Housing Policies and Guidelines

Prohibited Items

The following items are not allowed within your space:

• Air conditioning units (unless approved via the StAAR Center)
• Bean Bags & Bean Bag Chairs
• Bed risers
• Candles, incense, or any other item that produces an open flame (even if unlit)
• Cooking appliances including microwaves*, hot pots, rice cookers, self-heating grills, or any other appliances with open heating elements are not allowed in student rooms. Approved appliances should be only used in kitchen areas and have an auto shut-off function.
• Microwave-refrigerator combination units ONLY are approved via University approved vendors and viewable on our Vendor Page
• Dartboards (with metal-tipped darts)
• Excessively loud speakers or amplifiers
• Explosives, including fireworks or incendiary devices
• Grills (both indoor and outdoor)
• Charcoal and lighter fluid
• Halogen or multi-armed floor/desk lamps, lava lamps, wax melters, or any other item that produces excessive heat
• Installed satellite systems
• Misuse of university-owned furniture (including but not limited to common area furniture repurposed for student rooms, alterations made to room furniture, etc.)
• Furniture that is not provided by the university (includes but is not limited to couches, futons, upholstered chairs, ottomans, tables, etc.); please see the Fire Safety policy below for more information
• Pets/animals (except animals approved in writing through StAAR Center or fish tanks no larger than 10 gallons)
• Space heaters
• Trees
• Waterbeds, jacuzzis, and/or hot tubs
• Weapons/firearms/knives (including martial arts equipment, replica or practice, or decorative in nature. Also includes paintball equipment)
• Flammable/combustible items; please see the Fire Safety policy below for more information
• Certain sports equipment; please see the Sports Activities policy below for more information

External Spaces Connected to Your Room

While students do have the freedom to be creative within their room, please note the following regarding exterior displays:

• The University assigns only the interior of student rooms for student use.
• The University does not grant students permission to decorate, or in any way modify, the exterior of university buildings.
• Students may not hang any banners or items outside their university housing windows.
• Displays inside the window of a student room are permissible provided they do not interfere with egress in case of an emergency.
• Room decorations must be directed toward the inside of the room.
• The use of marking chalk or aerosol spray cans to mark/paint any surface of university housing is strictly prohibited.      

The outside of the university housing room door (not the surrounding wall or doorframe) is also considered to be the interior space for the purpose of decoration. Students may decorate their door with items such as a message board and other materials that they choose. All displays and messages must adhere to established university policies as outlined on the Student Life website. While others cannot dictate how a resident decorates their own door, short of a violation of community standards, all residents are encouraged to be sensitive to the values and beliefs of other residents when choosing what is displayed.

Alcohol and Other Drugs

Students who are under the age of twenty-one (21) may not be in possession of or consume alcoholic beverages within university housing or on university property. Regardless of age, students may not possess or use illegal substances (including cannabis) or misuse prescription drugs. Please see a full description of the Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy. 

Sports Activities

Sports activities are not permitted inside university housing due to noise and potential property damage. Examples of prohibited sports activities and equipment include but are not limited to: nerf and/or foam guns, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, field hockey, tennis, frisbee, squash, football, volleyball, hockey, skateboarding, roller skating, gym equipment that would pose a fire/safety risk or block egresses (i.e. treadmill, weights exceeding 25 pounds, sports equipment, etc.), any sport involving fighting or martial arts, punching bags or sparring equipment, etc.

Misuse of University-Owned Furniture

Removing university-owned lounge furniture to decorate your room is prohibited. If members of Residential Life and Learning staff or other university officials find lounge furniture in your room, you are expected to return it to its respective lounge immediately.

Noise Policy

Out of respect for others, noise should not interfere with a student’s right to sleep or study at any time. Students are responsible for their own level of noise, as well as the noise of their guests. If a person’s noise is disturbing to you at any time, we recommend that you ask the individual(s) to quiet down. If the noise persists, seek help from a Residential Life and Learning staff member or Tufts University Police. The noise policy covers all spaces inside of university housing, including student bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms, common rooms, laundry rooms, and hallways. 

Designated quiet hours for spaces inside university housing are set for the following times. During quiet hours, no speakers or amplified sound may be used, no noise above a quiet one-on-one volume is permitted, and no sound of any kind of over 50 dB is permitted.

