Housing Handbook

Welcome home! For students living in our residence halls and apartments, we firmly believe that all members of our community should be valued, respected and recognized. We are committed to helping all students achieve their goals through shared experiences in community where each individual student feels a sense of belonging and are comfortable to be themselves.

Together we hold a shared responsibility to work toward inclusive excellence, educational equality and ongoing personal growth. We value mutual respect and we embrace those around us for who they are. We understand that individuals living and working in our communities bring values from their personal backgrounds and we offer a safe space and opportunity to learn and grow from our diversity. It is the responsibility of all community members and visitors to be respectful and approach others with understanding, so individuals feel welcome, valued, respected and supported.

Diversity of perspective, experience, background and identity makes our communities thrive. Not understanding another's identity is not a reason to be disrespectful to a student, staff member or visitor.

In our commitment to growth and understanding, we provide an environment that is educationally supportive so students can persist in meeting their academic and personal goals, while building lifelong skills to be successful in a complex and diverse world. Our mission as a department is to provide safe, supportive and educationally empowering community where students can learn, grow and be successful within a complex and diverse world. Through our facilities, programs and the collaborative efforts of our staff, student leaders and campus partners, we promote respect, individuality and personal responsibility. The Housing Handbook outlines procedures and policies that help all community members understand their shared expectations and responsibilities. 

Residential Life Educational Priority

By living and actively engaging on campus at Northern Illinois University, you will develop community and a sense of belonging, be better able to navigate your academics, practice cultural curiosity and humility and build a spirit of resiliency. Our focus for all residents revolves around these four themes:

• Community and Belongingness
• Academic Navigation
• Cultural Curiosity
• Humility and Resiliency

NIU is committed to providing an accessible and equitable living experience for all students, regardless of ability status. To allow this to happen, students must initiate the accommodation process. Unlike elementary, middle and high school, the entire accommodation process in college is student driven. If you had an individualized education plan (IEP) or a 504 plan in high school, we highly encourage you to reach out to the NIU Disability Resource Center to begin the accommodation process. This office can assist with both classroom and housing accommodations. Here are some examples of housing accommodations provided in the past based on a provider's documented recommendations for medical-related needs:

• Single occupant
• Access to a single user
• Personal mini-fridge or microwave due to food
• Air-conditioned

The only accommodation not handled by the NIU Disability Resource Center are medical waste containers. You are required to dispose of all medical waste (needles, syringes, etc.) in a medical waste container provided at no charge by Environmental Health and Safety. It will be your responsibility to contact Environmental Health and Safety to obtain a container. The medical waste container must be returned to Environmental Health and Safety when it becomes full. You should never dispose of needles in regular trash. For assistance arranging for a container and a disposal plan, please contact Housing and Residential Life Facilities at wro@niu.edu.

Emergency Evacuation Assistance

NIU works with local and institutional emergency responders to operate the Premise Alert Program. As part of this program, emergency responders maintain a list of individuals who may need assistance during an emergency evacuation situation. To be added to this list, you must complete and submit the Premise Alert Program Form. If you have any questions about this program, contact your Complex Coordinator. By being a part of this program, you will be shown the appropriate areas of refuge in your residence hall and staff will work with emergency responders to safely evacuate you when necessary.

Personal Care Attendants

Personal care attendants/assistants (PCAs) are registered through the NIU Disability Resource Center and Housing and Residential Services. If you have a PCA, they are considered your guest and are not a contracted housing resident. This makes you the host of the PCA. All PCAs should obtain a Photo Courtesy Card from the NIU OneCard office. For information about obtaining a PCA photo courtesy card, please contact the Housing and Residential Services at housing@niu.edu or 815-753-1525.

Any PCA who has an active Photo Courtesy Card and OneCard account with NIU OneCard shall be held to all the regulations of a guest as outlined in the NIU Housing Handbook, with the following exceptions:

• PCAs must remain with their host. However, if there are medical-related needs and emergencies that require separation from each other, the PCA then does not need to be accompanied by their host.
• A PCA whose shift starts before 11 p.m. and carries past 11 p.m. does not need to register for the evening of that shift as a guest. However, if a PCA's shift starts between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m., they will need to register as a guest. You can find more information about this process in the Guest and Visitors section.
• If a PCA's host requires 24-hour care, the registered PCAs may stay in the residence hall beyond the maximum 72 hours within a seven-day period, per the guest policy.

A service animal is defined as a dog (and, under limited circumstances, a miniature horse) that is trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric or other mental disability. The work a service animal has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person's disability.

Assistance animals are defined as animals that may be necessary and otherwise reasonable to provide an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling, as well as animals needed for emotional support within a housing setting. Emotional Support/assistance animals must be approved and registered before the animal is permitted in a residence hall or apartment.

Expectations

If you have a service animal or an assistance animal, you must make a request for appropriate housing accommodations for you and your animal. You must reach out to the NIU Disability Resource Center to begin the accommodation process. If approved, for an animal to be in University Housing with you, the following is expected:

• Animals, such as dogs, must always be kept on a leash or halter, except in your own room with the door shut. When transporting other animals outside your room, they must be secured in an appropriate animal carrier.
• Vocalizations or noises from your animal must be kept to a minimum.
• Your animal cannot be bathed in the shower rooms, bathtubs or sinks in the residence halls.
• Animal food dishes can only be washed in the large sink on each floor and not in restroom areas.
• Animal food must be kept in a covered container.
• If an assistance animal is approved, it must remain in the assigned student's room except when entering or exiting the building.
• Students with approved animals that need to use outdoor locations for relief are responsible for disposing of animal waste in designated locations. Failure to be responsible for animal waste can lead to fines and disciplinary action. The university has provided designated relief locations outside residence halls and apartments. Under no circumstances should animal waste be placed in a garbage can within the residence hall. The waste needs to be taken to an outdoor receptacle or dumpster.
• Students with approved animals are required to provide emergency contact information in case of an emergency.

Removal of Animals from Residence

While these animals serve a purpose, they are also members of the community. As such, there are specific situations where their negative impact on the community may result in you being

asked to remove them from University Housing. Here are some examples of when that may happen:

• If your animal is out of control or not housebroken, you may be asked to remove the animal from university facilities.
• If you fail to properly leash/transport your animal when outside your residence repeatedly you may be asked to remove the animal from university facilities.
• If an improper behavior happens repeatedly, you may be told not to bring the animal into any university facility until you have taken significant steps to mitigate the behavior. Mitigation can include muzzling or refresher training for both you and your animal. If a service or assistance animal is removed from university facilities, you must still be provided the opportunity to participate in the services, programs and activities without having the animal on the premises.
• Service and assistance animals that are ill should not be taken into public areas. If your animal is ill, you may be asked to leave university facilities.

