Community Standards

● Residents and guests are expected to follow state laws and University regulations related to alcohol use and possession. With the exception of legal dependents, residents and guests under 21 years of age may not be in the same room or apartment as an open container of alcohol. If a minor is present in an apartment, residents 21 and over can consume alcohol in their individual bedroom with the door closed.

● If alcohol is found in residential facilities, it is considered to be in the resident's possession. In all residential areas, any alcoholic beverages possessed in violation of UAF regulations will be confiscated and disposed of by Residence Life staff.

● Alcohol must be confined to individual rooms, suites, and apartments. The consumption of alcohol is not permitted in or on public and common areas, including hallways, lounges, lobbies, and porches.

● Displays of alcohol or alcohol containers are permitted for residents of legal age, as long as displays are not in public view (able to be viewed by someone outside the room or apartment or through a window). Underage residents or residents of substance-free halls may not display containers that once held alcohol.

● The sale of alcoholic beverages to a person by another individual on campus is prohibited.

● Use of common sources of alcohol, including but not limited to kegs, party balls, beer pong, trashcans, and punch bowls is prohibited.

● In order to transport alcohol into halls residents must live in that particular building, and not be perceptibly under the influence of alcohol.

● Neither alcohol possession nor intoxication are allowed in Moore or Skarland Hall, regardless of resident age. 

Your appliances must be UAF approved. Please practice safety when using appliances or electronic items and do not overload the circuits. Residents are not allowed to use any large personal appliances (oven, fridge larger than specified below, dishwasher, washer, dryer, etc.) without written consent of the university.

Due to fire and safety standards, the following items are prohibited from residence hall rooms and apartments:

● Halogen lamps
● Octopus lamps
● Kerosene lamps
● Space heaters
● Toaster ovens

The following items may not be used in individual rooms, but may be used under the range hood in the kitchen of each hall or apartment:

● Crock pots
● Deep fryer
● Air fryer
● Hot plate
● Electric griddle
● Rice cookers
● Toasters
● George Foreman-type grills

For convenience, residents may store the above items in their room, but if they use or are suspected of using these items in their room they may lose the privilege of storing them.

The following items are permitted in individual rooms/apartments:

● Automatic coffee makers
● Air popcorn poppers
● Refrigerators (which do not exceed 3 1/2 feet in height)
● Microwave ovens smaller than 1 cubic foot (1,000 watts)
● Electric tea kettles with an automatic shut off In single student residence halls, each resident is allowed one microwave and one refrigerator unless a resident has bought a super-single room. Wickersham suites come with a micro-fridge in each room, and one additional refrigerator is allowed in each individual’s room (cannot exceed two/room). Residents of the apartments and homes are provided fridges, and one additional refrigerator is allowed in each resident’s room (cannot exceed two/room). 

Animals, with the exception of service animals, approved assistance animals, and non-poisonous/non-venomous freshwater fish (in a tank not exceeding 10 gallons) are prohibited in non-EFG areas; residents of Employee, Family, and Graduate Housing units each have their own guidelines for animals. Unapproved animals are not permitted in the residence halls or apartments, including visiting animals. If an unapproved animal is found in a living unit, the animal may be removed and the owner of the animal will go through the conduct process.

Stray cats and dogs will be taken to the vlog Animal Control/Shelter. You may contact them directly at (907) 459-1451.

Do not leave out any food for strays. When you feed stray animals, you are also attracting rodents and bugs. Call campus safety at (907) 474-7721 if you find any strays. Residents are responsible for any damage caused by animals. 

Find the Animal Policy and Agreement here.

When outside of your residence hall room residents are expected to wear shirts and bottoms at all times. Individuals may not be nude in hallways, lounges, common areas, or community bathrooms.

Residence Life furniture is not allowed on balconies or decks, and residents may not place anything (e.g., furniture, satellite dishes, boxes, signs) on the roofs or ledges of University buildings. Throwing or shooting objects from balconies, decks, or ledges is prohibited. Individuals may not climb in/out of or hang off of balconies, decks, or ledges.

