Residential Life Handbook

I. STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES

New York University is committed to the overall educational and personal development of its students and views the unique experience of living in a residence hall as contributing significantly to such development. It is important to maintain an appropriate residence hall environment. To facilitate this process, every member of the residence hall community is expected to uphold certain responsibilities to ensure the growth and development of the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services’ mission.

These responsibilities include:

Recognizing one’s membership in a residential community
Respecting all community members, including students, faculty, and staff
Participation in the maintenance of the residential facility
Informing the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services staff and/or Public Safety Officers about behavior that is disrespectful to community as well as situations that infringe on the safety of the community
Avoiding any behavior that indicates or could be perceived as retaliation for the reporting of potential violations of community standards
Supporting and honoring the diverse lifestyles and pursuits of individual members in the community
Playing an active role in the social and intellectual life of the community

II. RESIDENCE HALL GUIDELINES

A. General

Residential conduct cases will be managed under the University Student Conduct Procedures.
Residents will be held responsible for any policy violations by their guests.
Complicity: Students found to be present while a violation is occurring may be considered participants and/or complicit in the violation(s) and may also be subject to student conduct action.
Prohibited items described in this policy will be confiscated and may be discarded.

B. Information

Parental Notification: In an effort to provide support or assistance to students, the University (in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act - FERPA) may notify the parents or legal guardians of students who have violated university policies or federal, state, or local laws pertaining to alcohol or other drugs or in situations in which there is a health and safety emergency. The decision to notify parents or legal guardians will be made according to the professional judgment of the appropriate staff. Whenever possible, students will be consulted in the notification process. The primary goal of notifying parents or legal guardians is to promote the health and wellness of the student and others in the community.
Campus Safety: Campus safety tips can be found on the NYU Public Safety page. Campus Safety statistics are available on the U.S. Department of Education's site, on Public Safety's Crime Reports & Statistics page, or by contacting the NYU Department of Public Safety
Residents are expected to familiarize themselves with the Residential Life policies, the University Student Conduct Policy, and to also comply with applicable city, state, and federal law.
Student conduct information is made available to the NYU Office of Global Programs, which may affect a student's eligibility to participate in a Study Away program. Please consult the Study Away Admissions Policies online for more specific information.

III. RESIDENCE HALL POLICIES

Behavior guidelines specifically applicable to University housing are described below and in your housing license agreement. To achieve these goals, the University reserves the right to review all alleged violations of Office of Residential Life and Housing Services Policies, and to initiate disciplinary action and impose sanctions when appropriate. If you have questions about this information, contact your Residence Hall Director (RHD) or the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services (ORLHS) at 212-998-4600. All students are expected to comply with the expectations set forth in the New York University Student Conduct Policy. In addition, the following policies have been enacted for residence halls managed by the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services:

ALCOHOL

Residents are required to abide by all New York State and New York University regulations regarding the use of alcohol. These rules specify that persons under 21 years of age are prohibited from possessing or consuming any alcoholic beverage. Additionally, in residence halls, persons under the age of 21 may not be in the presence of alcohol or alcoholic beverage containers.

Students (including residents and non-residential students), and guests who are of legal drinking age (21 years of age or older) may possess and consume alcoholic beverages (referred herein “alcohol”) within NYU residence halls in accordance with the following:

Alcohol may be consumed only within assigned rooms or suites. Open containers of alcohol are prohibited in common spaces such as hallways and lounges, in public areas such as lobbies, or in outdoor areas adjacent to residence halls.
Alcohol or alcoholic beverage containers may not be possessed, stored, or consumed in any room or shared common space within a suite whose residents are under the age of 21.
Residents under the age of 21 utilizing online/mobile delivery services for alcoholic beverages is prohibited.
Should students of legal drinking age reside in the same suite as students who are under the legal drinking age, alcohol may only be possessed, stored, or consumed within bedrooms where all students assigned to that room are of legal drinking age.
Students of legal drinking age who bring alcohol into a residence hall or possess alcohol in a residence hall are responsible for its legal use. This includes taking reasonable precautions to prevent the possession of alcohol by underage students and guests.
Kegs or devices that permit storage and distribution of alcohol in bulk quantities, or that allow unregulated access to alcohol by any means, are prohibited. Devices or mechanisms that facilitate rapid consumption (funnel bongs, etc.) are also prohibited.
Participation in activities that facilitate or promote the rapid, dangerous, and/or forced consumption of alcohol (i.e. drinking games) is prohibited.
Alcohol may not be sold or distributed in the residence halls. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to: cash bars; events to which admission tickets are sold or fees are charged (e.g. entertainment charge or annual dues); fees for access to an open bar; and parties at which alcoholic beverages are served and for which contribution or donations to offset the costs of the party are sought.
University funds allocated for hall government or programming activities may not be used for the purchase of alcohol.
Residents are responsible for the behavior of their guests, including any violation of policy by their guest(s).
Students found to be excessively intoxicated in a residence hall may be subject to mandatory medical or psychological evaluation as well as appropriate student conduct action.