When you are permanently moving out of your room, whether through an approved room change or moving out at the end of the spring semester, you will need to complete an apartment/room condition form (ACF/RCF) with your community advisor. Your ACF/RCF will be compared with the one you filled out at the beginning of the year to assess any damages or charges that go beyond normal wear. This process does not happen at the end of the fall semester unless you are not returning to your room for the spring semester. If you are withdrawing from the university and will no longer be a student at NIU, you will need to complete the Contract Release Request form and have an approved contract release before being able to check out of your room.

You should schedule a time during business hours with your community advisor to check out of your room; business hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. These checkout appointments should be scheduled at least 24 hours in advance. If you fail to make an appointment or to complete an appointment with your community advisor to check out, you will receive a $50 improper check-out fee on your student account.

To avoid fees while moving out, the following steps need to be taken:

1. Return any keys as instructed: If keys are not returned as requested, the cost for re- coring necessary doors will be charged to your student account.
2. Defrost and clean the refrigerator, freezer and the microwave: There is a $50 charge for not cleaning out the unit and an additional $50 charge for not defrosting the refrigerator. If you live in an apartment, you are also required to clean the stove, dishwasher, freezer and sink in your unit.
3. Remove all personal belongings: If you fail to remove your personal belongings, you will have at least a $500 fee added to your student account. Personal belongings will be held for 30 calendar days and then donated to a registered 501(c)(3) recognized charity. Housing and Residential Services will send a certified letter to your home address listed on file following donations.
4. Clean your space before you check out: This includes, but is not limited to, wiping down all flat surfaces, throwing away all your trash, sweeping or vacuuming the floor and cleaning out any cupboards or shelving you were using.

As stated in the Code of Student Conduct, you must follow oral or written instructions regarding university regulations, policies, procedures or state law as outlined by authorized representatives of the university. This includes all Housing and Residential Services Campus Dining staff members and NIU Police and Public safety staff. This includes complex coordinators, community advisors, desk assistants and contracted security guards. This means that if someone who works for Housing and Residential Services and Campus Dining asks you to stop or start doing something due to a rule, you are expected to comply with that request.

You must present your NIU OneCard to university officials upon request. If you do not, it will be a documented offense according to the Code of Student Conduct. University officials include, but are not limited to, Housing and Residential Life staff, Campus Dining staff, contracted security guards and NIU Police. Each of these individuals can provide you with an NIU photo identification if you ask.

If you have a guest who does not show identification upon request by a university official, they may be instructed to leave the premises immediately and arrested for trespass for non- compliance.

Your residence hall contract is a legally binding contract, like any other standard landlord/tenant agreement. The residence hall contract is in effect for both the fall and spring semesters or the summer semester. If you experience significant and unpredictable changes in your life after you have signed a housing contract, you may request to be released from your current residence hall contract via the contract release process. Students are typically not released from their residence hall contract to:

• Commute from home
• Move in with friends or relatives
• Move to off-campus housing accommodations that they think better meet their needs

Unless you are released from your contract, you are contractually obligated to pay all residential fees and costs as outlined in your contract. If you are removed from university housing as the result of a student conduct sanction, you are still responsible for the fees associated with your contract through the end of the academic year. We encourage you to complete the contract release process prior to signing any additional contracts to avoid potentially paying for multiple living spaces. To learn more about the contract release process, visit Contract Release.

If you are withdrawing from the university and will no longer be a student at NIU, you will need to complete the Contract Release Request form.

Campus Response Guide

The NIU Police department compiles all emergency response guides for campus emergencies. These include severe weather, explosions, hazardous materials, power outages and others.

Download and review the campus Emergency Response Guide.

Facilities

When you have any facility concerns, it is important to immediately report them so that university personnel can investigate and work to solve the problem. During business hours when the university is in operation (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.), you may call the Work Request Office at 815-753- 4948 to report the issue. During non-business hours, go to your hall's desk to report the issue. This will allow our team to respond as necessary. Please know that we may need to prioritize facilities' concerns based on their impact on buildings and people's safety. For example, we would prioritize fixing a problem like a flood, a room with no heat or a broken lock over a broken drawer. Work orders can also be filed online for more routine issues. Submit a Work Order online

Fire

In the event of a fire alarm, always treat it as an emergency. There is only one fire drill per semester; it will be pre-announced. Regardless of whether the alarm is due to a drill or an actual fire, always treat it as an emergency. You should become familiar with your exits to get out of your building and know multiple paths to exit your building in case of a fire. You will find an evacuation plan posted on the back of your room door to assist with this. Your evacuation plan should never be covered and should always be fully visible. After evacuating your building, make sure to get away from it. Cross the street, if necessary and get at least 200 yards away from the building. That means you should be about the distance of two football fields from any part of the building.

Tornado and Severe Weather

In the event of a tornado or other severe weather emergency, you may only have minutes (or even less) to get to safety. You should become familiar with the various types of watches and warnings and be prepared to seek shelter when necessary.

• Tornado watch: A tornado watch is issued by the Storm Prediction Center when conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. You should remain alert for approaching storms and listen to the radio or television for further developments when this happens.
• Tornado warning: The National Weather Service issues a tornado warning when a tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. During a tornado warning, residents should seek shelter in the designated area of their building because a tornado is occurring or could occur at any moment.
• Warning sirens: The City of DeKalb has outdoor warning sirens meant to alert people that a tornado has been sighted and that residents should take shelter immediately. While these sirens are very loud, they are intended to alert people walking outside of the danger and will not be heard in most parts of the buildings. Residents should plan to seek shelter at the start of a tornado warning and not wait until they hear the sirens.
• Sheltering: When seeking shelter during a tornado or other severe weather emergency, residents should move quickly using the stairwells to the designated area. Residents should not use elevators, as they may become trapped if the power goes out. Tornado and severe weather shelter areas are in the following areas of the residence halls:

  Residence Hall	Designated Shelter Area
  Gilbert Hall	Shelter in the second-floor interior hallways away from glass or in the bathrooms and shower areas away from windows.
  Grant Towers	Shelter in the basement hallways and under the stairs. If these areas are full, begin filling up the North Lower Lounge.
  Neptune Central	Shelter in the laundry rooms, bathrooms and Trident area.
  Neptune East and West	Shelter on the first floor in the hallways away from windows or in bathrooms.
  Neptune North	Shelter in the basement hallway away from windows.
  Patterson East and West	Shelter in the bathrooms of the Community Center or the basements of Patterson East and West.
  Stevenson Towers	Shelter in the basement hallways or under the stairs. If these areas are full, begin filling up the North Lower Lounge.
  Northern View Community	If you are a first-floor resident, shelter in your bathtub with a mattress over your head. If you are a second or third floor resident, shelter in the stairwell on the first floor or if you know someone on the first floor, knock on the door and ask to shelter with them in their bathtub with their mattress over your heads.

You can host guests or visitors in your residence hall room or apartment with your roommates' approval. When having guests or visitors, you are considered a host. If you have a need for your children or partner to live with you, you need to reside in Northern View Apartments and you must have a contracted family-style apartment.

