Residence Life Policies
Residence Life Policies are listed below. Residents are also are governed by the LCSC Student Code of Conduct, and Federal and State laws, including, but not limited to Title IX (sexual harassment, sexual assault).
Some of the Residence Life Policies are based on Community Standards that form naturally in different living groups in our society. Every residence hall or off-campus resident has rights and responsibilities while living in a residence hall or off-campus residence and a community. There are some things residents should know about living with roommates and other residents in close proximity and the Residence Life Policies and Community Standards seek to provide that information.
Lewis-Clark State College and Residence Life are not responsible for any resident property left in residence hall rooms, public areas of the residence halls, or houses. In the event that resident property is left in the residence halls or houses after the housing contract has expired, the property will be removed at the owner’s expense. The staff will maintain lost and abandoned personal property left in rooms for 48 hours, after which the property will be donated to an appropriate agency.
The Vice President of Student Affairs has the authority, at any time, to revoke the alcohol policy and deem the residence halls 'dry' - meaning no alcohol is allowed for any resident, even those over 21 years of age. If this occurs, residents will be notified via LC State student email and flyers posted in each hall with a date the change begins.
Individuals 21 years of age or older may consume alcohol in the privacy of their own room as long as all individuals present are 21 or older. Alcohol may not be present when anyone under 21 is in any room or suite. Individuals under 21 possessing and/or consuming alcohol is not permitted in any residence hall, house, or common area or public area of LC State owned or managed buildings or grounds, including lounges, hallways, or parking lots.
Residents of legal drinking age will be held responsible for any minor found drinking in their room or suite. Residents who are 21+ shall not purchase alcohol for, provide alcohol to, consume alcohol with, or make alcohol available to underage residents, students, or guests under the age of 21.
The Vice President for Student Affairs or the Director of Residence Life will adjudicate alcohol violations. Depending on the severity of the offense, sanctions can range from alcohol education to eviction from LC State owned housing, without a refund of any room and board fees.
- Under federal guidelines, LC State officials may notify parents and/or guardians of alcohol or drug violations if the student is under the age of 21.
- Residents will be held responsible for the actions of visitors or guests. Consumption of alcohol is not a rationale for disruptive behavior. Residents found to be excessively intoxicated will be considered a threat to themselves or others and law enforcement assistance will be requested.
- LC State and/or law enforcement authorities may be called if a party or gathering is deemed disruptive.
- LC State, in observance of Idaho State law, reserves the right for its employees (staff, RA’s, security, etc.) to check for a valid picture identification in locations where alcohol is being served. If identification is not produced or is deemed invalid, law enforcement assistance will be requested.
- The sale of alcoholic beverages by groups or individuals without a license is prohibited by LC State and by the State of Idaho.
- Any action or device that promotes the irresponsible use of alcohol or promotes any individual to become excessively intoxicated from a common source (e.g. kegs, pony kegs, multiple cases, drinking games, beer bongs, funnels, etc.) is prohibited in LC State owned housing and such devices will be removed. In addition, alcohol advertisements and empty alcohol containers are prohibited from being displayed in a room or in windows.
The electrical system within the residence halls is not designed to carry heavy loads of electrical equipment. For that reason and because of other safety concerns, open-faced electric or heating appliances such as hot plates, broilers, and space heaters are prohibited. Residents may have and use appliances with closed coil elements such as coffee pots, crock-pots, toasters and hotpots.
Residents (in resident halls and LC State owned off-campus housing) may also have a refrigerator (no larger than 4.6 cubic feet) and a microwave (not greater than 700 watts) in their room. Regardless of the size of the room or suite or the number of occupants, larger appliances are prohibited (including portable air conditioners).
Due to health issues, only LC State issued mattresses are allowed in residence halls. Our mattresses are extra-long twin. Most stores that carry bedding will begin to sell extra-long twin bedding in the summer and have them in stores until mid-September. Outside mattress are a rule violation and fining offence.
Bed risers are not allowed. Residents are not allowed to raise their beds using bricks, cement blocks or plastic bed risers. The beds will raise and lower using a tool and the Resident Assistant or Custodial staff can assist in raising, lowering, or un-bunking beds.
Bicycle storage areas are provided outside of the residence halls. Bicycles must be kept in these areas or in resident rooms. Bicycles left in public areas will be impounded. Residents must secure the bike with a lock. Bicycles should be registered with Public Safety.
For reasons of safety and liability, babysitting in the residence halls or off-campus housing is not allowed. Minors can visit for a short time, and only outside of quiet hours, but are not allowed to stay overnight.
Residents need to complete the check-out process by the time designated by the Residence Life office. It is the resident’s responsibility to follow the closing procedures that are distributed prior to the closing date. Residents who demonstrate a need to stay later (i.e. graduation, etc.) must make arrangements in advance with the Office of Residence Life. Emails are sent out at least a week before the check-out date and instructions will be delivered by RA’s.
Any Resident who has completed their finals and is disruptive may be required to vacate their room immediately.
