Building and Grounds

Building and Grounds

The maintenance and housekeeping staff attend to the buildings and grounds with a concern for safety. Additional lighting and increased security measures in residence halls help provide protection. Parking lots are regularly patrolled by a Campus Safety vehicle and on-foot patrol.

Fire Safety

Fire safety is also of primary importance and the Campus Safety Department recommends the following measures to maintain a safe environment:

• If you observe or suspect a fire, activate the building fire alarm immediately. All fires, regardless of the size, must be reported to Campus Safety.
• If the fire alarm sounds while you are in your room, don't panic.
• Keep calm; turn on the lights and dress for the weather.
• Before you open the door, feel for excessive heat.
• If the door feels normal, leave by the nearest exit. Do not use the elevator.
• Be familiar with the location of disabled people in your building and if necessary, assist them in reaching a safe location. Notify Campus Safety of their location.
• Leave the building and stay 500 feet from the building. Remain at that location until directed to reenter the building by a Campus Safety Officer or the Fire Department.
• If the door feels hot, do not open the door.
• Seal the cracks and openings with towels, sheets, etc.
• To attract attention, hang clothes or bedding out of the window and shut the window promptly.
• Don't break the window or leave it open unless the room is filling up with smoke.
• Stay calm and wait for help.

The Campus Safety Department conducts one fire drill in each Residence Hall and office/classroom building each semester. The purpose of these drills is to allow the occupants of the buildings to become familiar with the sounds of the fire alarm, the location of exits and building evacuation plans.

The Campus Safety Department is responsible for locking and unlocking all campus buildings as needed. All administrative and classroom buildings are locked following the scheduled use for the day/evening. Visitors to the campus seeking access to campus buildings must adhere to publicized guest regulations. Students are required to carry their identification cards at all times and present them to a Safety Officer upon request.

Emergency Telephones

Several Emergency telephones are located throughout the university campus. These phones ring directly and automatically in to the Campus Safety Office. Dial phones are located on the outside of residence halls and other University buildings. Campus Safety can determine the location of callers from emergency phones as well as any calls originating from campus.

Parking

The Office of Campus Safety coordinates all student, faculty, staff and guest parking on campus. Those who wish to park a motor vehicle on the University campus must register their vehicle with the Campus Safety Office, which provides copies of the parking regulations and procedures.

Residence Halls

Three Halls-Gildea, McHale and Alumnae and the Townhouse complex comprise the four residential areas. Each is staffed by paraprofessional students who are trained to assist in the daily management of the building and its residents. They work directly with the Director of Residence Life and the Campus Safety Office to provide additional monitoring of each area.

Residential areas are locked 24 hours a day. Access is limited to the main entrance. Unrestricted access to administrative offices and meeting rooms in McHale and Alumnae Halls is permitted generally 7:30 am to 5:00 pm weekdays. Interior doors separating public access from residential room areas remain locked at all times in these halls. Resident students gain entrance via assigned front door keys. Access to residence halls is also limited to those with authorization and identification. Resident students must follow established guidelines regarding use of identification cards. Guests are required to register with the resident assistant and may be refused admittance if there are any questions regarding identification. Guests must adhere to the following:

• Two-day advanced notice is required for overnight stay.
• Access to building must be by way of phoning host student from the outside building phone.
• Picture I.D. must be left with RA.
• Visits are limited to two days.
• Resident student must identify guest for admittance.

Residents are responsible and liable for the action of their guest(s). Rules and regulations regarding visitation privileges are reviewed by the RAs at scheduled floor meetings throughout the year.

No student may occupy his/her room before the dates specified by the University. Residence halls will open the day before classes begin each term and following all vacation periods. The residence halls close at various hours on the last day of classes before vacation, recess break and on the day of the last final examination at the end of each term.

Residents must contact the Director of Residence Life for permission to remain in the residence halls if this poses a difficulty. Permission may be granted for international students, student teachers, athletes and exceptional cases to remain on campus, when necessary. During such low occupancy periods, students are typically moved into one shared residence hall for better safety and operations. Campus Safety is still available during these times and can be contacted by dialing extension 6300. Visitation privileges are suspended during such low occupancy times.

The perimeter and ground floors of the resident halls are actively patrolled by Campus Safety and Residence Life personnel to detect propped doors and windows. Students who prop doors open are subject to discipline.

Each residence hall is supplied with both exterior and interior intra-campus phones in order to contact the Campus Safety Department or other students living on campus.