Bicycles may be placed in the racks outside each residential facility, stored inside resident rooms, or kept in storage areas. For fire safety reasons, please do not park bicycles on sidewalks, entrances, or in stairwells. Bicycles found in hallways will be subject to impound. Bicycles may not be ridden or parked inside the lobbies and common areas of any residence halls or in the MBS complex, but may be walked through to a resident’s room or apartment. Bicycles should be kept locked at all times. Unused bicycles locked in public areas over the summer may be removed.

Balconies, hallways, and stairwells must have a clear passage at all times. Hanging beads, tapestries, banners, flags, sheets, or other items in a manner that blocks egress from the inside of a residential community room is prohibited. Arrange your furniture and store belongings so that exits, heat vents, and/or water heaters are not blocked. Do not store bicycles, sports equipment, furniture, luggage, etc., in hallways, lounges, stairwells, entrances, or any area that is a means of escape during an emergency. Residence Life staff may remove any object obstructing egress (emergency exit) and charge residents for that removal. 

Most residential facility twin beds on campus can be bunked with metal pegs available from your hall office. Beds can only be lofted using our provided furniture, and are not permitted at this time.

The use of your address or residential facility for conducting private entrepreneurial ventures by you or your visitors is prohibited. You are not allowed to run a business on state property.

You are responsible for respecting the rights of others in the residential community and acting with civility at all times. Social responsibility is the very foundation of everything we do and civility means demonstrating mutual respect for all individuals. This includes all interactions between residents, student staff, and University administrators. If you are not able to resolve the problem on your own, please bring these issues to the attention of your Resident Assistant, Resident Director, or any Residence Life staff member.


You are responsible for developing and maintaining an atmosphere that promotes social awareness and the social appreciation and support of those who may be different from you. It is an expectation that you actively participate in conflict resolution. You are responsible for attending meetings hosted by Residence Life staff.

Renting out your space, or allowing unauthorized students, residents, or individuals to live in your space is prohibited. You are not allowed to sublet (rent out) your room/apartment or any part of it. Do not permit anyone other than your roommates, approved dependents, and/or approved adults to live in your room/apartment. Doing so is a violation of your agreement and may lead to your removal from the room/apartment and possible additional charges.

Cohabitation is defined as the regular and/or steady presence of a guest (typically more than threeconsecutive nights in single student housing or more than 2 weeks in EFG). Someone staying in your room/apartment beyond what is allowed by the guest policy constitutes squatting; if you allow squatting you may be assessed a bill and face removal from your particular residence hall or from housing.

The University may bill residents for costs, assess fines, and/or take other conduct action in order to carry out community billing. False fire alarms activated within buildings that are not chargeable to individuals may be billed to the members of the community. The University reserves the right to assess the entire community for cost or damage to equipment if the responsible party is not identified. Report any violations to the University Police Department or Residence Life staff. The reporting individual will remain anonymous.
Examples of damage resulting in community billing include vandalism to a floor, clogging of toilets, and removal of showerheads (please note: this list is not exhaustive). You will be notified via email of any community billing on your floor or in your building.

Individuals may use the restroom that corresponds to their gender identity.

● Shower/toilet stalls are reserved for one individual only.
● No photos shall be taken in any restroom/shower.
● Residents are not to wash dishes, clothing, or other items in the sinks or showers.

Residents may personalize their room within established guidelines. Residents may not utilize nails, screws, or tacks to hang decorations on their walls.  Any damage caused by adhesive material, nails, or screws will result in damage charges. No decorations may be attached to the ceiling or near fire equipment. Decorations may not be visible outside of the unit.

Residents are not permitted to make any permanent alterations to their unit without written approval from the Department of Residence Life. Including but not limited to air conditioners, ceiling fans, wall-mounted shelves, hanging lamps, antennas, and satellite dishes.

Exterior lighting (outside residential facility windows or doors) is not permitted.

Electrical lights and appliances cannot total more than 850 watts in an individual room at any one time. Only three strands of lights can be linked together per electrical outlet and live holiday trees are not permitted. Only mini-lights approved by the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) are permitted for residential facility decorations. All lights must be unplugged when residents retire for the evening or leave their room.

