Below you’ll find policies and procedures related to the following:

Hall Sports

Because of the potential for damages to facilities, personal injury and disruption of the sleep/study atmosphere, the playing of sports within the hallways of the residence halls is prohibited. Residents are encouraged to use the recreation fields and the Recreation Center. Residents are not permitted to play sports near buildings to avoid personal injury and damage to property.

Keys

Key cards/fobs provide access to the main door of the individual residence hall. Residents are also given hard keys to give them access to their room. It is your responsibility to keep your key and key card/fob with you at all times. Room keys and key cards/fobs are not to be duplicated.

Lock Out

Lock Out During Hours – Tag Key Check-Out

A “tag” key may be checked out from the residence hall desk by room owners only to access a residence hall room upon being locked out.

Lock Out After Hours

When locked out after normal residence hall reception desk hours, students should contact their RA. If he or she is unavailable, contact the RA on duty, posted in the lobby of the hall.

Lost Keys or Key Cards

Lost or misplaced keys need to be reported immediately to the residence hall reception desk. A “tag” key will be issued and the resident will have five days to locate the original key. If, after five days, the key is not found, or the “tag” key is not returned, or if it is hopelessly lost to begin with, it will be necessary to recore the door and the mailbox and the student will be charged $50.00.

Lost key cards and fobs should be reported immediately to Housing & Residential Life so that the key may be disabled. If lost, a resident will be charged a $25.00 replacement fee for a fob. Linden key card replacement fee is $50.00.

Open Flame Products

Candles, oil lamps, incense, and other flammable items that have flames, burning embers, flowing elements, etc., are not allowed to be burned in the residence halls because of their potential fire danger. For special events, exceptions may be made by request to the Residence Hall Director. For information on Sage, Sweetgrass and Cedar please refer to the university policy.

Outside Doors

The outside entrance doors to each residence hall are locked at all times. Residents may access their building by using their key cards.

Pets

Except for fish in aquariums (maximum 20 gallon), no pets are allowed to reside in or visit a residence hall.

Political Campaigning/Canvassing

Any political candidates, those seeking support for a petition, and those campaigning to gain support will need to follow the Political Campaigning/Canvassing in the Residence Halls procedures. Any candidate and/or representative and petitioner violating these procedures are subject to removal from the building by Housing & Residential Life staff and/or BSU Public Safety.

Property Abandonment

Each Area Director/Residence Hall Director will designate a storage area in their residence halls. Abandoned property will be disposed of in the manner prescribed in Minnesota Statute – Tenant’s Personal Property Remaining in Premises 504B.271.

504B.271 TENANT’S PERSONAL PROPERTY REMAINING IN PREMISES

Subdivision 1. Abandoned property. (a) If a tenant abandons rented premises, the landlord may take possession of the tenant’s personal property remaining on the premises, and shall store and care for the property. The landlord has a claim against the tenant for reasonable costs and expenses incurred in removing the tenant’s property and in storing and caring for the property.

(b) The landlord may sell or otherwise dispose of the property 28 days after the landlord receives actual notice of the abandonment, or 28 days after it reasonably appears to the landlord that the tenant has abandoned the premises, whichever occurs last.

(c) The landlord may apply a reasonable amount of the proceeds of a sale to the removal, care, and storage costs and expenses or to any claims authorized pursuant to section 504B.178, subdivision 3, paragraphs (a) and (b). Any remaining proceeds of any sale shall be paid to the tenant upon written demand.

(d) Prior to a sale, the landlord shall make reasonable efforts to notify the tenant of the sale at least 14 days prior to the sale, by personal service in writing or sending written notification of the sale by first class and certified mail to the tenant’s last known address or usual place of abode, if known by the landlord, and by posting notice of the sale in a conspicuous place on the premises at least two weeks prior to the sale. If notification by mail is used, the 14-day period shall be deemed to start on the day the notices are deposited in the United States mail.

Subdivision 2. Landlord’s punitive damages. If a landlord, an agent, or other person acting under the landlord’s direction or control, in possession of a tenant’s personal property, fails to allow the tenant to retake possession of the property within 24 hours after written demand by the tenant or the tenant’s duly authorized representative or within 48 hours, exclusive of weekends and holidays, after written demand by the tenant or a duly authorized representative when the landlord, the landlord’s agent or person acting under the landlord’s direction or control has removed and stored the personal property in accordance with subdivision 1 in a location other than the premises, the tenant shall recover from the landlord punitive damages in an amount not to exceed twice the actual damages or $1,000, whichever is greater, in addition to actual damages and reasonable attorney’s fees.

In determining the amount of punitive damages the court shall consider (1) the nature and value of the property; (2) the effect the deprivation of the property has had on the tenant; (3) if the landlord, an agent, or other person acting under the landlord’s direction or control unlawfully took possession of the tenant’s property; and (4) if the landlord, an agent, or other person under the landlord’s direction or control acted in bad faith in failing to allow the tenant to retake possession of the property.

