Residential Living and Learning Community Standards

In addition to the Code of Student Conduct, residents are required to abide by the Department of Residential Living and Learning Community Standards. Any violations of the following policies and those outline in the Code of Student Conduct may result in the student being referred to the student conduct process.

Alcohol

In accordance with System Police 34.03, Alcoholic Beverages- alcohol is permitted in “University Apartments and Residence Hall room (individuals 21 years or older).” Alcohol is strictly prohibited in the assigned spaces of residents under 21 years of age. Residents who are at least 21 years of age are permitted to have alcohol in their assigned bedroom (this does not include common areas) in accordance with Texas law. Texas law requires individuals must be at least 21 years of age to purchase, possess, or consume alcoholic beverages. In addition to this, all residents are held to the following standards:

1. Residents are prohibited from being in possession of empty alcohol containers, including those used as decoration.
2. Residents are prohibited from possessing items that can be used for rapid consumption. Examples include but are not limited to, shot glasses (if under 21), funnels, ice luges, and kegs.
3. Residents less than 21 years of age may not knowingly be in the presence of alcohol or under the influence of alcohol.
4. Residents will not possess, share, sell, or use kegs, beer bongs, beer balls, or other common-source containers of alcohol, nor will they possess a large quantity of alcohol or alcohol containers intended for or used by a group rather than an individual.
5. Residents may not be visibly intoxicated.
6. Residents will not manufacture or sell alcohol either directly or indirectly.
7. Residents may not display advertisements of alcohol that are visible outside of their assigned residence hall/apartment.
8. Residents will not provide or serve alcohol to anyone less than 21 years of age, nor will they host or promote an event where alcohol is present and any guest who is less than 21 years of age is in attendance.
9. Residents will not possess or consume alcohol in public places, including, but not limited to, lounges, study rooms, hallways, entryways, elevators, stairwells, balconies, terraces and decks. If the door of the residence hall room/apartment is open, the space is considered a public place.
10. Residents' guests, regardless of age, are not permitted to consume alcohol.

Arson

Starting a fire, no matter the size, within a residence hall or within the immediate surroundings outside a residence hall is strictly prohibited. Violations of this rule may also be considered a violation of state law, including setting fire to items on a door, bulletin board, or any other flammable material within the residence hall. Grilling is only permitted within designated grill areas.

Assistance or Service Animals

Assistance Animals (as defined by the Fair Housing Act; sometimes called Emotional Support Animals) and Service Animals (as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act) are allowed in the residence halls and university apartments. Students needing an assistance animal must be approved prior to the animal arriving on campus by the Office of Student Disability Services and Residential Living and Learning. Assistance Animals (as defined by the Fair Housing Act) are only permitted in the student's assigned apartment or room. Requests for assistance animals must be approved in writing before the resident brings the animal on campus, and residents approved for an assistance animal must abide by guidelines set by the Office of Student Disability Services and Residential Living and Learning to maintain approval to have the animal in the residential community. Residential Living and Learning works in conjunction with the Office of Student Disability Services to authorize the use of an assistance animal. Please contact the Office of Student Disability Services, located at Waters Library, Room 162, or call (903) 468-5150 to initiate the approval process if you need an assistance animal in the residence hall or university apartments.

Bicycles/Skateboards/Scooters

Bicycles, skateboards, and scooters may not be secured to permanent fixtures such as trees and railings. They may only be secured to designated bike racks. Bicycles, skateboards, and scooters secured to permanent fixtures in a residence hall or community will be removed at the owner's expense. Residents are encouraged to register their bicycles with the University Police Department.

Business/Private Enterprise

Using your physical or internet address to conduct private entrepreneurial ventures by you, your family, or visitors from your residential community is prohibited.

Cooking

Cooking in the residence halls is allowed with approved cooking appliances only (see unapproved appliances and household items policy for more information). Residents are responsible for ensuring that proper sanitation, ventilation, and fire safety precautions are taken. Cooking is only permitted in apartment kitchens and residence hall community kitchens unless using a microwave. Community kitchens must be kept clean at all times (dishes clean, food stored properly, etc.). Any damages resulting from improper use of kitchens or food disposal will be billed to the individual(s) responsible.

Cooperation with Residential Living and Learning Staff

Your Residential Living and Learning Staff members are University officials. Residents are expected to comply with any reasonable request by Residential Living and Learning Staff when doing their jobs. Verbal and/or physical abuse directed toward any Residential Living and Learning staff member is prohibited.

