Shared Responsibilities

Part of the experience of living on campus is doing your part to ensure that all students have access to success at the University of Tulsa. The following policies outline what is expected of all TU students.

Alcohol & Drug policy

Please refer to the complete University of Tulsa Alcohol and Drug Policy. This policy governs all TU students and facilities including campus housing.

Approved & prohibited appliances

You are allowed to have the following appliances/ items in your residence hall room:

• Microwaves (must be plugged directly into the wall NOT a power strip.)
• Refrigerators (under 6 cubic ft.)
• Hair Dryers
• TVs
• Electric Razors
• Stereos
• Computers
• Popcorn Poppers
• Coffee Makers
• Electric Kettle for Hot Water Only
• Instapots
• Air-fryers
• Toasters

Please leave these prohibited items at home!

• Appliances with open coils and other appliances used for general cooking, including electric & George Forman type grills, and any type of hot plate or stovetop/oven-type cooking devices
• Personal grills are prohibited from use or storage on University property ($100 fine)
• Halogen Lamps
• Candles & Candle Warmers
• Incense
• Fireworks
• Weapons (including swords) See weapon policy
• Hoverboards
• Hot Tubs/Jacuzzis/Large Containers of water (due to their weight)

Bulletin board policy

ALL posters and signs must be approved and stamped by Campus Services HQ, the department assistant at the front desk, or the Residential Education Coordinator in the designated area before posting. Posters or signs that are not approved will be removed.

Candles, decorations & furnishings

Decorations can really make your room or apartment look great, but there are a few policies to keep in mind.

• Holiday lights are allowed but must not be hung from the ceiling.
• Candles (with or without wicks), candle warmers, scented-oil warmers, incense, and flammable lamps (such as propane or oil lamps) are prohibited in ALL campus housing. They are extremely dangerous due to open flame and dripping wax. Highly flammable materials such as hay, straw, Spanish moss, or anything determined dangerous by the housing staff are prohibited. Use or possession of any of these prohibited items will result in an automatic $100 fine and possible student conduct action.
• Street signs, flags, parachutes, barricades, cones, etc. that have been illegally acquired are forbidden. (If you purchased the item please attach the receipt to it.)
• Cut greenery, such as Christmas trees, wreaths, or hay/straw bales, is prohibited by the Fire Marshall in all areas including lounge locations and around apartments.
• Items hung from the ceiling, this includes, posters, cloth, fishnets, or other hanging items are not allowed.
• We do not allow shot glasses, decorated alcohol bottles, flasks, etc.
• Empty containers such as alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink bottles; cans, etc. are prohibited from display in student rooms, and are considered excessive trash.
• You are welcome to bring in additional furniture as you see fit, but don’t take it from the lounges or suite lounges. The lounge/suite furniture is for everyone in the hall/suite to use. Failure to follow this policy may result in a $100 fine.
• ALL of the furniture in your room must stay in your room and cannot be moved out of the room to be stored anywhere else.
• You are responsible and will be charged for any decorations that stain, alter, or otherwise damage the room. This includes nail holes, decals, contact paper, or tape marks on the walls, door, floor, etc. All should be carefully removed at checkout time. We recommend the proper use of 3M Command Adhesive. Even with the use of 3M Command Adhesive, any damage caused by this product will be considered damage and a student can be charged.

Escort & guest bathroom policy

Residence Halls

When not in the main lobby, residents must accompany all guests. Residents whose guests are found in violation of the visitation or escort policy will be assessed a fine of $10 and will be subject to University student conduct action. If the guest is a nonresident, the resident host involved may be assessed the fine and student conduct action. Nonresidents will be asked to leave a particular building if they are not complying with housing policies. However, regardless of the specific situation, residents are always responsible for guests whether or not they are TU students. The visitation policy also applies to minors, families, and parents. Visitors that are legally defined as minors need escorts and should be supervised in common areas. Residents have the right and responsibility to confront unescorted guests. For assistance with confronting an unescorted guest, contact an RA or complete a CaneCares report.

Hallway Combination:

Students are not to share any living area combinations with other residents/guests. Students in possession or using unauthorized combinations will be subject to student conduct action.

Guest Bathroom:

Please escort your guests to these facilities to use during their visit. Male visitors in Lottie Jane Mabee Hall must use the lobby restroom. Female visitors in John Mabee Hall must use the lobby restroom as well. Restrooms in the lobby are available for Fisher Hall visitors of the opposite sex. Failure to follow this policy may result in your visitation privilege revoked.

