University Housing Living Guide

Each student will be given access when checking into their residence; electronic/key access is limited to the individuals approved to live in the residence, or staff responsible for it.

Front door keys have been replaced with electronic access using the resident students' ID cards. Students residing in on-campus housing will use their ID cards to grant them access to their assigned residence. The Access Control Policy defines the responsibilities and outlines the procedures for regulating access to Florida Tech.

Missing keys and ID cards must be reported immediately to the Department of Security.
No alternate configurations or modifications can be made to any locking or keying system except by the Locksmith.

Students are prohibited from violating the Access Control Policy, including but not limited to, loaning, transferring, duplicating, altering, or disposing of hard keys or ID cards.
During break periods students must be approved to remain on campus and will be granted temporary access for the days they are approved.

Please report all issues regarding electronic locks or cards via email to AccessControl@fit.edu.

Keys

Students may be issued a room key when checking into their residence. The replacement cost for a room key is $75. The replacement will include the re-pinning of the door lock and the issuance of new room keys. After a lock is rekeyed the original key will not open the door. Duplication of any college key is prohibited by the Access Control Policy. Students locked out of their room may call Security at 321-674-8112 or ask a Residence Life staff member to unlock the door. Keys must be returned at the time of checkout; failure to do so will result in a lost key charge.

Florida Institute of Technology is committed to protecting the safety, health, and wellbeing of all students and employees. Alcohol and drug abuse pose a threat to the health and safety of students and employees and to the security of our equipment and facilities. This guideline includes any conduct in conflict with the university's Drug and Alcohol Policy.

Consistent with Florida statute 562.111 and Federal law, the minimum legal drinking age is 21.

Underage possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages, public intoxication, driving or operating a motor vehicle or other mode of transportation while under the influence of alcohol or other substance, distribution or sale of alcohol, possession of a common source container, or excessive or rapid consumption of alcohol are violations of the alcohol guideline.

• Possession, consumption, or distribution of alcohol by any person who is under the age of 21 is prohibited.
  
  
• Possession, consumption, or distribution of alcohol in any common space including but not limited to a hallway, stairwell, lounge, or bathroom is prohibited.
  
  
• A student who is 21 years of age or older may possess and/or consume alcohol in their residence hall room or apartment provided that no other individual under the age of 21 is present unless that individual is the roommate.
  
  
  • The door to the room or apartment must be closed when in possession of or consuming alcohol.
    
    
  • No guest under the age of 21 is allowed in the residence hall room of a 21-year-old student while alcohol is being consumed.
    
    
• Public intoxication is the appearance on campus or at a university activity in a state of intoxication.
  
  
• Facilitating, arranging, or participating in any alcohol consumption activity that facilitates or encourages competitive, rapid, or excessive consumption of alcohol regardless of age is prohibited. Examples include without limitation, keg standing, alcohol luges, and drinking games.
  
  
• Containers of alcoholic beverages over 1.75 liters including but not limited to wine, beer, liquor, mini-kegs, beer balls, trash cans, tubs, or punch bowls are prohibited.
  
  
• Individual possession of alcohol is limited to students who are at least 21 years old and a resident of the room or apartment.
  
  
• Displays of alcoholic beverages, funnels, empty alcohol boxes, or containers are prohibited.

Personalizing your living space is an important part of making your room your home. Please be advised that you may not make any permanent alterations to your assigned living space. Residents are permitted to personalize their rooms. Residents are not permitted to use nails, screws, pins, staples, acetate, adhesives, stickers, tape, or any other device that puts a hole in the wall or leaves residue. Residents are not permitted to paint their room, hallways or furniture, build partitions, or remove, install, alter, or change the room lock. Hall staff can assist with recommendations on appropriate methods to hang items on walls. No decorations can be displayed in exterior, public-facing windows.

Students are responsible for maintaining a clean room and/or apartment. Cleaning is defined as being free from excessive dirt, stains, contaminants, impurities, excessive clutter, blood-borne pathogens, laundry or other personal items, and food waste that may cause a safety hazard.