Residents who withdraw prior to the end of the semester must vacate their room within 48 hours of withdrawing from classes. Any time a resident permanently vacates a room, the resident must properly check out with an RA or Residence Life. This includes having the room inventoried, returning keys, and completing the necessary paperwork. Residents are responsible for the condition of their assigned room/house, (including cleanliness) and for all the furnishings, which were assigned at move-in.
Improper Check-Out
Any time a resident fails to check out of their room properly, they shall be subject to an improper check-out charge ($100). These improper procedures include, but are not limited to:
- Switching rooms and/or keys without permission of the Residence Life
- Failing to check out of the room by the communicated date and time
- Leaving the room or the College without going through the check-out procedure
Residence Life employs full-time custodians in the residence halls. The custodians are responsible for normal cleaning duties in public areas and community bathrooms. Residents are responsible for cleaning their own rooms and non-community style bathrooms. The custodial staff are people who we hope you will come to know, respect, and appreciate.
Custodians work cooperatively with the residents to make each residence hall a clean and safe place to live. They have a heavy workload and are not expected to clean up after parties, practical jokes, personal food, trash, or dirty dishes, or any other unusual or excessive messes. Individual room cleaning is the responsibility of each resident.
Houses are cleaned when they are vacated. After that time it is the responsibility of the tenants to clean their own house.
Candles, oil lamps, incense or other items with an open flame are not permitted in any LC State owned or leased housing. Wax warming-type products are approved, however, residents should be in the room while they are in use. Residents are responsible for any damage that is done if the wax spills onto carpet or furniture.
Residents are encouraged to personalize their room with plants, posters, rugs, comforters, etc. When planning to decorate, it is important to keep in mind that no permanent changes may be made to the spaces, and any damage done in decorating the room (or removing decor at the end of the year) will result in a charge to the resident. No flammable decorations are allowed in LC State owned housing. Residents are not allowed to paint their rooms or their suites.
Residents are not permitted to make holes (nails, tacks, or screws) in the walls, ceilings, furnishings, and/or other elements of their living space. We want you to feel at home, but we also want to preserve our properties. Use push pins to hang pictures or posters. Duct tape is not allowed.
Decorating Guidelines
These guidelines are not intended to take away any resident’s First Amendment rights, but rather to facilitate the time, place and manner that decorating shall occur in Lewis-Clark State College owned housing.
- Common area space in suites/houses are for all individuals residing in the suite/house and decorating should be agreed upon by all individuals in the suite/house. Decorations must not clash with decorating guidelines or community standards.
- Decorations are to be in strict compliance with the City of Lewiston health, welfare and fire codes (including all electrical wiring and cannot impede any escape routes, etc.). No decorations may be hung in windows as this does not comply with fire codes and they can impede an escape route.
- All common-area decorating shall be reserved for Residence Life staff only, to ensure fired code regulation and escape route clearance. No personal decorations/property are allowed to be hung or stored in common areas.
Residents are free to display posters and other items in rooms. Possessions or displays of alcoholic beverage containers, alcohol marketing items (cardboard cut outs & displays), drug signs or paraphernalia, profanity, or harassing or intimidating visual materials are considered inappropriate and shall not be displayed.
Possession, manufacture, distribution, use or sale of marijuana, drug narcotics or other controlled substances classified as illegal under Idaho law, except those taken under a doctor’s prescription, is prohibited on LC State-owned or controlled property (LC State-owned or controlled property includes student housing owned by or rented through LC State), or at any LC State-sponsored or supervised function. Any resident found with drugs or drug paraphernalia will be subject to the LC State judicial system. See the LCSC campus policy on Alcohol and Drug abuse, and rules on sanctions for alcohol and drug abuse.
For assistance with substance abuse, contact Student Counseling.
Residents are expected to conduct themselves in a safe and orderly fashion while residing in the campus community. Disruptive behavior is defined as any behavior that interferes with another resident or residents’ rights to socialize, study, or sleep, and can include other issues such as noise and guests. Any behaviors deemed as disruptive to sleeping or studying are prohibited. This includes ESAs and Service Animals who display behavior that is disruptive to other residents sleeping or studying. Attempting, aiding, abetting, or being an accessory to any act prohibited in the residence halls, or by the Student Code of Conduct, is strictly prohibited. Residents who are disruptive may be subject to discipline pursuant to the LC State judicial process. Sanctions may include removal from the residence halls, prohibiting the resident from re-contracting for the next year, or not being allowed to visit LC State owned housing if the student lives off campus the next year. If an ESA or Service Animal is deemed disruptive, you will be required to remove the animal from the property.
No resident may engage in disorderly conduct which is defined as violent, abusive, indecent, profane, boisterous, unreasonably loud or otherwise disorderly conduct under circumstances in which the conduct tends to cause or provoke a disturbance, in LC State owned housing or on lands adjacent to LC State owned housing.
Residents must be actively pursuing an academic degree. Residents who stop attending classes during the semester and are beyond the point of being able to pass for the semester, will be required to leave LC State owned housing.