ILLEGAL AND CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES

Marijuana (in all forms) is a prohibited substance in the residence halls. Any student who is found to be in possession of, in the presence of or using marijuana will face disciplinary action and possible criminal charges. Water pipes, bongs, hookahs, and other paraphernalia commonly associated with drug use also are prohibited in the residence halls.
The possession or use of narcotics and/or other controlled substances without a valid prescription, or misuse of prescribed medication and/or other legal substances, is prohibited in the residence halls. Students are expected to obey Federal and New York State Laws regarding the use, possession, sale and distribution of controlled substances.

For further information, the University’s policy on Substance Abuse and Alcoholic Beverages can be accessed on the Office of Community Standards website.

SMOKING

Any form of smoking, including the use of cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookahs, or devices such as an electronic cigarette or a vaporizer to do so, is prohibited in all areas of all University residence halls. Furthermore, smoking may not occur within close proximity to or cause the obstruction of any building entrance, covered walkway or ventilation system. Pipes, bongs, hookahs, and other such smoking devices are not permitted in the residence halls.

FIRE SAFETY

Residents will receive residence hall specific information about fire safety and evacuation procedures at the beginning of each term from their Resident Assistant (RA) or RHD. It is extremely important that residents familiarize themselves and their guests with all applicable fire safety procedures in their assigned building. Residents who fail to comply fully with applicable fire safety procedures, such as those who fail to abide by building emergency evacuation procedures or who otherwise violate rules and regulations related to fire safety, will be subject to student conduct action. All NYU owned or leased buildings are equipped with fire alarms that are tested regularly.

In general, residents are expected to maintain adequate standards of cleanliness to avoid fire hazards, and must not obstruct sidewalks, entrances, passages, heating/air conditioning vents, fire escapes, elevators, lobbies, stairways, corridors or halls with personal property. The following items are prohibited in the residence halls and will be confiscated:

Non-University Issued furniture (except as detailed below in the Outside Furniture Policy)
Flammable decorations
Extension cords
Natural or artificial evergreens
Electric heaters, air conditioners, air coolers, pressure cookers, and hot plate burners
Halogen lighting equipment
Candles, incense, outdoor grills, or any other type of open flame or open coil device
Toasters and toaster ovens* (*only permitted in suites with kitchens; only one toaster or toaster oven per kitchen & it must be stored/used in the kitchen area)
Explosives, fireworks, firearms, or ammunition
Air mattresses* and other inflatable furniture
Hover boards, self-propelled skateboards/scooters, and similar devices
Any other object found to block easy egress from a resident’s room as deemed by ORLHS staff

* If an air mattress is needed for medical reasons, please contact the Moses Center to apply for an accommodation.

OUTSIDE FURNITURE

NYU Residential Life & Housing Services maintains a strict outside furniture policy to ensure fire safety and protect the cleanliness of the rooms. Additionally, outside furniture can contribute to pest problems. All rooms are furnished appropriately for its occupants with a desk, dresser, and bed.

Outside furniture is prohibited in the residence halls except for the following items:

Desk chairs that do not have any fabric or upholstery
Lamps (only non‐halogen bulbs)
Media stand, book case, or night stand in which the total dimensions of each piece do not exceed 80 inches. Total inches can be calculated by adding the longest width, the longest height, and the longest depth together when fully extended (such as legs or sides)

Please keep in mind the following:

Do not bring in items noted above, which are dirty or has been discarded (such as furniture left on the street). Such dirty or dilapidated items may have pests such as bedbugs and will not be allowed in the residence hall even if it meets guidelines.
No upholstered furniture or furniture that requires cushions are allowed for any reason. This includes, but is not limited to dish/butterfly chairs, couches, futons, etc. Please consult with your roommate in making any decisions to bring in outside furniture. Also, it is recommended that you wait until you have stayed in your room for several nights before deciding to bring items.
Residents are responsible to remove outside furniture from their room when they move out of the building or they will be charged for its removal. Residents will be charged for any outside furniture that causes pest problems. The Office of Residential Life and Housing Services may amend these guidelines at any time and reserves the right to require the immediate removal of any outside furniture for any reason.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AND SERVICE ANIMALS IN THE RESIDENCE HALLS

Keeping or caring for pets or animals in any residence hall is not permitted with the exception of fish in a tank no larger than ten gallons, dogs identified as service animals or emotional support animals previously approved by the Moses Center for Disabilities (CSD). The owner of any emotional support/service animal is ultimately responsible for the actions of the animal. As such, students must ensure proper noise control, hygiene and care of their approved emotional support/service animal so that it is not disruptive to the educational pursuits of the community. Failure to do so, may result in a conduct action.

