Campus Safety

Resident/Guest Required Evacuation During Alarm

Prompt and complete evacuation of residential campus buildings and facilities is mandatory when a fire alarm is sounded or when so directed by a University official, which includes Resident Advisors (RAs).Residents and guests are expected to depart the building quickly and to stand outside no less than 100 yards from the building just evacuated. Residents should treat all alarms as a real safety threat and evacuate the building. Only a University official or Juneau Fire Department may issue the all clear command, allowing re-entry to the building.

Failure to Evacuate or Failure to Comply with Staff Directive During an Alarm

Individuals who fail to comply with the evacuation provision will be subject to conduct action and a $250 fine.

Fire Alarm System

Housing has a heat and smoke sensitive fire alarm system that is maintained regularly. For safety sake, this system is highly sensitive and on-guard.

Heat and Smoke Sensors

Tampering with the sensors, including removing the sensor or covering the sensor, may set off trouble alarms, which will notify Student Housing staff of the location of the compromised sensor. Heat-emitting appliances, such as hair dryers, have been known to set off trouble alarms when a blast of hot air hits the sensor. Additionally, sensor oxygen deprivation from having been covered with plastic, thus restricting air flow (i.e. by someone smoking in the unit), has also been cause for triggering alarms. Fire Sprinkler Systems Residence Halls and the Housing Lodge maintain sprinkler systems that are sensitive to both heat and pressure. Residents should not tamper with sprinkler heads or hang items from these fixtures. If the sprinkler system is engaged, it would likely cause a minimum of $10,000 in damages with its initial burst before it could be stopped. Damage to these systems caused by a resident, both intentional and/or through negligence, may result in costs being assessed to resident responsible.

Fire Safety Guidelines

To comply with local and state codes and to observe prudent safety precautions, Student Housing will enforce the following fire safety regulations:

• See the Appliances and Equipment section for a list of approved electrical items.
• Open flames, including candles, incense, kerosene lamps or stoves, and other similar items are not permitted in any unit. Jar candles may be placed on electric candle warmers, though residents are reminded not to leave the warmer unattended or plugged in for extended periods.
• No flammable or combustible liquids such as gasoline, propane, or similar substances may be stored in any unit. Turpentine, kerosene, paint thinner, and similar flammable substances used for camping or art classes may be stored in storage rooms or bathrooms in small quantities, no more than one half-gallon. These should not be stored near heaters or any heat-producing appliances, nor should they be kept in a fashion where they might tip or spill. Additionally, such substances can only be stored in the approved containers in which they were sold. Any flammable substances found in student housing that violate this policy will be confiscated and conduct action will be taken against those responsible for storing such substances.
• Smoke detectors are not to be covered or blocked.
• Tampering with the wiring or components of the fire alarm system is not permitted.
• Fire extinguishers are not to be removed from their proper locations, including the wall-mounted extinguishers in apartments, or to be discharged except in the event of a fire emergency.
• There is a $100 fine and conduct action for tampering with fire safety equipment, including smoke and heat detectors, pull-boxes, alarms and sirens, sprinkler heads, extinguishers, or fire panels.
• Fire doors and any other doors with closing mechanisms are to be kept closed at all times except in the event of fire emergency. Fire exits, including foyers at each end of residence hall corridors, may not be blocked with any furniture or objects. They must remain clean and empty at all times.
• Only university wiring is allowed in residence hall rooms and apartments, and only a reasonable number of standard U.L. approved extension cords may be used. Students should take caution not to overload extension cords and circuits with too many large appliances; televisions, stereos, microwaves, freezers, and other such appliances should be given their own extension cord or be plugged directly into the wall electrical outlet.
• All approved heat-producing appliances such as hair dryers, coffee pots, popcorn poppers and irons must be plugged directly into wall outlets and unplugged when not in use.
• Extension cords must be exposed at all times; they may not be placed under carpets or other furnishings.
• No partitions or wall-like structures are to be installed in housing units by students.
• Nothing is allowed to block, even partially, any means of egress, including doorways and windows.
• Furniture placed in front of windows must not be higher than will allow for access to the window sill and for individuals to easily climb over the furniture to escape through the window.
• Safety signs and markings are not to be tampered with or defaced. Scarves and fabric may not be placed over lamps or paper lanterns.
• Homemade lamps may be subject to approval or confiscation by Student Housing staff if they pose a high fire risk. See Appliances and Equipment about the halogen lamp policy.
• Furniture must not rest against rooms with radiator heaters. Wooden furniture such as desks or dressers should be kept at least 4 inches from these heaters.
• Plush furniture, draperies, bedding, books, paper items, and other more flammable objects and furnishings should be kept 6 inches from heaters.
• Residents should also realize that roomheaters are most effective at circulating heat when there are not furnishings in front of them obstructing proper air flow.
• Posters, artwork, photos, and other flammable paper decorations should cover no more than one third of a room's total wall space.
• The possession of fireworks, firecrackers, or other incendiary devices are prohibited. Anyone found detonating fireworks of any type on campus will be subject to a $100 fine and conduct action, which may include notification of local law enforcement agencies for applicable violations of the law.