Exterior doors are locked 24 hours a day in all campus owned housing. Residents must carry their keys at all times. Residents can be brought through the judicial process if it is determined that a resident has been propping doors. Additionally, ground level windows are not to be used as entrances to the building. Only approved entrances to the building will be used, any violation of this could result in expulsion from campus housing.
Guidelines for entry: Housing & Residence Life staff will knock on the room/suite door, wait 30 to 40 seconds and knock again, louder. If there is no answer at the door or no indication that someone is home, they will use their passkeys, open the door about six or seven inches and call out to see if anybody is home.
Tampering, damaging, or inhibiting the use of emergency/safety equipment, including exterior housing doors, is prohibited. Residents may not use emergency equipment for any purpose other than emergency use. Residents involved in such activities will be subject to disciplinary action and may be removed from LC State housing. This policy includes, but is not limited to, fire extinguishers, heat and smoke detectors, exit lights or panels, or fire alarm pull stations.
In order for a student to receive an accommodation for an Emotional Support Animal, students must work with Accessibility Services to receive that authorization PRIOR to bringing the ESA to campus. If someone is found to have an animal here, without authorization, privileges will be lost for having an ESA for one academic year. ESA handlers, once approved from Accessibility Services, will receive an email from Residence Life with Guidelines for having an ESA on campus. Roommates will also be notified of guidelines and responsibilities of ESAs in dorm rooms.
ESAs are afforded an adjustment period to adapt to their new living space. This adjustment period is two weeks. If, after the initial 2 weeks, an ESA is still displaying concerning, disruptive, or damaging behaviors, Residence Life will work with the ESA handler to implement new habits to help deter the concerning, disruptive, or damaging behaviors. These new habits will be given 2 more weeks to be integrated into the handler's and ESA's habits. If after this second adjustment, the ESA is still displaying the problematic behaviors, a final behavioral modification period of 2 weeks is at times allowed, but if the concerning disruptive or damaging behaviors are not altered, the ESA will be required to leave dorm housing.
If a resident is evicted, there will be NO refund of any residence hall fee, charge, rent, or deposit from that semester. Meal plans may be cancelled and refunded if a resident is evicted.
Students must notify the Director of Residence Life if they have ever been convicted of a crime before living in LC State housing or immediately upon being charged with a crime while residing in LC State housing. The student will provide a statement to the Director of Residence Life with a complete description of their actions, full details of the charges as well as sanctions assigned, including the date, location, and prosecuting attorney. The matter will be reviewed and LC State shall, at all times, have the right to determine, in its sole, discretion if the student is eligible to occupy or to continue to occupy a space in the residence halls. LC State may request references and documents pertaining to the crime, information from the student’s probation officer, and information regarding the conditions of probation. Failure to notify the Director of Residence Life of a criminal conviction prior to occupancy or immediately upon being charged with or convicted of a crime during occupancy may be grounds for denial of, or immediate removal from, the residence halls and termination of the License Agreement.
Under FERPA Guidelines, LC State must have a release of information signed before contacting or speaking with a parent or guardian, unless the student is a danger to him/herself or is endangering others.
In the event that a resident attempts to endanger him/herself or others, the Residence Life staff will contact the resident, their “emergency contact” person and the Student Counseling Center and/or law enforcement.
A resident is officially checked into LC State owned housing once they have been given a key to the room.
Residents are solely responsible for the entire rental rate. Residents will not be eligible for any refund even if they choose to move out of LC State owned housing before the stated termination date of their housing contract. For exceptions, see Termination of Contract.
Dangerous and/or highly corrosive chemicals and all types of explosives, including fireworks, are not allowed in LC State owned housing. Possessing, storing, selling, using, or exploding any type of firework in LC State owned housing is prohibited.
Due to the physical danger to residents and the possibility of fire, any prank or activity involving fireworks, flammable material, liquids, explosives, dangerous chemicals, and noxious or noisome materials/objects will not be tolerated on LC State grounds and/or any LC State owned housing. Activities involving the use of fireworks/explosives/chemicals may result in severe sanctions issued by the LC State as well as prosecution under applicable state and local laws. All chemicals/explosives/fireworks found in any LC State owned housing are subject to immediate seizure by Residence Life staff/Public Safety.
Each building is equipped with a fire alarm for your protection and residents should not tamper with them. If a fire alarm sounds you should:
- Quickly put on shoes and a coat.
- Take a towel with you to prevent smoke inhalation.
- Close your room door and window.
- Walk briskly through the exit in your area and continue outside until you are away from the building. Each hall has a designated meeting location, talk to a Residence Life staff member beforehand to find the location for your building.
- DO NOT re-enter the building until a Residence Life staff member or the fire department has directed you.
Residence Hall staff helps with the evacuation of the hall. Residents who fail to evacuate the hall after the alarm sounds will be documented for violating Residence Hall Policy.
