Residence Hall Policies

ABANDONED ITEMS
Personal belongings that are left in a residence hall without prior approval after the owner has vacated will be declared abandoned. Abandoned items will be inventoried and packed by residence hall staff members, and will be stored for a period of 90 days. An attempt will be made to contact, by mail, students to whom the items belong. Students wishing to claim abandoned property must be prepared to pay the cost of packaging the items as well as a daily storage fee prior to receiving the belongings. The university does not assume responsibility for loss of or damage to abandoned items.

ALCOHOL
Georgia state law forbids the consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages by persons under the age of twenty-one. The possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages by those of legal age on campus or in any university buildings, lobbies, T.V. rooms, or conference rooms is strictly prohibited. Students who are twenty-one years of age are permitted to possess and consume alcohol in their rooms with their doors closed. Transporting alcohol in an uncovered container is not permitted in any residence hall. Party balls and kegs of any size are prohibited in the residence hall.

APPLIANCES
Due to concerns for fire and safety standards, only microwaves which use less than 900 watts, automatic coffee makers, hot pots without exposed heating elements, hot air popcorn poppers, and refrigerators which do not exceed 1.1 amps may be used in residents' rooms. No other appliances are allowed. Microwaves and refrigerators are limited to one each per room. You must provide a power strip with a self-contained circuit breaker if you plan to operate any of the above appliances in your room. Limited kitchen facilities are provided in each residence hall for preparing meals, snacks, and hot drinks. Cooking appliances must always be attended while in use in order to prevent fires.

BUILDING SECURITY
Each resident is responsible for taking part in the security of the residence hall. Exiting side doors not intended as exits, allowing entry of unescorted individuals, and propping open outside doors all compromise the safety of the hall and all the residents of the hall. These and similar behaviors are prohibited.

CARD ACCESS
All residence halls are equipped with a card access system which allows entry only to a student's assigned residence hall using the student ID as a key. Residents who lose their ID must report the loss immediately to the Residence Life Office so that the lost card can be deactivated. Residents are prohibited from loaning their ID to another person, propping outside doors, or otherwise circumventing the card access system.

COURTESY HOURS
Out of respect for others, residents are expected to keep noise at a reasonable level 24 hours a day.

DAMAGES
Students will be held responsible for any and all damages to, or loss of, University property within their assigned residence hall. In the event of damage within a student's room, all occupants will be held responsible. In the event of damage to hallways or common areas, students residing within that area may be held responsible. The $250.00 deposit may be applied toward the damage charge only if the student is leaving the residence hall permanently. Students who remain in the residence hall will be billed for damages.

DISORDERLY CONDUCT
Water/shaving cream fights, vulgar or abusive language, physical altercations (fights), failure to comply with a university official, etc. will not be tolerated and could result in disciplinary action and removal from the residence halls.

DRUGS
Possessing, using, selling, or attempting to obtain any illegal drug or controlled substance (including marijuana) is strictly prohibited by federal and state statutes.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
Sun lamps, space heaters, ceiling fans, window air conditioners or appliances with exposed heating elements are not permitted in the residence halls. Irons may be used only in designated areas. Extension cords that exceed 12 feet in length or are constructed with less than 16 gauge wire are prohibited.

FIRE AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT
It is against Georgia state law to destroy, remove, or in any manner interfere with the use of any vehicle, tool, equipment, water supply, or other instruments or facilities used in the detection, reporting, suppression, or extinguishment of a fire.

FIRE HAZARDS
Incense, candles, explosives, fireworks, gasoline, potpourri burners, and incendiary devices of any kind are not permitted in the residence halls.

FURNITURE REMOVAL
Public area furniture may not be removed or moved to individual rooms. All furniture in residents' rooms must remain intact and within the room.

GUESTS
Residents are permitted to have overnight guests in their room provided the guest is of the same sex. In order to house your guest(s), you must receive prior permission from your roommate(s), and you must register your guest(s) with your RD/RLC. Guests may not be accommodated in university housing for more than three days during any thirty-day period. Residents must remain in the company of their guests and shall be held fully responsible for their guests' conduct throughout the visit. Children under the age of 12 are not permitted in the residence halls from 10:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.

HALL SPORTS
In the interest of personal safety and out of respect for the hall environment, students may not play sports or ride bikes, skateboards, etc. in the hallway.

LIABILITY
The university is not liable for damage to or loss of personal property, or for injury or inconvenience to persons.