Damage to Residential Living and Learning Property

Damage to or vandalizing (including littering) of Residential Living and Learning property is not permitted. This includes but is not limited to failure to take personal trash to the dumpster, negligence/failure to notify RLL of maintenance issues that worsen over time, such as leaks and/or mold, and disorderly conduct or defacing (intentionally or unintentionally) of any internal or external residence hall spaces. If a specific person cannot be identified or there is reason to believe community members are responsible, the entire floor/wing/community may be billed for damages to the area.

Door Propping/Pulling

Due to safety concerns, propping or forcefully pulling open any residence hall door, including laundry room doors, is strictly prohibited. Residents responsible for this violation will be charged $50 per instance to their student account.

Drugs and Drug Paraphernalia

In accordance with the Code of Student Conduct, possession, consumption, sales and/ or manufacturing of illegal drugs are prohibited by Texas State Law. Additionally, items that could be considered drug paraphernalia, including but not limited to: vaporizers, tobacco wrapping paper and “bongs” are prohibited.

Fire Safety

All residence halls are equipped with fire safety equipment. This includes but is not limited to, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, pull stations, fire and evacuation signs, and fire exit doors. Residents and their guests are required to abide by the following policies and guidelines:

1. Residents are not permitted to tamper with or destroy fire safety equipment. Please see the Code of Conduct.
2. Residents are required to exit the building during all fire alarms.
3. Residents are not permitted to possess items with an open flame, whether lit or not, such as candles.
4. Residents are permitted one UL-approved power strip per wall outlet and are prohibited from plugging one power strip into another. All major appliances (refrigerators and microwaves) must be plugged directly into the wall outlet. Extension cords, including light strings, are prohibited.
5. Residents are prohibited from pulling on or propping any Fire Exit or Exterior Building Door.
6. Emergency exits are to be used for emergency evacuations. The misuse of emergency exits will be documented and handled judicially, which could result in a fine and/or disciplinary action.
7. Paths to the exit door, windows, hallways, and safety equipment should be kept clear at all times.
8. Fireworks, Smoke Bombs, and Explosives of any kind are not permitted within the entire campus community.
9. Only 20% of each side of room doors may be decorated.
10. Tampering with the electrical/wiring system, painting, and installing any additional property is prohibited.
11. Covering or removing smoke detectors may incur a fine of up to $500 and may result in removal from Housing.
12. Storing or using electric vehicles (e.g., e-scooters, e-bikes, e-skateboards, etc.), including batteries, is not permitted and may incur a fine of up to $500, confiscation, and/or resident removal from Housing.

Furniture

Each student room is provided with the proper RLL furniture. Residents are to abide by the following:

1. Residents are prohibited from placing furniture to block access to windows, air vents, air conditioning and heating units.
2. Residents are prohibited from placing furniture provided by Residential Living and Learning outdoors, including patios.
3. At the conclusion of their contract, residents are required to return all furniture to its original position and location within their assigned space.
4. Residents are required to report any damage to or missing furniture during the term of their contract. Intentional damage, damage due to negligence, or a failure to follow Community Standards will likely result in fines and/ or fees for repair or replacement.
5. Residents are prohibited from removing University furniture from their space/room.
6. Residents are prohibited from utilizing a waterbed within their room.
7. Residents are prohibited from utilizing additional furniture within their room without approval from their Community Director.

Gambling

The State of Texas prohibits gambling, whether for money or not, from occurring on the University premises. Residents are prohibited from participating in gambling activities.

Guests/Visitation

Guests are any person(s) who is a non-student, student, or resident of a different residential community space than your own. Each resident may host up to two (2) guests at any given time. However, a resident must register any guests they choose to host via the front desk of their hall or the Guest Registration Form via Roompact. All unapproved guests will be asked to depart the residential community immediately. Additionally, when hosting guests, residents must adhere to the following:

• The resident(s) is not permitted to have more than the maximum number of individuals in their assigned room/suite/apartment at a time.
  • Max Guests for the Entire Unit
    • Pride Rock and Phase II = 4 (+2 occupants) = 6 individuals
    • Phase III = 4 (+2 occupants) = 6 individuals
    • Phase III Single = 2 (+1 occupant) = 3 individuals
    • Whitley Hall Single = 2 (+1 occupant) = 3 individuals
    • Prairie Crossing/New Pride 2/2 = 4 (+2 occupants) = 6 individuals
    • Prairie Crossing/New Pride 4/2 = 2 (+4 occupants) = 6 individuals
    • Prairie Crossing 1-bed = 2 (+1 occupant) = 3 individuals
• Resident(s) planning to have overnight guests must receive permission from any roommates/apartment-mates/suitemates at least 24 hours in advance and register via the Guest Registration Form on Roompact. Overnight guests may not stay more than 48 hours unless the host has been granted permission by their respective Community Director (CD).
• Resident(s) are responsible for accompanying any guest while the guest is in the residential community (i.e., do not leave a guest in your space while you go to class, do not let your guest go to other floors without you, etc.).
• No guests are permitted during winter break aside from fellow residents approved to stay over break assigned to the same hall.
• Residents are responsible for their guests’ behavior, including whether the guests comply with the directives of any University employee.
• Cohabitation in the residence halls is a violation of the contract between the Department of Residential Living and Learning and the resident. Cohabitation is defined as hosting any visitor (resident or non-resident) exceeding 48 hours within a given week without permission from the Community Director (CD).