Any food kept in residence hall rooms must be stored in appropriate, tightly closed containers. All perishable food should be removed from the room during official vacation periods such as the end of the winter semester and Spring Break.

Upon inspection, Residence Life staff may require students to reconfigure, maintain or clean their room, apartment, or appliances. Students may also be billed for trash removal, repairs, and pest control associated with the lack of care of their room or apartment.

Bathrooms

Students are expected to assist in keeping the bathrooms clean. In community bathrooms, towels and washcloths and other toiletry items are to be kept in rooms and custodians clean bathrooms on a weekly schedule. Students in suite/apartment-style residences are responsible for cleaning their bathrooms regularly. Please only flush toilet paper in the toilets to prevent issues or damage to the plumbing.

Recycling/Bottles and Cans

Recycling is to support the university’s commitment to sustainability initiatives and to help conserve the environment. Recycling is defined as sorting, collecting, and processing materials to manufacture and sell as new products.

All students are responsible for placing their non-contaminated reusable paper, plastic, aluminum, corrugated boxes, and metal products into the proper recycling bins. Bottles and cans should be cleaned and empty prior to disposal. They present a general health and roach-pest hazard when not properly disposed of.

Residents are responsible for ensuring recyclables are clean and washed out. Contaminated recyclables include food containers with scrap food, grease, ketchup, mustard, sauces, and other materials that make the product unsuitable for recycling. Contaminated recyclables such as pizza boxes are unable to be recycled.

Trash

It is the responsibility of residents to keep the living space in the community clean and free from waste. Trash, food containers, and unsanitary situations can attract pests as well as create unpleasant living situations for the community.

Residents and their guests are required to keep trash or recyclables inside their apartments, suites, or rooms until disposed of. Any trash or recyclables in the breezeway or hallway, including but not limited to balconies, lobbies, and lounges are prohibited.

Students are responsible for emptying trash and cleaning personal and shared areas of the room or apartment regularly. Residents are required to transport personal trash to the nearest dumpster. Failure to properly dispose of trash may result in individual or common area trash removal charges.

Students are responsible for reading and understanding their Campus Housing Contract. Room assignments are provided through the Student Housing and Meal Plan Application Portal.

Eligibility for On-Campus Housing

Any currently registered full-time degree seeking student is eligible for on-campus housing. Other registered students may be permitted to live in housing with permission from University Housing. Florida Tech does not offer family or co-ed same-room housing.

Undergraduate Two-Year Residency Requirement

Florida Tech has an educationally-based policy requiring all full-time undergraduate students enrolled at the Melbourne campus who have earned less than 56 credits hours and who are 20 years of age or younger to reside in university residence halls and participate in a university meal plan. Students who have met one of the following may be exempt from this policy through an application with the Assistant Vice President of Housing and Campus Services.
1. Veteran of military service (two years or more)
2. Married
3. Primary caregiver for dependent children
4. 21 years of age or older (at the start of the first day of classes)
5. Reside with immediate family within 50 miles of the Florida Tech campus (defined as parent, stepparent, grandparent, legal guardian, or a sibling over age 21 not also enrolled at Florida Tech.)
6. Participant in a university-approved off-campus internship that requires living outside of the local area (50 miles or more)
7. Special requirements not included above

See the Undergraduate Two-Year Residency Requirement Policy for more details.

Housing Accommodations

If a student with special needs requires adapted facilities, the student should please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources at 321-674-8072 or accessibilityresources@fit.edu. The student should also notify Campus Housing in writing as soon as possible to request an assignment for a residence designated to meet the student’s needs

Checking Into your Residence Hall Room

After completing a housing and meal plan contract and adding the deposit to the student’s account, students will be assigned a room based on room availability and room preference. A housing deposit is required to access the housing and meal plan contract. Students may not check into a room until they are given permission. Generally, for fall check-in date new students arrive the Sunday a week before classes start and returning students can move in starting the Friday before classes start. In the spring, new students arrive on Thursday before classes start.