 Students are expected to reduce their noise when asked to do so by another student, Residential Life and Learning staff, or Tufts University Police. Please keep in mind that Boston, Medford, and Somerville City noise ordinances for spaces surrounding many residential buildings may have different hours and lower thresholds for permitted volume, and should be considered, especially when using public streets and ways.

Pets and Animals

Health and safety concerns prohibit students from keeping animals in university housing.

Exceptions Include:

• Fish in tanks no larger than ten gallons. Arrange to take them when you leave for winter recess and at the end of the academic year. We are not responsible for the care of your fish in your absence from the room.
• University-approved service animals when needed. According to Title III (28 C.F.R./36.104) of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a service animal is defined as follows: “Service animal means any guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to work or perform tasks for the benefit of any individual with a disability, including but not limited to: guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals with impaired hearing to intruders or sounds, providing minimal protection or rescue work, pulling a wheelchair or fetching dropped items.” University-approved emotional support animals, request through Accessibility Services.

Possession of any unauthorized pet or animal is a violation of community standards. Students who are found in possession of any such animal will be expected to remove it from university housing immediately.

Throwing Objects

Throwing objects or liquid (of any nature) out of any university housing windows or doors is extremely dangerous and not allowed.

Vandalism

With or without malice, damage or vandalism to University or personal property is a violation of University community standards. Any major documented incident where a student is found in violation of this policy will be referred to the student conduct process.

• Minor acts of vandalism within university housing will be handled by the Residential Life Coordinator (RLC) or Assistant Director (AD) in Residential Life and Learning.
• Residents involved in acts of vandalism in a building other than their own may forfeit their privilege to visit the building where the vandalism occurred.
• Any damage incurred within university housing, as a result of negligent or malicious student behavior is the responsibility of the owners of the room. If a roommate is away from the room at the time of the damage, the remaining roommate will be held responsible and subject to appropriate disciplinary consequences.

Fire Safety Equipment in University Housing

All university housing (including fraternities and sororities) are equipped with smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide detectors as well as fire suppression sprinkler systems. You will also find manual fire alarm pull-stations and fire extinguishers on all of the floors of the buildings. Bedroom smoke detectors (local device) are designed to alert the occupants if the origin of the smoke is in your room only. The detection devices (system devices) in the common areas (i.e. kitchens, living rooms, hallways, stairways, and basements), sprinkler head activation, or the activation of a manual alarm pull-station will sound a building-wide evacuation alarm that will also sound in all of the individual student rooms.

Fire safety equipment within university housing is provided for the protection of our students. Any disabling of or damage to fire safety equipment will not be tolerated.

It is a violation of Massachusetts State Law to disable, disconnect, obstruct, remove, or destroy fire protection equipment including tampering with smoke or carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, sprinkler heads, and horn/ strobe warning devices. Students found in violation of this policy will be subject to the student code of conduct.

Fire Prevention Policies

The following is a list of prohibited behavior within university housing and other university buildings:

Any Act Causing or Contributing to a Fire Safety Hazard

• Tampering with wiring, exit signs, emergency lights, overloading of electrical outlets, hanging items from the ceiling or leaving food/beverages unattended while cooking/heating
• Placing clothing, fabrics or other easily combustible materials over lights or electrical fixtures
• Possessing and/or using any heat-producing cooking appliances outside of designated kitchen areas (with the exception of coffee makers with automatic shut-offs and microwave/refrigerator combination units provided by the university approved vendor)

Any Act Causing or Contributing to a Fire

• If fire investigators find that a fire was caused by a malicious act or prohibited item, student conduct action may be pursued.
• A fire caused by a careless, but non-prohibited act (i.e., the use of an oven, microwave/refrigerator combination unit, iron, etc.) would result in a student conduct referral.
• You are always financially responsible for damage that you cause even if your behavior is not intentional.

The following items are flammable and prohibited from University buildings:

• Candles (If you are seeking to light a candle for religious reasons, please contact John Walsh, Tufts Fire Marshal, at john.walsh@tufts.edu.)
• Incense
• Camp-stove fuel
• Containers of butane (other than individual lighters)
• Lighter fluid
• Fireworks
• Flammable holiday decorations including real trees and wreaths
• Gasoline
• Paint thinner
• Storage (or use) of a motorcycle, moped, or other gasoline powered vehicles or machinery within ten feet of university housing is not allowed. Possession of hoverboards or similarly powered skateboard devices are banned from campus entirely due to recurring fire incidents associated with their design.

