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Housing is available and guaranteed to all full-time undergraduate students, unless otherwise determined by the Office of Housing. Full-time undergraduate students whose permanent address is outside a 50 mile radius from the University are required to live on campus. The University may also offer housing to graduate students.

Residents are required to participate in a University meal plan. Exceptions to the meal plan requirement may be granted for extenuating reasons. Additional information is available on the Residence Life & Housing website.

The Residence Life student staff is composed of Senior Resident Advisors (SRAs), Community Advisors (CAs), Head Residents (HRs), and Resident Advisors (RAs). The student staff is supported by a team of professional staff members within Student Life. Additional information is available on the Residence Life & Housing website.

Housing options vary from traditional residence halls to group living spaces including suites, apartments, townhouses, fraternity and sorority houses, and overflow houses. First-year students and upperclass students reside on both Main Street (North) Campus and Priscilla Payne Hurd (South) Campus. A variety of unique housing opportunities are available including organizational housing, fraternity and sorority housing, single-gender, and gender-inclusive housing.

Commuter students must reside at their permanent address, registered with the University, with a parent or a legal guardian within a 50 mile radius of the University.

A change from resident to commuter status is only considered during a specified time period prior to the General Selection process early in the spring semester for the subsequent academic year. Exceptions may be granted under extenuating circumstances.

A change from commuter to resident status may be considered as residential space permits.

Maintaining a safe and secure residence hall environment is a shared responsibility among all members of the community. Residents are expected to take appropriate safety precautions, including locking room doors and never propping open exterior doors.

Access to residence halls are limited to residents, their visitors, and authorized University staff. For community safety, video cameras may be in utilized in common areas.

Campus Police officers routinely walk through residence hall common spaces as a matter of safety and security. Common spaces include areas intended for shared use such as living areas, lounges, hallways, stairwells, laundry rooms, and kitchens. Personal space is generally defined as those designated for individual use, such as bedrooms.

Group housing locations - including fraternity/sorority houses, apartments, townhouses, and suite-style units) - are not subject to routine Campus Police walkthroughs. However, Campus Police reserves the right to enter areas when there is due cause.

The University reserves the right for Campus Police to enter any residence hall space when there is imminent risk of harm or reasonable cause to believe that a violation of law or University policy has occurred or is about to occur.

Property and Insurance

The University is not responsible for personal property that is lost, stolen, or damaged. Students are advised to take precautions with their belongings, including avoiding keeping large sums of money or valuables in their rooms, as well as removing valuable items during break periods. Any loss or theft should be promptly reported to Campus Police. Personal property is not covered under the University's insurance policy. However, coverage may be available through a family's homeowners or renters insurance. Students and their families are encouraged to review their existing policies to determine appropriate coverage.

Access and Entry

Unauthorized entry into any space that is not their own may result in student accountability and/or criminal charges under Pennsylvania law. Residence Life staff are authorized to use master keys to allow residents into their assigned room, respond to an emergency, during health and safety inspections, or prior to a break period to confirm departure.

• It is a violation of University policy to:
  • Duplicate a University ID or residence hall key;
  • Allow an individual to use a University ID or residence hall key that was issued to another individual;
  • Leave a University ID, device containing a University ID, or residence hall key purposefully unattended in a public place accessible for others to gain entry into a campus space.
• Solicitation by external organizations is not permitted within residential areas.
• Any suspicious individual should be reported immediately to Campus Police.
• Interference with or harassment of Residence Life Staff, Campus Police, emergency personnel, or law enforcement officials will result in referral to Student Accountability & Conflict Transformation.
• Ground-level rooms are equipped with security window screens; these may only be opened or removed in the event of an emergency.
• Tampering with safety equipment - including but not limited to window seals or screens, electrical boxes, fire extinguishers and life-safety detectors - may result in repair charges, fines, and referral to Student Accountability & Conflict Transformation.

Fire Safety Inspection

Fire safety inspections are completed in each residence hall annually. Inspections typically occur during break periods to limit disruption to residential students. ÀóÖ¦ÊÓƵ FMPC coordinates with Bethlehem Fire Department and other external vendors to complete inspections, and advanced notice of the inspections is given to residential students from the Office of Housing.