FILMING/RECORDING IN RESIDENCE HALLS

An individual’s right to privacy is important in a residence hall community setting. The University expects students and their guests to respect the reasonable expectations of privacy of other individuals within the community.

Students and their guests are not permitted to make or attempt to make an audio or video recording of private, nonpublic conversations, informal gatherings, and/or meetings without the knowledge and consent of all participants subject to such recordings. This includes, but is not limited to, making, attempting to make, transmitting, or attempting to transmit audio or video of any person(s) in bathrooms, showers, bedrooms, common areas within suites, or other premises where there is an explicit expectation of privacy.
Filming/recording in or into any area of a residence hall without prior permission from the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services is prohibited. The uses of undisclosed or hidden recording devices is also prohibited, as is the transmission and/or distribution of any such recordings.
Permission to film/record in or into a residence hall may be granted in certain circumstances and in certain locations. Please see a professional staff member in your residence hall for more information and/or to apply for permission.

SOUND/EXCESSIVE NOISE

Residents are expected to keep sound to reasonable levels and to comply with requests to reduce sound levels that are intrusive. Use of amplifiers or P.A. systems in the residence halls is prohibited. Pianos are not permitted in residence hall rooms. Musical instruments may be played only in designated practice areas. Such space may not be available in all residence halls. Contact the residence hall staff if you have any questions about these guidelines. Residents are responsible for complying with New York City ordinances that include additional restrictions on noise after 11 PM on weeknights and 1 AM on weekends. Residents must observe 24-hour quiet hours during University designated examination periods. The residence hall government with the approval of the Residence Hall Director may specify other quiet hour periods.

RESIDENTIAL GUESTS

The privilege to have guests in a residence hall, room, or suite is based upon the precept of mutual respect and balance; one resident’s right to have guests does not supersede another’s right to reasonable privacy. In particular, it is expected that students who share a living unit will be courteous to one another, communicate, show willingness to make compromises, and act in good faith in the matter of guests. The presence of a guest in a residence hall, a room, or a suite must not compromise the personal or academic well-being of room/suitemates or other building residents. Additionally, residents are responsible for the behavior of their guest at all times.

A) Types of Guests and Access:

Same Hall Student Guest: Guests who are New York University students and reside in the same residence hall as the person they are visiting may proceed directly to the room/suite of the resident host provided their visit to that rooms/suite is in accordance with the conditions set forth in this policy statement.

Other Hall Student Guest: Guests who are New York University students who reside in another University residence hall may be eligible to enter the residence hall of the person they are visiting by swiping/tapping in with their NYU ID card and proceeding directly to the room of that student provided their visit to that rooms/suite is in accordance with the conditions set forth in this policy statement.

Non-Hall Student Guest: Guests who are New York University students but who do not reside in a University residence hall (e.g. commuters) must present their University ID card in order to be signed in to a residence hall. The resident host must come to the lobby to sign-in their guest. At the end of a visit, the visitor may sign out themselves.

Non-NYU Guest: Guests who are not affiliated with New York University must present a valid acceptable form of photo ID in order to be signed in to a residence hall. Acceptable forms of photo ID are: a U.S. State-issued driver license, a U.S. State-issued non-driver identification, a student ID from a high school or another college or university, a passport, or another government ID; including foreign governments’ IDs. If a foreign government’s ID in another language is presented, a corresponding passport must be displayed for verification. Forms of identification that are not acceptable include: bank cards, telephone and credit cards. The photo ID will be held at the Public Safety Desk for the duration of the visit. (Students are expected to inform their guests in advanced that a valid photo ID will be required to enter the building.) The resident host must come to the lobby, sign-in their guest, and is urged to escort their guest at all times. Access to the hall or room/suite must be in accordance with the conditions set forth in this policy statement. At the end of a visit, that same host must accompany their guests to the lobby to sign them out in the guest register. Proof of identification will be returned at this time.