Tampering with any fire alarm equipment is a violation of state law and could jeopardize the safety of all residents of the hall. Sanctions for persons who violate fire alarm policy may include removal from the residence halls and cancellation of the housing contract, suspension from LC State, and/or criminal prosecution. The individual(s) will also pay for any charges or damages related to the tampering of equipment.
Each hall will conduct two fire drills every semester – one during the day and one at night. These drills are conducted to familiarize residents to the sound of the alarm, emergency exits, and the procedure and location for evacuating the building. Participation in these drills is required. Residents who refuse to evacuate the building are subject to disciplinary action and possible fines.
Room furniture may not be removed. Residence Life does not have storage space to hold extra items. Furniture should not be moved from room to room or suite to suite. Lounge/common area furniture must stay in the designated area and not be brought into individual rooms. Lounge furniture and furniture in other public areas of the residence is for use by all residents and their guests. Removal of furniture from public areas makes it unavailable to other residents. As a result, residents moving furniture from any area of the building will be subject to conduct proceedings and may be prosecuted for theft.
In conjunction with Idaho state laws, all forms of gambling are prohibited on campus. LC State also prohibits gambling at all student-sponsored activities and programs.
Guests: A guest is any individual(s) who is not a contracted residents of the specific room or building in question. Each guest must have a host and/or be escorted while in LC State owned housing. The host will be responsible for the behavior of his or her guest(s). Guests shall comply with all state, federal, and LC State regulations and policies. Guests of residents may be asked to leave if they are violating policies, damaging property, or show the potential to cause harm to themselves or others.
Cohabitation: Cohabitation is prohibited. Cohabitation is defined as a non-resident using a room as if they were a resident of that room. This includes: the presence of clothing and other personal belongings in the room; sleeping in the room; studying in the room on a regular basis; being in the room without the presence of the resident and using the bathroom facilities as if they lived there. Disciplinary action will be taken against any resident who allows cohabitation or whose guest interferes with his/her roommate’s right of entry into their room or ability to study and/or sleep within their room.
Overnight Guests: Only people assigned to a room may reside in that room. Overnight guests are permitted only with the permission of the roommates(s). Residents are permitted ten (10) nights PER SEMESTER to host overnight guests. Overnight guests may stay no more than two (2) consecutive nights. Residents may not lease, sublet, or rent their room or suite.
Escorting Guests: For safety and security purposes, guests in LC State owned housing must be escorted at all times by a resident of that building. A guest is defined as any visitor who does not live-in property in which they are visiting. The following guidelines apply to the escort policy:
- Residents must escort guests into and out of the building.
- Residents must remain with guests at all times while in bedrooms, public areas, TV lounges, laundry rooms, hallways or stairwells.
- Guests left unattended or un-escorted may be asked to leave the building.
- Residents are responsible for the conduct of guests.
- Residents should never agree to escort a person unknown to them. This includes opening the door to allow unknown visitors to enter your hall.
Each floor/house has an activity fund. Revenues for the activity fund come from the semester Activity Fee listed on the License Agreement. These funds support a wide variety of activities and projects, including social and recreational activities, educational programs and board games in the halls for residents to play. Past activities have included the following: opening weekend events, bowling, ice-skating, movie nights, talent shows and much more. The development of activities is the combined responsibility of residence hall residents and residence hall staff. Residents are encouraged to be involved in the development of and participation in residence hall programs and activities. Members of the Residence Life staff will be more than happy to incorporate you into the planning process.
Housing assignments are made without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex (including gender identity, sexual orientation, and pregnancy), national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other status protected under applicable federal, state or local law. Residence Life reserves the right to make all hall and housing assignments, and make any subsequent changes considered advisable or necessary. During all semesters, LC State reserves the right to require single occupants of double occupancy rooms or single occupants of suites to move to a new room or acquire a new roommate.
LC State owned housing residents are responsible for personal actions, and living in a densely populated environment requires maturity and good judgment. In order to maintain a positive educational environment, there are conditions that are part of the Residence Life contract which govern acceptable and unacceptable behavior. These conditions allow Residence Life staff to take action if students don’t fulfill their part of the contract. The Residence Life staff will confront residents if behaviors appear contrary to policy or community standards. Our hope is that by calling attention to behavior and its consequences, better judgment will be exercised, and future problems can be avoided.
Residence Life Conduct Procedures: When an apparent violation of LC State or Residence Life Policy occurs, an incident report is filed. Incident reports are reviewed weekly by the Behavior Response Team to review the severity of the incident and determine who will adjudicate the case. Based on this report, LC State may file specific charges against the suspected resident(s) involved. Residents will be charged with policy infractions. Disciplinary sanctions for Student code of Conduct and Residence Life Policy violations may result in fines, community service hours, probationary status, removal from housing, suspension or expulsion from LC State. The link takes you to the Student Code of Conduct please find section 4. Disciplinary Sanctions with more information.