To Cause the False Activation of a Fire Alarm

It is against Massachusetts State Law to falsely activate the building fire alarm system. Violations will be handled through the student conduct process.

Failing to Evacuate during a Fire Alarm

Residents and their guests should never assume that an alarm is false, or that a fire drill is being conducted. During any fire alarm, all residents and their guests are expected to cooperate with official personnel (university officials as well as municipal fire and police departments). Those who fail to evacuate or are uncooperative during a fire alarm are subject to student conduct action.

Hanging Items from the Fire Sprinkler System and Sprinkler Heads

If the fusible link in the sprinkler head breaks, gallons of water will flow uninterrupted through the sprinkler head and into the room. Hanging or attaching any item(s) from the pipes or sprinkler heads creates an obstruction to the water discharge pattern and impedes the control and extinguishment of the fire.

Access to the Roof of Any University Building

You are not allowed to access any university building roofs (including university housing), window ledges, balconies or fire escapes for any reason (except in the case of an emergency). Violations of this policy will result in student conduct action.

Propping Open Fire Doors

These doors are your protection from fire, heat and deadly gases during the evacuation from the building in the event of an emergency situation and they should never be left propped open.

Blocking Hallways, Stairways, Suite/Apartment Lounges, or Fire Escapes

This includes leaving personal belongings like shoes, suitcases, boxes, room furniture, athletic equipment duffle bags, bicycles, etc. in these areas. In an emergency situation, hallways, stairways, lounges and fire escapes must be kept clear to aide in quick and efficient exit from university housing. Under no circumstances should exits marked “emergency” be blocked.

The Possession of Non-University Upholstered Furniture

You can only use approved furniture in University buildings. Please refer to the Tufts University Department of Public Safety/Fire Safety website for Furniture and Mattress Policies. This includes non-university provided mattresses as well, unless otherwise approved for a medical condition that rises to the level of a disability through the Housing Accommodations Request Process.

The Possession of Halogen Lamps and Multi-Light (“Octopus”) Floor or Desk Lamps

National Fire Investigation Reports have determined that possession of such lights have been the cause of numerous fires on campuses across the country.

Excessive Covering of Wall Space and the Exterior Room Doors with Easily Combustible Materials

The doors and corridors are part of the emergency egress pathway. Any combustible material will contribute to the spread of fire and prevent the safe evacuation from the building.

Running Wires (of any kind) through or across Egress Pathways

When Internet or cable wires are run from a student room out into a nearby lounge or suite, this creates a hazard. In an emergency situation all paths of egress must be clear to ensure safe exit from the suite or building.

The Possession of Space Heaters with Open Electrical Coils

Such coils are an ignition source when located too close to combustible material. If a space cannot be adequately heated via the installed building and heating system, contact Facilities Services at 617-627-3496.

The Use of an Outdoor Barbecue Grill Closer Than 10 Feet from University Housing

Those wishing to use an outdoor grill must obtain a permit (at no charge) from the Fire Safety Office.

Students who fail to comply with the above stated university policies will be subject to judicial consequences ranging from warning to losing the ability to reside in university housing and/or university disciplinary action depending on the magnitude of each violation. As a resident of Tufts University, you are responsible for what occurs in your university housing space. It is imperative that you educate your guests on campus fire safety policies as you will be held accountable for any violation that may occur.

Fire Alarm Evacuation Procedure

As soon as the fire alarm sounds, EXIT the building immediately. Upon exiting your room, look for the nearest stairwell or emergency exit door and leave the building. Once outside you should move to the designated gathering spot, which is most often across from the building.

It is important for you to familiarize yourself with at least two EXITS in case of an emergency. If, during a fire alarm, you are aware that there are fellow hallmates remaining in the building (due to illness or injury, etc.), please call TUPD for assistance: 617-627-6911.
   
Once the local fire department is on-site, they will handle the situation. The building is not safe to reenter until the situation has been properly addressed and the fire alarm system has been reset. You may not enter the building until you have been given instructions to do so.

No-Smoking Policy

As noted in general university housing policies:

It is a violation of the Massachusetts State Fire Prevention Regulations to smoke (tobacco, etc.) inside schools, colleges, universities, public buildings and institutions.