The provisions of this subdivision do not apply to personal property which has been sold or otherwise disposed of by the landlord in accordance with subdivision 1, or to landlords who are housing authorities, created, or authorized to be created by sections 469.001 to 469.047, and their agents and employees, in possession of a tenant’s personal property, except that housing authorities must allow the tenant to retake possession of the property in accordance with this subdivision.

Subdivision 3. Storage. If the landlord, an agent, or other person acting under the landlord’s direction or control has unlawfully taken possession of a tenant’s personal property the landlord shall be responsible for paying the cost and expenses relating to the removal, storage, or care of the property.

Subdivision 4. Remedies additional. The remedies provided in this section are in addition to and shall not limit other rights or remedies available to landlords and tenants. Any provision, whether oral or written, of any lease or other agreement, whereby any provision of this section is waived by a tenant, is contrary to public policy and void. The provisions of this section also apply to occupants and owners of residential real property which is the subject of a mortgage foreclosure or contract for deed cancellation and as to which the period for redemption or reinstatement of the contract has expired.

History: 1999 c 199 art 1 s 35; 2010 c 315 s 8,9

Property Loss

The University does not accept liability for damage to, or theft of property, including contents of refrigerators or aquariums. Room doors should be locked at all times. All incidents of theft or property loss should be reported immediately to BSU Department of Public Safety. Personal property insurance is recommended.

Public Area Space Use

Only standing recognized residence hall groups may reserve public space in the residence halls or the surrounding grounds, and priority will be determined on a first-come, first-served basis. Recognized residence hall groups include individual floors, hall councils, and Housing & Residential Life. Non-recognized groups should be referred to the Hobson Memorial Union. Groups wishing recognition status should present their request to Housing & Residential Life. There are a few spaces designated for public use in and outside Walnut Hall. Please contact Housing & Residential Life for the details.

Refrigerators/Freezers

Refrigerators/freezers larger than 4.8 cubic feet are not permitted in the residence halls.

Renter’s Insurance

Housing & Residence Life recommends residents purchase renter’s insurance to cover personal property.

Right to Privacy & Right of Entry

The University, its officers, employees and agents have the right to enter student rooms for the purpose of maintenance inspection and repair; preservation of health, safety, security, facilities and maintaining a sleep/study atmosphere; recovery of University owned property; and for suspected policy violations. At no time may a room be searched without proper warrants.

Roofs

Residents are not permitted on the roof of any residence hall building for any reason without the permission of the Physical Plant Department. Items lost on the roofs can be retrieved by completing a work order through your Residence Hall Director.

Room Assignment

The University will not discriminate in room assignments on the basis of race, sex, color, creed, religion, age, national origin, disability, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Room assignments will be made at the discretion of the University on the basis of the date the Residence Hall Contract and $150 prepayment fee is received in Housing & Residence Life. Whenever possible, roommate requests and room option preferences will be honored.

FYRE students can expect to maintain a roommate throughout the year because of the importance of that relationship in the college learning experience. Please refer to the Room Consolidation policy for further information.

Room Changes

Since living with a roommate is a significant learning experience, residents are encouraged and assisted by RA staff to work out difficult situations with roommates. Residents are asked to inform the RA as soon as conflict occurs so that staff may assist in mediation and attempts can be made to preserve the relationship and experience. Roommate Contracts are available for all residents to utilize.

If a move is to be made, the RA will encourage the student to meet with the Room Assignment Coordinator to arrange for a room transfer. The resident may not change room assignments without receiving the appropriate signatures indicated on the Room Change form. Upon approval, residents have 72 hours to check out of the old room and move into the new room.

Room changes may be requested no sooner than the Monday of the third week of each semester and can be conducted throughout the semester up until two weeks before finals. Only one room change per year may be requested without charge. Additional room changes will require a $25 administrative charge.

Room changes granted at the end of the semester require residents to check out of the old room and into the new room before leaving for break. Failure to do this will result in the cancellation of the room change request.

Room Consolidation

Housing & Residential Life reserves the right to consolidate rooms for the need of the department. Room consolidation is initiated in situations where at least three residents on a floor are in double rooms with no roommate. In these situations, residents may be asked to move in with a floor mate, or pay the difference for a double as a single in an effort to provide consistency and fairness in costs for residents in double room assignments. Consolidation also helps free up rooms to be assigned to residents on waiting lists. Finally, room consolidation reduces wear and tear on rooms not used which keeps costs down. Five class days will be given for residents to either move to another room, have someone move in with them, or pay the additional room costs for a double as a single.

FYRE students will experience pure consolidation through the entire duration of fall semester, with the possibility for double-as-single portion of the consolidation only available, if space within the program permits following the assignment of new residents, for spring semester.

Room Inventories & Waiver Form

As part of the check-out process, a staff member typically inspects student rooms in their presence. In some cases, students may not be able to schedule a time due to class conflicts. In these cases, a Room Inventory Waiver Form may be signed. This form states that the student agrees to accept financial responsibility for the condition of the room. Inspection will then be done by a staff member at a later date. Room Inventory Waiver Forms are available at the front desks.

Room Security

For the protection of personal property, room doors should be locked any time the room is unattended.