Failure to comply with staff

Residents and their guests are expected to follow all official requests from all TU staff members (including but not limited to Resident Assistants, Residence Life Coordinators, Security Officers, College Administrators, etc.). All TU students and their guests are required to present identification upon request by a university official. Failure to comply with an official request will result in student conduct action. Residents will be held responsible for the actions of their guests. Remember that compliance also means respect.

Firearms, air rifles, weapons, explosives and fireworks

Please refer to the University of Tulsa Firearms, Air Rifles, Weapons, Explosives, and Fireworks Policy. This policy governs all TU students and facilities including campus housing.

Hall sports

Respect for the community involves respect for the building and its residents. Hall/breezeway sports such as wrestling and dribbling or throwing balls/objects is prohibited. Such activity is potentially damaging to fire and safety equipment and could cause structural damage. Occurrences will result in a fine, charged to your student account for damages and/ or student conduct action.

Health and safety inspections

Housing staff reserves the right to conduct Health and Safety inspections in university housing. These inspections are scheduled 2-3 times per semester in the residence halls and greek campus housing, and done in campus apartments whenever a maintenance or conduct issue presents the need to conduct the inspection. During a Health and Safety inspection, Housing staff will document and follow-up on any situation of concern that is seen. Those generally fall into these four areas:

• Cleanliness – Please refer to the Cleanliness policy on this page.
• Safety Violations – Please refer to policies on this page, such as (but not limited to) Alcohol, Appliances/Equipment, Bunk Beds, Candles, Cleanliness, Decorating, Smoke-free Housing, Trash, Weapons, Explosives, and Fireworks.
• Facility/Furniture Condition/Safety – The staff will note any unsafe arrangement of furniture, broken or missing blinds, missing furniture, and any other major damages that might need immediate attention.
• Occupancy – Confirming only the residents assigned to the space are living in the space.

Should an issue be found and depending on the type of issue discovered, the Housing staff will either take immediate steps to remedy the situation or will refer the situation to the Residence Life Coordinator for follow-up.

Improper checkout

Occupants who fail to check-out of their apartment/residence hall/sorority housing by the appointed time on the end date stipulated on their license or approved in writing, will be assessed $200 per day overstay charges. Individuals who fail to complete the necessary steps to checkout properly (i.e. return their keys to housing staff in the manner directed in closing and vacate materials), but do vacate their rooms/apartments on time will be assessed a $25 administrative fee.

Lockout assistance & key usage policy

It is important to make sure you always keep your door locked but sometimes that may mean you have locked yourself out.  If you need lockout assistance see below how to get help.  Positive identification will be required (student ID or driver’s license) before or immediately after entering your room. Under no circumstances will a student be admitted to a room other than his or her own.

Residence Halls

A lockout service (key or ID) is provided for resident assistants for a minimal charge of $10. This fee will be billed to your student account.  If you are locked out, please report to the front desk for instructions on being let back into your room. When a Residence Life staff member is not available in your hall, you must await the return of staff or roommates.

Apartments and Sorority Housing

Complimentary lockout service is offered during office hours at the Fisher Suites/Apartment Community Desk. Simply visit the desk and check out a key for your apartment or Sorority House. For lockouts occurring after hours and on weekends, Campus Security can assist at a nominal fee of $10. This charge will be invoiced to your student account. Should you require this assistance, please contact Campus Security at 918/631-5555.

Excessive lock-outs: If a resident locked out more than 3 times in a semester, they must present their key in order to avoid a required lock change.

Key Duplication: It is unlawful for any student to duplicate a University key. University keys issued to residents may not be loaned, given, or shared with any non-resident.

Key Loss: As a security measure, locks on student rooms/apartments are always changed if a key is lost, misplaced or stolen. Lock change fees are assessed to students who lost their key.

• Residence Halls: Contact your Front Desk in your area, to initiate the lock change and related billing. The charge for a lock change is $85.00 and will be automatically billed to your student account. Once a lock change has been completed, your new keys will be available from your Front Desk (your roommate/suitemates are responsible for turning in their old keys and picking up the new ones. You are not authorized to pick up any keys for anyone other than yourself. After hours contact the RA on Duty to pick up your key.
• Apartments: Come to the Fisher Suites desk at Fisher Hall with your student ID or other official ID to initiate the lock change and related billing. You will also be able to check out the spare key until the lock has been changed. The lock change fee of $85.00 will be automatically billed to your student account. New keys for the apartments may be picked up at the Fisher Suites desk at Fisher Hall. If residents do not return keys when checking out, a lock change will be ordered and charges will be assessed for a lock change and also for an improper checkout.