Room Change

Room changes are permitted only during select times of the academic year and only with approval from the Housing Department. The room change period begins three weeks after the beginning of each academic term. Students requesting a room change must submit their request for a change to the Housing Department. At the time of the request, students will be asked to provide a reason for the change request and will be given instructions on the change process as well as guidelines for completing the move. Room changes are made only with approval. Not all moves will be approved.

The process requires students to meet with and speak to the Residence Life Staff for mediation, as well as communication with all individuals involved including current roommate(s) and future roommate(s). Students are not permitted to change rooms outside of designated room change periods.

Housing Reassignment

Florida Tech reserves the right to reassign students. Situations requiring removal or reassignment mandate the full cooperation of all residents. Should resident students be required to vacate a room or building, reassignment to other available residence units or to increased occupancy of rooms remains the right of the university.

Checking Out of your Residence Hall Room

Any time students change their housing assignment, they must check out of their room. All students must remove all personal belongings, thoroughly clean the room, return the furniture to its original configuration, return key(s) and complete the confirm checkout form online.

Failure to do so may result in being charged for failure to check out (minimum $100 fine), lost keys (ranges from $75–$250), and any other appropriate charges. All residents must check out of their housing assignment if not returning to university housing or the term has ended, in accordance with stipulations in the housing contract terms and conditions.

Residence Life staff, Resident Directors, and Resident Assistants do not assess fees for damage, repairs, or cleaning. Final inspection of all rooms and determination of any fees is conducted by university staff after you have checked out.

For those rooms/apartments with adjustable air conditioning settings, air conditioning should be set between 72° and 76° Fahrenheit in the “cool” setting. Tampering with the system through direct contact or indirectly influencing the temperature control sensor is prohibited, can be referred to the conduct office and is a fineable offense.

Because of energy management concerns, and to secure the integrity of the central cooling system, all windows and exterior doors should remain shut at all times.

If you experience uncomfortable temperatures in your room/apartment or believe that your air conditioning system may be broken, contact the Office of Facilities Operations at 321-674-8038 or facilities@fit.edu.

Damage to university property or property of a member of the university community is prohibited. Any damage by students to university property will be charged to the student's account after an assessment has been made. Damages not listed on the room inspection report will be billed to your account. You are responsible for thoroughly reviewing your Room Inspection Report and notifying University Housing staff within 48 hours after moving in of any discrepancies.

Prorated charges may be assigned to residents for damage to public/common areas such as hallways, stairwells, bathrooms, lounges, etc. Every effort will be made to identify specific individuals and groups responsible for common area damage. When specific individuals are not identified, the cost of repair or replacement may be divided equally among the floor or hall residents. Charges will be added to student accounts.

The type, quantity, and condition of the furniture are noted by the Residence Life and Housing staff prior to Check-In and post-Check-Out. All furnishings belonging to the university are to remain in the student's room. The university strictly prohibits any room furnishings from being removed and stored off-campus. Alterations to university furniture are prohibited.

All beds must sit securely on the floor and may not be elevated by cinder blocks, bed risers, or other structures.

Removal of furniture from public areas (lounges, study rooms, entryways) is not permitted.

If a student with special needs requires adapted facilities, the student should please contact the Office of Accessibility Resources at 321-674-8072 or accessibilityresources@fit.edu. The student should also notify Campus Housing in writing as soon as possible to request an assignment for a residential space designated to meet the student’s needs.

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (Public Law 110-315) became law in August 2008. It requires all United States academic institutions to produce an Annual Fire Safety Report outlining fire safety practices, standards, and all fire-related on-campus statistics. The Campus Security Department oversees all Residence Hall Fire Safety procedures and processes. For more information regarding fire safety and Section 806.10 of the Florida statutes, please visit http://www.flsenate.gov/statutes.