Field Interview/Documentation: A Field Interview is the primary means of communicating incidents in LC State owned housing. The reports are used by the Residence Life staff as an informational and historical record of events, as well as a tool for follow-up investigations or disciplinary actions. Field Interview reports are not limited to violations of LC State and Residence Life Policy, and can be purely informational in nature. Once an incident report has been filed, the conduct officer will determine if there may have been a violation of a LC State or Residence Life Policy.
Due Process: The Behavior Response Team reviews all policy violations and determines who will adjudicate the violation. Once it has been determined that a hearing is necessary, the resident(s) involved will be notified by letter using campus mail to meet with a Hearing Officer (typically the Vice President for Student Affairs or Director of Residence Life or designee). At this meeting, the Hearing Officer(s) will discuss whether a violation has occurred, determine the degree to which the resident was involved, and assign a sanction if appropriate.
Sanctions: The Hearing Officer will use appropriate and fair sanctions based upon the State Board of Education’s policy, LC State Policy, and Residence Life Policy. These sanctions include, but are not limited to:
- Residence Life Probation: A documented statement that further misconduct may result in a recommendation that the resident be removed from the floor, hall, or house and/or be subjected to other disciplinary action.
- Transfer to another floor within the hall or room within the house: Moving the resident from an assigned floor or room to another floor or room within the hall or house. In some instances, the resident may be moved to another room in another campus owned property.
- Eviction: Administrative action taken to remove a resident from LC State owned housing. If evicted, the resident is no longer permitted to reside in any LC State-owned property. Eviction may occur within 48 hours of official notification.
- Restitution: The resident is required to make payment to LC State or to the persons, groups, or organizations for damages. This is true whether the action was intentional or an accident.
- Community Service: Specified number of hours that a student must complete. The amount of time and location is determined by the Hearing Officer. Students may complete hours assisting their RA, custodial staff or other campus departments.
- Educational Sanctions: A student may be required to complete educational sanctions. These have included research papers, an informational bulletin board, counseling, or anger management sessions, etc.
- Counseling and/or Alcohol/Drug Intake: A student may be referred to these support services as a way to assist the student in more effective management of personal crisis and alcohol/drug misuse.
- No Re-Contract: Any sanction could include informing a student that they are not welcome to re-contract to live in LC State owned housing in the future.
- No Trespass: A student who is evicted from a LC State owned housing or is not allowed to re-contract may also be informed that they are not allowed to enter any LC State owned housing for a specified period of time or indefinitely.
Appeals Process: Please refer to the Student Code of Conduct Appeal Process.
Failure to Appear: A student who fails to appear for a conduct meeting or fails to submit an appeal within the limited time will not be excused from pending action. The student will be informed of the decision in writing.
A student who voluntarily withdraws from LC State owned housing or LC State prior to the completion of the proceedings is not excused from pending action.
Residents are issued keys upon check-in to housing. Residents are responsible for the security of their room – DO NOT LEND YOUR KEYS TO ANYONE. Residents should lock doors whenever leaving their room. If a key is lost, inform someone in the Residence Life main office staff as soon as possible. The cost to replace a metal room key is $75. NOTE: Duplication of College keys is prohibited.
SALTO key fobs give residents access to the front door of each residence hall, and in some of our halls students use the SALTO fob for their bedroom or suite. For a lost SALTO fob, residents must go to Residence Life and will be assessed a $10 replacement fee. After business hours or on the weekend, an RA or LCSC Public Safety can let a resident back into their room.
Talkington Hall, Clark Hall, and Parrish House are equipped with a stove, refrigerator, and microwave for resident use. Residents are responsible for keeping the area clean for others to use and to ensure that precautions are taken to prevent fires. Never leave a hot stove unattended.
All housing are equipped with washers and dryers, which are provided free of charge to residents. These facilities are for the exclusive use of the residents and not open to guests. Please report problems with the equipment in a maintenance request and include the number marked on the machine.
Residents who are locked out of their housing should first try and locate their Resident Assistant (RA) or an RA in the building. If RA staff cannot be located, residents can call Residence Life or LCSC Public Safety. Identification is needed to verify that the resident is the person assigned to the bed space being requested unlocked. Three lockouts are allowed per semester, and after that a hold is placed on the resident's account and a $5 lockout fee is assessed.
Locking mailboxes are provided for everyone living in each residence hall and are located on the main floor of each building. Residents are issued a mailbox at check-in. Mail should be addressed in the following manner:
Resident Name
Lewis-Clark State College
500 8th Avenue
Name of Hall & Room Number
Lewiston, ID 83501
If something needs to be repaired in a room, suite or building, please report it to the Residence Life office. Maintenance staff will respond as quickly as possible. Note: residents should never attempt to make repairs themselves. There is a Housing Maintenance Request Form on the front page of the Residence Life website.
LC State Custodial Services and Physical Plant reserves the right to enter the room or suite without notice during reasonable hours when necessary to provide maintenance, service, repairs, improvements, to make inspections, or for any other legitimate purpose. The hours between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. have been designated as a reasonable time period.