A person is defined as your guest or visitor in any of the following situations:

• An individual who is invited by you to your residence hall
• An individual who is escorted by you into the building, including holding a door for another person.
• Any individual who is allowed to remain in your room who is not a roommate, including neighbors

A visitor is another resident of NIU, whether they live down the hall from you or across campus. A guest is anyone who does not live in a residence hall at NIU, including NIU students who live off-campus or members of your family. All guests and visitors must be always registered at your hall's front desk. Guests and visitors are not permitted to stay longer than 72 hours within a seven-day period. Housing and Residential Services reserves the right to request removal or restrict guests at any time.

Expectations for Hosts

• Your roommate must continue to have access to their room. Your roommate cannot be denied access to their room because a guest or visitor is present.
• Your roommate may decide that no guests or visitors may be present for a specific time.
• Your roommate may withdraw consent for a guest or visitor to be permitted in the room.
• You must inform guests of university policies and procedures, including the need for required forms of identification.
• You are responsible for your guests' conduct, including them following university and residence hall policies and procedures. If any damage is caused by your guest, you will be responsible for covering the cost of repairs.
• You may host up to two guests or visitors at a time. Each resident of a room may have up to two guests or visitors at a time.
• Any NIU student who does not follow the visitation guidelines may be subject to Student Conduct and administrative sanctions through the conduct process, which includes losing privileges to host guests or visitors.
• If an unregistered guest or visitor is found in your room, disciplinary action will be taken against you and the guest or visitor, if they are a NIU student. The guest or visitor will be directed to leave the premises immediately and will forfeit the opportunity to return to your building for a 24-hour period. NIU Police may also ban a non-resident guest for a long period of time when deemed necessary.

All standard housing contracts cover the entire fall and spring semesters. This includes Labor Day, Thanksgiving Break, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day and spring recess.

The standard housing contract for Gilbert, Grant and Stevenson Halls does not cover winter break between the fall and spring terms. The standard housing contract for the Northern View Community, Neptune and Patterson complexes does include the winter break period. Summer term housing is handled through a separate contract process.

If you need winter break housing, you must live in Northern View Community, Neptune or Patterson or complete a winter break housing contract. There is an additional cost for winter break housing unless you live in Northern View Community. If you live in Gilbert, Grant or Stevenson, you may request temporary accommodations in our open complexes, space permitting. Winter break housing contracts are generally available from November until the first week of December. This process will be officially communicated to your NIU student email along with the final cost of the winter break contract and official timelines.

If you are not approved to stay for the winter break period, you must depart from your residence hall room for winter break within 24 hours after your last final. If you are not approved to stay for the summer term, you must be checked out of your residence hall room for the summer break room within 24 hours after your last final. If you are found to be occupying an unapproved space during winter break or summer, it may result in a $50 fine plus the daily rate for your room for every day you have remained in the unapproved space.

A summer term housing contract is required for occupying any residential space during the summer term. There is an additional cost for summer term housing for all residents. A summer term housing contract is only available if you were a NIU student in the spring semester immediately preceding the summer and will continue as a NIU student in the following fall semester. You do not need to be enrolled in summer classes to complete a summer term housing contract, but preference will be given to students enrolled in summer courses when space is limited. The summer term housing contract is generally available to complete in March until the last week of April. This process will be officially communicated to your NIU student email along with the final cost of the winter break contract and official timelines.

Special policies may be in effect during winter break and summer term housing that are not reflected in this Housing Handbook, but these will be communicated via NIU student email to all approved students.

Your Keys

Your key is unique to your room; it is your responsibility from the time it is given to you by Housing and Residential Services until it is returned at the end of your contract. To provide a safe and secure living environment, there are strict rules for your Housing keys. Your room keys must remain in your possession.

Do not:

• Give possession of your room key to another person.
• Have possession of a residence hall room key not issued to you by the university
• Allow your room key to be duplicated or modified
• Use a key to enter a floor or building other than your current assigned floor or building

Your NIU OneCard

Your NIU OneCard, both the physical card and mobile credential are unique to you and is your responsibility from the time it is given to you by the university. To provide a safe and secure living environment, there are strict rules for your NIU OneCard. Your NIU OneCard, both physical card and mobile credential must remain in your possession. The Office of Student Conduct and NIU One Card office have outlined all policies related to your NIU OneCard.

Do not:

• Give possession of your NIU OneCard to another person.
• Have possession of an NIU OneCard not issued to you by the university.
• Allow your NIU OneCard to be duplicated or modified.
• Use an NIU OneCard to gain entry to a floor or building other than your current assigned building or residence.

Being Locked Out

If you are locked out of your room or cluster, you may request a loaner key or key card at the front desk of your residence hall or apartment complex. You may keep the key or key card for up to one hour as a loaner. If the loaner key or key card is not returned within one hour from the time it is checked out, it will be reclassified as a temporary key or key card.

Loaner Keys and Key Cards

If you are borrowing a key or key card for under an hour, it is considered a loaner. This happens when you know where your key or NIU OneCard is and just need to borrow the loaner key or key card to get into your room to retrieve it. Here are some important things to remember about loaner keys and key cards:

• You are provided with four loaner uses without charges. This includes both loaner keys and loaner key cards. For the fifth loaner and beyond, you will be charged $10 each time you use a loaner key or keycard.
• Staff will confirm your identity using a picture ID or NIU OneCard before issuing a loaner key or loaner key card. Please make sure to have some form of picture ID on you when you get to the front desk of your residence hall. It's always a good idea to have a picture of your NIU OneCard saved on your phone.
• If you lock yourself out between the hours of 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., you will receive a $25 inconvenience charge to your student account. This is in addition to any other charges.
• The loaner key card does not provide access to your meal plan, Huskie Bucks or other things your usual NIU OneCard does. The loaner keycard strictly grants access to your room or cluster.

Temporary Keys and Key Cards

If you use a loaner key or key card for longer than one hour, it is considered a temporary key or key card. You have seven days from the date and time of receiving your temporary key or key card to return it back to your residence hall or apartment complex front desk. This happens when you either need time to look for your key or key card or perhaps when your key or key card needs to be mailed to campus for you because you left it somewhere. Here are some important things to remember about temporary keys and key cards:

• It costs $5 to utilize a temporary key or key card at any point in time; this is charged to your student account.
• If you do not return the temporary key within seven days, you will be charged for a lock change to your residence hall or apartment door. This is charged to your student account. Any charges associated with the current temporary key will be waived if a lock change is initiated.
• If you do not return your temporary key card within seven days, you will be charged an additional $10 to replace the temporary card. This is in addition to any charges made by the NIU OneCard office to replace your NIU OneCard.
• If you need to get a temporary key or key card between the hours of 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., you will receive a $25 inconvenience charge to your student account. This is in addition to any other charges.
• When a temporary key card is issued, it suspends the use of your lost NIU OneCard.

Permanently Lost or Stolen Keys and NIU OneCards

If your key is permanently lost or stolen, you are responsible for reporting the lost or stolen key immediately. This is to ensure the safety of our residential community and your space. You may report your key lost or stolen at your residence hall or apartment front desk, where they will begin the lock change process. If you have lost your key, you are responsible for the cost of the lock change, which will be charged to your student account. If you have had your key stolen and can provide a police report for the incident, there will be no charge for the lock change. While you wait for the lock change to happen, a temporary key will be issued to you at no charge.