Guns/Firearms

In accordance with university and state law regulations for firearms on campus, the possession of guns/ firearms without a license is prohibited. The open carrying of handguns is prohibited on campus with or without a license (see Texas Government Code Section 411.2031 and Texas A&M University system policy 34.06.02R1). Any resident of campus housing who has a handgun license holder and wants to store a handgun in his/her assigned room must provide their own safe, intended and manufactured for handgun storage. The resident may not provide access to their safe to any other individual. Failure to comply with this rule may result in removal from campus housing and will be referred to the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. For additional information regarding guns/firearms on campus, please visit the Handguns on Campus website.

Horseplay and Pranks

Water fights, water balloons, water guns, toy guns, darts, and any other horseplay, including wrestling and running in the hallways/lounges, with water and/or other substances, are prohibited. Residents will be subject to disciplinary actions and/or held responsible for any damages associated with this behavior.

Health and Safety Inspections (HSIs)

Residential Living and Learning Staff will conduct Health and Safety Inspections four to six times yearly. These checks will be announced and are made to ensure that University property is being used properly, reasonable standards of room cleanliness, safety, and sanitation are being observed, maintenance needs are reported, RLL procedures are being observed, and all directives of the State Fire Marshal and Fire Safety procedures are being observed. Residents do not have to be present during Health and Safety Inspections.

Identification/Keys

Residents are provided with a Lion Card or Mobile Credential access, which, in some cases, serves as the residents' room key. For other residents, access to their space is provided via a physical key, checked out to them during move-in. For the safety of our community, keys are only issued to a resident for access to the assigned room/apartment. Lion Card and Mobile Credentials are encoded with the ability to grant access to the appropriate doors designated with card readers. The Lion Card/Mobile Credential access will only function for the assigned community of residence (for example, in New Pride, you have a physical key to your space, but your student ID allows access to the laundry facilities within New Pride).

Residents are required to abide by the following requirements regarding Identification and Keys:

1. Lion Cards and physical keys are property of ETAMU and are non-transferable. Possession of a Lion Card or physical key by anyone other than the owner is a violation of University regulations. Using a Lion Card or physical key by anyone other than the owner will result in the resident going through the conduct process and is subject to criminal prosecution.
2. Residents and their guests are required to provide identification (preferably a Lion Card) to Front Desk staff upon entry to any residential community and/ or when requested by Residential Living and Learning staff. Failure to provide identification may result in being escorted from the building, criminal prosecution, and/ or going through the conduct process.
3. To control the inventory of the keys, duplication of University keys is prohibited.

Noise/Courtesy Hours

Quiet hours are in effect every day from 10:00 pm to 10:00 am. Residents and their guests are expected to be considerate of roommates and neighbors 24 hours a day. This includes noise from surrounding apartments or rooms, residential facilities (lobbies, kitchens, etc.), and residential parking lots/garages.

24-hour quiet hours will begin the week before exam week of each semester and remain in effect until the conclusion of the exam period.

Pets

Fish are the only pets permitted in the residence halls and may only utilize one tank no more than 10 gallons in size. Any pet or proof of pet, including stray animals, found in or around a resident's room will need to be removed immediately and will result in a fine of $500 + $100/day until removal. Residential Living and Learning and/or SSC staff will inspect the resident's living space upon confirmation the animal has been removed to assess any damage. Residents may be assessed additional charges for additional cleaning/disinfecting/damage, as well as a $100 per day charge for any pet and pet items that were not immediately removed.

Please note if a full carpet replacement is necessary, the minimum cost begins at $3,500. If you are aware of any stray animals in the area, please contact UPD at (903) 886-5868 to request removal. For information about Assistance Animals, see Assistance Animals policy.

