipment as well as burning materials.

Residents who violate fire safety policies could face disciplinary action, fines, citations from Baltimore City, and/or expulsion, depending on the severity of the violation and damage created.

Students are allowed to host three guests in their residential living unit no matter how many students live in a unit and are responsible for those guests through the duration of their visit. For example, if four students live in a suite, they may only have three guests at a time among them for a total of 7 people in the suite.

All guests are required to be accompanied by their host resident and must stop at the security station to sign in. The guest must surrender a government-issued photo identification to the Security Officer. Individuals without an acceptable form of ID will not be permitted to enter the building. Host residents are expected to stay with their guests throughout the entire visit and further, hosts will be held accountable for their guests’ behavior.

Residents are permitted to host overnight guests, provided they first obtain the consent of their roommate(s) and/or suitemate(s). However, the University reserves the right to prohibit overnight visitors. Extended overnight visits (over 3 days) are prohibited by the University. Keys and JCards will not be provided for guests and host residents will be held accountable for misuse or abuse of this policy.

The room and/or exterior door keys issued to residents are the property of the University and may not be exchanged, duplicated, or given to another person. As such, students will incur the cost of a lock change if a room key is lost, stolen, or duplicated. No rooms may be modified to allow keyless entry. Keyless entry into a student space is a serious security risk and is prohibited.

Lockout Policy

If you lock yourself out of your room and require assistance from any university employee in regaining access (including Housing Staff, Resident Advisors, and Security) a record will be maintained concerning the occurrence. Should there be as many as three occurrences, subsequent lockouts will result in a $20.00 excessive lock out fine for each additional incidence being charged to your student account.

Lock Change Policy

If you lose your keys resulting in a lock change, a standard lock change fee of $125.00 will apply and a record will be maintained concerning the occurrence. Should there be a second occurrence, a repeat lock change fee of $125.00 will apply and a meeting will be scheduled with a Residence Director. Lost mailbox keys will have a $15.00 charge applied to the student account.

Students may not conduct business dealings, nor operate a business from their residential unit.

Solicitation, canvassing, and sales of products by individual students, non-registered student groups and/ or non-students for personal or organizational funds, sales, membership or subscriptions is prohibited in University buildings and not permitted to distribute materials in residence halls or residential mailboxes.

If student groups or departments wish to post flyers or materials in the residence halls, they must be approved by the Office of Residential Life.

Updates to the posting and flyer policy for all residence halls can be found on the Office of Residential Life’s website.

Noise/quiet hours should be observed normally, and students should not use musical instruments during these hours.

Please see “Noise / Quiet Hours” for details.

All residents of University Housing are expected to keep noise at a level that is not disruptive to those living around them. This means that noise within living units and around the exterior of the buildings should not be noticeable to anyone outside that unit. Roommates are encouraged to discuss acceptable noise levels within residence hall rooms and apartments so that everyone within the unit can live, study, and sleep in comfort.

Minimally, quiet hours are in effect 8:00pm – 8am on weeknights (Sunday-Thursday) and 10:00pm – 8am during the weekend (Friday-Saturday).

Communities are free to extend these hours but not to reduce them. Residents who are disruptive and fail to maintain reasonable quiet will face disciplinary action. If you fail to keep volume levels reasonable, equipment such as stereos, amplifiers, speakers, etc. will be confiscated and held by the Office of Residential Life. In addition, amplified music or music instruments should be played in designated music rooms only. The placing of sound equipment in windows to project sound out of doors is prohibited. Possible disciplinary consequences for repeated noise violations include relocation or removal from housing.

A 24-Hour Quiet Hours policy is established for the final exam period of each semester.

Students will have 24-hour access to all residential spaces within their building. Students will have access to all residence halls between 12pm (noon) and 8pm. Outside of these hours, all guests (students and non-residents) will need to be signed in by their host at the security desk. It is expected that all areas of university housing will be treated with respect and care.

If the JCard is lost or stolen, it is vital that it is reported immediately to Housing Operations (M-F 8:30am to 5:00pm) or to Security after-hours and on weekends. Students should never give their JCard to anyone to use, even if they feel that they know that person well. Unreported lost and shared cards compromise the security of all students.

No unauthorized pets of any kind are permitted in the residence halls or apartment buildings. This includes animals such as cats, dogs, birds, rodents, amphibians, reptiles, turtles, fish, insects, and any animals from labs. Residents who violate this policy may have their pets turned over to an animal shelter and will be subject to disciplinary action.

Emotional support animals (ESAs) and Service Animals are not considered pets.
For additional information regarding ESAs or Service Animals, please contact Student Disability Services at [email protected]

Below is an unexhaustive list of items that are prohibited from residence halls. Residents found in possession of prohibited items may be required to remove the item from the residence halls or the item may be confiscated/disposed of. Residents with prohibited items may face disciplinary action. In addition, residents may be responsible for any cost related to the removal and/or storage of the item. Residents are responsible for all damages from permitted and/or prohibited items.