Noise/Amplified music

Please be mindful that 24-hour courtesy hours are ALWAYS in effect. During quiet hours (after 10 PM Sunday-Thursday and after 11PM Friday & Saturday), the atmosphere must be highly conducive to studying. Thus, loud stereos, disruptive conversations, and other interference will not be allowed. These hours are applicable to inside and outside noise that could be considered disruptive.

If complaints are received, residents will be asked to take steps to reduce/eliminate the noise. Students in violation of the noise policy are subject to a fine and/or student conduct action. The Housing staff must approve special requests concerning exceptions to any of the above guidelines at least one week prior to the requested activity.
If you feel your primary rights to sleep and study in your room/apartment are being violated, you should speak to the person(s) causing the interference and ask them to modify their behavior. Housing & Dining Services expects that residents will calmly confront and resolve situations within their community. If you are not able to produce satisfactory results, contact a staff member or Security for help in quieting the disturbance.

Amplified music or noise outside the halls/sorority row or individual apartments is not allowed Sunday through Thursday, and after 10:00PM to 8:00 AM on Friday and Saturday.

An approved residence life activity is the only exception. Amplified music in or on a vehicle is not permitted if it can be heard outside the vehicle from 25 feet or annoys or disturbs the quiet and comfort of any person in the vicinity. An automatic fine of $25 and/or student conduct action will be applied in these instances.

Finals Quiet Hours: 24-hour quiet hours will be in effect from 5:00PM on the last day of classes until 5:00PM on the last day of finals. Violations of quiet hours during this time will result in an automatic $25.00 fine, subject to increase. Residence hall governments have the jurisdiction to establish limited breaks in their building during this time until the last day of finals.

Pets, service or assistance animals

The University of Tulsa offers a pet-friendly option in West Park Apartments. However, with this option comes certain requirements. A resident of West Park Apartments may only have 1 dog or 1 cat, weighing no more than 35 pounds. The animal must be leashed at all times outside of the apartment, according to City of Tulsa policy. All students must fill out an application with the Housing Office/Norman Village Clubhouse to have a pet. There is a refundable pet deposit of $300. Breed restrictions apply. Anyone who does not register their pet with The University of Tulsa, is subject Pet Violation Sanctions as outlined below.

University regulations prohibit pets in all other campus housing. However, fish in aquariums not over 20 gallons are permitted as long as they are kept in a sanitary condition. Any resident who either has a prohibited pet or hosts a guest that brings pet to campus housing will result in Pet Violation Sanctions as outlined below.

Approved Assistance Animals

Individuals may keep an assistance animal as accommodation in TU campus housing if the owner/user has a documented disability and the animal provides assistant directly related to the disability. All necessary paperwork and authorization must be completed with the TU Student Access and the Housing office prior to the arrival of the assistance animal. Assistance animals are required to be housebroken and registered with Tulsa County and owners/users are required to care for them and remove animal waste in all areas of campus. Any assistance animal that (1) causes substantial damage to property, or (2) poses a threat to the health and/or safety of other residents will not be allowed in student housing or on campus. Click here for the Service and Assistance Animal Guidelines.

Failure to request an accommodation, complete the required paperwork, and/or obtain authorization prior to bringing an assistance animal into campus housing will result in Pet Violation Sanctions as outlined below.

Pet Violation Sanctions

First Offense

$500 Fine (upon successful appeal, to be lessened to $100 upon two subsequent, successful health and safety inspections)
Full semester housing probation
Cost of carpet cleaning/replacement
Cost of damages
Cost of pest control
Health and safety inspections

Second Offense

$1000 Fine
Full-year housing probation with a warning of housing agreement cancellation in the event of a third offense
Cost of carpet cleaning/replacement
Cost of damages
Cost of pest control
Health and safety inspections

Third Offense

$1,000 Fine
Cost of carpet cleaning/replacement
Cost of damages
Cost of pest control
Cancellation of housing license with full housing/dining charges

