Residence Hall Policies

Ten residence halls at Kutztown University are physically accessible. They are: Berks, Deatrick, Dixon, Lehigh, Johnson, Rothermel, Schuylkill, University Place, Golden Bear Village South and West. Other facilities such as classroom buildings, Stratton Administration Center, and the South Dining Hall are also accessible. If you have questions concerning accessibility, please contact the Disabilities Services Office.

Students are required to remove all personal property when they move out. Residence Life, Housing, and Dining Services reserves the right, without further notice, to remove students’ personal belongings that remain in a residence hall 1 month after the termination of the housing agreement for any reason (withdrawal, academic dismissal, housing suspension, etc.). The student will be charged for expenses incurred in the disposal of such property. 

Residence halls have a variety of recreational and kitchen equipment, games and other miscellaneous items for residents to checkout from the front desk with a KU student ID card.  Residents are expected to return the items within 24 hours in the condition that they received it. 

Decorating your room, suite or apartment is a personal preference and can have an impact on your living experience while at Kutztown University. Please keep in mind how decorations can affect you, your roommate, guests and other members of the community you live in.

Click here to view the Decoration Policy.

The Residence Life, Housing, and Dining Services Office is not responsible for any deliveries made by any outside vendor. It is the student’s responsibility to set up a time with the vendor for delivery.

All traditional and suite-style residence halls have a swipe card door access system. Doors are locked at all times. Students, using their student ID card, will have access to the front door of their assigned residence hall 24 hours a day. Students are not permitted to allow others to follow them into the residence hall.

You must enter and exit the residence hall through the main entrance. The exterior-side doors are always locked. Exterior doors of the on-campus apartment complexes are to remain closed and not propped open under any circumstances. Once inside the building, students must swipe or show their student ID card at the front desk. Students in violation of this policy may be referred to Student Conduct. Students not assigned to the residence hall and visitors need to be signed into the residence hall. Please see the visitation policy for more information.

Your safety, as well as the safety of all residents and property, is of paramount importance. All of the residence halls at Kutztown University conform to fire and safety standards as established by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. The actions of the occupants are equally important in maintaining the fire safety of the building.

Click here to view the Fire Safety Policy.

Behavior that would reasonably be considered inappropriate conduct for a residence hall community and not addressed in other specific policies is prohibited. Horseplay, pranks, the making of messes, or any other action which damages property or disturbs others will be considered inappropriate for the residence hall environment and surrounding area.

Residents are responsible for adhering to their Housing License Agreement, roommate, community, living learning, and other shared space agreements. 

At hall closing times, all residents are required to follow the written procedures for check-outs that are made available by the hall staff. Those who fail to check out in accordance with these guidelines will receive a formal housing violation.

Each resident is responsible for their assigned keys and/or pin codes. Any resident who improperly uses and/or abuses these items will be subject to disciplinary action through the Kutztown University Student Conduct Services and/or PA State law. Resident will be charged a monetary fee for the replacement of keys and/or pin codes if necessary.

Individuals within the campus community are allergic to latex. Latex balloons are not permitted indoors on campus. Latex balloons placed outdoors can also cause allergies because the latex can be spread by wind. Therefore, please use good judgment in the quantity of balloons used outdoors.

Keep your University ID with you at all times. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have access to your housing assignment. Should you get locked out, go to the front desk of your building and they will assist you. Staff will need to verify your identity before giving you a file key or keying you in. All file keys must be returned to the desk within 15 minutes. A student who requires more than 3 lockouts will be referred to the Building Director for a meeting.

The only pets permitted in the residence halls and apartments are goldfish or tropical fish. They must be kept in self-sustaining fishbowls or aquariums, with a maximum of 10 gallons of water for habitation. Piranhas are not permitted. When the residence halls and apartments are closed for periods of more than four days, fish must be taken home. With the exception of Service Animals, all other animals that are not registered with the Disabilities Service Office (DSO), such as an Emotional Support Animal, must be removed within 24 hours upon Residence Hall staff’s discovery. Students who live in our residence halls that require assistance animals may contact the DSO for more information. Unless it is a service animal, visitors are not permitted inside the residence halls, suites, or apartments with their animals. 

Any student organization that wishes to post signs or publicity in a residential building must gain permission from the Residence Life and Housing and Dining Services Office. All posters must have the Kutztown University logo. Distribution of approved items will be handled centrally from the main office in Old Main 106.

It is difficult to present a comprehensive list of prohibited items. Consideration of safety is appreciated while packing to come to campus. Please see our What to Bring, What Not to Bring list. 

Items Permitted with Restrictions:

• Approved appliances must be UL approved and be connected into a wall socket or power strip with an internal circuit breaker. 
• Decorative lights are permitted for student use inside rooms, suites, or apartments. Decorative lights are limited to the walls and may not be hung from the ceiling, windows, or door. Decorative lights must have the UL seal of approval attached to the light.
• Extension cords must meet the following guidelines:
  • 14-gauge, 3-wire grounded or heavier rating should the appliance it is supplying require a heavier cord rating
  • 10 feet or less in length
  • Only one extension cord per outlet is permitted, with only one item plugged into each extension cord
  • Extension cords and surge protectors must be UL approved.  Extension cords shall never be strung across or secured to the ceiling, furniture or under floor coverings.
  • It is recommended that you use power strips with built-in circuit breakers to avoid overloading the electrical outlets

