Policy Author:
Student Affairs
Responsible Office/Department:
Student Affairs
Effective Date of Policy:
August 18, 2022
Policy Narrative
Daemen University respects each student’s right to privacy and is committed to protecting this right. However, University officials including, but not limited to, Residence Life, Campus Safety, and Maintenance, may enter a student room when they have reason to believe that the health or safety of residents and/or residential space is in jeopardy or that a University policy is being violated. Generally, residents are responsible for the care and cleaning of their assigned room and surrounding areas, as well as for maintaining health and safety standards. Failure to do so could result in fines and/or removal from housing.
All residence hall rooms are, as deemed necessary, subject to inspection by hall staff for safety, security, and health concerns at least twice during the semester and before hall closings prior to breaks. Students will receive adequate notice before inspections. While Residence Life staff will not conduct a room search during an inspection, they may open cabinets or closets to find fire equipment and/or locate safety hazards. If, in the course of doing so, they locate an item or items that are banned per this Handbook or Residence Life policies, that item(s) will be confiscated via Campus Safety and the issue will be addressed as outlined in the Student Code of Conduct. Maintenance may also enter rooms to perform necessary repairs.
Obtaining the permission of the resident to enter a room is suggested by procedure but NOT required and, while University personnel will attempt to enter a room while the room resident(s) is/are present, this may not always be possible.
If the staff person has reason to believe that some condition exists that constitutes a threat to the safety or well-being of the occupants of the building or the campus, or that a probable violation of University policy or State or Federal Law is occurring or has occurred, a cursory search of student rooms may be done. A cursory search of a room includes viewing everything that is in plain sight. At the discretion of the Office of the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students, or designee, a student’s room may be searched thoroughly.
A room search will only be conducted when authorized by one of the following people:
- Senior Vice President for Strategic Initiatives
- Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students
- Assistant Dean for Campus Safety and Operations
- Director of Housing and Residence Life
- Director of Campus Safety
Students do not have to be present for the search, but University personnel will make a good faith effort to contact the student and provide them with written documentation of the search authorization either at the time of the search or the next business day. During the search, the student may be required to open any locked trunks, suitcases, etc. If the student is not present, any item in the room, including purses, trunks, etc, may be searched. The University will take due care to ensure proper handling of student’s belongings, but are not liable for damage or clean up as a result of a room search. Any paraphernalia confiscated during the search that violates State or Federal law will be turned over to the Amherst Police Department for further action.
Purpose of Policy
To create and maintain an equitable environment where students have the optimal opportunity to succeed academically, personally, and professionally and where any and all Daemen University Community members feel safe, valued, and respected.
This policy’s virtual location is in the Residential Living Policies section (Section 4) of the Student Handbook – https://www.daemen.edu/student-life/student-affairs/student-handbook/section-4-residential-living-policies.