Safety Checks

Resident Assistants (RAs) conduct safety checks of every resident room once a month. RAs test smoke detectors, ensure the safe use of extension cords, and look for potential fire hazards such as candles, incense, or appliances with exposed heating elements, or other items not approved by Housing. Items which pose a safety hazard will be confiscated.

Renters Insurance

Residents are encouraged to insure their personal property for loss or damage while living on campus. Many companies offer special student renters insurance plans and insurance may also be available through some homeowners policies.

Residents are responsible for the security of their own property. The University is not responsible for theft, damage, or the loss of money, valuable, or personal effects from the residence halls due to natural and unnatural causes (e.g., flooding, fire), or injuries, personal or otherwise, sustained in or around the residence halls.

Bicycles

The UNT Police Department recommends that all bicycles kept on campus be registered online. Bicycles should always be locked to a bike rack (bike racks are located outside each residence hall) to prevent theft, vandalism, or misuse. Bicycles locked to anything other than bicycle racks will be removed. Housing is not responsible for stolen or damaged bicycles. Residents may store their bicycles in their rooms, provided their roommate agrees and that the bicycles are clean before entering the residence hall. Under no circumstances are residents to ride a bicycle inside the residence halls. Students must take their bicycles home at the end of the spring semester. Abandoned bicycles will be removed and disposed of by Parking & Transportation Services.

Bicycles are considered a vehicle and all vehicular laws apply to the operation of a bicycle. Bicyclists should always yield to pedestrians and maintain safe speeds while bicycling on campus.

Building Entrances

Except in the case of emergency, residents must enter and exit residence halls through the main front doors. Other exterior doors must only be used by students in the event of an emergency. In some halls residents can use their student ID card to gain swipe access to an alternate door.

Residents may not place objects in, near or around the exterior hall doors in an effort to prevent the exterior doors from closing, or being able to close, or to lock upon closing. Residents also may not allow unauthorized individuals or students to follow behind after their own authorized entry.

Darts/Dartboards

Darts and dartboards are prohibited in the residence halls. Velcro or magnetic dartboards are an acceptable alternative.

Elevators

The passenger elevators located in Honors Hall, Kerr Hall, Legends Hall, Mozart Square, Santa Fe Square, Traditions Hall, Rawlins, and Victory Hall are provided for use by residents, their guests, and residence hall staff. Some elevators are equipped with video cameras. Residents must operate elevators in a safe manner and are prohibited from engaging in the following activities:

• Prying elevator doors open or jumping inside the elevator.
• Loading more than 11 people on the elevator.
• Sounding emergency alarms and making emergency stops in non emergency situations.
• Evacuating people from the elevator without trained personnel. Students and guests who are trapped in an elevator are expected to sound the alarm and wait for help. Residents and guests must not attempt to evacuate an elevator without the assistance of emergency personnel.

Keys

Each resident is issued a room key upon check in. Room keys may not be issued or loaned to friends or relatives. Students may not have University keys duplicated or locks altered. Keys must be returned when residents check out of their rooms.

If a resident loses a key, the resident should report the loss immediately to the front desk staff. Residents who lose keys will be charged $50 for a lock change ($75 if the resident lives at College Inn, $100 if the resident has a semi-private room). Once a lock change has been completed, the fee cannot be reversed even if the key is found.

For information regarding mailbox keys, contact Assignments and Collections on the first floor of Crumley Hall at 940-565-2610 or Eagle Express in the University Union at 940-369-8567.

Lofting Beds

West Hall rooms are provided with full lofting beds with a maximum height of 72 inches. Kerr Hall and McConnell Hall rooms have medium loft beds that reach a maximum height of 60 inches. All other halls are provided with standard beds that are able to reach a maximum height of 36 inches.

Residents who wish to set up their own loft beds in their rooms must comply with the following guidelines and must receive prior approval from the Hall Director:

• Plans to set up a loft bed must be discussed between roommates.
• Lofts are subject to safety checks by staff at any time.
• Lofts should be free standing and not attached to the wall, floor, or room furniture.
• Lofts cannot permanently alter the room in any way.
• Lofts made of wood should have 4x4 posts and must be treated with fire retardant.
• Lofts must have at least three feet of space between the top of the mattress and the ceiling. (Mattresses are seven inches thick, and standard ceiling height is nine feet.)
• Lofts cannot be built from stacked-up plastic crates, cinder blocks, or rest on desks, window sills, or other furnishings.
• Lofts must not in any way endanger any resident.
• Lofts are the sole responsibility of the owner.
• The original mattress and bed frame must be stored safely and undamaged in the room.
• Lofts must be taken down by the student when the student leaves and cannot be stored in the hall during the summer.

Property Crimes

Theft

Theft and burglary should be reported immediately to the UNT Police at 940-565-3003 as well as to the building staff (i.e., front desk staff, RA, or Hall Director). As a precaution, students should keep their doors (including bathroom doors) locked at all times. Services offered by the UNTPD to deter theft include Trace, bike theft prevention and other educational programs, and the supervision of parking areas.

Vandalism

Residents may not remove, destroy, or deface someone else’s personal property or any University property (including vandalism committed in the elevators or on the ceilings, walls, or grounds surrounding the buildings). Residents who commit acts of vandalism may be given an order of restitution to pay to restore items or areas to their original condition. Common areas may be temporarily closed because of vandalism.

Restricted Access/Restricted Areas

Residents may not gain access to restricted areas such as building mechanical rooms, custodial closets, or the hall roof. Residents may not enter or exit buildings through windows and may not stand or sit on hall window ledges. Residents may only use emergency exits doors in the event of an emergency.