2014-15-Undergraduate-Catalog

Student Life Policies • 139Room Entry, Inspection and Search PolicyShenandoah University reserves the right of entry by authorized personnel to any room toprotect the health and welfare students and the Shenandoah community. University officialswill exercise this right in any emergent situation or when there is probable cause thatShenandoah University or civil laws are being broken.Health and Safety InspectionsHealth and safety inspections are held once a month by resident assistants and/or residentdirectors. Inspections are announced either by email or printed flyers at least 48 hours inadvance. The primary objective is to maintain a safe and healthy living environment. Whenhealth or safety risks are discovered, or prohibited items are found, those items areremoved. Confiscated items will not be returned to the student or his/her guest. Residentassistants will show residents the proper methods to correct potentially problematicsituations. If the resident is not present for the inspection, the situation will be correctedand a note left for the resident. Repeated health and safety failures will result in a conductmeeting. Health and safety inspections are also opportunities for residents to make staffaware of needed repairs.Custodial and Maintenance Room EntryShenandoah University reserves the right of entry by custodial and maintenance personnelin performance of necessary repairs and/or improvement to the residence hall. Custodialand maintenance staff will leave hang tags giving notice that they have performed work in aroom if no residents are present.Emergency EntryResidence Life staff members may, without verbal or written authorization from a higherauthority, enter a student’s room either forcibly or with a building master key in cases of fire,explosion, bomb threat, attempted or suspected suicide or other situations that call forimmediate entry.Any authorized or illegal items observed in a room during an emergency entry may resultin an investigation after the emergency has passed. If vandalism, arson, assault or otherviolations of Shenandoah policy are suspected in a room, appropriate Shenandoah officialsmay be called upon to conduct an investigation. The results of such an investigation mayresult in disciplinary action and/or criminal prosecution.Room SearchShenandoah University has a right to enter and search rooms with just cause, as long as theentry and search are not done in an arbitrary and capricious manner that unnecessarilydeprives a student of fundamental fairness. The intent of this policy is to provide protectionfor the rights of each Shenandoah student, while at the same time providing Residence Lifestaff members and Shenandoah administrators the means to maintain and protect theeducational environment necessary for the university to fulfill its primary purpose.Authorized Entry and SearchWhen an individual has reasonable cause to believe a student has violated a Shenandoahpolicy, and the relevant or prohibited materials remain in a room or suite, a request may be