Fire Alarms/Emergency Evacuation

Fire alarms are installed in all residence halls for the protection of the residents. They should be used ONLY in emergencies. Residents are responsible for learning proper escape routes and for cooperating in orderly evacuations when necessary. When a fire alarm goes off, quickly close windows, wear shoes, carry a towel or article of clothing to cover your mouth, and leave the room with the door CLOSED and UNLOCKED. Stay low to the floor in corridors, crawling if necessary, to avoid the danger of smoke inhalation. All occupants MUST immediately evacuate the hall. Hall staff will check the building to ensure that everyone leaves the hall. Students may not reenter the hall until the police or fire department has checked the building and official permission to reenter has been granted. Regular fire drills are required by state law and will be carried out each semester.

Fire Extinguishers

Extinguishers are to be used only in case of a fire emergency. A water extinguisher should NEVER be used to extinguish a fire originating from an electrical outlet or an electrical breaker box. A staff member should be notified if it has been necessary to use an extinguisher, regardless of the cause. THE UNNECESSARY USE OR MISUSE OF A FIRE EXTINGUISHER WILL RESULT IN DISCIPLINARY ACTION.

Fire Hazards

Fire hazards: the possession, storage or use of items deemed to be fire hazards is prohibited. Please refer to Prohibited Items for more details. Candles, incense, etc. may not be burned in student rooms or public areas within a residence hall except for use in a group ceremony that has been approved by the Residence Hall staff or the Dean of Students.

All holiday decorations must be removed prior to fall, spring and summer residence hall closing.

1. Live trees and cut vegetation are prohibited (exception: temporary display of cut flowers and/or house plants are acceptable, as long as it does not create a fire or health hazard).
2. Any decorations on or around an artificial tree must be non-combustible or properly treated with fire retardant material.
3. Decorations for holidays and celebrations should be of noncombustible material.
4. Lighting/Candles
   1. Any electrical lighting must bear the label of Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. (UL) and be in good condition (free of frayed wires, loose connections, and broken sockets).
   2. Candles, candle or wax warmers, incense, neon signs, and halogen lamps are prohibited.
   3. Light bulbs must be arranged so they do not ignite any combustible materials. No combustible material can be near the bulb or any part of the electrical connection(s).
   4. Lighting strings may not be plugged in one to another.
   5. Lights should not hang more than three inches from the ceiling.
   6. Possession of or use of any candle, ember, glowing or open flame article is prohibited. Permits can be authorized through the fire marshal for special events on a case-by-case basis.

The use of outdoor cooking equipment is restricted to designated areas only.

Smoke Detectors

Current fire regulations require room smoke detectors. This is an important safety device for the benefit of the occupant. Any student who willfully removes, damages, destroys, or disables a smoke detector or its contents will be charged current replacement costs and be subject to disciplinary action. If any alarm in the building is broken, please report to the Office of Security and contact the Office of Facilities Operations at 321-674-8038 or facilities@fit.edu, or submit a Facilities Service Request.

Tampering with Emergency Equipment

Causing a false fire alarm by pulling an alarm box or through a telephone call or tampering with alarm equipment, tampering with building and/or room smoke detectors, pull stations (including pull station covers), fire extinguishers, fire placards, fire exit signs, or any other fire safety equipment is prohibited.

Misuse of a fire extinguisher, Emergency Evac-Stair Chair, or tampering with an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) can be considered a violation of state and local laws as well as a disregard for the safety and rights of others. Misuse of emergency equipment is considered a serious violation and will result in disciplinary action including possible suspension from Florida Tech as well as a civil action.

Examples of tampering include, but are not limited to, covering smoke detectors, removing batteries from smoke detectors, removing fire placards or fire exit signs, and discharging fire extinguishers.

Preventing or obstructing extinguishment of fire is a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

Hosts and their guests are expected to adhere to the rules and regulations of the university. Hosts are responsible for informing guests of university policies. Host residents are responsible for the actions of their guests and may face disciplinary action for any policy infractions or damages by their guests. Guests that violate policies may be removed from the residence halls and may lose their privileges to be a guest.