If your NIU OneCard, physical or mobile credential, is permanently lost or stolen, you are responsible for reporting the lost or stolen card immediately. A new NIU OneCard may be requested from the NIU OneCard Office during regular business hours. If your OneCard is lost or stolen during non-business hours, it should be suspended immediately to prevent any possible misuse.

Here are options for how to suspend your NIU OneCard:

• Suspend the OneCard online on Blackboard: Login to Blackboard and click the "MyOneCard" tab. Residents must also go to the front desk in their residence hall to arrange for staff to suspend door access on their lost or stolen card.
• Contact the NIU Police: Contact campus police at 815-753-1212 during the NIU OneCard office's non-business Note that NIU Police will not suspend door access if the resident lives in Gilbert Hall, Grant C or D Towers or Patterson Hall. The resident must go to the front desk in their residence hall to arrange for staff to suspend door access on a lost or stolen card.

Bent or Broken Keys and NIU OneCards

If you return all parts of a bent or broken key to your front desk, there is no charge to receive an additional key. Learn about replacement charges for a damaged NIU OneCard through the NIU OneCard Office.

Dropping Keys, NIU OneCard or Personal Items Down Elevator Shafts

When you request a loaner key or key card due to your key or OneCard falling down an elevator shaft, there is a process to try and recover the item. This same process exists for personal items such as phones, wallets or jewelry. However, you will incur a fee for the search. There is no guarantee that elevator personnel will find your item during a search. Regardless of whether your item is found or not during the search, the fee for the search will still apply. Here is the cost breakdown for an elevator shaft search:

• Scheduled elevator shaft search: You must check out a temporary key or key card as outlined above. When this happens, you can ask when the next scheduled elevator shaft search is scheduled. If it is within those seven days and you are willing to wait, there is no charge for elevator personnel to search for keys or NIU OneCards during the scheduled pit search times.
• Immediate elevator shaft search (Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.): You will be charged the current labor rate for elevator personnel to check the pit during non-scheduled dates. The minimum is $175 and it may be more if there are overtime charges because the work extends beyond the regular workday. Elevator personnel will not come to campus outside of Monday through Friday from 7:30 m. to 4 p.m. to complete a search; at that time, a temporary key or key card will be issued as outlined above.

Successful roommate relationships are formed by having open communication based on trust, honesty and respect. Sometimes roommates can become friends and sometimes roommates are simply roommates. To help create open communication, Housing and Residential Services has developed a roommate agreement form that roommates should work on together and complete within the first few weeks of the semester. This form can be found in Roompact. We suggest you and your roommate discuss the sections and talk it out before completing the agreement. If you have questions about the roommate agreement, you can ask your community advisor (CA) for help.

The goal of the roommate agreement is to allow you and your roommates to discuss various aspects of sharing a room together and agree upon expectations for the use of the space and conduct in the room together. You are strongly encouraged to review the roommate agreement form as soon as possible when you move in, as it can help set the groundwork for a successful residential experience. Roommate agreements will be discussed by your community advisor at the first community meeting and they will follow up with you and your roommate(s) to make sure the Roommate Agreements form is completed within the first two weeks of the semester. Roommate agreements can be revisited as often as needed and if you and your roommate are struggling to communicate together, you can ask your community advisor to serve as a mediator for the conversation.

You are eligible to request a room change for several reasons. However, room changes are generally not granted in the first two weeks of the semester while Housing and Residential Services confirms students' arrival and check-in to the residential communities. If you request a room change because of roommate(s) issues, there are a specific set of steps that are expected to happen before a room change can occur. They are the following:

1. Complete your roommate agreement with your roommate. Information on this can be found in the Roommate Agreement section of Roompact.
2. If issues continue, discuss any conflicts or disagreements directly with your roommate(s) in a calm and respectful manner. Living with new people will naturally have moments of conflict, so it is completely normal. There is also a chance that your roommate does not know that there is conflict or disagreement if you do not raise your concerns. It is important to have an open conversation about this together; there may be things you are also doing that have bothered them. We recommend writing down in advance what you want to discuss so you do not forget what is important to you in the conversation and that you go into the conversation with the goal of creating the most comfortable living space for both of you.
3. If you and your roommate(s) are unable to work out the conflicts or disagreements together, you will need to meet with your CA and go over your roommate agreement. The CA can be a great resource and facilitator during difficult conversations. If the discussion does not move toward a resolution of the conflict, then the students should contact the complex coordinator.
4. If after all these steps have been taken and there is no sustainable change in your roommate(s) situation, you can submit a room change request. Please know this is a request; given limited on-campus living spaces, there may be no other rooms you can move into.

We are committed to assisting students in this process, but we are also focused on helping students learn important life skills related to managing issues appropriately with other students. Students are not permitted to make room changes without the approval of their complex coordinator.

The approval process is necessary to ensure that all students have appropriate access to mail and their living spaces. A resident's official room assignment also generates room billing and main door access. If you change residential rooms without approval, you may be assessed a $50 fine and may be required to move back to your originally assigned space.

In certain situations, if both students are unable to reach a resolution or refuse to accept mediation assistance, Housing and Residential Services may determine the best course of action is to have both students relocate to new room assignments to resolve the disruption. This would be a final solution when mediation has been exhausted or if students refuse to participate in finding a mutual resolution.

If you become a victim of an interpersonal violence incident, you may request to have your living arrangements changed. You will need to share these circumstances for an immediate change so that Housing staff understand the context for the urgency. In these situations, you should contact the hall staff to make the request. A staff member is available 24 hours a day for assistance in emergency situations. Your community advisor or the front desk staff can always reach a professional staff member. In some situations, a victim advocate may help the affected student with this process.

Residence halls and Northern View apartments are the property of the State of Illinois under the control of the NIU Board of Trustees. It is the policy of the university to ensure students' privacy in their residence hall rooms and university-operated apartments is consistent with NIU's basic responsibilities to fulfill its educational functions and to conduct its day-to-day operations. The responsibilities of the university require the reservation of a reasonable right of student residence to assure proper upkeep, paint and repair to provide for the health and safety of residents; and/or to investigate when a reasonable cause exists to believe that a violation of the Housing Handbook or other University regulations is occurring in student residence.