PROHIBITED ITEMS INCLUDE:

• Air conditioners (except University-issued AC units in Rogers House, AMR I, AMR II)
• Alcohol paraphernalia (beer pong tables, beer bongs/funnels, kegs, items associated w/ drinking games)
• Beds lofted without permission/ assistance of the Housing Office or wardrobes put on top of drawers
• Candles and any open flame wax burners (decorative, ceremonial, or otherwise)
• Candle-lit menorahs
• Candle-lit kinaras
• Ceiling hangings and tapestries
• Chargers (for phones, cameras, laptops, etc.) and adapters can pose a fire hazard at times. They are to be unplugged when not in use.
• Cloth banners or posters larger than 24” x 36”
• Cooking appliances with external heating element or w/o auto-shutoff
• Dismantled, disengaged, or covered smoke detectors
• Drug paraphernalia
• Halogen lamps (desk/floor styles) and other lamps with plastic heads
• Hookahs (decorative or otherwise)
• Hover-boards
• Incense
• Loose wires running across floors
• Microwaves exceeding 1100 watts
• More than half the wall surface covered in posters, pictures or cloths (24” x 36”)
• Multiple extension cords to one outlet
• Refrigerators or freezers exceeding 5 cubic feet and/or 1.5amps
• Security/traffic cones
• Soldering Irons
• Track lighting, dismantled university-provided lighting.
• Trees (i.e. including but not limited to aluminum, Christmas trees, etc.)
• Unauthorized open element space heaters
• University/Non-university public or private property (I.e., including but not limited to signage, traffic cones, etc.)
• Weapons

NO ITEMS CAN BE AFFIXED, HUNG, MOUNTED, SECURED, DRAPED OR PINNED TO ANY CEILING.

Room Alterations

Residents may not physically alter, remove, or in any way tamper with the room furnishings provided by the University. This includes construction of any kind or painting of the walls, ceiling, and floors. If residents believe that their rooms are in need of painting or repair, they should speak with University Housing staff. Residents who paint rooms, doors, furnishings, or common areas of otherwise substantially alter the appearance or structure of University property without permission are charged the cost of the restoration or replacement.

Room Decorations

Lights may be placed around the interior of windows or the perimeter of your room. Lights may not be draped/strung across any ceilings or on the exterior of the buildings. For safety reasons, you may not hang items from the ceiling or from any ceiling fixtures.

The possession, use, or distribution of alcohol/drug paraphernalia as defined by local, state, and federal laws is prohibited at any time on University property. The possession of empty alcohol containers or drinking vessels (i.e., including but not limited to bottles, cans, shot/wine glasses, packaging, etc.) as decoration is also prohibited.

Residents must keep rooms, bathrooms, and other common areas clean and in an acceptable condition. Unacceptable room conditions caused by excessive trash, empty or open food and beverage containers, and/or excessive clutter on floors is prohibited.

The Offices of Residential Life and Housing Operations have a vital interest in maintaining a healthy and safe environment for students, while respecting individual choice about smoking.

Smoking is prohibited inside University Housing buildings, including, but not limited to, student rooms, suites, apartments, lounges, bathrooms, common areas, stairwells, lobbies, and elevators. In addition, removing window screens and leaning out of windows to smoke is also prohibited. The non-smoking policy includes, but is not limited to, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, vaporizers, cigars, hookahs, illegal substances, and marijuana (including medically prescribed).

Smoking, vaping, and other tobacco use is prohibited on all outdoor campus grounds and throughout all University buildings. The University discourages but does not prohibit tobacco use on city property adjacent to campus grounds. Full cooperation with this policy is expected and violations will result in disciplinary action and/or fines.

Students can take advantage of the State of Maryland’s smoking cessation program.

Sports and sports-related activities are not permitted anywhere in the residence halls and/or apartments, or directly outside the building, including, but not limited to, Frisbee, roller blading, scooters, bikes, skateboarding, hoverboards, water sports, and games involving a ball. Damage caused by any such activity will be billed to residents responsible or the community at large if the responsible person is not known. Any equipment utilized in such acts will be confiscated.

If residents or their guest(s) breach security by not using the turnstiles properly, you will be fined $75 for the first violation, $200 for the second and disciplinary action will be taken for improper turnstile/emergency egress door use. Repeated misuse of turnstiles/ emergency egress doors, may result in suspension from the university.

Improper use of an emergency egress door will result in a fine.

Residents are not permitted in some areas of University Housing. These include all roofs, the area above drop ceilings, window ledges, and fire escapes (except in the case of fire or emergency evacuation), attic areas, storage rooms, custodial closets, mechanical rooms, elevator shafts, and other rooms not designed for residential use. Residents found in, or storing items in, any of these areas will face serious disciplinary action including possible removal from housing.

Residents may not throw anything out of the windows, down the stairs or off the roofs and fire escapes of University Housing. Such actions jeopardize the safety of pedestrians and in some cases, destroy property, create fire hazards and are viewed as vandalism. Anyone caught engaging in such activity will face serious disciplinary action, including possible removal from housing.

In addition, residents may not enter or exit a building through a window. Any violation of this policy will be considered a security violation, resulting in disciplinary action and fines. Removal of a screen will result in a fine.

Residents may not move, or be in possession of, University furnishings or property other than that which is assigned to their residential unit. Furniture and University property are not to be removed from assigned locations (both indoors and outdoors). This includes University and non-University signs, including road and construction signs and cones. Removal costs, fines, and/or disciplinary action may be assessed if unauthorized furnishings or property are found in your room or common areas.