Hammocks are allowed on campus with the following restrictions:

• Hammocks when in use outdoors must be securely hung with appropriate mounting hardware (i.e. straps)
• Hammocks when in use indoors may be hung using only a hammock stand.
• When using hammocks at a raised location (i.e. the Housing Pavilion), they may not be hung between two poles in such a way that someone could experience a significant fall. Instead, hang the hammock so that it hangs no more than 6 feet off the ground or other surface.
• Hammocks may not be utilized on fire escapes, in accordance with the Roof and Exerior Elevated Surfaces policy.
• Camping or sleeping overnight in hammocks is not permitted outdoors at Student Housing.

Some items are not allowed in Housing due to fire-safety, state or federal law, or university regulation. A full list of items not allowed in Student Housing is below along with a reference as to why that item is not allowed. 

Non-allowed items may be confiscated and conduct or legal action may be taken against residents who bring non-allowed items onto Student Housing property. Often times a resident will be notified in writing that a contraband item must be removed from Housing before it is confiscated. However, the University reserves the right to confiscate certain items that pertain to safety immediately without prior notice to the resident.

UAS employs professional and paraprofessional student staff members who are well-trained in crisis response and conflict management. Residents are expected to follow the directives from all UAS employees to help ensure a safe and inviting communal environment. Additionally, security cameras are located throughout the housing complex and in residence hall buildings, which are constantly recording. Information gathered from these devices may be submitted for campus conduct investigations as well as  turned over to local law enforcement as appropriate.

The Residence Life Staff respects the privacy of its residents; however, there are situations that may warrant staff entry into units, including maintenance and repair work, as well as reasonable suspicion of behaviors that may be considered violations of the terms of the Housing Agreement.

Right of Staff Re-Entry

UAS Residence Life Staff respects the privacy of its resident yet reserves the right to re-enter and take possession of the accommodations upon breach of the terms of the Housing Agreement. Authorized university staff may enter the rental unit, with notice, during reasonable hours to provide efficient services, repairs, improvements or for general inspection. The Housing Maintenance Coordinator or Facilities Services staff may enter the unit to attend to any work orders that were submitted by one of the residents, granting permission for University personnel to enter the premises for that explicit purpose.

Work Order Completion

The Housing Maintenance Coordinator or Facilities Services staff may enter the unit to attend to any work orders that were submitted by one of the residents, granting permission for University personnel to enter the premises for that explicit purpose.

Unannounced Entry

Authorized Residence Life Staff or Facilities Services personnel may enter the accommodations without notice when necessary for the safety of the student or other occupants of housing units, for the purpose of emergency maintenance services or emergency safety inspections, or when there is reason to believe that the terms and conditions of the Housing Agreement are being violated and the residents are not willingly granting the staff entrance after they have announced themselves and their intention to enter. To protect student privacy, staff shall never enter student residences except for the reasons listed above. 

Room Searches

Any search of a student room or apartment, beyond a minimally intrusive alcohol search conducted by Resident Advisors (RAs) in the presence of the resident(s), will be carried out only with reasonable cause and with explicit authorization of a professional staff member. Should such a search be necessary, an attempt will be made to have the resident present at the time of the search. If the resident is not present, he/she will be informed of the action as soon as possible following the search. Common areas and general space searches may be conducted by Resident Advisors (RAs) with the residents’ assistance in their presence, and any more detailed or invasive searches, especially if the resident of the unit cannot be reached or notified before the search must commence, will be conducted only by Student Housing professional staff designee in the presence of a second staff member. Students who do not cooperate with staff exercising the right of re-entry may be reported to the Juneau Police Department, who will likely respond by conducting a police search or forced entry into the unit.

Staff Entry Process

When entering a unit, either with prior notice given to residents or without (see indication of unannounced entry above), university staff will knock and announce themselves multiple times prior to entering. If not met at the door by the resident(s), staff will continue to announce themselves upon entering the unit. 

Please note that staff may not respond to verbal consent from the resident to "come in" and will likely wait at the door until the resident opens the door. This is done to avoid any miscommunication as it can be very hard to clearly hear a verbal response from behind a closed door.

UAS Student Housing recognizes the interest of residents who are hunters and/or recreational target shooters and provides guidelines by which residents can register and secure their firearms and weapons on-site through our established security process.

“Firearms” or “weapons” that must be handled in accordance with the above policy include:

• Firearms
• Paintball guns, air guns, pellet guns, BB guns
• Ammunition
• Knives and blades longer than 2.5 inches that were not designed for kitchen use
• Martial arts weapons and swords
• Bows, crossbows, and similar hunting implements
• Other objects commonly understood to be designed as hunting equipment

UAS Housing reserves the right to conduct wellness checks on residents. A wellness check occurs when university staff respond to a resident unit to check on the safety or well-being of a student. The decision to conduct a wellness check is not taken lightly as consideration is taken into account of the student's privacy in comparison to the reported concern and level of risk to the student's safety or well-being. 

Authorized Student Housing staff may enter the accommodations without notice when necessary for the safety of the student or other occupants of housing units.