Residential Facilities

All of the exterior doors of the campus residences are kept locked 24 hours a day. Students are required to use the identified main door(s) of their residence building (the door for which they have a key or swipe card) as the only point of entrance into, and departure from, the building. The identified main door(s) is the only means by which students are permitted to enter or exit a residential building. Students are not to remove screens from their windows at any time, and may not enter or exit a building through a window.

In an effort to keep the residence buildings secure, we ask that the exterior doors to the halls never be propped open. Tampering with the locking mechanism of any exterior door may present a serious safety concern, and students found to be responsible for such actions will face sanctioning through the University's Conduct System. Students are encouraged to keep their room doors locked at all times when they are not in their rooms, and when they are asleep.

Each room includes an extra- long twin bed, a desk, a chair and a dresser, and closet space for each resident. Suite style rooms will also include a kitchen table, kitchen chairs, loveseat(s), club chair(s), and a coffee table. Room windows will have blinds or shades. All furniture must be kept in the room in which it was originally provided, and beds must be kept together. Room furniture found in common areas of the residence buildings will be removed by Facilities and Sustainability Management staff, and residents with furniture missing from their rooms when they vacate the rooms, sill be assessed the current cost for new replacement furniture. Students are not permitted to paint their residence hall rooms, and may not build lofts or any other type of structure in their rooms

Personal property in rooms: Students may bring their own curtains, but the curtains must be made of fireproofed materials. Any upholstered furniture brought into a residential building must be fire-rated. Additional furnishings allowed in residence hall rooms include: clocks, radios, stereos, televisions, DVD players, mini-refrigerators, computers, and lamps (with the exclusion of halogen and sun lamps). Interior decorations need to be hung with care, and at no time should tacks, tape, screws, adhesive material or staples be used on ceilings, walls, woodwork or doors. Fabric or other material may not be hung across entryways in student rooms, on the ceiling or over lights and/or fire safety equipment.

Lasell University carries no insurance covering personal property, and assumes no responsibility for items lost, damaged or stolen from student rooms or storage at any time. Residents are encouraged to review their family personal property insurance coverage and obtain appropriate coverage. At the end of the academic year, or whenever a student vacates his/her assigned room, students must remove possessions from their room and broom-clean their room. The University cannot be responsible for any personal effects left in a student's room, and will dispose of any abandoned property. Any/all costs associated with the removal of abandoned property will be assigned to the student(s).

The following items are not permitted in residents' rooms:

• heat producing appliances including (but not limited to): halogen lamps, sun lamps, electrical blankets, space heaters, air conditioners and heating pads
• barbecue grills
• combustibles such as gasoline, lighter fluids, or cleaning fluids
• candles, potpourri burners and incense burners
• live trees, wreaths, roping, etc.
• fireworks or firecrackers
• weapons of any sort (including firearms; hunting, survival, and pocket knives; archery and target practice equipment; martial arts weapons)
• non-prescription drugs and/or drug paraphernalia (includes hookahs intended for tobacco use)
• alcoholic beverages, if the student is under the age of 21 years

Additionally, alcoholic beverages or their containers are not permitted, if living in a "dry" building (including: Briggs, Carpenter, Chandler, East, Gardner, McClelland, Ordway, Rockwell, Van Winkle, West, or Woodland Halls).

No cooking appliances may be used in student residence rooms. Items falling into this category include (but are not limited to): coffee makers; toasters; toaster ovens; George Foreman grills; rice cookers; popcorn machines; hot pots; warming trays; and free-standing burners. Each residence building has a kitchen, and many of these kitchens are equipped with a stove and/or microwave, and a sink, and residents are welcome to use the kitchens whenever they wish. Students who choose to bring cooking appliances (not including microwaves) to campus, may only use them in the designated kitchen area.

Residential buildings and student rooms are routinely inspected by members of the Residential Life staff to ensure the health and safety of all residents in the community. Particular attention is paid to the physical condition and cleanliness of rooms, the condition of all fire safety equipment, and the presence of prohibited items in the residence halls. Unauthorized items or equipment may be confiscated without prior notice to building occupants if the occupants cannot be reached during the time of the inspection; notification would follow shortly thereafter. Inspections may take place with or without the presence of the room's occupants.

Many of the residential buildings have patios, decks, picnic areas, and/or recreational and gathering areas nearby. These areas are designed for the use of the Lasell University community members, and should be treated with the same respect as any other University property. All University and Residential Life policies are enforceable in these areas outside of the residential buildings. Quiet and courtesy hours are to be maintained in these areas consistent with those maintained in the buildings. Alcoholic beverages are not permitted in any public areas, including but not limited to: patios, parking lots, and roadways. The use of barbecue grills and lighter fluids is prohibited on University property, unless officially sanctioned by the University using University equipment.

Students are responsible for the condition of their rooms and furnishings. It is an expectation of each resident that they will maintain a basic level of cleanliness in their individual living spaces and in the common areas of their suites and/or residence buildings. If a student's room (or bathroom) is found to be excessively dirty; or the condition of the room threatens the health or safety of other residents in the room, suite, or building; said student may be subject to disciplinary action, fines, and/or may have his/her housing privileges revoked on a temporary or permanent basis.

A Room Condition Report (RCR) will be filed at the start of the semester to verify the condition of the room and furnishings. When a student moves out of a room, the RCR will be reviewed and fines will be levied as appropriate for repairs, replacement of furnishings, or cleaning required beyond the normal "wear and tear".

The condition of a building's common areas (including kitchens, lounges, study rooms, bathrooms, halls, and corridors) is the responsibility of the residents of that building. When damage occurs in a common area, if no individual(s) can be determined to be directly responsible, the residents of that building will be held equally responsible for any financial obligations resulting from the damage. As a general guideline, the following are some sample costs associated with various damage assessments for Academic Year 2023-2024 (for 2024-2025 it is anticipated that some of these costs may increase):

• Failure to formally check out of the residence hall: $25.00
• Failure to adequately broom-clean room before vacating: $25.00 - $300.00, depending upon the condition of the room/bathroom
• Failure to remove cinder blocks and/or personal items from room before vacating: $50.00 per block/item
• Missing or broken window screen: $150.00 for most residences; $200.00 in suite-style buildings
• Pulled fire alarm: $150.00 building charge (shared by residents) + $25.00 per person fine (charged only when perpetrator cannot be identified)

After rooms have been vacated (usually at the end of the academic year) members of the Residential Life staff inspect each room, and document any damages to the room and to the public areas in each building; students' damage deposits are then debited accordingly. The amounts charged to students for damages most usually include the costs associated with materials, labor, and administrative fees. Students may expect to receive the statements about the charges assessed against their damage deposits within 4 – 6 weeks after the end of the academic year (or after they leave the University). The University assumes no responsibility for personal items left in a room after a student has vacated that room; and abandoned property will be disposed of.

Students who wish to appeal a damage assessment must do so in writing, identifying the charge(s) in question, and outlining the basis of their appeal. Appeals should be sent to the Coordinator of Housing Operations, c/o Office of Student Affairs, 1844 Commonwealth Avenue, Newton, MA 02466. In order to be considered, appeals of damage assessments must be received by July 1, 2025 (or by March 1, 2025, if the student leaves the University mid-year).