Unit/Room Entry and Search

OSU recognizes and respects residents’ desire for privacy and will make efforts to ensure and protect residents’ privacy rights. However, OSU reserves the right to enter any part of the university premises, with or without notice, at any time for reasonable institutional purposes.

 

University Staff

As a resident, you must allow university staff to enter your space.

• Staff are required to display their identification (ID) cards and wear their university-issued name tags when entering your apartment.
• If entry is required, staff will let you know the time of the scheduled entrance and they will leave an explanatory note in the apartment explaining what took place.
• Staff may enter regardless of whether anyone is at home. 

 

• Common reasons for staff to enter a unit

  Reasons to enter include but are not limited to, the following:

  • To provide cleaning and/or pest control.
  • To conduct an inventory of University property.
  • To silence unattended loud alarms, stereos, radios, phones or other noise-producing devices.
  • To address emergency situations.
  • To search for missing university property.
  • To provide maintenance and/or repair work.
  • To determine compliance with all relevant health and safety regulations.
  • At least each semester, Housing and Residential Life (HRL) staff will inspect rooms for health and safety concerns. When possible, notification of the inspections will be posted at least 24 hours prior to the inspection.
  • In the event, there is reason to believe that the premises are being used for an illegal purpose or a purpose that violates health or safety regulations or interferes with normal university operations.
  • Law enforcement officials may enter, search and seize evidence in accordance with applicable law.
•  If a space is entered…

  If during a unit-entry activity, hall staff sees prohibited items, they will leave a written notice in the room. The student should expect further notification from their hall staff and a Student Conduct incident report to be filed.

  • Prohibited items include but are not limited to electronic cigarettes, lava lamps and decorations depicting/using alcohol materials.
  • If alcohol or alcohol containers are found, the student will be instructed to pour any remaining alcohol into the nearest sink and staff will walk the student to the nearest dumpster to dispose of the empty container(s). If the resident is not present at the time of discovery, staff will leave a notice in the room.
  • If marijuana products or weapons are found and the student is not there, OSU police will confiscate the items. If the student is present, OSU police will work with hall staff on removing the items from campus.
• FGSH apartments and shoe coverings

  As a resident, if you want university staff to wear protective shoe coverings over their shoes when entering your apartment, request a “shoe covering is required” door sign from the Community Relations Office. The sign must always be posted on the door.