The success of any group living environment depends on consideration and respect for others. Being mindful of noise levels helps create a community where residents can study, sleep, and live comfortably. Quiet Hours are in effect 24 hours a day. It is defined as noise that can be heard from a resident's room, suite, apartment, or common areas that is audible from another room, the hallway, or common area space. To support an environment conducive to studying and rest, strongly enforced quiet hours are in effect daily from 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. Residents are expected to be especially considerate of others during these times. Quiet hour expectations extend beyond resident rooms and apartments and apply to all surrounding residential areas, including patios, entranceways, courtyards, breezeways, mailbox areas, and other common outdoor spaces. Outside of designated quiet hours, 24-hour courtesy hours remain in effect. Residents are expected to be respectful of their neighbors and immediately reduce noise levels when asked. During final examination periods, 24-hour quiet hours are strictly enforced throughout all residence halls and apartment communities to support academic success. 

If you are experiencing a roommate conflict, please contact your Community Assistant (CA) or Building Director for assistance in resolving the issue. A room change will not be considered until the conflict has been addressed with Residence Life staff. 

Residence Life staff are available to assist with mediation; however, residents are also encouraged to resolve concerns among themselves. If conflict resolution efforts are unsuccessful with Residence Life staff, the student initiating the request may be granted a room change, subject to space availability. 

All room changes are subject to approval by Housing and Residence Life. When a request is approved by the Housing and Residence Life Office, residents changing their housing assignment must complete a Room Change Request online. Students who change rooms without authorization may be subject to disciplinary action and will be required to move back to their assigned space. 

Please note that room changes are not permitted during the first two weeks of each semester, as a room change freeze is in effect during this period. 

Students must comply with all sanitary laws, with rules and regulations of municipal, state, or federal authorities, and must at all times comply with the rules and regulations in force or adopted by the University, as well as those set forth in “The Key”, relating to residence hall occupancy and use. University reserves the right to enter a room regularly and announced inspections to ensure standards of cleanliness and safety. University personnel may enter student rooms for the purpose of safeguarding the health and safety of the residents of a residence hall. University personnel may enter student rooms for the purpose of repairs. Authorized University personnel have the right of entry, under prescribed conditions, to determine the violation of a law or University rules and regulations.  

Room inspections will be conducted prior to Fall, Winter and Spring Breaks. Prohibited and/or illegal items discovered during these inspections will be confiscated and turned over to the Kutztown University Police Department and may be subject to disciplinary action when appropriate. 

Residents who live in a double or triple and are missing a roommate are expected to keep the uninhabited part of the room clear so that the room is ready for another resident to move in at any time.

Safety and security is a shared responsibility of the University staff and residents. Residents should always carry and never lend their University Identification Card (ID), room PIN, or keys. All traditional and suite-style residence halls are locked 24 hours a day. Residents should always lock their room/suite/apartment doors. Residents are prohibited from propping, tampering with, and/or vandalizing doors. Residents are not permitted to install or use a personal security camera to operate on the Kutztown network or in any place where there is an expectation of privacy. Residents are not permitted to install or use a Nest, Ring, or other doorbell/security system in the residence halls and apartments.

Student rooms may not be used for any commercial activity. This applies to a wide range of activities that may include advertising, selling, petitioning, campaigning, distributing fliers, product promotion, and providing personal services (i.e. hair cutting, nails, baked goods). The Residence Life, Housing, and Dining Services Office may permit some exceptions to this policy. If you would like further information about these exceptions, please contact the main office at Old Main 106.

In order to prevent prohibited items from being brought into the residence halls and apartments, the Residence Life and Housing & Dining Services staff may ask permission to search bags, trunks, suitcases, boxes, garbage cans, etc. If you refuse to show the contents, the staff may request that you leave the building. If you refuse to show the contents and refuse to leave, Public Safety will be contacted.

All Kutztown University buildings, including the residence halls, are designated as smoke free. The use of smoking devices or equipment that includes, but is not limited to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), vaporizers, hookahs, and pipes are strictly prohibited within the residence halls. Each building will have one entrance designated as an outdoor smoking area. Smoking is not permitted within twenty-five feet of any window or main entrance to a residence hall or apartment. Violators of this policy may jeopardize their on-campus status within the residence system.

Theft or unauthorized possession of personal or University property is prohibited. Students who are victims of theft should contact Public Safety and inform a Residence Life, Housing, and Dining staff member.

Signs or traffic control devices, including but not limited to stop signs, pedestrian/traffic control, and street signs, which are the property of federal, state, county, or city governments are not permitted in the residence halls, suites, or apartments. Possession of such signs/devices may result in referral to Public Safety, as well as the Student Conduct Office. These signs/devices may also be confiscated.

University property in common areas is the joint responsibility of the occupants sharing the facilities. Under no circumstances should university property be moved to students’ personal spaces. This includes items from any of the dining hall facilities. 

Vandalism is defined as any intentional behavior which causes damage when that behavior violates policy or is reckless or negligent. Willful destruction or defacement of any personal or University property is prohibited. When damages occur in common spaces, an investigation will occur, and the responsible individual(s) will be billed. A report will also be sent to the Student Conduct Office.

Each resident student may host up to three visitors at one time. The host must sign in all visitors at the front desk and escort visitors at all times while in the hall. Click here to view the full Visitation Policy.