• The No-Smoking policy affects all indoor spaces of the campus, including all university facilities, university housing, fraternities and sororities.
• The use of smoking materials, including, but not limited to: cigarettes, cigars, pipes, e-cigarettes, vape pens, and hookahs inside any university building, including university housing, is strictly prohibited.
• Students found in violation of this policy will be documented by in-hall staff, TUPD or members of the Fire Safety office and will be referred to the student conduct process.
• You are always financially responsible for any damage caused by smoking within university housing, whether intentional or not.
• If your careless behavior from smoking results in a fire, severe conduct sanctions may result.

We request that students who do smoke tobacco outside of university housing do so at least 20 feet away from the building. This ensures smoke traveling through the windows closest to the building entrances is minimized. Students are also encouraged to dispose of their tobacco products in the appropriate receptacles.

Entering first-year students are required to live in university housing per the University’s Two-Year Residency Requirement for AS&E undergraduate students.

Exemptions

Students may request an exception to the Two-Year Residency Requirement for medical or religious reasons. Students should contact studentservices@tufts.edu to inquire about an accommodation or exception. If approved, students who are granted an exception to the Two-Year Residency Requirement will be permitted to live off campus during their first and second years.

We encourage all students who will be living off campus to make use of the resources available through Residential Life and Learning, including our Off-Campus Housing website.

Please request exemptions as soon as possible with the following dates as a guide for the latest these requests should be made:

Please note the following regarding exemptions:

• Once a student has been approved for an exception to the Two-Year Residency Requirement, they will be automatically removed from consideration for university housing for all subsequent semesters.
• Once a student has been approved for an exception to the Two-Year Residency Requirement, Residential Life and Learning is unable to revert a student’s status as an off-campus resident for the upcoming semester.
• Students may revert their status as an off-campus resident for a subsequent semester or semesters. They may do so without re-initiating the standard Two-Year Residency Requirement.

Students should contact studentservices@tufts.edu at the earliest possible date to revert their status as an off-campus resident, and they must do so by November 1 for the following Fall Semester and July 1 for the following Spring Semester

Housing License Agreement

Living in university housing requires that each student agree to the Housing Agreement which confirms residency dates and housing costs for the academic year.

• View/Download the License Agreement

Detailed instructions on the process for changing rooms can be found here.

Changing, swapping, or switching rooms without prior approved and written permission from Residential Life and Learning professional staff is a violation of Residential Life and Learning policy.

In the event a space in your multiple occupancy room becomes available, you may not allow another person (Tufts or non-Tufts- affiliated) to reside in the space. You are also not allowed to occupy that vacated area of your room.

• For both single and multiple occupancy rooms, you may not rent, list, or advertise their rooms for use by Tufts or non-Tufts-affiliated persons.
• For the well-being of all students living in university housing we must have accurate information of housing occupancy at all times and all viable open spaces must be accounted for.
• Students who are found in violation may be subject to the student conduct process.

At the end of each semester, Residential Life staff will enter University living spaces to assess for damages and extra cleaning charges. These charges, in addition to any other fees such as lock out, lock change, or improper check out fees, may result in additional charges to the student's account. Information about charges will be shared with students up to 30 days after the semester move out.

To submit requests to appeal damage billing or other charges, students may complete appropriate steps via the Housing Portal accessible from your SIS account.

You are expected to create a healthy relationship with your roommate based on respect and civility.

Here are some options for achieving a positive relationship:

• Open communication: Often, roommate conflicts occur due to a lack of communication between those involved. You should discuss concerns as they arise.
• If you find that you cannot resolve the issue in your room, talk to an in-hall staff member for assistance so the problem doesn’t get dragged out.
• You and your roommate will have the following options:
  • You can engage in a conversation with your roommate mediated by staff where you create a new roommate agreement.
  •  If you are interested in changing rooms with another student, you may do so once you have followed the following processes:
    • All parties including any and all roommates, must agree to the change.
    • You must discuss this with your Residence Life Coordinator (RLC).
    • Room changes cannot be made without authorized written permission from Residential Life and Learning professional staff.
  • You could choose another available space in a multiple-occupancy room on campus.    

It is an expectation that you and your roommate will work together to resolve the conflict. It is also expected that roommates will fully cooperate with the attempts from Residential Life and Learning staff to assist in resolving the conflict. We will not decide the outcome of a roommate conflict unless one of the roommates is in violation of a residential/university policy or is endangering the safety and well-being of their roommate(s). For more information pertaining to roommate conflict resolution within residence halls, please contact your Residence Life Coordinator.