Prohibited Items

Due to safety and security concerns, the following items are strictly prohibited within the residence halls. Electrical balance/hoverboards/scooters/skateboards, sun lamps/tanning beds, shopping carts, string lights, scented plug-ins, warmers, multiple socket boxes, electric blankets, gasoline cans, candles, incense, oil lamps, extension cords, space heaters. This list is not all-inclusive; any item that poses health and safety risks to the community, poses a risk of damaging University property, and/or negatively impacts building function and operations is prohibited.

Restricted Areas

All residents and their guests must abide by the following policies regarding restricted areas:

1. No student shall not enter any residential building, office, attic, roof, or other restricted area within the residential community.
2. Students who have been trespassed from a residence hall floor, building, or area are required to abide by the stipulations of that agreement

Room Modifications/Decoration

Residence Hall rooms are equipped with items that have been deemed to be fire-preventative and safe. Residents are required to abide by the following policies regarding room modifications/decoration:

1. Residents are required to leave their room in the same condition as found on their room condition report
2. Residents are prohibited from painting their rooms
3. Residents are prohibited from using command strips or other materials to hang items. These items remove paint from walls. Failure to abide by this policy will result in a fee being assessed to the student's account.
4. Residents may use industrial pushpins and small picture-hanging nails to hang items.
5. Students who place items in windows that the University determines to be offensive and/or obscene will be asked to remove the items immediately and are subject to the conduct process
6. No additional lock mechanisms may be installed in room doors
7. Residents will assume responsibility for any damage beyond normal wear and tear to residential facilities
8. Residents are not permitted to use double-sided tape on any surface as it will cause excessive damage

Room Occupancy

Residential Living and Learning reserves the right to limit the number of individuals in an apartment or residence hall room or at a university apartment or residence hall event in cases where the safety of occupants may be a concern or where the noise level in the room violates either the quiet hours or courtesy hour rules.

Solicitation

Residential Living and Learning does not allow solicitation by students, outside groups, student organizations, or companies in the residence halls without prior approval from the Director of RLL or designee.

Smoking/Tobacco/Vaping

Smoking of any substance, including e-cigarettes and vapes, is prohibited in all campus facilities, including porches, balconies, stairwells, sidewalks, and enclosed inner courtyards. The smell of smoke, ashes, tobacco, and/or illegal substances is prohibited. Possession of smoking devices, such as pipes, hookahs, vape pens, etc., within the residential community is also prohibited.

Tampering with Locks

Residents are encouraged to ensure that their assigned space is secure at all times and that locks are always in working order. Tampering with locks, including disabling locks and breaking locks, is strictly prohibited.

Theft

In accordance with the Student Code of Conduct, theft of any kind, including seizing, receiving or concealing property with knowledge that it has been stolen, is prohibited. Sale, possession, or misappropriation of any property or services without the owner's permission is also prohibited.

Traffic Signs

Residents may not remove, store, or be in possession (including having their assigned living space) of traffic signs. In accordance with the State of Texas Transportation Code Section 544.005 the State of Texas prohibits the possession of any traffic sign, including but not limited to: state, city, directional, and informational signs.

Unapproved Appliances and Household Items

To help provide a safe environment for all residents, all items brought into the residence communities (including apartments) must be approved for use. Items that have an open heating source or pose a threat to fire safety are not permitted within any residential community (including apartments). This includes but is not limited to Halogen lamps/bulbs, hot plates, rice cookers, air fryers, crock pots, coffee pots, deep fryers, broilers, and toaster ovens.

Unoccupied Room/Bed Spaces

Residents may not occupy or otherwise make use of rooms or bed spaces that they are not assigned to, including for storage of items or hosting guests.

Weapons

In accordance with ETAMU System Policy 34.06.02, weapons are not allowed in the residential community or in vehicles on Residential Living and Learning property without proper authorization. Due to safety and security concerns, the following items are strictly prohibited within the residence halls: Weapons that may cause damage to the building or to other students including, but not limited to paintball guns, airsoft guns, nerf-type guns, ammunition, pellet or BB guns, slingshots, arrows, axes, machetes, brass knuckles, nun chucks, throwing stars, Tasers, knives, and guns/firearms (without a license to carry). See the Guns/Firearms policy for guidance on the legal possession of firearms on/ around campus.

Windows and Window Screens

Windows, including screens, may not be removed or altered in any way. In instances where windows have been permanently locked due to safety concerns, residents may not alter, unscrew, or unlock them. No articles may be thrown or hung from windows. The threshold of all windows and balconies may not be crossed at any time for any reason.

Wireless Routers

Apogee, an outside contractor, provides wireless for the residential communities. Residents are not allowed to have routers. The use of a router in residential communities is a policy violation.