Natural trees are not permitted in residence hall rooms/apartments. Flame-retardant artificial trees are permitted but must be no more than four feet tall.

Any organic materials used for holiday decorations (e.g. pumpkins/jack-o-lanterns) must be disposed of in a timely manner to avoid damage due to decay and may not be placed outside rooms, in hallways, or outside apartments, as they attract rodents and large wildlife like moose.

EFG Addendum:

Residents in Employee, Family, and Graduate housing may utilize small (¾” or less) finishing nails. Anything larger needs to be requested through Residence Life and will be accommodated as staff is available, depending on the request. Residents are responsible for any damage caused to their rooms during their stay.

Under Alaska state law, violence between roommates is chargeable as domestic violence.  This includes physical altercations, threats of physical harm, threats to harm someone the other person cares about, and threats to harm yourself (if done with the intent to influence the decisions of another).  Violence or threats against any resident will be reported to the University Police Department.  Domestic violence charges may impact your ability to qualify for continued housing on campus.

Victims of domestic violence are encouraged to report their experience to the University Police Department and/or the Department of Residence Life.  The Department of Residence Life is committed to helping victims of domestic violence avoid further harm and will provide reasonable modifications to housing arrangements. University Title IX policy also allows for the request of supportive measures such as campus escorts, extensions for classwork, and university no-contact orders.

 

Space beyond the interior of one’s assigned room/apartment (e.g. windows and door exteriors) is considered to be a public space and therefore is maintained under the jurisdiction of the Department of Residence Life. Residents have the right to approach anyone who displays a decoration that they believe to be offensive or obscene in order to discuss their concerns and ask for its removal. For example, posters of nude individuals and harassing or intimidating visual materials are generally considered inappropriate.

Check with Residence Life staff if you have questions about what may or may not be appropriate. Displays that raise a legitimate safety concern or violate university policies may not be hung on residential facility doors or in general view of the public. Residence Life staff will determine if items need to be removed.

Covering more than 20% of the total surface of the outside of room doors in the residential community is prohibited. If residents are interested in decorating their doors they have to obtain prior approval from their Resident Director and must have all materials removed by the predetermined date.

Drones or Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) may be stored in your residential room/apartment, but may not be flown within the residential community. Please refer to FAA guidelines for flying in the vlog community.

The unauthorized use, manufacture, distribution, possession, or being under the influence of illegal drugs or other controlled substances in violation of local, state or federal law, Regents’ Policy, University Regulation or MAU rules and procedures, is prohibited. Possession or use of marijuana or any other substance controlled pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 841 et seq. anywhere on university property is prohibited.

● It is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct and the Department of Residence Life policy to possess, distribute, or use any substance solely for the purpose of becoming intoxicated.
● Residents cannot store drugs, including marijuana, in personal vehicles while the vehicles are on campus.
● Paraphernalia is prohibited in Residence Life facilities.

Tampering with or misuse of University elevators is prohibited. This includes but is not limited to overcrowding, overloading, jumping in, vandalizing, and tampering. Pulling the doors apart and/or causing the elevator to malfunction in any way may result in damages and charges. To sound any elevator alarm bell without due cause, or to interfere with the normal operation of elevators, is prohibited.

Extension cords may not be connected to each other (daisy chained) in order to plug in items. This creates a tripping hazard and other electrical issues and is prohibited. Extension cords also may not be run from one room or apartment to another, or out windows or doors. Residents and their guests may not run extension cords from their apartments out to the road, across sidewalks and/or across parking lots to plug in a vehicle.

Extension cords shall not be used as permanent wiring.

● Setting a fire within the buildings or in areas contiguous to the buildings is prohibited. Open flames are not allowed within residence life facilities.

● Running electrical wires beneath rugs or carpet is prohibited.

● Living areas need to be kept clean and orderly, with trash removed regularly and limited excess items that would cause reasonable concern for health and safety.

● See prohibited items for more information

 

Gambling of any kind is prohibited. Raffles are considered gambling and are prohibited by University regulation. Special approval may be given on a case-by-case basis. Contact Residence Life staff for more information.