During the week (Monday through Friday) between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., contact our staff assigned to manage lockouts by phone (857-523-2958). Outside of these hours, students should contact their neighborhood RA on Duty to assist. Contact information for staff is located throughout university housing in hallways, entryways, etc. Students must show their ID either before the lockout is completed or immediately upon re-entering their room. As per the room change policy, students who are not assigned to a particular room will not be granted access to a neighboring room, or room within the suite/apartment.

It is imperative that students maintain control of their keys for their own safety as well as the safety of others in their community. Please note that if keys are lost, stolen, or not returned on time a lock change will occur. Students are responsible for the replacement fees of each key that is lost, stolen, or not returned on time. The following is a list of approximate key costs:

• Mailbox Key: $15
• Room Key: $75
• Suite Key (Latin Way/Hillsides): $75
• Room Key (Latin Way/Hillsides): $75
• Student ID Card: $30

Student ID access to university housing is shut off during winter recess. If emergency access is needed during these periods, students should contact Residential Life and Learning to schedule an appointment.

Panic buttons are located in all university housing buildings. They are clearly marked “Emergency” and should only be used when access to a telephone is impossible, impractical or unsafe. If students are found responsible for activating a panic button for reasons other than stated above, they may be subject to residential or university student conduct processes.

Doors to residential areas always remain locked.

Outside doors of university housing buildings are generally locked 24 hours a day except for buildings that have an entry door that is unlocked during business hours to allow access to the public areas of the building. Doors to residential areas always remain locked.

Propped doors invite entry by non-residents along with criminal activity within the communities. If you see a door propped, close it immediately.

Never lend your keys or student ID to anyone, and do not allow someone into the building, suite, or room who does not belong there. Lock doors while sleeping or out of the room because this is the single most effective action in preventing crime/theft.

This information also pertains to tampered locks, including but not limited to taping over latching mechanisms and propping doors when not present. Any staff who comes across this situation will lock the door properly as per our safety and security processes. Any associated lockout charges will be billed to the student of the space.

The University is not responsible directly or indirectly for negligence of others, resulting in the loss and/or damage of personal property.

The University is also not responsible for occurrences that are beyond its control. Students are encouraged to review their family’s personal property insurance policy to ensure that property and belongings are covered for theft and loss at Tufts University. 

Many rooms have control valves that let you control the heat in each room. A lower number on the control valve is lower heat, and the “snowflake” setting is the coolest. When you leave for winter break, please turn the dial to “1” (not snowflake). The target heating temperature is 68 degrees. If a room is very often too hot or too cold, please report the problem by visiting the Campus & Buildings web page and clicking on Facilities Service Requests.

Please do not leave your windows open during the winter months. It is impossible to deliver target temperatures when windows are left open, and because of the location of thermostats, open windows can inadvertently disrupt temperatures in other spaces. If you would like to air out your room, open all windows for about 5–10 minutes to create a cross-breeze and then shut them. The longer windows are kept open during the winter, the more energy is wasted. In addition to wasting heat, leaving windows open in the winter may cause pipes to freeze and break, causing water damage to your room. Do not forget that windows must be shut completely when you leave campus. Report any temperature concerns (even if they have been reported before) and stuck windows to Facilities Services through the link above.

Please keep refrigerators clean and de-iced. Be sure to empty and clean them when away for winter/spring breaks. In order to conserve energy students are encouraged to share fridges with roommate(s), use ENERGY STAR certified models, or use common fridges in the residence halls.

Leaks, constant drips, or running toilets can be a significant waste of water. If you find a leak in the residence hall bathrooms or kitchens, please report it to Facilities Services immediately at 617-627-3496 during business hours, and to TUPD at 617-627-3030 after hours.

Halogen lamps are not allowed. Please use compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs or LEDs in all student-occupied areas. If you would like to exchange your regular incandescent bulb for an LED, bring your old bulb to the Office of Sustainability at 550 Boston Ave or talk to your Eco-Rep. Please shut off lights when not in your room. Hallway lights must remain on for safety.

Please remember to turn off all appliances when not in use. Use a power strip to plug in electronics, such as TVs, printers, gaming systems, and radios, and turn off the power strip when you are out of the room or use a “smart power strip.” If buying new electronics or appliances, choose ones that are EnergyStar certified.

Please enable the Power Management feature on your computer, and turn it off when not in use. Do not use a screen saver – they save neither the screen nor energy. If purchasing a new computer, select an EPEAT Gold certified laptop.