If a student is missing, please contact Public Safety, 208-792-2815, to make a report.
Residents are expected to cooperate with Residence Life staff, Public Safety, and other LC State officials. A resident shall not interfere with, disturb, or obstruct any other student or staff member of LC State by means of noise or abusive language. Residents who verbally abuse or fail to cooperate with LC State officials (including all members of the Residence Life staff) acting in the performance of their duties, may face disciplinary action.
Packages may be sent through the campus mailroom, located in the Sam Glenn Complex basement.
Packages received will be held in the campus mailroom located in the bottom floor of Sam Glenn Complex. A package notice will be emailed to the student's campus email address and residents must bring a photo ID to retrieve a package.
Good personal hygiene is important for the prevention of disease and illness. Good housekeeping helps eliminate foul odors and keeps insects and rodents out of LC State housing. It is the responsibility of all residents to keep their rooms and suites clean.
All personal property needs to be kept in a resident's room or within their apartment. Personal items cannot be stored in shared use common areas (i.e. lounges and bathrooms). Any items left in common areas will be thrown away by custodians when they clean those areas or brought to the Residence Life office to be claimed. Multiple violations of this policy may result in conduct proceedings.
The only pets allowed in LC State housing are fish and they must be kept in a fish tank no larger than 5 gallons. Residents requiring a service or emotional support animal must contact Accessibility Services before an animal is brought into LC State housing.
The feeding of neighborhood animals/strays is not allowed. This attracts animals to the dorms and increases the chances of them getting into LC State housing. Due to potential allergies and fear/wariness of animals, this is not allowed. Any students found to be feeding or letting stray animals into LC State housing will be fined. While most of the animals that are around campus are well loved pets, if you suspect there is a stray/abandoned animal, please call Animal Control so that the animal can be taken to a shelter and has a chance to find a permanent home.
Fire safety regulations prohibit posting materials on fire exit doors, windows, or in stairwells. Any items posted on bulletin boards need to be distributed by the Office of Housing and Residence Life. Only campus sponsored events/club sponsored events can be advertised in the halls. If a club or organization wants to advertise in the residence halls, the flyers need to be delivered to Residence Life in Talkington Hall basement. There is a maximum of 5 flyers allowed per hall. Resident Assistants hang the flyers on their nightly walks through the halls.
The college employs uniformed campus Public Safety personnel. LC State Public Safety handles traffic control, parking violations, campus safety inspections, building security, investigative work, College Policy enforcement and documentation of violations of College or state law. Thefts and other crimes should be reported to Public Safety immediately at (208) 792-2815.
Quiet Hours are from 10:00pm to 8:00am Sunday through Thursday. On weekends, quiet hours are from 12 midnight to 8:00am. Some facilities may establish stricter policies if they desire. In addition, all halls observe special quiet hours the week prior to and during Finals Week. During this time, 24-hour quiet hours will be in effect.
Courtesy hours are in effect at all times. Courtesy hours allow all residents to sleep, study, relax, or host visitors without distracting noise from neighbors. If asked to be quiet, residents are expected to cooperate. Excessive noise (loud stereos, televisions, amplified instruments, loud voices, etc.) is an infringement on the rights of others and is prohibited. No amplified music directed out a window is permitted. While it is the responsibility of everyone to control noise, it is also the responsibility of those affected by noise to contact the offending party and request that the problem be eliminated before contacting Residence Life staff.
The Application and License Agreement each student signs when they apply for housing is a legal and binding agreement for an academic year. Refunds are not given to residents remaining in school but choosing to live off-campus after moving into the halls. If a student is leaving LC State because of financial or personal reasons, please contact the Office of Residence Life. Residence Life follows the LC State Student Accounts' refund schedule.
As a tenant, personal belongings are not insured from theft, fire, or water damage while renting from LC State. It is strongly recommended that residents purchase renter’s insurance or make arrangements with the parents’ insurance company to insure coverage of personal belongings.
The Resident Assistants (RA's), Programmer, and Residence Directors plan various campus-wide and hall specific programs and activities to entertain and educate residents. All residents are encouraged to participate in events, as it is shown that students involved on campus are more successful in LC State. Programs are funded by a portion of the $25 per semester Activity Fee. Residents wanting to get involved can talk to their RA to find out how to help plan activities in their hall.
There are no room or suite changes during the first three weeks of any semester. Please note, during national health emergencies/pandemics, students may be asked to move all of their belonging to an isolation suite prior before completing a room change. Residents wanting to move must follow the guidelines below:
- Speak to your suitemates/roommate about your concern(s).
- If communicating with the suitemates/roommates does not work, please meet with the RA on your floor to set up a mediation.
- If, after a mediation, the RA decides that a resident needs to move, and there is availability in another room, floor, or hall, the RA will verify the move with the Residence Director to recommend the move. If a room change is necessary but there are no available rooms, a student can do a room swap with another resident in the same or different building.
- Residents may not move unless the guidelines above are followed. Any resident moving without following the guidelines may be fined and subject to disciplinary action.