Private parties

While students are allowed to host private gatherings in their rooms or apartments, at no time is it permissible to allow that function to infringe upon the rights of others to sleep, study, or function in their own room or apartment. All noise policies must be followed. Private parties may not be advertised by any means including fliers, chalking, email, or online communities (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.). Residents are responsible for their own behavior and the behavior of their guests. The number of guests at a private party in a residence hall room or suite shall not exceed six (6). The number of guests at private party in an apartment shall not exceed ten (10). The party may not overflow into the halls, lounges, or adjoining area outside the student’s living quarters/ apartment. The door should be closed and noise contained as to not be bothersome to other residents. Residents and/or staff may request quiet and, if necessary, complaints may be filed by residents. If a party is terminated, and it is after 11 p.m., an automatic fine of $100 will be billed to the student accounts of the residents that reside at the site/host of the party, along with revocation of party privileges and possible additional student conduct action.

Right of entry

The housing staff respects students’ rights to privacy and their desire to control their own environment. However, the staff also has the responsibility of providing quality facilities at reasonable costs to present and future students. Therefore, the staff reserves the right to enter student rooms or apartments to ensure that they are maintained in a safe and sanitary fashion and to make necessary repairs. Residence Hall safety inspections are conducted at least two times per semester to ensure reasonable standards of room cleanliness and safety. Staff also may enter a student room/apt. on the premise that an action violating university regulations or state or local law did or is about to take place.

Smoke-free housing

In an effort to provide a healthy, comfortable, and productive environment for all students, faculty, and staff, the University has adopted a smoke-free policy. Smokers who live in campus housing (residence hall or apartment) must agree to abide by the smoke-free requirement and refrain from smoking in their units, rooms, suite area, and all common areas of the building. This includes cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookah pipes, electronic smoking devices (ecigs, dab pens, wax vaporizer, etc), and any banned/illegal substances. The success of this policy will depend on the thoughtfulness, consideration, and cooperation of smokers and nonsmokers alike. All members of the University community share the responsibility for adhering to and enforcing this policy. If you are found smoking in a campus housing space, you will be charged a minimum of $100 plus any damage or deep cleaning that may need to be done. Problems will be addressed via the residential conduct system.

Swimming pools

Summer Hours: Everyday 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.

The pools are a great place for campus residents to hang out during the summer and we want everyone to enjoy themselves. All residents should have their student ID card to access and be in the pool area. In order to ensure everyone has a safe and fun time at the pool, we would like to remind everyone of some important pool policies:

• Glass is prohibited anywhere within the fence of the Pool area. Tulsa Health Dept requires that if broken glass is found within the fence the entire pool be shut down for days to drain, clean, and refill the pool. Therefore a no-tolerance fine of $250 plus restitution will be charged to anyone discovered with a glass container in the fenced pool area.
• Alcohol and tobacco products including cigarettes and vaping are not permitted in the pool areas.
• Animals are prohibited from the pool area.
• No lifeguard on duty. No running, horseplay, and please do not swim alone.
• Only campus residents with their student ID are permitted to use the pools.
• No persons under the age of 18 may be in the pool area unless their parent or guardian is a campus resident and supervising them from within the pool area.

Trash

Residents are responsible for keeping the area around their room/apartment clean and neat. Proper care and concern by resident’s leads to a clean and healthy environment. All garbage and trash must be placed inside dumpsters located near your residence hall or apartment complex.

Residence Halls

Residence Hall students are expected to remove their own trash to the dumpster. Dumpsters are located just outside each housing area. Failure to remove trash and/or placing personal bags of trash in common areas will result in a $25.00 fine for the removal of trash and/or student conduct action.

Apartments

In the University Apartments trash left behind on breezeways, common areas, patios, porches, balconies and stairwells will result in an automatic $25.00 fine (minimum) assessed to the resident(s) and/or student conduct action may accompany any violation of this policy.

Visitation

Residence Halls

Visitation hours in Residence Hall are: 10:00 am – 2:00 am Monday through Thursday. 24-hour visitation from 10:00 am Friday to 2:00 am Monday. Guests and/or visitors may be asked to leave if they are not complying with housing policies. Guest is defined here as someone who is not assigned to the living space, even if it is another TU student. Residents whose guests are found in violation of the visitation policy will be subject to university student code conduct.

Apartments

There are not set visiting hours in the University Apartments, but you should always be mindful of your roommate and others around you. You may have overnight visitors, but apartment guests may not remain for more than three consecutive days without approval from the Housing and Dining Services Office. Violation of this policy may result in student conduct action, including termination of the license without refund, and/or fees, damages, cleaning expenses, etc., associated with unauthorized residency.