Room Inspection by Residence Hall Staff

Residence hall staff will enter your student room for room inspection under the following circumstances:

• To ascertain damage or conditions potentially harmful to the safety of a university residence hall or apartment and the health of residents. This includes facilities' emergencies such as floods and fires.
• During university breaks and at other times to be determined by the hall management staff, this will be communicated via email as needed.
• In connection with routinely scheduled room and apartment safety inspections as provided in the housing contract. As a part of scheduled safety inspections, residence hall staff will check for safety hazards, including but not limited to:
  • Non-polarized extension cords
  • Non-UL approved equipment
  • Power strips or multiple outlets without circuit breakers
  • Multiple power cords connected to each other
  • Improperly installed microwave/refrigerator/freezer units
  • Unapproved electrical appliances, including motorized scooters, bikes, hoverboards, etc.
  • Use of non-metal trash cans
  • Decorations inconsistent with fire safety guidelines, etc.
  • Clearly observable room damage
  • Unauthorized furnishings
  • Obvious violations of university policy
  • Candles with burned wicks
  • Tampering with fire safety devices, i.e., smoke detectors.
  • Excessive levels of trash that could lead to pest concerns or other health and safety issues.

There are times that residence hall staff may enter a room for purposes other than room inspection. Residence hall staff may enter a room:

• When there is a clear or apparent emergency, such as a fire, serious illness or injury or when persons or property are in danger.
• When a member of the residence hall staff has reasonable cause to believe that a violation of residence hall or other university regulations is occurring in that room.
• At the request or invitation of the resident of the Residence hall staff may not enter a room without knocking (except under the circumstances stated previously) and may not enter to search the resident's belongings that are not in plain view.

Room Repairs and Inspections by Other Campus Authorities

There are times when repairs and inspections from other campus authorities will be required in your room to make sure your space stays safe and up to expectations. These can include repairs and Inspections by Physical Plan t, Environmental Health and Safety and Department of Information Technology technicians.

Housing and Residential Services Facilities staff may enter rooms for the following conditions:

• Facility-related issues
• Room inspection
• Coordination of repairs and safety issues
• Furniture inventory
• To recover university property that has been removed (without permission) from an assigned location

If these campus authorities ever need to access your space, they will always knock and announce themselves. Physical Plant workers and technicians from the Division of Information Technology do not need permission to enter your room; however, efforts will be made to notify you before entry. These workers and technicians will always have NIU identification and you may request it at any time. If they come by your space while you or your roommate are not present, they will leave a note to let you know they were present. You are not authorized to refuse repairs or lock changes to your room.

Room Repairs and Inspections by Outside Contractors

NIU contracts out certain services, such as pest control, appliance repair, etc. and permits contracted personnel to enter student rooms for contracted services when services are needed. Every effort is made to restrict the beginning of routine repair work to 9 a.m. and these individuals will always have photo identification on them. If you ever believe there is someone trying to gain access to your room that should not be there, you should call NIU police at 815- 753-1212.

Entry into Your Room by Other Students

Students may enter other residents' rooms only at the invitation of or with written permission of, a resident of that room. Student employees may only enter the rooms of other residents at the invitation of or with written permission of, a resident of that room or during a pre-scheduled room inspection as described above.

Entry and Searches by NIU Police

Entry and searches of your student room by NIU police officers shall be conducted within the boundaries of the law. It is the policy of the university that university police officers will not enter or search residence hall student rooms under university management except for the following circumstances:

• Entry permitted by policy: A NIU police officer or other agent of the university may enter your room when there is a clear or apparent emergency, such as fire, serious illness or injury or where danger threatens persons or property.
• Entry permitted by law: A NIU police officer may enter your room under any of the following circumstances:
  • With a warrant for arrest or search.
  • With your permission. If you have roommates, when feasible, permission will be obtained by you and your roommate.
  • In pursuit of an individual who has been observed committing a crime
  • If a crime has been committed and the officer has reasonable grounds to believe the occupant committed the crime.
  • When the officer has probable cause to believe that a crime is currently being committed.
• Search permitted by law: A NIU police officer may search your room under any of the following circumstances:
  • With a search warrant
  • With your permission. If you have roommates, then both you and your roommate(s) will need to provide permission. It is the policy of the university that an officer explains your rights to resist such a search. To search your space, you will be asked to sign a form.
  • If you have been arrested in your room
  • When the officer has probable cause for belief that a crime is currently being committed.

Political canvassing, including door-to-door canvassing, is prohibited on all residential floors. However, political canvassing is allowed in the common lobbies of the residence halls. NIU students and recognized student organizations can reserve tables online for the purpose of political canvassing. Reserved tables and political canvassing in the lobby of a residence hall must not impede the traffic flow in the residence hall, community center or dining hall.

Northern Illinois University is committed to freedom of expression and open discussion in all matters of public interest and is further committed to ensuring all members of the University community have the broad latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge and learn. Learn more at NIU's Freedom of Expression webpage.

Students, staff and student organizations may not hang their own signs in the residence halls, Northern View Community apartments or dining centers. All signs to be posted should be given to the main desk in the desired location and staff will hang the signs for the individual or group, provided they have the official university Organization and Student Involvement Suite stamp. Signs will be taken down the day after the Organization and Student Involvement Suite (OASIS) stamp expires. The only location where a sign may be posted without an OASIS stamp is by you on your own room's door. Door hangers or anything that obstructs the lock or handle mechanisms on a room door is prohibited. Postings are not permitted on any entry doors to the residence hall or apartment complex.

Signs without the Organization and Student Involvement Suite stamp will not be posted. Any signs not posted by authorized staff will be removed immediately. Students who are advertising personal businesses will have their postings removed immediately, regardless of where the sign is posted.

Vendors or sales representatives may not sell items, distribute items or take orders for items inside a residence hall or on residence hall grounds.

You may not conduct business inside the residence hall, sell or distribute products, provide services to others, permit rooms to be used for sales or services by any outside vendor, exchange money or personally use the residence hall as a base of a commercial enterprise.

By signing your housing contract, you agree to abide by all the following hall policies. These policies are the rules and expectations of living in the residential community. These are in addition to the NIU Code of Student Conduct that all NIU students are expected to abide by. If it is believed that you have violated any of these policies, the situation will be documented and the student conduct process will begin. You will receive an email to your NIU email within a few business days of the potential violation with instructions and information on your student conduct meeting. If you have questions about the student conduct meeting, contact your Complex Coordinator.

In addition to the Alcohol and Other Drug policies in the Code of Student Conduct, the following are additional expectations that apply to residential students:

