Responsible Stewardship of the Residence Halls

Being responsible stewards to our spaces is a key component to exemplify what living in community is all about. Residence Halls serve an important role to nurture friendships and community and are often used throughout the year in many different ways. Bethel University Staff are committed to preventing as many issues as possible and to responding quickly to problems that do arise.

Below are specific University policies that all students are expected to follow and abide by, failure to do so will result in disciplinary actions:

1. Students may not paint, install wallpaper/borders, or alter the physical condition of the residence in any way without written permission from the Residence Life Office.
2. All posters and pictures should be attached to the walls with blue painters tape or pins. Pins and small nails 1/16th of an inch or smaller may be used. However a large cluster of pinholes in a concentrated area is not allowed.  Please use only blue painters tape to attach any items to doors. Pins, small nails or staples cause permanent damage to the doors.
   1. Do not use 3M Command hooks (or similar items), adhesive-backed tiles, masking tape, duct tape or other types of adhesive.  These items have strong adhesion properties and leave glue residue or wall damage. They should not be used anywhere in the residence halls or apartments.  The exception to this policy is only in Getsch, Lissner, and Heritage Hall if the 3M command hooks are used on cinder block walls. 
   2. Light strips put up in residential spaces will also be subject to damage charges. 
3. Pets are not allowed in any residence hall.  A fine of $25 a day will be assessed for any animal residing in a room.   Exceptions:
   1. Fish kept in an aquarium not to exceed a 10-gallon capacity. Students are responsible for their care and any damage that may occur as a result of maintaining fish.  If your residence hall closes over a break, all fish must be removed from the hall unless they are in a self-sustaining tank.
   2. Service and Comfort animals approved by the OARS office.  
4. Screens must not be removed from any windows. A $25 fine will be assessed each time to any student who removes his or her window screen. Removing screens often results in damage and, therefore, persons removing screens will be assessed charges for inspection and repair, in addition to the $25 fine.
5. The roof of any residence is off-limits. Walking on roofs can damage them. An automatic $250 fine will be assessed on each offense. Examples include but are not limited to, water balloons, squirt guns, hoses, buckets, water balloon launchers, etc.
6. Water fights are not permitted in or near the residences. Water may not be thrown from or at the windows of the residences. (This includes snow and ice.)
7. Do not dispose of sanitary napkins, paper towels, cleaning wipes (even if described as “flushable”) coffee grounds, leftover food, or other non-dissolvable items in the toilet or bathroom sink.
8. When living in one of the residence areas, take time to keep the areas clean. Be especially conscious of cleaning needs in kitchens and bathrooms, as this will reduce the need for maintenance services. Students are responsible for cleaning and must obtain their own cleaning products.
9. Firefighting equipment is located throughout each residence for the protection of the residents. Tampering with fire extinguishers, above stove fire equipment, exit signs, or fire equipment; placing false alarms; or interfering with the proper functioning of the fire alarm system will be just cause for disciplinary action, a $250 fine, and prosecution under Minnesota Statutes 609.686. Anyone who intentionally engages in the above activities is guilty of a misdemeanor.
10. Tampering or modifying room air-conditioners is not permitted.  A fine of $100 will be assessed if there is a modification to an air-conditioning room unit.  There may be up to a $500 maintenance charge if the unit is damaged.  If you have cooling issues, contact Facilities Management.
11. Non-Bethel supplied lofts are not permitted in residence halls. Bethel supplies beds that offer lofting options.
12. Students may not alter electrical equipment in housing (e.g., lights, ceiling fans, switches, outlets, etc.). Students tampering with these items will be fined a fire code violation of up to $250 plus the maintenance charges to return the unit to safe condition. Students overloading circuits, including through the misuse of extension cords, will be warned by maintenance and asked to correct the situation.
13. Students may not alter or rewire phone jacks or equipment. All wiring must be done through a work order request. Failure to comply will result in a $25 fine on each occurrence plus any charges for maintenance repairs. The only exceptions to this are commercially manufactured plug-in adapters.
14. Cable TV is provided in some common area lounges, shacks and fitness rooms in the various residences.  Cable TV service is not provided to the individual suites/rooms in the residence halls, and individual cable TV service contracts are not permitted. For more information about Xfinity on Campus visit the confluence page.  
15. All maintenance repairs must be done by Bethel Facilities Management. Submit a work request form found on MyBethel for any needed repairs.  For maintenance emergencies after hours such as loss of heat or safety-related issues, contact the RA on-call in your building or Security at 651-638-6500. Failure to follow this procedure may result in a fine that is substantially more than the published amount due to additional time and materials required to correct the attempted repair.
16. Students are responsible for the furniture in their room. Do not store any furniture or personal items in the hallways, custodial closets, stairwells, lounges  or any other room except for the room the furniture was assigned to. Items left in hallways or stairwells are a fire code violation and will be removed by Facilities Management. Students must follow this policy to avoid a year-end charge when they check out.
17. Non-Bethel furniture is permitted, but must be removed from Bethel property at the end of the academic year or when the owner of the furniture officially moves out.  Furniture found improperly left on the property or in a dumpster will result in a $100 disposal fee.
18. No devices or instruments containing mercury are permitted in residence halls; this includes thermometers.
19. University provided Air Conditioning (A/C) units are located in some of the halls. Tampering or meddling with units will result in disciplinary action, including but not limited to a monetary fine. Turning on or attempting to turn on the A/C unit prior to approval from the Facilities Management Office is strictly prohibited.
20. Non-Bethel portable A/C units are allowed pending they are not window units and falls within the voltage unit threshold. Any damage (water, clean up/carpet repair, tape residue, etc.) caused by the unit will be the responsibility of the student and will result in a monetary fine.
21. Space heaters, electric fire places, etc. are not allowed in the Residence Halls.

22. Bethel University reserves the right to fine a student for behavior detrimental to the living environment such as water fights, vandalism, excessive noise, stealing lounge furniture, leaving trash in the hallways, or other disrespectful actions. Discipline problems will be dealt with through the normal Disciplinary Policy and Procedure. Fines may be incurred if the Residence Life Office feels it is necessary.

    It should be noted that housing policies are intended to assist the community in smooth operations, to protect the rights of students, and to prevent dangerous or unhealthy situations. As such, students need to abide by the policies established in the Student Handbook, the university catalog, and the housing agreement. It is hoped that these policies will not be seen as restrictive, but rather as common courtesies necessary to live harmoniously in the community.