It is expected that students will recycle all appropriate materials: all rigid plastic and mixed paper, along with metal, glass, cardboard, batteries, CFL light bulbs, and electronics. If you are not sure if something is recyclable, visit the Recycling, Compost, & Waste page. It is against the law in Massachusetts to dispose of any recyclable material in the trash.
Students living in apartment-style residence hall rooms are responsible for taking their trash and recycling to the nearest dumpster (find one close to you on the Eco-Map). Please note that plastic trash bags are not allowed in the recycling so you must empty out any bags into the recycling dumpster and reuse or throw the bag in the trash dumpster.

Use natural light when possible, wash your clothes in cold water with laundry detergent designed for it, use reusable utensils, dishes and water bottles, print double-sided, and read documents electronically.

For more information about sustainability on campus, please visit the Office of Sustainability website. You may also seek out Sustainable CORE Fellows. Sustainable CORE Fellows are students who live in university housing and are available to help you navigate the path to sustainable living. They can answer your questions about any of the above topics and help you compost vegetable scraps in your building. They also regularly run sustainability-focused events in university housing. Find out more about the Sustainable CORE Fellows.

All spaces within university housing are categorized as either “private” or “common.”

Private spaces include:

• Student bedrooms
• Living room, kitchen, and bathroom areas within a university housing apartment

Common spaces are defined as areas that are shared and accessible to any resident of a university housing building. Residents should refrain from leaving personal belongings unattended in these spaces. Common spaces include:

• Building entries
• Lobbies
• Bathrooms
• Corridors
• Kitchens
• Lounges (including those within Wren and Haskell suites)
• Porches
• Stairways
• Study rooms
• Any other university housing areas accessible to all residents, including the common spaces in the Wren and Haskell Hall suites.

A regular schedule for the cleaning of university housing common areas including open lounges, bathrooms, hallways, and other common spaces is maintained by C&W Services, the university’s cleaning company.

C&W Services employees maintain a reduced cleaning schedule of apartments (including Sophia Gordon, Hillside Apartments, Latin Way, CoHo, etc.). However, residents living in these areas of campus should still be responsible for their own apartment upkeep including cleaning bathroom and kitchen spaces regularly.

Any Tufts-recognized group (i.e., residential staff, student organizations, etc.) can reserve lounge space in university housing.

• Only main lounges may be reserved. Small study, corner, or basement lounges are not available for student groups to reserve.
• The following university housing main lounge spaces are available for reservation: Carmichael Hall, Hill Hall, Hodgdon Hall, Lewis Hall, Harleston Hall (Basement Lounge)

All requests must be submitted through Tufts University EMS room reservation system.

When using a university housing lounge space, it is important to adhere to the following policies:

• All events must end (including breakdown) by no later than 2:00 a.m., Friday - Sunday.
• No events are permitted to be held in the lounge spaces during Reading Period and Final Exams at the end of each academic semester.
• Student organizations may reserve lounge space on weekends only. Preference for university housing space is given to the residents and in-hall staff of the given building to use for studying, meetings, programming, etc.
• All participants must adhere to all residential and university policies throughout the duration of the event.
• At the end of the event, please remove all property belonging to the sponsoring organization to ensure that no personal belongings get left behind.
• Please dispose of all trash in the appropriate receptacles provided in the space. Organizations that leave excessive trash/belongings, damage the floors, furniture, or other university equipment may forfeit their ability to reserve a university housing lounge space in the future.

Tufts-recognized organizations wishing to reserve the Sophia Gordon MPR may do so through Reserve Tufts.

It is expected that students will take ownership of their university housing space. If you run into any issues with maintenance concerns, we ask that you submit a work order on the Residential Facilities system. You will need to be attached to the Tufts Secured network.

If a loss of service (i.e., loss of hot water, electricity to room, etc.) occurs during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., students should contact the Facilities Department at 617-627-3496. Outside regular business hours, contact TUPD: 617-627-3030.

In the event of a complete loss of heat, electricity or hot water, an emergency situation is declared if the problem cannot be resolved within a reasonable amount of time. If this occurs, the student(s) affected will be temporarily reassigned.

Extermination services should be submitted in a facilities work order and by calling 617-627-3496.

During Regular Business Hours (Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.)

• The student should immediately contact Residential Facilities by calling 617-627-3992.
• Residential Facilities will contact Extermination Services to have the room inspected for a possible bed bug infestation.
• You will be contacted and cleared by our office if there are no bed bugs found.