• If you are 21 years old or older, you may bring sealed alcoholic beverages completely covered from open view into the residence halls. You may also possess or consume those alcoholic beverages in the privacy of your rooms with the door closed and in an atmosphere that does not create significant noise or other disturbances.
• If you are 21 years old or older, you are prohibited by law from providing, delivering or hosting the serving of alcoholic beverages in residence halls to persons under 21 years of age.
• If you are 21 years old or older and your roommate is under 21, you may consume alcohol in your room but may not supply alcoholic beverages to those under 21.
• If you are 21 years old or older and you have a guest or visitor who is 21 years old or older, they may consume alcohol if you are present and if everyone of legal drinking age possesses no more than one open alcoholic beverage per person.
• If you are under 21 years old, you may not possess or consume alcoholic beverages in the residence halls or Northern View Community.
• If you are under 21 years old, you may not be present in any room or apartment where alcohol is being consumed. The only exception is if your roommate is 21 years old or older and they are consuming alcohol in your room.
• If you are under 21 years old and you have a guest or visitor who is over the age of 21, they may not consume alcohol while you host them.
• Regardless of age, you may not display alcoholic beverage containers in the residence halls or Northern View Community. This includes empty containers or decorative pieces.
• Regardless of age, possession of kegs or bulk alcoholic beverage containers exceeding two gallons is not allowed.
• Regardless of age, selling alcoholic beverages is also prohibited.
• Regardless of age, the possession, use, manufacture, sale or distribution of any dangerous narcotic, hallucinogenic, cannabis (marijuana) or look-alike drugs, such as Delta-8, in any form except under the direction of a licensed physician or as expressly permitted by law is prohibited on all University property.
• As of July 1, 2015 and in accordance with the Smoke Free Campus Act (Public Act 098-0985), smoking is prohibited on all campus property. This policy applies to all individuals, including students, faculty, staff, visitors, guests and members of the public. The policy is applicable 24 hours a day, seven days a week, regardless of whether school is in session. The prohibition includes using or carrying any kind of lighted smoking materials. Prohibited materials include any kind of pipe, cigar, cigarette, cigarillo, bidi, kretek, hookah, atomizer, vaporizer, marijuana, weed, herb and electronic cigarette.

We encourage residents to use bicycles to travel around campus. Residents can optionally register their personal bicycle with the Department of Public Safety. To ensure fire safety regulations are met, the following is expected of you while storing your bike:

• Bicycles may not be parked anywhere inside a residence hall except in your room with your roommate's agreement and noted on your Roommate Agreement.
• Bicycle racks are available outside of residence halls. Bicycles may only be locked to university-provided bike racks.
• Bicycles attached to anything other than university-provided bike racks, including but not limited to light poles, ramps and exterior signage, will be removed and stored for 30 days at the owner's expense.
• Motorized bicycles may not be charged and stored inside a residence hall

There is a $50 fine for the removal of a bike in any unapproved area. If residents abandoned a bicycle at the end of the spring term, after 30 days, the bicycle will be donated to a registered 501(c)(3) recognized charity. If you are looking for a bicycle that has been removed from non-approved bike racks, you should contact NIU Police and Public Safety to begin the process.

Courtesy hours are in effect 24 hours a day. During courtesy hours, music, voices or noise should not be disruptive to your community. You are expected to reduce your noise immediately if requested by other community members. You are expected to always be courteous and considerate toward your fellow community members. A good rule of thumb is that if the noise you are making can be heard a few doors down the hallway, it is too loud for community living.

Courtesy hours should also be observed in all public areas, floor lounges, group seating areas and designated study spaces.

Quiet hours are Sunday to Thursday from 9 p.m. to 10 a.m. and Friday and Saturday from midnight to noon. During these blocks of time, it is expected that noise will not interrupt the required atmosphere for living and learning. This includes residence hall floors, rooms, apartments, lounges and lobby spaces. You and your guests or visitors are expected to refrain from generating any noise that transfers away from the space you are in. This means from one room to another room, from your room to the hallway, from a public area to another room or hallway or being carried down a hallway if you are in the hallway. Conversations in the hallways, loud volume on TVs, loud volume on music and loud phone calls should not be happening during quiet hours. Residents and guests or visitors who violate this requirement after being warned may be administratively removed from the community at any time.

Musical instruments or other devices equipped with amplifiers, such as speaker systems, that naturally carry sound beyond your room may be used only in designated areas of residence halls. Reach out to your Complex Coordinator to find out where these areas are in your residence hall.

Part of the community living experience includes keeping your own living space clean and free of damage, including common spaces such as kitchens and study rooms. When this does not happen, the following policies are how we decide how damages and responsibility are assigned:

• All residents of the floor or hall community may be charged for shared area items that are missing, damaged or require extra cleaning when the individual or individuals responsible cannot be determined.
• When you acknowledge that you are responsible for a specific damage, you accept responsibility for the repairs and the floor is not charged.
• All costs associated with the activation and damage caused by the activation of a sprinkler head or smoke detectors will be the responsibility of the resident or residents involved. Damage and cleaning costs may not necessarily be limited to a single room, hallway or floor.
• Residents who wish to appeal damage charges may do so within 20 days of receiving the charge on their student account.

Due to the current residential room electrical configuration, a maximum of 8 amps or 960 watts, should be used per electrical outlet in a room. Typically, this can include (UL - approved) items such as computers, phone chargers, gaming systems, TVs, DVD or Blu-Ray players, stereos, razors and fans. Some hairdryers, curling irons and flat irons may require additional power and may need to be used in the public area bathrooms rather than individual resident rooms to avoid tripping circuit breakers. Check the energy needs on your items tags or online before plugging them in to avoid losing power in your outlet. Here are additional recommendations and expectations around electrical equipment and appliances:

• Use surge protectors or power strips for all electronics. Particularly computers, gaming systems, televisions, DVD or Blu-Ray players, stereo equipment and clock radios.
• Lightweight extension cords and multiple outlet plugs without surge protectors create a safety hazard and are not allowed.
• Personal routers or wireless access points are not allowed. Unmanaged hubs or unmanaged switches may be used to connect more than one device in a room. Visit the Division of Information Technology website for more information on technology policies.
• Open-ended heating elements and electrical appliances that may pose a fire hazard, such as hot plates, hot pots, electric or contact grills, small cooking appliances, fryers, unauthorized space heaters and personal room air conditioners, are not allowed.
• Electrical appliances with an enclosed heating element are allowed in the halls (i.e., popcorn makers and coffeepots) when used under continual supervision. Never let these appliances run when you are not in the room.
• Every room/suite is furnished with a microwave, refrigerator and freezer. Additional microwave ovens and refrigerators are not allowed due to electrical capacity restrictions.
• Personal or room air conditioners are not allowed and cannot be brought into the hall or installed in your room.

All residents are expected to evacuate the buildings any time the fire alarm sounds, including during planned drills. Failure to evacuate the building during a fire alarm will result in disciplinary action through the conduct process. Planned fire drills are conducted in each residence hall once per semester and are communicated in advance to your NIU email. If present in the building, participation in fire drills is mandatory.

Fire Safety Equipment

Smoke detectors and sprinkler heads are fire safety equipment and residents are strictly prohibited from:

• Disconnecting a detector cover
• Tampering with the detector or its functioning in any way. Some examples include covering the detector with a plastic bag, T-shirt, sock, bowl or other item.
• Purposely causing an alarm to occur.
• Hanging objects from or otherwise obstructing the sprinkler head and pipes. This could result in the emergency equipment beginning to run water and all damage from the water will be the financial responsibility of the individual or individuals who placed the items.
• Removing sprinkler head cover plates.
• Tampering with fire safety equipment, including sprinkler heads, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and pull stations. If found responsible in the student conduct process, a $100 fine, restitution fees for any labor or materials incurred by university officials, university disciplinary action that may include university probation and additional charges for any resulting repairs and cleaning, including an additional $100 charge if city fire trucks are called unnecessarily will be the minimum repercussions for everyone involved.
• Disconnecting a smoke detector, not reporting that your smoke detector is malfunctioning or other negligence will result in not only Student Conduct charges, but also civil charges. In the event of a fire and/or false alarm, payment for related damages to the building and the persons and property of others may also occur, along with restitution fees for any labor or materials incurred by university officials.
• If a fire extinguisher is discharged, please let the main desk staff know immediately. Failure to do so will result in student conduct charges.