Storage of grills within a residential area presents a safety hazard and is not permitted. Cooking indoors with charcoal and gas grills, or any open flame device, is prohibited. 

Grills can be stored on uncovered porches and balconies apartments as long as they are completely cooled and cleaned. 

All grills must be used a minimum of 10 feet from all UAF buildings. Residents are responsible for safe grill operation and disposing of the extinguished ashes and coals in a proper manner.

Residence Life has established guest visitation policies and procedures to address the safety and security needs of the residential community. UAF’s residence halls and apartments are not open to the public. Housing is intended for the residents that reside within the communities and is open to guests based on the invitation of resident(s) that reside in that specific building or apartment. Roommates and suitemates need to discuss visitation and arrive at an acceptable agreement. If a guest creates a disruption that affects a roommate, suitemate(s), other residents, and/or the community, the guest may be asked to leave.

  • A guest is anyone (campus resident or campus non-resident) that is in a room/apartment that they are not assigned to.
  • Guests under the age of 18 must abide by the Minors in Residence Hall & Cutler Apartment Complex policy.
  • A host is an individual who is assigned to the room/apartment.
  • A resident may host a guest a maximum of 3 nights in a row, up to 10 nights per calendar month.
  • A person may be a guest in the residence halls a maximum of 3 nights in a row, up to 10 nights per calendar month.
  • With the exception of the bathroom, guests and hosts must be together at all times.
  • Neither guest nor host can be perceptibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of arrival.
  • Guests are required to follow UA nondiscrimination policies when on campus.

Hosts are responsible for their guests’ behavior and actions, including being liable for any damages. Failure to comply with University policy may result in the guest’s removal from the area and loss of future visitation privileges for both the guest and the resident.

  • Individuals who are 16 and 17 years old are not permitted in the residence halls unless:
    • They have a current housing assignment in the residence halls.
    • They are accompanied by a parent and/or legal guardian.
    • A Minor Visitation Form (MVF) has been submitted by the minor's parent or legal guardian two business days before entering the residential areas. 
  • Individuals 15 years old or younger are not permitted in the residence halls unless:
    • They are accompanied by their parent or legal guardian
    • Guests 15 years or younger may only visit between 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM. Overnight stays are not permitted.

 

Sports are not permitted in interior residential areas, including the MBS lobby. Playing sports games in hallways, lobbies, within residences, or on balconies (including but not limited to basketball, bicycling, Frisbee, skateboarding, hover boarding, football, baseball, hockey, Frisbee golf, running, NERF activities, squirt gun/water fights) is prohibited.

Hammocks are not to be attached to any walls or Residence Life furniture; only self-hanging hammocks are allowed inside private residences. Hammocks may be hung from porches at residents’ own risk, as long as no permanent damage is done to the structure they are affixed to. Hammocks can be hung from trees at residents’ own risk, but should cause no damage to the trees they are tied to and should create no hindrance to other members of the campus community (e.g., they are not permitted across a sidewalk or common walking path). If a University official determines that where you have placed your hammock is causing damage or harm to you, others, or the facility, you may be asked to remove your hammock. Damage caused by the hammock will be charged to the resident(s) of the room/apartment.

Quiet Hours:


Sunday through Thursday: 11:00pm - 8:00am
Friday and Saturday: 1:00am – 10:00am

All residence halls/apartments have 24-hour quiet hours during final exams.

While quiet hours have specific times, courtesy hours are in effect at all times. These are in place to allow residents to sleep, study, relax, or host visitors without distracting noise from neighbors. Stereos, radios, televisions, musical instruments, and conversations must be kept at a level that will not disturb other residents, and if asked residents are expected to adjust their level of noise, regardless of the time. The placement of stereos or speakers in residence hall/apartment windows is prohibited. In the event of repeated noise violations, residents will be asked to remove the noise-making item (e.g., stereo, speakers, and/or computer) from campus.

Excessive noise (loud music, amplified instruments, parties, loud voices, etc.) is an infringement on the rights of others and is unacceptable. It is the responsibility of every person to control their noise level.


