Safety and Security
All students are subject to and responsible for adhering to Olin rules and regulations, including without limitation, Olin Honor Code, fire safety expectations, Information Technology policies & procedures, campus policies and expectations, and other official Olin publications (see www.Olin.edu), and all state and federal laws, and understand that failure to do so may result in Olin taking action, as determined in its sole discretion, including but not limited to removal from the residence halls. Students who are required to leave the residence halls will not be eligible for a refund of any portion of the payment made for use of Olin housing.
Fire Safety
The College strictly enforces safety and fire regulations. Persons who are identified removing, destroying, or otherwise tampering with safety equipment will be subject to disciplinary actions. The Residence Halls and rooms are subject to inspection visits by the State Fire Marshall, often unannounced.
Open and enclosed flames are prohibited within the residence halls. Candles, oil lamps, fireworks, blowtorches, incense, or any sources of open flame are not allowed in any part of the residence halls. Melting paraffin, or other flammable materials, is prohibited in the residence halls. Smoking and vaping is prohibited in all residence halls.
Storage or use of flammable fluids, such as lighter fluid or solvents, is prohibited. Secure storage space has been established in East Hall for storage of flammable liquids utilized by Student Organizations, contact the Associate Director of Residence Life for details.
Always treat the activation of the Fire Alarm system in the residence hall as a serious alert to evacuate the building. Periodic fire drills are required to be conducted in the residence halls during the academic year. When the alarm is sounded, all students must vacate the building and gather on the Great Lawn. Students may not return until instructed to do so by a college official.
Electrical Safety
All electrical devices must be UL Listed and labeled and shall be used in accordance with the listing limitations and manufacturers instructions. The use of extension cords is prohibited within the residence halls, only UL listed power strips with built in circuit breaker is approved for augmenting provided electrical outlets.
Do not modify or tamer with electrical or lighting fixtures. Do not overload electrical outlets. If repairs need to be made, file a work order with facilities or call public safety if the situation is urgent.
Doors, Locks, & Lockouts
Exterior and hallway doors are secured for the safety of residents and their belongings. Propping and/or tampering with doors or locks to prevent them from closing securely is prohibited. Residents are not permitted to tamper with locks or add private locks or security devices to their rooms/suites or to any part of the building. The outside of a room door is considered part of the hallway or common area and, as such, subject to the posting regulations for residence halls as displayed in each residence hall.
At move-in all students receive a room key and an Olin ID card. The Olin ID card also serves as the proximity access cards for hall entrances equipped with proximity access card readers. If you lose your ID card or key, you must report the loss immediately, Residence Life oversees key distribution while IT oversees ID card production. If it is your room key that is lost, your lock will be changed, you will receive a key for the new lock, and assessed a replacement fee for the key and lock replacement. If an ID card is lost, it is replaced and a replacement fee is assessed. Failure to return your key during move out or upon departure from the campus will result in a fee. For safety reasons, keys should always be kept in your possession and should not be left in locks. Keys found left in locks will be collected and treated as a “lost key.” You should never give your keys or IDs to anyone else.
Students who are locked out of their room should contact the Resident Resource (R2) on duty; students may also call Public Safety Department if an R2 is unavailable. An R2 or Public Safety Officer may check your ID and let you in. Only Residence Life staff, and Public Safety staff will let you in; custodians are instructed not to open locked doors for students. Students who habitually lock themselves out may be assessed for a lost key charge and/or asked to meet with Residence Life staff to develop a key management plan.
Right To Entry & Emergency Personnel
Olin reserves the right to enter Olin housing, including the residence halls, common areas, suites, and individual rooms assigned to students, for verification of occupancy; for performance of housekeeping, maintenance and repairs functions; to respond to, address or investigate suspicion of activity that may be illegal or that may be in violation of any College rule, regulation, or policy; for safety, health or sanitary reasons; and in any other situation when Olin deems entry necessary to address the welfare or interests of a student or the Olin community.
The College values the role and contributions of fire, emergency responders, and law enforcement personnel. Fire, emergency responders, and law enforcement personnel will be provided access to enter the residence halls and students’ assigned suites and rooms in Olin housing to respond matters of personal or public health and safety. The residence halls and individually assigned suites and rooms are subject to fire/smoke/CO alarms, periodic fire safety inspection visits, and access by fire, emergency responders and law enforcement personnel, including entry into individual rooms and suites. Without limiting the above, the College strictly enforces safety and fire regulations. Persons who are identified removing, destroying, or otherwise tampering with safety equipment will be subject to disciplinary actions.
Personal Insurance
Olin recommends that all students purchase (at their own expense) personal insurance to cover their personal belongings prior to their move-in to Olin housing and that they take steps to safeguard their personal property.