Allowed Items for Personal Possessions

Permitted and Prohibited Items in Residence Halls

Living in a university's Residence Halls comes with certain rules and regulations to ensure the safety, health, and well-being of all residents. Here's a guide to the items that are allowed and those that are not in Traditional, Program, and Co-op housing.

Prohibited Items

Flammable liquids and chemicals, such as gasoline, butane, propane, charcoal, and related materials, are not allowed due to fire hazard risks.
Pressurized tanks and cooking appliances, like instant pots, pressure cookers, and gas-operated camping equipment, are prohibited due to safety concerns.
Open-coil appliances, such as toasters, toaster ovens, hot plates, grills, space heaters, and halogen lamps, are forbidden because of fire risks.
Large or unauthorized appliances, such as full-size refrigerators (unless provided by the housing), air conditioners installed by residents, dishwashers, personal washers/dryers, and microwaves exceeding certain wattage limits, are not permitted.
Wireless routers, antennas, and printers with wireless functions enabled are prohibited to protect network security and bandwidth.
Waterbeds, hot tubs, and pools are disallowed due to facility and safety concerns.
Essential oil diffusers are often banned because their oils can cause allergic reactions or mold issues.
Certain electrical devices, including 3D printers and high-wattage devices beyond established limits, are not allowed due to fire hazards.
Use or possession of open containers and kegs of alcohol is restricted, and underage possession of alcohol or empty containers is prohibited. Alcohol consumption is limited to private rooms or apartments where legal.
Tampering with safety equipment or propping exit doors is strictly prohibited for safety reasons.
Furniture restrictions, such as no removal from lounges or halls, no lofts except approved types, and no furniture in hallways, are in place.
Use of chemicals or unauthorized pest control sprays is prohibited to protect health and the environment in the residence halls.

Allowed Items

In Residence Halls, a single refrigerator with a maximum size of 5 cubic feet is allowed per room/unit.
Humidifiers and dehumidifiers are permitted in Residence Halls.
Kitchen knives with blades less than 6 inches are allowed in Residence Halls.
Items such as hairdryers, bean bags (with fire retardant tags), candles (wick removed), coffee makers, clothing irons, curling irons, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, kitchen knives, small area/throw rugs (with fire retardant tags), and aquariums are only permitted in Village Housing, and not in Traditional, Program, or Co-op housing.
Cooking appliances like popcorn poppers, hot plates, water heaters, toasters, toaster ovens, microwaves, rice cookers are not permitted in Residence Halls.
George Foreman style grills are not permitted in Residence Halls.
Candles with wick removed are allowed in Residence Halls.
Water coolers are not permitted, and any damage the residence sustains from water coolers is the responsibility of the house/apartment residents.
Waste baskets must be flame retardant in Residence Halls.
Wooden structures including lofts and room dividers are not permitted in Firelands.

Students are advised to consult their residence hall-specific policy documents for exact lists of permitted and prohibited items. Generally, flammable materials, open-coil or high-heat appliances, large unauthorized electronics, waterbeds, essential oil diffusers, and unauthorized alcohol use/possession are not permitted across most types of housing within university residence halls. Confiscation of prohibited items and disciplinary actions for violations are standard.

Interior design elements, such as artwork, wall posters, and decorative rugs, are suitable for adding a personal touch to your lifestyle within the home-and-garden-inspired surroundings of your Residence Hall.
In alignment with the home-and-garden theme of your living space, consider incorporating plants and flowers into your interior-design scheme, as long as they comply with any specific plant guidelines provided by your Residence Hall policies.