Outside Regular Business Hours (after 5 p.m., Monday – Friday and weekends)

• Immediately contact Tufts University Police at 617-627-3030 and submit an online work order
• Plan to contact Residential Facilities on the morning of the next business day.
• In the majority of cases, students with a possible issue will be required to stay in the room until an inspection is done. 
• If relocated to an available space on campus please do the following:
  • Don’t remove any items from the room in question
  • Clothing that needs to be removed from the room should be washed in hot water and dried on high heat
  • Bathe prior to putting on the freshly laundered clothing.

In the case an actual infestation is identified by the exterminator, the following protocol should be carefully followed:

• Strip all bed linens (i.e., sheets, pillowcases, blankets, spreads, etc.) and place into plastic bags to be washed in hot water and dried on high heat.   
• All clothes in the room (whether clean or dirty) should be washed in hot water and dried on high heat.
• All items in the room must be placed in plastic bags and sealed with tape. All bags should be placed in the center of the room.
• All wall hangings and posters should be removed and placed on top of plastic bags in the center of the room.
• Leave travel bags/luggage in plain view for the exterminator to inspect.
• Move all large items (i.e., dressers, desks, etc.) one foot away from the perimeter of each wall.
• Mattresses – Due to the construction of the mattresses in all student rooms, they DO NOT need to be removed from the room and replaced once the room has been inspected and treated. Mattress replacement will only occur upon student request.
• Once the room has been treated, we will notify you.     

Once a semester, staff from the Office of Residential Life and Learning will complete health and safety inspections in student rooms to ensure that there are no needed maintenance concerns and that the general health and safety of our students in our halls is sound.

Students are notified in advance of the inspection date. Students are given one of two outcomes:

• PASS – All items meet expectations within the space
• FAIL – There are one or more issues within the space that will require follow up by the student(s). For students who receive a “fail,” they will be notified by Residential Life and Learning staff of the issue and given 24 hours to resolve the issue before a reinspection is made. Some items that result in a failure of a health and safety inspection may result in a documentation by a staff member for follow up through the Student Conduct process (for example: prohibited items, which can be found in the University Housing Community Policies).

The Fire Safety Office conducts fire prevention inspections in the common areas (lobby, lounge, hallways, stairways, laundry rooms, utility rooms, and storage rooms) of all university housing buildings (including fraternities and sororities) multiple times each year. The inspections are performed to ensure the following:

1. Fire detection and fire sprinkler systems are operational
2. Fire extinguishers are in their proper locations, are not obstructed and are ready for use
3. Doorways, lobbies, corridors, stairways, and fire escapes are clear and unobstructed of any items (bicycles, furniture, duffle bags, footwear, luggage, etc.) that could cause tripping or congestion during an emergency evacuation of the building
4. Trash receptacles are emptied regularly to prevent the accumulation of potentially combustible material
5. Evidence of smoking within the buildings is not present

Safety violations are reported to Residential Life and Learning professional staff. A member of the Residential Life and Learning professional staff team will follow up with the resident. When notified of a violation, you are expected to correct the situation immediately. Failure to do so may result in residential or University student conduct action.

For more information about fire safety policies, including prohibited items, please see the University Housing Community Policies.

To ensure the safety of all students in university housing as well as all university staff, residents who use any kind of sharp medical supplies (hypodermic needles, lancets, infusion needles, etc.) are required to dispose of them in an approved “sharps” container.

Students who use sharp medical supplies are expected to adhere to the following protocol:

• Obtain an approved sharps container from Health Services (free of charge) during regular business hours. Health Services is located at 124 Professors Row (across from Fletcher Field).
• All sharp medical waste (contaminated or not) should be placed in this container. This container can be stored in the resident’s room.
• When the container is ⅔ full or once the contents rise to the full level marker on the container, it should be returned to Health Services who will properly dispose of the container and issue a new one (also free of charge).    

It is imperative that students do not dispose of sharp medical supplies in regular trash or recycling containers within the residence halls (or elsewhere on campus). It is also imperative that students do not flush used needles or other sharp medical supplies down the toilet or place in glass containers. This behavior exposes members of the community to a potential health hazard.

If students are found responsible for failing to adhere to the above sharps disposal protocol, they may be subject to university student conduct action.

Due to serious health risks of blood-borne pathogens; vomiting, defecating, and urinating in student rooms, hallways, common areas, and stairwells is strictly prohibited. If you find an instance of this in university housing, please contact Facilities Services so that the area can be properly cleaned.