NOTE: The Office of Housing and Residence Life reserves the right to limit the number of room moves allowed in any given semester/year.
LC State respects the resident’s right to privacy. LC State does, however, reserve the right to enter a resident’s room/suite at any time for health, safety, welfare, and maintenance purposes. These entries are usually done with advance notice to the occupants via student campus email. In cases where there is probable cause to believe that the resident is or has been violating the Student Code of Conduct and/or Residence Life Policies, a LC State administrator can enter a resident’s room without a resident’s permission. If, in the event of an inspection (fire drill, fire alarm, cleaning inspection, etc.) a violation has been found the violation will be documented and the resident(s) will be put through the judicial process.
Upon check-in, residents are required to note any existing damages in their room on a Room Condition Form (RCF). When filling out the RCF, describe the existing damages in detail; note any scratches, holes, and missing or broken furniture and fixtures. Upon completion, the resident and a Resident Assistant will sign the RCF prior to receiving keys. When residents move out of the residence halls, a Residence Life staff person will inspect each room. If the Residence Life staff finds anything broken, damaged, or unaccounted for that was not previously listed on the RCF, if there was trash left in the room, or if the room was left excessively dirty, the resident will be required to pay for those damages.
It is recommended that residents keep their house/room/suite door locked at all times and carry keys. When walking across campus at night, always walk with a “buddy.” Report any intruders or suspected unescorted guests to a Residence Life staff member or to Public Safety. Please remember that Public Safety does provide rides or accompanied walks anywhere on campus and also to Parrish House and Clearwater Hall.
Residents who jeopardize the safety or security of other residents by propping, disabling doors, or letting unauthorized individuals into the building (intentionally or unintentionally) or endanger others in any way, will face disciplinary action.
Smoking tobacco and vaping are prohibited inside all LC State owned housing. Smoking/vaping is permitted in outer parking lots only. Residents have the right to be free of exposure to smoke and the hazards associated with or caused by smoking/vaping.
Chewing tobacco on walls, carpet, or in water fountains will be considered damage and will be charged to residents accordingly.
LC State does not allow door-to-door or use of common areas for solicitation of funds, products, or services in LC State owned housing. Any solicitors should be reported to Residence Life staff immediately. Residents are not permitted to run private businesses from their LC State owned housing, including hosting parties that sell items (examples include, but not limited to Scentsy, Mary Kay, etc.).
Residents may not engage in any sports or sport-related activities within LC State owned housing, lounges, hallways, stairwells, or other public areas. Playing sports in a confined area can lead to injury and/or damage to private or LC State property. In addition, bicycles, skateboards/hoverboards and roller blades/skates are not to be ridden or worn in the halls.
There is a LC State-owned phone in Talkington Hall in the Residence Life office, Clark Hall in the main lobby and Parrish House in the room to the right of the main entry. Residents can use the phone for local and on-campus calls.
Residents who wish to terminate their contract prior to the end of the contract period are subject to the following terms and conditions (in all cases, the deposit will be forfeited):
- Under all conditions a Petition for Contract Release must be completed with the Office of Housing and Residence Life. This includes residents who are getting married, transferring, or withdrawing from LC State. Approval or non-approval of the petition is contingent upon meeting the criteria set forth in the petition. Termination of the contract is not guaranteed. The Behavior Response Team reviews petitions during their weekly meeting and Residence Life staff will advise the resident of the outcome of the Petition.
- A resident whose petition is denied shall be obligated for the full amount of the room contract - semester or academic year, depending on when the cancellation request is submitted.
- Residents who are required to leave LC State owned housing due to disciplinary action or judicial sanction are still responsible for the entire semester or academic year room rent.
- Formal check-out with a Residence Life staff member is required.
LCSC recommends that residents record a complete description, including model and serial numbers, of property such as laptops, other technology, bicycles, etc. with LCSC Public Safety. Promptly report information to a Public Safety Officer (208-792-2815) regarding the loss of property. In order to reduce the opportunity for theft, the Office of Housing and Residence Life recommends houses, bedrooms, and suites remain locked at all times.
Any animal found in the dormitories, that is not authorized (i.e. visiting animals, any animal beyond fish/solely aquatic) will be immediately removed. The student will be subject to adjudication for rule violations, and will also be fined the current amount charged by a professional cleaning company to clean the room. Cleaning fees apply to each bedroom and common areas in suites. The length of time an animal was on campus does not factor into fines, any animal presences will be fined the full amount. Roommates who fail to report unauthorized animals will also be fined and subject to adjudication.
Per the Residence Life policy, if someone is caught with an unauthorized animal, that student is not eligible for ESA authorization after a violation for one academic year.
The contract period is from a specified date in August until the last day of finals in May. It does not include Winter break. If a resident requests to live in the residence halls during winter break, there will be a daily fee applied to the student account. Current residents can also apply to live on campus for the summer.