• A host is defined as any currently enrolled student who entertains any individual in the host’s assigned campus housing unit, or who accompanies a non-student anywhere on campus.
  
  
• A guest is defined as any person who is present in a residential housing unit other than one to which assigned and is the responsibility of the host resident of the room.

Hosts must always accompany their guests/visitors in the residence halls. Hosts may not leave their guests/visitors in their room/apartment unattended.

A guest/visitor must possess picture identification and produce identification at the request of any university official. Guests/visitors without identification or who refuse to produce identification may be escorted from campus. 

Overnight guests/visitors are permitted. The host must have prior permission from all roommates. In a 30-day period, guests/visitors are only permitted to stay overnight a total of three nights regardless of whether those nights come in succession or not. During a semester, an individual is only allowed to be a guest/visitor on campus for a maximum of seven nights regardless of whether those nights are in the same room/apartment or not.

Guests in residence halls with community-style bathrooms are only permitted to use the appropriate gender-assigned bathroom.

The university reserves the right to modify this guest policy at any time.

All personal property must be stored in the student's room and may not be left in hallways, bathrooms, kitchens, or other common areas. The university does not assume responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged articles. Students are urged to mark all personal items with permanent identification, avoid leaving valuables and large sums of money in unlocked rooms, and lock rooms during any absence. All losses should be reported immediately to residence hall staff who will report the loss to a member of Campus Security. Any problems with door locks should be reported immediately to Security.

Students assume all risk for their personal property. The university does not provide any insurance and assumes no liability for any personal property. Arrange to insure your property through either an individual or homeowner’s insurance policy.

Keep your door and windows always locked. Do not unlock or prop open the outside doors to any university facility.

Fish kept in fully enclosed 10-gallon or smaller aquariums are permitted. All other pets are prohibited.

Students will be fined a minimum of $50 and instructed to remove the pet from university premises within 24 hours for violating this policy. Failure to remove the pet warrants removal by the university at the student’s expense.

Students are responsible for any damage, cleaning, or pest control costs associated with the presence of a pet.

Approved emotional support animals are permitted to reside in residence halls and housing; for information please see the Emotional Support Animal Policy. The Service Animal Policy provides information for accommodations related to service animals for students.

Students' safety and health are the University’s number one priority. As elsewhere, in the residence hall students are required to follow the Student Code of Conduct.

Sports in the Halls

To preserve the health and safety of students living in the residence halls, the active use of sporting equipment inside the residence halls, including, but not limited to sports balls, bats, skateboards, scooters, bikes, rollerblades, etc. is strictly prohibited. The active use of such property within the halls can pose a safety risk to others and potentially cause damage. Students are welcome to store such equipment at their discretion, as allowed by university policy, but are asked to refrain from using it within the residence hall buildings.

Modes of Transportation Use

Use of skateboards, rollerblades, scooters, bicycles, or other similar modes of transportation in the residence halls is prohibited.

NOTE: Refer to University Bicycle and Skateboard Regulations, as well as the Parking and Traffic Regulations for any additional questions about Transportation safety on-campus.

The university is not responsible for bicycles. It is recommended that bicycle registration be completed with the Office of Security for all bicycles on campus.

• Bicycles should be locked when not in use.
• Bicycles may be stored in bike racks or in residence hall rooms provided they do not block egress from the room.
• Bicycles may not be stored or parked in hallways or stairwells, or attached to building signage, vegetation, area grills, recreation equipment, or any portion of the building.
• Any bicycle found in violation of this policy may be removed by a university official and held in campus storage for a maximum of thirty days to be claimed by the owner.

Missing bicycles should be reported to Security.

