Policies

Candles/Open Flames/Smoking

In an effort to make residence hall living safer for everyone and reduce the risk of fire, candles are not permitted in residence hall rooms, not even for decorative purposes. Leave your candles and incense at home when planning what to bring to school. Open flames create a serious fire hazard and a tremendous risk to the lives and safety of residents, and we believe it is in the best interest of students to prohibit these items (i.e. incense, alcohol burners,
candles).

Smoking

Wisconsin law prohibits smoking within 25 feet of all University residence hall buildings. Guidelines for smoking outside of the building will be established by floor residents and/or hall governments to prevent smoke from entering the building.

Smoke-free Areas
All residence halls and the Gruenhagen Conference Center are designated smoke-free buildings. No smoking is permitted anywhere in the buildings, including residents’ rooms. Residence Life attempts to match roommates who have compatible smoking preferences.

Lofts and Bunks

Any bunk or loft structure in a student room must be free-standing (cannot be affixed directly to a wall or ceiling or be a pressure bunk). Any structure must be easy to move to allow access to room components by University maintenance personnel and for fire safety procedures. Lofts not meeting these safety criteria will not be permitted. Lofts may not be placed parallel to the window unless the bed is at least 2 feet (24 inches) from the window or at a height that is below the window ledge. Due to the enforcement of sprinkler system regulations, homemade lofts are not allowed in North and South Scott halls and rental lofts must be at least 18 inches below any sprinkler head. Since the furniture in Taylor hall is “self lofting,” homemade and rental lofts are not permitted. If you choose to bring a loft, it must accommodate the bed and mattress already in the room (furniture cannot be removed). Bed frames are 33 1/2” x 80” and approximately 8 1/2” from the floor. The bars that support the legs are 10 1/4” from the end of the bed and protrude 2 1/2”. Lofts may not be made out of pressuretreated lumber or wood. Wood used should be treated with a fire retardant.

Alcohol

Students who are of legal drinking age in the state of Wisconsin are allowed to possess or  consume canned or bottled alcoholic beverages in their individual rooms. Kegs, barrels and party-balls are not permitted in student rooms. Alcoholic beverages must be transported outside the room in manufacturer’s sealed containers. More information is available in the Community Rights and Responsibilities Handbook provided to residents when they move into their rooms. Substance-Free

Living Option

If you are committed to alcohol-, drug- and tobacco-free wellness, you can choose to live in a substance-free living unit. While UW Oshkosh upholds and enforces state laws regarding alcohol and illegal drugs, Residence Life takes our commitment one step further by offering our support to students who choose to live in an environment that exceeds requirements of the law. Although all residence halls are smoke-free, this special living unit requires a commitment to refrain from using all tobacco products. Residents promise not to possess, use or be under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs or tobacco products and to keep the floor free of substance use. This includes guests of residents as well. Residents must sign an additional commitment agreement. If interested in this living environment, mark it on your Residence Hall Selection Card.

Damages

Common Area Damage–Damages other than those determined to be of normal wear and tear nature are charged to the resident/s of a room. Charges are based upon actual repair or replacement costs to restore the room or facility to its original condition. Residents also may be liable for any extra custodial services required by these actions.

Compensation for damage done to common areas of our residence halls (areas outside the individual student rooms) is the responsibility of all the residents of the community. When the specific responsible person(s) cannot be determined, costs for the damage are divided equally among the residents of the wing, floor or hall where damage occurs. This is billed to the students’ financial account once a semester.

Guests

Overnight guests, individuals visiting after quiet hours, are permitted with approval from the roommate. Overnight guests may stay no more than two consecutive nights. Residents are responsible for the actions and behaviors of their guests while at the University. The University provides economical housing, when available, in the Gruenhagen Conference Center for guests and for students who remain on campus during University vacation breaks or just for short-term visits. For additional information, call (920) 424-1106 or visit online at http://housing.uwosh.edu/gcc

Quiet Hours

For many students, particularly those new to the University, developing effective study habits is difficult. The purpose of courtesy and quiet hours is to create the proper atmosphere necessary for effective study. Cooperation in helping to maintain effective study conditions in the halls is needed. Quiet hours generally are established by the floor residents and/or the hall community council. Courtesy hours are expected to be observed by each floor community 24 hours a day.

Safety And Security

Maintaining a safe and secure residence hall environment is the responsibility of each resident. Students are urged to use common sense to ensure their safety. Just as you would not open your door at home and invite a stranger in, you are encouraged to use that same judgment with hall and room security. You are encouraged to keep your room door locked, to carry your room key with you at all times and not to lend your room key to others. Taylor, Fletcher and Scott halls have a night host who comes on duty before midnight and works until early morning. The host provides additional security at hall entrances during the late night/early morning hours. In all other halls, students’ entrance keys will open the  hall entrance doors. Only main entrance doors remain unlocked during front desk hours; all other building doors are locked 24 hours daily. The University Police Department provides the same basic services one would expect from city law enforcement agencies. The department enforces civil and criminal codes and traffic laws as well as rules of the University System. University police provide security and safety educational services to the University community. For 24-hour-a-day assistance and information, call (920) 424-1212.

Snack Desks

The desks in Fletcher, Nelson, and Stewart Halls offer a variety of snacks.

Labs

A fully equipped computer lab offering a variety of hardware and software is located in each hall. Computer Resource Centers (super labs) are located in Fletcher, Scott and Taylor halls. Each lab is staffed with residence hall information specialists (RHISs) to assist residents with computer-related problems. Our labs have a high use rate. For additional information, call (920) 424-4165.

ResNet

Enjoy fast and efficient Internet access from your residence hall room. Students who bring their computers to school have the opportunity to connect to the Internet through a high-speed data jack in their room. For detailed information about ResNet, visit online at www.housing.uwosh.edu/resnet/ or call (920) 424-0863.

Exercise/Weight Rooms

All residence halls have exercise/weight rooms with various equipment available for residents’ use.

Safe Walk Services

The Knight Owls Safe Walk is a service in which student volunteers donate their time and energy to make the campus a safer place by escorting students to their campus destinations after dark. Sponsored by United Students in Residence Halls (USRH), volunteers wear brightly colored jackets, carry a two-way radio, flashlight and a loud defensive alarm. Walks are generally available 7 p.m.–2 a.m., Sunday through Thursday. The service may not be offered for the first two weeks of the semester or during stressful academic periods, pending availability of volunteers. To request a walk, call the Knight Owls Office, located on the first floor of Scott Hall, at (920) 424-7421. If a student is unable to contact a volunteer in the Knight Owls Office and does not feel safe walking alone, s/he should contact the University Police.