Cooking safety comes with great responsibility in general, but especially when living in Northern View Community. If cooking is a new experience for you or you need to brush up on your safety knowledge, please reach out to the Housing and Residential Services Work Request Office (WRO) for training tips and opportunities at wro@niu.edu.

Safety Cooking Tips

• Be on alert! If you are sleepy or under the influence, refrain from cooking. If it is determined that a fire was caused by unattended cooking, the resident(s) may be held responsible for all damages and could be removed from university housing.
• Do not leave your kitchen when you turn on a burner on your stove. If you need to leave your kitchen, even for a brief time, turn off the burner.  This is especially true when frying or cooking with hot oil on the stovetop.
• If you see wisps of smoke or smell oil while frying or cooking with hot oil, immediately turn off the burner, cover the pan and carefully remove the pan from the burner. Smoke is a danger sign that the oil is too hot.
• Do not cover a pan while you are heating up oil. Heat the oil slowly to the temperature you need for frying or sautéing.
• Always cook with a lid beside your pan. If you have a fire, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. Do not remove the cover because the fire could start again. Let the pan cool for a long time. Never throw water on the fire. Remember, there is a fire extinguisher in your apartment and in every community kitchen. If the fire does not go out or you do not feel comfortable sliding a lid over the pan, get everyone out of your apartment and call 911.
• Do not leave your apartment or the community kitchen if you turn on the oven. If you need to leave, even for a brief time, have someone else remain in the area or turn off the oven.
• Check your food regularly as you are cooking and set a timer as a reminder that you are cooking. Add food gently to the pot or pan so the oil does not splatter.
• Make sure items such as oven mitts, wooden utensils, towels, etc., are away from your stovetop.
• Do not have any combustible items hanging from your cabinets or stove hood, such as oven mitts or towels.

Hall public areas and grounds surrounding the halls are for the enjoyment of all residents. Behavior that endangers others or detracts from a welcoming community environment is not acceptable. Here are the expectations around these spaces:

• Disruptive residents will be asked to leave public areas. Disruptive guests or visitors will be required to leave the building or campus.
• Loitering by nonresidents in residence hall public areas is prohibited. Violators are subject to arrest for trespassing.
• Housing and Residential Services staff, along with the NIU Department of Police and Public Safety and contracted security guards, reserve the right to secure or clear all public hall areas, including the main lobby.
• Furniture assigned to public areas, lounges, hallways, study rooms, computer labs or bathrooms of a floor or hall should stay in designated areas. They should not be moved into individual rooms or from one public area to another.
• Students are expected to refrain from making noise that disrupts operations in the hall's administrative areas.
• Ball playing; throwing water balloons or snow; use of paintball, pellet or water guns, skateboarding, scooters; and all other activities that may potentially block hall entrances or impede pedestrians are prohibited on residence hall grounds, porches, entranceways and directly adjacent areas.
• Activities inside a residence hall that are like sports played outdoors or in recreational facilities, such as frisbee throwing, dribbling, golfing, hockey playing, skating, skateboarding, using scooters or hoverboards and running, among other things, are prohibited.
• Roller blades, bicycles, skateboards and scooters may not be used inside a residence hall.
• A prohibited “party atmosphere,” which includes but is not limited to excessive gatherings of people in a student room or shared area and significant noise disruption or other disturbances. These situations may occur despite the absence of alcoholic beverages.
• The state of Illinois’ concealed carry legislation allows Northern Illinois University to continue its practice of prohibiting guns on campus. The possession and carrying of weapons on NIU property remains illegal and prohibited. The NIU Department of Police and Public Safety offers voluntary weapon storage while a concealed carry permit holder is on the NIU campus in DeKalb. The storage lockers can secure both pistols and long guns. The temporary storage lockers are in the NIU Police Department, located at 375 Wirtz Drive, DeKalb, Illinois.

Items that create danger to persons, damage to university property, a fire or safety hazard or a public nuisance must not be used, possessed or stored in residence halls and university apartments, including your room. These include:

• Firearms, clubs, air guns, any type of ammunition, explosives, including fireworks, knives or other weapons. Possession or use of weapons can lead to immediate removal from university housing.
• Candles, incense or any object with an open flame or burning ember
• Internal combustion engines, acids, automobile batteries, gasoline, torches, lava lamps and halogen desk lamps.
• Weightlifting equipment.
• Animals, birds, amphibians or pets not approved by the Disability Resource Center. The only exception is fish. Fish are welcome, but each room or apartment is limited to one fish tank. The fish tank must be five gallons or less in Gilbert, Grant, Neptune, Patterson and Stevenson and 20 gallons or less in Northern View Community.
• Heavy perfumes, room scents, potpourri, sports or camping equipment or other items that produce potentially offensive or overpowering odors.
• Charcoal and other fire-starting materials. You may store a barbecue grill, but not combustible fuels, in your room. Your grill may only be used outdoors, at least 100 feet from any campus building.
• The use or possession of electric scooters, electric bikes, hoverboards or any self-balancing transportation devices. This includes carrying, charging, storing or any other possession of these devices.
• The possession, use or sale of illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, narcotics or controlled substances, including alcohol if under the age of 21.

You are free to decorate your room to be unique and feel like home. While adding your personal touches, follow these guidelines:

• Use 3M command strips or painter's tape to hang items on the walls. This is our recommendation; however, if damage still happens due to these items, you will be responsible for that damage.
• No screws, nails, thumbtacks, staples or strong adhesives such as duct tape, packing tape, glue or foam-type adhesive strips should be used to attach posters and other articles to room surfaces. Use of these items will cause damage to walls, ceilings and furnishings and the cost of repairs will be your responsibility.
• No over-the-door hooks are to be used on any door, including the main room door, bathrooms and closets.
• Painting, drawing or writing on any surface in the room, including the doors, with anything is not allowed. This includes markers, dry erase markers, charcoal, crayons and any other material.
• Miniature UL-approved lights that do not generate noticeable heat are allowed in your room. However, no electrical wiring or lights of any type may be run through a doorway to be used as decoration in the hallway. Adhesive strip lights are not permitted as the adhesive strip causes damage to walls. Any damage caused to walls by lights will be charged back to the resident.
• No live trees, branches or wreaths may be used to decorate rooms or hallways due to fire safety regulations.
• Candles, incense burners, potpourri pots or scented oil or wax warmers may not be used at any time. This includes items like Scentsy. If you are unsure if your item can be used, contact your complex coordinator to clarify.
• No decorations may obstruct access to halls, stairwells or exits due to fire safety regulations.
• Decorations on walls must also remain at a minimum of 24 inches from the ceiling.
• You may not add attachments of any type to a residence hall light fixture, including paint, tissue paper, crepe paper, aluminum foil or any other material.
• No materials may be suspended from, attached to or draped under the ceiling or sprinkler-fire suppression system.
• As stated in the Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy, alcoholic beverage containers may not be used as decorations or openly displayed in your room. Even if you or your roommate are 21 years old or older.
• The residence hall room number located on the exterior of each resident’s room door must always be visible.
• The evacuation diagram located on the interior of each room door or closet door must always be visible.