If you encounter an excessive noise situation, contact the individual(s) in the room generating the noise and request that the problem be resolved by lowering the noise level. If a direct approach is not successful, or you are not comfortable with a direct approach, contact the Residence Life staff within your area.

In an effort to keep all common areas safe and free from clutter and obstruction, residents are asked to keep personal belongings and trash in their personal areas. Bicycles, trash, boxes, and other items that are found in common/public areas are subject to a $40 removal fee per item.

An offensive odor is any odor or aroma of such intensity that it becomes apparent and is offensive to others.

Any odor can become offensive when it is too strong. Some examples are perfume/cologne, air-freshening spray, trash, or large amounts of dirty laundry. Offensive odors will be addressed by the staff when complaints are received.

Posting of printed materials will be allowed on bulletin boards and other surfaces as designated by UAF.

There are three boards in the MBS lobby that can be utilized by the campus community to promote campus events. Postings will be limited to advertisement for meetings and performances by UAF-affiliated groups.
All posted materials must include specific information as to the individual/organization responsible for the material, the date of the event, and the posted date. No posting on glass surfaces is allowed. Handbills, leaflets, pamphlets, and other similar materials shall not be placed on vehicles parked on UAF property.

Postings must fall within Residence Life and University standards. Any questionable announcements, for reasons of composition, obscenity, size or special consideration, shall be referred to the Director or Associate Director of Residence Life.

Any postings in halls or apartment areas must be approved through the Resident Director of that area. Handbills, leaflets, posters, pamphlets, and similar materials may always be left with the Resident Director or at the Central Office for posting on residential bulletin boards.

Pranks that result in disturbances or distress to others, or that cause damage to University or personal property, or those that foreseeably could have caused damage, disturbance, or distress, are prohibited.

The University community has the right to privacy. Actions and equipment that invade another’s privacy are expressly prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to, scanning devices, monitoring mechanisms, computer “hacking,” and eavesdropping. Unauthorized items are subject to confiscation.

  • Dartboards
  • Flammable Materials
  • Pressurized vessels
  • Space Heaters
  • Waterbeds
  • Hot Tubs
  • Jacuzzis
  • Saunas
  • Trampolines
  • Aerosol Cans (excluding cleaning/hygiene items)
  • Halogen lamps
  • Octopus lamps
  • Fuel using lamps or lanterns
  • Toaster ovens
  • Non-fused and/or UL listed multi-plug adaptors
  • Open flame (camp stoves, candles etc.)
  • Weapons

Residents are fiscally responsible for any damage to their assigned living space. Excessive damage to a room or residential space may result in loss of housing eligibility.

All residential facilities are equipped with a smoke detector. The act of tampering with any smoke detector or fire safety equipment, or the sounding of a false fire alarm, is a criminal offense. These offenses are punishable by up to one year in jail and a maximum fine of $5,000, and/or imposed sanctions through the UAF conduct system.

The residence halls are equipped with automatic sprinkler systems. These sprinklers are provided for your safety and the safety of those around you. Do not tamper with or hang items from/near the sprinklers or pipes as it is a fire code violation and may cause the sprinklers to malfunction. Students who tamper with the sprinkler system may be subject to disciplinary action and/or damage fees.

Malicious abuse of fire equipment may result in the immediate removal of the individual(s) involved. False activation of fire alarms/pull stations within buildings may be billed to the members of the entire community when the responsible individuals do not take responsibility for their actions. False alarms take the University Fire Department away from real fires.

Immediately report any malfunctioning fire equipment or smoke detectors to your hall staff. Do what is reasonable to mitigate setting off the detectors. Residents who are found to have set off an alarm by participating in a prohibited activity are subject to student conduct.

The university is committed to providing a safe and healthy environment for its students, employees, and visitors, by prohibiting tobacco use and smoking, including the use of electronic cigarettes and similar products, within its campuses and facilities. This includes all rooms/apartments and public areas.

Smoking or carrying any lit smoking device, including but not limited to cigarettes, cigars, pipes, kreteks, bidis, incense, and other inhalable burning substances, is prohibited. Using smokeless tobacco or tobacco-containing products is also prohibited in all residential facilities.

