Find Out About Some Common Dorm Room Restrictions

Reasons for rules and restrictions

• Your own safety
• The safety of those around you
• To protect the university along with its faculty and staff
• To uphold the law

Common dorm rules

• Listen to your Resident Advisor. A Resident Advisor (or R.A.) is in charge of a group of dorms in your building and is on site to ensure that students follow the university rules and regulations. If they catch you ignoring such restrictions, you could fall under disciplinary action.
  
• You are responsible for university property. Since the furnishings inside your dorm (as well as the walls, floor and ceiling) are university property, they are considered your personal and financial responsibility should any damage come to them.
  
• Dorms are subject to inspections. Because your dorm is university property and you a university student, your dorm room is up for mandatory inspections to make sure that all regulations are being followed and restrictions enforced. To stay in good standing with your university, be sure you are obeying all restrictions and abiding by all rules.
• Obey quiet hours. Most university residences have posted quiet hours because by and large universities are places of learning. To help students study and relax, quiet hours are enforced by university faculty, staff and Resident Advisors.
  
• Be respectful of others. This goes without saying, but be respectful of your fellow students and dormmates as you would expect the same consideration from them.

Common dorm restrictions

• No drugs or alcohol. For obvious reasons, all illegal drugs are not allowed on university property. Generally, alcohol is banned from dorm rooms unless you are on a "wet" portion of campus and are of legal drinking age.
  
• No smoking. Smoking cigarettes is also forbidden inside your dorm due to health reasons, risk of fire and concerns about air cleanliness. Smoking in your room is a definite way to get in trouble with the university and not receive your damage deposit back.
• No wild parties. Out of respect for your fellow students, out of control university parties so often portrayed in films and on television are not permitted in dorms. Especially ones with illicit substances involved.
  
• No overnight guests. As with most regulations, policies for overnight guests are different from university to university, but many of them don't allow visitors to remain overnight. Or past a certain hour.
• No fire hazards. For the most part, fire hazards such as hanging cloth, space heaters, electric blankets, candles, incense, hot plates, the aforementioned cigarettes and coffee makers are banned from dorms for fire safety reasons.
  
• No pets. Due to allergies, possible damage and a variety of other reasons, pets are forbidden from most university dorm rooms. Small fish however may be allowed.

Research university dorm policies