Residence Life
Student & Administrative Services Center, Rm. 1033 · (570) 320-8023 or (800) 367-9222
Safety & Security
- [Fire Drills/Alarms]
- [Flu/Meningitis Shots]
- [Keys]
- [Kitchen Ventilation]
- [Operation Identification]
- [Personal Safety]
- [Sidewalks]
- [Visitation (no overnight guests)]
- [Visitation (overnight guests)]
On-campus housing is provided in The Village, Campus View, College West Apartments, and Rose Street Apartments. These facilities are secured by an exterior fence and a police officer at the main gate. These officers are on duty from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. nightly. Additionally, a professional staff member lives in each facility. All police officers assigned to these areas are fully trained and equipped to handle virtually any emergency. All residents are provided with a handbook that includes safety, security and enforcement information. Training sessions for the residents are held throughout the year on a variety of safety, security and resident life issues.
For helpful information and resources about preventing and responding to emergency situations on campus, visit the Emergency Response Web site. This information is available to help you prepare for and respond to situations that may threaten the safety and well-being of employees and students.
Fire Drills and Alarms
Fire in a college apartment complex is a very real and dangerous threat. In a matter of minutes, people can be seriously injured and lives can be lost.
In the event of a fire:
- Call 911
- Attempt to use the fire extinguisher on the fire only if the fire is still small and you can do so without putting yourself in danger. (Make sure you leave yourself a way out).
- Pull the fire alarm if it is not already sounding.
- Alert apartment mates, and assist them in getting out (without putting yourself in danger).
- Vacate your apartment, and get at least 100 feet away from the building.
- Notify Penn College Police (ext. 4760).
- Notify Residence Life staff, and let them know if you suspect someone may still be in the building.
Tips for exiting a smoke filled room/building
- Before opening a door, feel it to see if it is hot. If the door is hot, look for another exit. If you can’t exit through a door, exit through your window. If you are exiting from an upper floor you can either attempt to climb down or signal to someone for assistance.
- Stay low to the floor
- If possible, cover your mouth and nose with a damp rag
- If you should happen to catch on fire, drop to the ground and roll (Do not run. This will only further feed the flames)
Preventative Measures
- Do not leave food unattended while cooking.
- Become familiar with the location and operation of your fire extinguisher.
- Become familiar with the location of the building exits.
- If your smoke detector is malfunctioning notify Residence Life Staff as soon as possible.
- Misusing or tampering with fire safety equipment (fire alarm, smoke detectors, and fire extinguishers) may result in eviction from the residence halls.
- State Law requires residents to leave the building anytime the fire alarm sounds. Failure to evacuate will result in disciplinary action and possible referral to law enforcement for criminal action.
Fire Drills are held at least once each semester.
Fire Safety Instructions are posted on the back of each apartment door. Do not remove these instructions from the door; you will be violating policy and may be disciplined. Notify Residence Life staff immediately if the fire safety instructions are not on your door.
Fire Protection Equipment (fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and fire alarms) is installed for your protection. Do not tamper with this equipment; not only will you be jeopardizing others, you will be violating PA law and will be disciplined by the College. Tampering includes, but is not limited to.
Flu/Meningitis Shots
Penn College offers flu and meningitis immunizations at the beginning of each semester. If you wish to have either of these immunizations, you must schedule an appointment at the time they are offered and pay the required fee. For further information, or to set up an appointment, contact Student Health Services.
When you check in to on-campus housing, you must sign a form which informs you about the risks of meningitis, and verifies that you have either had the vaccine, are planning to get the vaccine, or are aware of the risks and elect to not get the vaccine.
Keys
You are issued a key upon check-in to College housing. Do not transfer or duplicate your key, or give your key to other persons.
Replacement Keys - You are responsible for the key and must pay a replacement fee if it is lost or stolen. This fee, which will be charged against your damage deposit, includes all costs associated with replacing lock cylinders, maintenance hours, and new keys. Refunds are not issued for keys that are not returned, or are lost and later recovered. The College may withhold your student records (grades and transcripts) for failure to return your keys at the conclusion of your residency. Report lost keys immediately to a Resident Assistant., or to the Residence Life Office.
Lockouts – If you are locked out, first contact your own Resident Assistant. If your Resident Assistant is not home, contact another Resident Assistant in the building. Contact a Coordinator if all Resident Assistant are unavailable. Upon meeting the Resident Assistant or Coordinator – or upon entering your apartment – you will be required to show your student identification. For each lockout, $1 will be billed to your account. You may be asked to show your room key once you are let into your room.
Kitchen Ventilation
In an effort to keep your apartment properly vented while cooking and to prevent setting off the fire alarm system, all students living in Campus View and College West are required to utilize the kitchen exhaust fan.