Guests Under the age of 12: Guests who are under the age of 12 may not be in a residence hall during “Late Hours” [i.e. between the hours of 11:00 pm and 9:00 am on weeknights (Sunday-Thursday) and 1:00 am to 9:00 am on weekends (Friday and Saturday)] and are subject to the same sign-in requirements as Non-NYU Guests.

Guest Passes: In order to make it easier for visitors to enter and leave the residence halls, especially during longer-term stays, resident hosts should obtain guest passes which are available from the hall’s Resource Center. A guest pass combined with an appropriate form of ID allows a visitor to enter and exit the hall without being accompanied by their resident host. Guest Passes must be dropped off to the hall’s Resource Center two business days in advance of anticipated use to allow for hall staff to process the request. The Resident Host must meet their guest in the lobby upon their initial arrival to the residence hall. Upon entering the building, guests with passes must present both the pass and appropriate ID, but need not sign-in or leave any identification with the building Public Safety Officer. No more than three guest passes will be issued at one time to a resident. A guest pass will be issued for no more than four (4) consecutive days. The issuance of Guest Passes may be suspended at certain times, such as final examination periods, winter break, spring break, or other periods as deemed necessary. Please check with your building’s professional staff for specific details.

B) Hours of Visitation:

Regular Hours Guests:

A Regular Hours Guest is anyone who is present in a residence hall or in a room/suite in which they have not been assigned to live between the hours of 9:00 am and 11:00 pm on weeknights (Sunday-Thursday) and 9:00 am to 1:00am on weekends (Friday and Saturday).
A resident is permitted to have up to four guests in their room/suite at any time during Regular Hours without the prior permission of their room/suitemates provided there is no interference with the rights of a roommate/suitemate.
If a resident host wishes to have more than 4 Regular Hours guests, they must have the permission of their roommate, if the guests are to remain within the bedroom, or their suitemates, if the guests are to be in a common area.
All Regular Hours Guests must have followed the appropriate access procedures as set forth above in this document.

Late Hours / Overnight Guests:

A Late Hours/Overnight guest is anyone who is present in a residence hall or in a room/suite in which they has not been assigned to live between the hours of 11:00 pm and 9 am on weeknights (Sunday-Thursday) and 1:00 am to 9:00am on weekends (Friday and Saturday).
A Resident Host must have the permission of their roommate(s) to have a Late Hours/Overnight guest.
Although permission from suitemates is not required, if there are complaints about the actions or presence of a Late Hours/Overnight Guest by a suitemate and if, in the opinion of the Residence Hall Director, the presence of Late Hours/Overnight Guest is interfering with the academic or personal well-being of the suitemates, the same conditions for permission from suitemates may be imposed upon the Resident Host by the Residence Hall Director for a designated period of time.
A Resident Host may have no more than three (3) Late Hours/Overnight guests at one time.
A Resident Host may not have a Late Hours/Overnight guest – whether the same or a different person - for more than four (4) consecutive nights or for more than six (6) nights per calendar month.
The same individual may not be a Late Hours/Overnight guest in the residence hall system for more than six (6) nights per calendar month, whether with the same or different resident hosts.
All Late Hours/Overnight guests must have followed the appropriate access procedures as set forth above in this document.

C) Guest Policy Violations:

All guests in a University residence hall are expected to abide by all University and Office of Residential Life and Housing Services policies, procedures and regulations.

A Resident Host is responsible for the actions of their guest(s) in the residence hall building, room, or suite in which that host resides and will be held accountable for any violations of University/Residence Life policy and/or for any theft, injury to person or property resulting from the behavior of their guests, regardless of whether that guest is a fellow University student or not.
University students who engage in disruptive or volatile behavior while a guest in a residence hall or a room/suite will also personally be held accountable for their actions.
Matters involving the problematic behavior of a guest may be managed through administrative actions (eg. Classification of guest as Persona Non Grata), through the University student conduct process, or may be referred to local law enforcement when deemed appropriate.
Should a guest who engages in volatile behavior be a student at another college or university, New York University reserves the right to report that individual’s behavior to their home institution.
Late / Overnight guests are not to sleep in hall lounges or other public spaces.