Residents may NOT bring any firearms, guns, ammunition, or any other weapons which may be hazardous to the health or safety of residents into college owned housing, (please refer to the policy on Firearms on Campus) This includes, but is not limited to air-soft guns, steel-tipped darts, pellet or BB guns, paint guns, sling shots, bows/arrows, axes, machetes, nun-chucks, swords, tasers, throwing stars, and knives larger than 4". When found in a resident's space, these items will be confiscated by Public Safety. All legal firearms (and ammunition), and weapons owned by residents are to be stored with Public Safety with 24 hours advance notice. Residents may check out their weapons from Public Safety. A picture identification is required to retrieve items from Public Safety.
To prevent personal injuries and property damage, throwing anything from a LC State owned housing window is prohibited. Residents found responsible for throwing objects from housing windows will be subject to immediate disciplinary action and possible eviction from the building. Removal of screens may result in a fine.
Community Standards
Living in campus housing (Residence Hall or LC State owned Off-Campus Properties) at LC State means living within a community of students. This community is a dynamic place, composed of various people with different values, cultures, lifestyles and attitudes. As members of the community, we must strive to understand the individuality and life choices of those among us. We can best learn from one another in an atmosphere of positive encouragement and mutual respect. We must possess a genuine desire to learn from those around us, as well as give the respect and tolerance we desire from others. Each person has a role to play in our campus community, and should be allowed to do so. Living in campus housing at LCSC affords you many opportunities to face challenges, achieve success in a variety of areas, and grow as an individual. These things only happen when you actively participate and support your housing community.
Residence Life staff members believe that for residents to be an important part of their residential community, everyone should have the privilege of shaping and building the community. We consider the creation of community standards as a guide for developing communities.
At a floor meeting during the first few weeks of the semester, resident hall students will discuss and determine the standards they would like for their community. The community members discuss how they want to live together, how they will treat one another, how they will utilize their common space, etc. The outcome of developing community standards is for the members to create goals for the year. After the community has determined these standards, they are posted throughout the floor for all the residents and guests to review and follow. Community Standards are considered "living" documents, which means they can be modified if the community agrees to the modifications. These documents are reviewed frequently to make sure they continue to meet the needs of the residents who developed them. Our off-campus tenants should facilitate these conversations amongst themselves and determine as a household what their standards will be.
The Community Standards process is a support piece designed to assist residents who live and study in a diverse community. By openly discussing and making group decisions about negotiable items, all residents have the opportunity to participate as members of a greater whole.
Your Community Rights Include:
- To sleep, study, and socialize in your room without unreasonable disturbance
- To live in a safe, secure, healthy, and clean environment
- To be an active member within a supportive and stimulating community
- To gain access to a variety of programs and services
- To become involved in the community through participation in the community's programs, the planning of events, and caring for the facilities and the community environment
- To grow and develop as a citizen of LC State through interaction with other members of the community
Your Responsibilities in the Community Include:
- To consider the needs of other residents and to balance them with your own needs
- To provide open communication with other community members and Residence Life staff
- To promote individual and community safety
- To demonstrate dignity and respect for all individuals
The Residence Life staff in each hall is present to assist residents in creating a positive living community. They work hard to create a residence hall environment that is conducive to academic, social, and personal pursuits that lead to a resident's success and graduation from LC State. By organizing floor meetings, educational interactions, and social events, residents and staff come together to enjoy all of the benefits and conveniences of living on campus.
(Adapted from In Search of Community, Ernest Boyer, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.)
Roommate Relationships
Roommates don't need to share every aspect of LC State life together, and are not necessarily best friends; however, all roommates need an understanding of one another's lifestyles, values, and expectations. Having a roommate is an exciting and often rewarding experience. The best roommates are those that have similar schedules and level of cleanliness – but not necessarily hang out all of the time.
Communication between roommates is the key to establishing a positive relationship. This relationship will contribute to your overall satisfaction with college life. You should discuss any problems that arise and should work together to resolve any differences. Keep in mind that individual rights to sleep, study, and to privacy are primary over all other rights, including visitation and other privileges.
Steps to Follow When Conflict Arises
- In private, approach the roommate or person displaying the unacceptable behavior.
- Be direct and specific (not insensitive) about the problem or concern. Use "I" statements, not "You".
- Discuss the person's behavior, not the person's personality (this enables the person to be less defensive).
- If the situation does not improve, arrange to meet again with the roommate or person.
- Each person involved should take a turn describing his/her perception of the situation, how he/she feels about it and what he/she wants. Use "I" statements, not "You".
- Each person should agree to a compromise and help develop a solution.
- Together, develop a plan of action and set a time-frame for the changes to occur.
- Set a future date to evaluate the situation and renegotiate if necessary.
If a person finds it difficult to approach a roommate or a roommate is unresponsive, seek assistance from your Resident Assistant. Take the initiative to act positively.
To assist you and your roommate/suitemates with getting to know each other and setting out some preliminary expectations regarding living together for the upcoming year, we encourage you to read and complete a roommate or suitemate agreement at the beginning of the year.