The following rules apply to use of the common area kitchens in the Rose Street Apartments:
- Do not leave cooking food unattended.
- Turn on the exhaust fan when cooking; turn it off when done.
- Clean your own pots and pans. Dirty cookware left in the common area kitchen will be discarded.
- Clean all areas of the kitchen that you used.
Operation Identification
Students are encouraged to participate in Operation Identification. This is a system by which possessions are engraved with assigned identification numbers and thus traced more easily if misplaced or stolen. All items of value such as bicycles, stereos, TVs, CD players, tape players, and radios should be marked for protection. Students should keep a record of the item, its brand name, model number, serial number, and a description. Residents should contact the College Police Office in Penn’s Loft in order to participate.
Protection and Personal Safety
A key is required for entrance into the residence halls, as well as to individual apartments. Residence Life staff are available to assist Campus Police with student safety and insure students and guests conform to the housing regulations. If needed, Campus Police can be contacted by dialing ext. 4760. Residents should keep their apartment and unit doors locked at all times.
Sidewalks
Whenever possible, use designated sidewalks surrounding the residence halls.
Visitation (Non-Overnight Guests)
Penn College recognizes the need for students to develop not only academically but also socially. A necessary part of this growth is to be able to interact with other students in the College environment. The College’s visitation and guest policy is designed to meet students’ personal needs and also to provide a secure community conducive to study and appropriate socialization. The goal of Residence Life is to make it possible for students to be able to live, learn and grow in a College living environment. Any person who does not reside in a particular apartment, is considered a visitor/guest. All guests must vacate the apartment (nonresidents must vacate the residence hall) by midnight Sunday – Thursday and 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings (Saturday and Sunday mornings). After 10:15 p.m., all visitors/guests are required to be registered by their host with the Penn College Police at the main gate of the residence hall. All guests must be signed in by the host. Hosts will be called to the front gate to sign in their guests when they arrive. Any guests who enter the complex prior to 10:15 p.m. should return to the main gate to register if they are staying past 10:15 p.m.
Visitation (Overnight Guests)
A guest in a College Housing living unit is any person who is not a resident of that particular apartment and whose purpose is to visit for a short time with another person who is a resident. Violations of these rules are subject to disciplinary action. Guests are only permitted to stay overnight on Friday and/or Saturday evenings. Overnight guests will also be permitted on evenings when there are no classes being held the following day; however, overnight guests are not permitted prior to a designated study day, at anytime during the end-of-semester finals period, or prior to the first day of classes at the beginning of a semester.
- All overnight guest must be registered by 11:30 p.m. on the evening prior to their visit.
- All overnight guests must have the approval of all the residents of the apartment. A signature on the form indicates that that person is giving consent for a guest to stay. All visitations should be discussed within the apartment, guidelines should be established, and all parties involved should feel comfortable with the agreement before signing the form. Apartment mates reserve the right to not sign the form. If an apartment mate does not give consent, visitation is not permitted. Hosting guests against the wishes of an apartment mate is a violation of the overnight guest policy and may result in disciplinary action.
- Overnight Guest Registration Form: This form can be obtained on the Residence Life webpage, under "Related Links". The completed overnight guest registration form must bear the
- guest’s printed name, date of birth, vehicle license plate number
- date(s) of guest’s stay
- signature of apartment mate(s) (all apartment mates must sign this form even if they will not be present during the guest's stay)
- signature of a Resident Assistant or Coordinator of Residence Life
- host’s name, apartment number/complex/phone
- host’s signature
- To be approved, the completed form must be signed by a Residence Life staff member AND be turned in at the front gate police substation by 11:30 p.m. on the evening prior to the guests stay.
- Guests who are under 18 years of age are not permitted to stay overnight, unless they are the sibling of the host student. Sibling guests under 18 years of age must bring a signed and dated note from a legal parent or guardian giving them permission to stay. The note must contain a contact phone number of the person signing the note.
- Residents are responsible for the proper check-in and checkout of each guest.
- Guests are to be accompanied at all times during their stay by their host. This includes both inside the complex and around the campus. Guests are not to be left in an apartment without the host present.
- Any resident housing a non-registered guest(s) in College Housing is subject to disciplinary sanctions.
- Guests are required to show identification if requested by any member of the Penn College staff.
- The maximum number of guests permitted in each living unit is four.
- Host students are responsible for the conduct of their guest(s).
- All guests must observe all College regulations and adhere to the Student Code of Conduct. Any non-resident found in violation may be removed from the complex and denied further visiting privileges.
- IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HOST TO MAKE SURE ALL GUESTS HAVE BEEN REGISTERED CORRECTLY. The host should make sure all of the registration information given is correct (including the age of the guests). Providing incorrect registration information will be considered a violation of policy by the host.