Policies to Know

The legal drinking age in the State of Maryland—for beer, wine, and liquor—is 21. For students under the age of 21, it is a violation of residence halls rules to drink or possess alcoholic beverages.

For all students, regardless of age, it is a violation of residence halls rules to:

• possess or use alcoholic beverages in any common area of the residence halls
• possess, use, or distribute any illegal drug or drug paraphernalia.

Use of alcohol by a minor or possession of drug paraphernalia normally results in a sanction of housing probation or warning; further violation can result in dismissal from residence halls. Distribution of alcohol to a minor and/or possession, use, distribution, and/or knowingly allowing use or distribution in one's room of any illegal drug normally results in dismissal from residence halls.

Students are expected to report suspected drug activity to University Police at 301-405-3333 or by calling 911.

When a building's fire alarm sounds, each person must:

• Immediately exit the building
• Always assume an emergency, never assume a false alarm
• Use stairs, not elevators
• Not open door if knob is warm to the touch; stay in room and call University Police at 301-405-3333 or 911
• Crawl on floor (where air is fresher) if smoke is encountered

If you smell smoke or see smoke or fire, you must:

• Pull the nearest building alarm
• Close room door(s)
• Safely exit the building
• Call 911
• Never attempt to fight or put out a fire
• Tell staff or fire authorities exact location of fire or smoke

Residents also are responsible for reading emergency/evacuation procedures posted in each room, knowing locations of exit stairwells and doors, planning more than one exit route, and not tampering with or disabling detection devices within their rooms or other fire safety equipment in their building.

Each resident student has primary responsibility for their own safety and security. At a minimum, resident students will be expected to always:

• Keep their room doors locked
• Never walk alone after dark, either walking with friends or utilizing escort/transit services
• Not allow strangers into their building
• Report suspicious persons or activity to Police
• Stay away from relatively isolated areas of the campus
• Not place themselves in vulnerable or potentially dangerous situations

You can also download the UMD Guardian Safety App, which serves as a virtual walking escort service, automatically contacting UMPD if you do not arrive at your expected destination. You can text a tip to UMPD and have the ability to include a photo. The app is available for download through the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Remember to register your mobile phone with the UMD Alert service at alert.umd.edu to receive UMD emergency alert messages.

For fire safety and sanitation/health reasons, cooking is prohibited in all student rooms. Students are required to participate in a dining plan unless assigned to an apartment.

The only permissible appliances are popcorn poppers and hot water pots that have enclosed heating elements and bear the UL seal. These items should never be used in student rooms, only in a designated cooking area within a floor lounge.

Students may not bring or use microwaves, micro-fridges, electric skillets, crock pots, or appliances with open or exposed heating elements or coils such as hotplates, toasters, and toaster ovens.

Small refrigerators are permitted in student rooms. They must meet these safety specifications:

• 3.6 cubic foot maximum
• 1.5 amp maximum in high-rise halls where most freshmen will live (0.5 amp maximum in un-renovated South Campus halls)
• 120 volts, 60 cycle AC
• Grounding type, 3-prong electric plug and 3-wire cord
• Listed by an approved testing laboratory such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL)

The University of Maryland is a smoke-free campus. Smoking in any form is not allowed within any residence hall room or space. Smoking is only permitted in designated outdoor locations on campus at all times. Designated locations for smoking may be found on the campus map. Smokers will be assigned with roommates who smoke or with non-smokers who do not object to a roommate who smokes. Non-smokers will continue to be assigned as roommates.

Maryland law requires that every student who resides in on-campus residence halls be vaccinated against meningococcal disease. A student may be exempt from this vaccination requirement if they (or parent/legal guardian in the case of a minor), after having been advised of the risks of the disease and the availability and effectiveness of the vaccine, signs a written waiver stating that they have received the information and have chosen not to be vaccinated against the disease. For more information call University Health Center at (301) 314-8184 or visit www.health.umd.edu.

Your Housing and Dining Agreement is for both the Fall and Spring semesters and cannot be broken, essentially unless you leave the University.

Releases from the Agreement may be approved after check-in (receiving room keys) for reasons such as:

• Withdrawal from all classes/cancellation of registration
• Co-ops, Study Abroad, student teaching
• Graduation

Prior to check-in, releases for new-to-housing students will be approved upon Resident Life's receipt of a written cancellation request. Returning residents do not have a unilateral option to simply cancel their housing reservations with a written request. These students must petition for release by providing a written request and supporting documentation of one or more of the above-stated reasons and await an approval or denial from Resident Life.

For both new and returning residents, "release fees" of up to four weeks' housing cost are applied for approved releases that are submitted later than eight weeks before the start of each semester.

The following items are not permitted in residence halls:

• Bed Risers with outlets
• Extra Tall Bed Risers
• Extension cords
• Alcoholic beverages (if under age 21)
• Illegal drugs (grounds for dismissal), drug paraphernalia
• Candles (lighted), incense, fireworks, weapons
• Electric skillets, Hot Plate, any appliance with open or exposed heating element or coil
• Toaster, toaster oven, skillet, crock pot, etc.
• Halogen bulbs
• Pets
• Private air conditioner, space heater. Masking or cellophane tape, nails, other products that damage paint/wall surfaces
• Partitions, room dividers, and other structures
• Microwaves (permitted only in select residence halls)

Guidelines and Space Use Restrictions for Residential Community Areas

The following guidelines apply to outdoor residential community areas to ensure availability of use and access by on-campus residents.

• Residential community quads and outdoor spaces are for informal, casual use by on-campus residents and their guests and for residence hall events hosted and sponsored by the Department of Resident Life.
• Residential community quads and outdoor spaces are available to on-campus students on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Residential community quads and outdoor spaces are not general campus event locations and cannot be reserved by individuals, groups, or organizations for planned group events or activities except for events for on-campus residents hosted by the Department of Resident Life, Living-Learning Program staff, and/or by the Residence Hall Association.
• Individuals, groups, and campus organizations are prohibited from advertising activities, events, and meetings at these locations.*
• Residence Hall Rules remain in effect in all outdoor areas adjacent to the residence halls, including residential community quads and outdoor spaces.
• Please be respectful and considerate of your neighbors when enjoying residential community outdoor spaces. Quiet hours are in effect in all residential areas during the following hours:
  • 10:00 p.m. -8:00 a.m. Sunday through Thursday evenings, and
  • 12:00 Midnight -10:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings.
  • 24 hours during study day and final exam periods.
  • Courtesy hours are in effect 24 hours a day.
• Use or possession of alcohol or other illegal drugs is not permitted.
• Use of amplified sound is prohibited unless otherwise authorized by the Department of Resident Life.
• Skateboarding is prohibited on ledges, curbs, seating walls, and benches.
• Use of motorized and electric vehicles is prohibited on all sidewalk areas.
• In locations that include outdoor grills, please use caution when cooking.
  • Monitor grills at all times.
  • Do not dispose of hot coals in trash cans or on the ground.
• Dispose of trash and recycling in appropriate receptacles located near the residence halls.
• Ensure that sports equipment is kept away from residence halls to avoid damage. Individuals should use caution when playing sports in community outdoor spaces to avoid injury.
• Solicitation, posting of flyers, and chalking are prohibited as noted in the University of Maryland Policy and Procedures for the Use of Facilities and Outdoor Spaces.
• Refer to the University of Maryland Policy and Procedures for the Use of Facilities and Outdoor Spaces for additional information and guidelines regarding the use of outdoor spaces on campus.