Students who live in the residence halls can take comfort in knowing that the Department of Housing and Residence Life takes the safety and security of its residents very seriously. The following are just some of the measures in place to ensure a safe and secure residential living environment for all our residents:
- All Residence Halls are locked 24 hours a day. Residents use their student ID to enter their building and a room key to enter their room/suite.
- The majority of residence halls have desks that are staffed 24 hours a day when classes are in session.
- All guests must show a photo ID and be signed in by a resident at their community’s designated front desk.
- The Residence Hall staff of Area Coordinators, Assistant Area Coordinators and Resident Advisors are on call nightly, live on each floor, and make periodic nightly rounds of each hall.
- The Marshall University Police Department is located only steps away from the residence halls. Students can use emergency poles across campus or call 304-696-HELP (or 4357) to contact MUPD.
Residents themselves also bear responsibility for their own safety.
It is important that they take responsibility for keeping their room doors locked, for reporting anything unusual or suspicious to a member of the residence hall staff or Marshall University Police, for taking their valuables home with them over breaks, and for knowing the character and trustworthiness of any guests they sign in to their rooms.
Renter’s Insurance
Marshall University strongly recommends Renters Insurance for all students. Accidents can occur so it is important to protect your items that may be lost or damaged. Marshall University is not liable for loss or damage to a student’s personal property for any reason. If your personal belongings are not covered under your parents’ homeowner’s insurance, we recommend securing renters insurance.
Mold and Mildew Prevention
Given Marshall University’s location, the area may frequently experience high levels of humidity. Setting your room temperature at inappropriate levels, unrepaired water leaks in your suite’s bathroom or improper bathroom ventilation may foster the growth of mold and mildew.
- Set your room thermostat no lower than 70 degrees and no higher than 74 degrees. Setting your thermostat too high or too low can create excessive moisture or condensation in your room which encourages mold growth.
- Do not place any furniture or store any items in front of or next to your heating or cooling units. This will block air circulation.
- In suites or rooms with private bathrooms, please run the fan in the bathroom while showering and for at least 10 minutes after. This will help remove excess moisture from the air.
- In some cases, mold growth can be related to poor or inadequate cleaning habits. In suites or rooms with private baths, students are responsible for cleaning their own restrooms. Please make sure that you are regularly cleaning this space with appropriate cleaning supplies and methods. Failure to clean these areas appropriately may result in mold growth.
- If you notice any water leaks in your bathroom, please submit a work order immediately so we can repair the issues. Unrepaired leaks create excess moisture in the air.
- Do not leave damp or wet clothes or towels laying around your room. Please place them on a drying rack until dry.
- Please keep your room clean and neat. Remove excess clutter and trash in a timely manner.
- Do not place plants or other sources of moisture around heating or cooling units.
- Keep humidity levels as low as you can—between 30% and 50%–all day long. If you feel that your room has excess moisture or is damp, a dehumidifier can help you remove excess moisture from your room.
If you suspect that you may have mold in your room, please contact Housing and Residence Life immediately. Please provide specific details to assist our staff in investigating your report.
A Housing and Residence Life staff member will visit your room as soon as possible to access the situation.
- In most cases, a staff member will respond the same day. When reports are submitted after hours or on the weekends, it may be the morning of the next business day before a staff member is able to respond.
- In these situations, please make your RA and Area Coordinator aware of the situation so they can assist in determining if the situation requires immediate assistance.
You can expect the following steps to take place:
- Staff member will inspect the room to determine if the area of concern is mold.
- Our Office of Environmental Health & Safety will be consulted for guidance if warranted following the initial inspection.
- If the area of concern is determined to be mold, staff will clean the location with cleaning solutions which are approved for mold remediation and assess the need for any other repairs.
- The staff member will work to identify the cause for the excess moisture in the room.
- If the mold is caused by a maintenance issue, the staff will work to correct the issue.
If the mold is determined to be caused by environmental factors (AC set too cold, items stored next to AC unit, etc.) the student will be instructed on what steps need to be completed to correct the situatio