Residents over the age of 21 may store their tobacco products in rooms/apartments and smoke in their personal vehicles. For more information on where to smoke or other frequently asked questions, visit /tobaccofreecampus/. 

For the protection and privacy of residents and to prevent the interruption of studies, no door-to-door activity or unapproved public area solicitation for any purpose unrelated to the management of the residential building is allowed without prior consent of the Resident Director or Associate Director of Residence Life.

The residence halls are equipped with automatic sprinkler systems. These sprinklers are provided for your safety and the safety of those around you. Do not tamper with or hang items from/near the sprinklers or pipes as it is a fire code violation and may cause the sprinklers to malfunction. Students who tamper with the sprinkler system may be subject to disciplinary action and/or damage fees.

Residents cannot take or possess another's property without permission of the owner. This includes, but is not limited to, the property of a roommate, resident, any other individual, company, or the University. Removal of signs from University, city, state, or other government property poses a potential safety hazard for citizens. Possession of these signs constitutes theft. Residence Life staff who see these signs in your living space will notify the UAF Police. Residence Life does not accept liability for the damage, theft, loss of personal property, or for the loss of money. In the event that property is lost, damaged, or stolen, hall staff can assist you in contacting the UAF police to file an incident report.

In Employee, Family, and Graduate Housing, dependents of residents who are under the age of 12 are not to be left unattended in any residential areas. In Cutler Apartments and single student-housing, minors (under the age of 18) are only permitted as outlined in the guest visitation policy and are not to be left unattended.

Individuals are prohibited from entering restricted access areas unless specifically authorized to do so by Residence Life staff. These areas may include but are not limited to, community front desks, roofs, attics, staff apartments, closed halls, or machine/storage rooms. Forced or unauthorized entry into any residence halls or resident’s room is prohibited, as is entering a bathroom designated for the opposite gender.

Emergency exits are to be used during emergency evacuations only. Any misuse of emergency exits is prohibited.

Lounges are available for study, social, and recreational uses. Formal group activities in common areas without proper authorization  from Residence Life staff is also prohibited. If you would like to reserve a common lounge or Residence Life space, please contact your Resident Director. Moving furniture from Residence Life space is not permitted without prior permission from the Residence Director.

Residents should take proper care of their building and its furnishings. The preservation of housing units and their furnishings is the joint responsibility of all roommates assigned to a specific suite, room, or apartment, and all residents assigned to a specific building or residence hall. Residents who witness any act of vandalism and/or who may know the identity of the responsible person(s) should notify a Residence Life staff member immediately.

Residence Life reserves the right to assess residents collectively or individually for any vandalism to the buildings, grounds, or furnishings.

Concealed weapons are not allowed on University property for personal safety, all weapons and explosives are prohibited in residential facilities. Some items that are considered weapons or explosives include: all guns (including BB guns) and ammunition, axes, martial arts weapons, mace, nunchucks, slingshots, spears, swords, with the exception of cooking knives - knives larger than pocket knives (3”), taser/stun guns, potato guns/cannons, bows and/or arrows, acid, paintball guns, and gunpowder. Alaska state law prohibits the possession of brass knuckles. Residents are allowed to carry and store pepper spray for personal protection in their residence hall rooms and apartments. Residents possessing pepper spray should be familiar with the instructions for their personal protection device.

Residents utilizing weapons for a UAF sanctioned class or activity should reach out to their Resident Director before checking into their space.

Weapon storage is available free of charge to UAF residents courtesy of the UAF Police Department. Contact the UAF Police Department at (907) 474-7721 to use the weapon storage room and for storage room hours. Storing a weapon anywhere in the residential community is prohibited. Residents may store their weapons in their locked vehicles.

Windows

Individuals should not remove and/or damage the windows, screens, or window restraining devices in the Residence Life areas. Any transaction of objects through windows is prohibited. Individuals may not climb in or out of or hang off the window, unless there is an emergency situation.

Windows in the residential facilities are a significant source of heat loss. Please refrain from leaving windows open when temperatures drop below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, as freezing can occur, along with buildings creating more heat and higher temperatures within other rooms, making the community uncomfortable.