The outside of your room door and any window facing outside are considered public display areas. University staff may deem a posting inappropriate if it violates the law, falsely defames an individual or unjustifiably invades substantial privacy or confidentiality interests. Any posting that is seen as racist, sexist or oppressive in nature will result in a conversation between you and your Complex Coordinator regarding community impact. You may be asked to consider if the posting should be removed; however, it is up to you to make that decision and to exercise your individual freedom of expression.

As you arrange your room to make it suitable for your living style, you should remember the following expectations. You can find what furniture comes in each of the different halls and room styles.

Gilbert, Grant, Neptune, Patterson and Stevenson

• All furniture provided by the university must stay in your room.
• Personal mattresses, including water beds and futons are not allowed in the residence halls.
• To enable swift exit in the event of an emergency, all furniture must not block entrances to the room.
• All built-in furniture or fixtures must remain intact.
• If you are living in a multi-person room with a vacancy, the second set of furniture must be ready for use by another student. This means that the bed remains unmade, you leave half the drawers unused and that one desk remains unused. A roommate can be assigned at any point during the year; in the case of an emergency, you may receive a new roommate without notice. Housing and Residential Services staff will make every effort to give you notice about a new roommate, but emergency situations may arise at any time. The only exception to this is if you have signed a contract to turn your room into a temporary single and are paying the additional fees associated; this is not always an option given occupancy limitations.

Northern View Community

• Each unit in Northern View Community is equipped with a stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, garbage disposal and washer and dryer. Residents will also find window coverings, smoke detectors, a TV coax outlet and network connections in their apartments. Northern Illinois University equipment may not be removed from the apartment.
• Repairs to any damaged university property, like walls, will be the financial responsibility of the resident.
• Waterbeds and other water-filled furniture are not allowed.
• If you have not been assigned a roommate, half of the shared areas and the second bedroom should always remain vacant and clean. This includes half of the kitchen cabinets, half the space in the fridge, half the space in the freezer and half the drawers in the bathroom.
• A roommate can be assigned at any point during the year; in the case of an emergency, you may receive a new roommate without notice. Housing and Residential Services will make every effort to give any current residents notice about a new roommate, but emergency situations may arise at any time. The only exception to this is if the apartment is contracted as a family-style apartment.

A student who takes over a vacant space in an assigned room/apartment without authorization is in violation of the housing contract and the Housing Handbook, and subject to financial penalties and Student Code of Conduct sanctions.

Building and Lobby Security

The main entrance and all outside doors to each building are secured. NIU OneCards or other photo identification of all residents will be required to gain entry to the building. In addition to the front desk staff, Access Control attendants and contracted security guards help monitor resident and guest entries into the residence halls during the evening hours. If you do not have your NIU OneCard or photo identification, the situation may be documented and this information could be used through the student conduct process. It is your responsibility to help maintain a safe and secure environment and as such, we have the following expectations:

• You are not permitted to prop open community access doors or exterior doors at any time.
• You must show your NIU OneCard to gain entrance into your residence hall and present your NIU OneCard at the front desk or any staff member upon request.
• You are required to show photo identification to Housing and Residential Services staff or contracted security guards when entering a building and upon reasonable request. Without proper identification, you and your guests may be asked to leave the building.
• Video recording may occur in some areas of the residence halls. There will never be a video recording in spaces such as residential hallways and community bathrooms.
• Your guests will be asked to show valid photo identification to be properly registered as a guest. Without photo identification, they will not be allowed to be your guests.
• Guests who do not show identification upon request will be instructed to leave the premises immediately and potentially arrested for trespass for non-compliance.

Room and Apartment Security

The residence halls and Northern View Community are home to thousands of students. It is important for you and other residents to be safe and secure in your communities. All community members must be actively involved in creating a safe and secure environment to ensure all students can focus on academic success and building lasting friendships. To create this environment, the following is expected:

• You are expected to lock your doors and always carry your keys (if applicable) and NIU OneCard with you.
• When a door lock mechanism is broken or not working properly, you are expected to report this immediately to your community front desk.
• If you are a resident of Grant Towers, Gilbert Hall or Patterson Hall, you should not hang things from the inside door handle of any door that has a proximity reader on it. This includes room doors and Patterson cluster doors. Hanging these items will drain the battery on the lock.
• You are not allowed to engage in acts that may endanger the safety of others, such as blocking a person in a room or playing dangerous "pranks."

To ensure your safety and the safety of the community, the following is expected when it comes to the windows within the residence halls and apartments:

• Entry or exit from residence hall windows is not allowed.
• No window coverings may be placed directly over the windows except for the blinds or drapes provided. Aluminum foil, cardboard, tape, newspaper, computer paper, garbage bags, contact paper, posters, flags or any other material not provided by the university specifically to cover your windows may not be used to cover windows.
• No object should be thrown, released or dropped from the window.
• Window screens must remain in place and never be removed.
• Windows should be closed when you are not in the room or during harsh weather conditions. You are responsible for damage to your room, other rooms, community spaces and individual property caused by an open window, such as pipes freezing. The damage and cleaning costs may not necessarily be limited to a single room, hallway or floor.
• Do not hang or place anything on windowsills or ledges.

All mail and packages are delivered to the residence hall front desks. Mail is placed in your mailbox and packages are registered at the front desk or in the package rooms for you to pick up.

• If you have a package that was properly delivered and registered at your residence hall desk, you will be notified via email when your package is ready to pick up.
• You will receive at least 10 notifications that you have a package within a 45-calendar day period.
• If you fail to pick up your package within 45 calendar days, the package will be returned to the sender or donated to a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

While living in the residence halls, individual halls and Housing and Residential Services may set reasonable policies and apply disciplinary sanctions. These may include administrative fines that are binding on residents as outlined in the Code of Student Conduct (subject to appeal) through the assistant director, area coordinator, complex coordinator and graduate assistant complex coordinator.

These policies include, but are not limited to, those in the Code of Student Conduct, this handbook, your residence hall contract and your community standards. Additionally, repairs to facilities may include fees established for labor and materials as deemed necessary by the NIU Physical Plant. The following violations may result in the specified fines being applied administratively by Housing and Residential Services. These specified fines are a minimum and depending on the severity of the situation, the fine may be higher. At the discretion of the director, area coordinator, complex coordinator or graduate assistant complex coordinator, additional fines may be associated to cover the cost of damages not listed in this table.