Solicitation

Residence hall rooms are not to be used for any commercial purposes. Soliciting for charity or business purposes in campus buildings or on the grounds by anyone is prohibited unless specifically authorized by university administration. The sale of items in residence halls by campus organizations must be approved in advance by the Director of Student Life and is restricted to the main lounges at hours agreed to by the staff of each hall. Students are requested to notify the hall staff if a commercial solicitor is in a residence hall or on a residence hall floor.

Data Mining and other Computing/Network Activities

In accordance with the university Acceptable Use Policy, cryptocurrency mining and other computing activities that may consume an unusually large amount of electricity or bandwidth are prohibited in University Housing.

It is also a violation to recklessly or maliciously interfere with or damage computer or network resources or computer data, files or other information; engage in or attempt to engage in a denial of service; use University resources to illegally distribute copyrighted material; fail to comply with laws, license agreements and contracts governing network, software and hardware use; or to use University computing resources for unauthorized commercial purposes or personal gain.

Rooftop Access/Windows

To ensure the safety of students, gaining access to a roof of a campus building is considered extremely dangerous and is prohibited.

No articles of any kind may be dropped or thrown out of a residence hall window. Use of windows for entry or exit of a building is prohibited. Window screens may not be removed. Violations may result in disciplinary actions and charges will be issued for damages to windows or screens.

The Student Code of Conduct: Dangerous Items section outlines the items that are prohibited for students on-campus; please see the list of items below for items prohibited in the Residence Halls.

Electrical Equipment/Illegal Appliances

All electrical equipment must be UL-listed and properly maintained.

• All power strips must have surge protection.
• Extension cords cannot be placed under the carpet or on the ground or floor across exit areas and must be plugged directly into the wall.
• Only one device may be plugged into an extension cord.
• An automatic shutoff feature is required.

In the residence halls: coffee makers, popcorn poppers, and small microwaves (1000-watt power consumption or smaller) are permitted.

Prohibited Item List Examples

The following appliances/items are NOT allowed and are considered prohibited items; except for listed exceptions:

At no time should the noise coming from a room or apartment disrupt the campus community.

• Quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Sunday through Thursday and midnight to 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday. During quiet hours, noise should not be audible outside of your room or apartment.
  
  
• Courtesy hours are in effect 24 hours a day. During courtesy hours, students are expected to cease noise coming from their room or apartment if a request is made by a resident or a staff member.
  
  
• Quiet hours will also take effect at 5 p.m. on the Friday before finals week and will remain in effect until the end of the semester.

Students have the right of privacy and to be free from unreasonable intrusion or searches within their campus residences. University staff will enter rooms only under specific circumstances related to health, safety or maintenance, which are detailed in the housing contract. Students have the responsibility to respect the privacy of other members of the University community.

Web Camera and Associated Items Policy

It is a violation of the Student Code of Conduct for a person to knowingly spy upon, observe or otherwise view (using equipment such as webcam, video camera, digital camera, etc.), photograph or cause to be photographed any individual who is in a place where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy, without the prior effective consent of such individual.

The use, consumption, possession, sale, manufacture, trafficking or transfer of any illegal drug or controlled substance, as defined by Florida state or Federal law, or for which the individual does not have a valid prescription is strictly prohibited and includes any actions in conflict with the university Drug and Alcohol Policy or the Student Code of Conduct.

Drugs are defined as compounds that are illegal except when taken under a doctor’s prescription for the individual named on the prescription.

• Use, display, and/or possession of drug paraphernalia are prohibited.
  
  
• This includes but is not limited to bongs, pipes, hookahs, water pipes or any item modified or adapted for planting, propagating, cultivating, growing, harvesting, manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing, preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, storing, containing, concealing, injecting, ingesting, inhaling, or otherwise introducing a controlled substance into the human body.
  
  
• Cannabis is illegal under federal law, and is therefore considered an illegal drug By Florida State Statute, Florida Clean Indoor Act (FCIAA) 386.201, smoking is prohibited inside all buildings. Refer to the university Smoking and Tobacco Use Policy for details about designated outdoor smoking areas and policies.