Room/Suitemate Interference:

Whenever a resident has a concern about the presence of a guest in the room, they should approach the room/suitemate whom the guest is visiting to express their concerns and to seek to resolve the issues.
Should Residential Life staff receive (1) a complaint that the presence of a guest (Regular or Late Hours) is unreasonably interfering with the academic or personal well-being of the residents of the residence hall or a particular suite/room or (2) a complaint that the students sharing a living space are unable to agree on the time, date, frequency, and duration of each other’s visitors, the Residential Life staff may restrict the presence of guests in that suite/room until such time that the room/suitemates are able to come to a mutually satisfactory agreement about visitation.
As deemed appropriate, such matters will be addressed through informal discussions among room/suitemates or through formal mediation. Should such efforts fail, the Residential Life staff shall have the authority to establish reasonable parameters for visitation and all residents of that room/suite will be expected to adhere to those terms. Failure to abide by those conditions may likely result in the reassignment of the student who violates the terms set forth and may also subject that student to disciplinary action should their guests be involved in a violation of a University or Residential Life policy.
A resident may request an exception to this policy by submitting a written request to the Residence Hall Director who shall have the sole discretion to grant or deny the request based up the circumstances (e.g. situation, frequency of exceptions sought, impact on room/suitemates, etc).

*There may be certain times of the year, such as semester breaks or exam periods, when these guest policies may be restricted or modified. Students will be notified in advance when any such changes occur. Any modifications or exceptions to these guest policies must be approved by the Residence Hall Director and/or the Office of Residential Life and Housing Services.

TURNSTILE ACCESS WITHIN NYU HOUSING

Most residence halls have turnstiles located at the entry of the building near the Public Safety station. These turnstiles allow students that currently reside in NYU Housing to visit another residence hall by swiping their University ID upon entry and exit. While the turnstile provides a convenient means for allowing access, visitors are still expected to respect the time and frequency limitations as established below for all guests. Furthermore, should a resident's presence in another residence hall create a disturbance or disruption to the community of that residence hall, that individual may be asked to leave by a staff member. Failure to comply with this request/policy can lead to student conduct action.

GAMBLING

Residents must abide by federal and state laws prohibiting illegal gambling. Gambling for money or other consideration of value within Residence Halls is prohibited.

IV. RESIDENCE HALL VIOLATIONS (see section III.N in University Student Conduct Policy)

The following behavior is prohibited in all NYU residence halls:

Being in the presence of alcohol in violation of residence hall alcohol policies.
Possession of alcoholic beverage containers/drinking apparatuses or games that promote rapid consumption of alcohol in violation of residence hall alcohol policies
Being in the presence of a violation of the substance policies.
Possession of smoking devices, including but not limited to, water pipes, bongs, vaporizers, and hookahs, in violation of residence hall substance or smoking policies.
Possessing flammable decorations, appliances, or other property that may be deemed a fire hazard, as described in the Fire Safety Policy.
Possessing or storing a gas engine vehicle or any form of combustible fuel in the residence halls.
Throwing and/or causing objects, laser pointers, or any substance to be directed from, into, or onto residence hall windows, doors, terraces, ledges, roofs or other areas. Suspension from University Housing will be the likely outcome for such a violation.
Possessing unauthorized furniture.
Tampering with or vandalism of devices and furnishings, such as window screens, cranks, stops, locks, door closing devices or furnishings in a residence hall.
Installing an unauthorized lock on a bedroom, bathroom, closet, or suite door.
Inadequately securing one's residence hall room and/or failure to lock room doors.
Violation of the Residential Guest Policy.
Moving to another bedroom, suite, or residence hall without authorization.
Occupying residence hall space or furnishings assigned to another resident.
Subletting a residence hall room, suite, or apartment or allowing an individual to reside in a residence hall without authorization.
Failing to properly complete the check-in/out procedure.
Unauthorized possession or use of a key to property or premises owned or operated by the University.
Unauthorized painting, construction, or other modification in a residence hall room or common area.
Violating any stipulation of the student housing license during the license period.
Excessive noise as defined by New York City community ordinances or the residence hall sound policy.
Failure to maintain acceptable standards of personal hygiene or room cleanliness to the extent that such failure interferes with the safety, security, health or welfare of a member or members of the residence hall community.
Keeping or caring for a pet in violation of the Emotional Support and Service Animals policy in Residence Halls.
Unauthorized solicitation, recruitment for membership, subscription, polling, posting, canvassing or commercial sale of products, services, or tickets in the residence hall.
Conducting any business for profit from any residence hall.
Exhibiting or affixing any unauthorized sign, advertisement, notice or other lettering, flags or banners, that are inscribed, painted or affixed to any part of the outside of a building or the inside of the building which may be viewed outside of one's room.
Attaching or hanging any projections (radio or television antennas, dishes, awnings, etc.) to the outside walls or windows of a residence hall.
Filming/recording in or into any area of a residence hall in violation of the Policy on Filming/Recording in Residence Halls.
Gambling in the residence hall.