LITTERING
In the interest of protecting the environment, the disposing of any form of litter other than in designated receptacles is prohibited.

LOCK-OUTS
Each resident is expected to carry his/her key at all times. A student who is locked out of his/her room should contact an RA who will let him/her into his/her room. Building staff will inform students of lock-out policies and fees specific to each building. Students who are locked out of their room should be prepared to show their ID to the RA to verify their identity and to produce their room key when they are let into their room.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
In order to facilitate an atmosphere for studying, amplified musical instruments, sound equipment, and drums may not be played in residents' rooms.

OBSTRUCTING COMMON AREAS
In order to avoid potentially dangerous situations, hallways, lobbies, stairwells, and common areas of traffic must be kept free of obstruction at all times.

PETS
Small fish in bowls or aquariums (maximum capacity of ten gallons) are the only pets allowed in the residence halls.

QUIET HOURS
Every student has the right to study or to sleep in his/her room when needed. For this reason residents must respect quiet hours from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. daily. Quiet hours are in effect in all halls. Noise heard outside of a closed room door or within student rooms from the hallways will be considered excessive and in violation of the quiet hours policy. Students who do not abide by the quiet hour policy are subject to dismissal from the residence halls.

REQUESTS BY RESIDENCE HALL STAFF
Residents are required to follow the requests of residence hall staff members who are in the performance of their duties. Failure to comply with such requests may result in disciplinary action.

ROOF
Being on the roof of any university building by a student is strictly prohibited.

ROOM ALTERATIONS
Students are encouraged to personalize their rooms in keeping with the guidelines described on page 5. Alterations which are not congruent with these guidelines may result in fines and/or disciplinary action.

ROOM INSPECTIONS
All due respect is given to the privacy that residents enjoy in their rooms. Occasionally circumstances present themselves which necessitate that authorized university personnel enter student rooms for the purpose of health and safety inspections, repair and maintenance, assessment of damages, inventory of university property, determination of compliance with university policies, or emergencies where imminent danger to life, safety, health, or property is reasonably suspected. When possible, advance notice will be given to residents.

ROOM KEYS
In the interest of safety and security, residents are prohibited from giving their room key to anyone else to use.

SOLICITATION
The University does not permit door-to-door sales, posting advertisements on bulletin boards, doors, or walls, or solicitation of any form within the residence halls without prior approval of the Residence Life Office. Violations of this policy should be reported immediately to the residence hall staff.

SMOKING
Smoking is prohibited in all areas of all residence halls. Students who smoke may do so only in designated locations outside the buildings. Smoking is not permitted within thirty feet of any residence hall entrance.

STUDENT CONDUCT CODE
All residents are held responsible for knowing and abiding by the student conduct regulations listed in the West Georgia Uncatalog (page 34).

VACATING
With the exception of graduating seniors, all residents must vacate the residence halls within 24 hours after their last final exam but no later than 5:00 p.m. on the last day of finals, unless specific permission has been given by the Residence Life Office.

VANDALISM
Vandalism (including arson) of any university property will result in disciplinary action. Payment for damage will be required.

VISITATION
The visitation policy determines when residents may have visitors of the opposite sex in their rooms.

Visitation hours for all halls, except Tyus, University Suites, and Arbor View Apartments are:

Sunday through Thursday: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 a.m. (midnight)
Friday and Saturday: 10:00 a.m.-2:00 a.m.

Tyus Hall, Arbor View Apartments, and the University Suites operate with 24-hour visitation. Men must have a female escort at all times when in a women's hall and women must have a male escort at all times when in a men's hall.

Visitors are permitted only at the request of the residents, who then become responsible for their visitors' conduct. Visitation privileges are to be exercised with concern for others' rights to privacy. No student shall be denied access to his/her room at any time or be placed under undue hardship by the presence of a visitor.

Visitors must use bathroom facilities designated for their gender. At no time may visitors use shower facilities or restrooms designated for the opposite sex.

Enforcement of the visitation policy is the responsibility of the resident students as well as the residence hall staff. Visitation privileges may be revoked for individuals or groups of residents who violate the visitation policy.

WEAPONS
The use of any item as a weapon for the purpose of offense or defense, and the possession of knives, slingshots, numchucks, billy clubs, brass knuckles, crossbows, fire arms of any kind including but not limited to BB guns, pellet guns, dart guns, and any type of air gun or any device intended as a weapon is strictly prohibited.

WINDOWS
Removing window screens, throwing objects from windows, or running antennas or other wires from windows may endanger residents and is not permitted.