FAQs

Residence Life creates and develops a community within the residence halls. Community Assistants, also known as CAs, develop and host a wide variety of programs that target special areas of interest such as life skills; professional development; mind, body and spirit; social justice; and, culture and diversity. Programming helps expose our students to new and different perspectives of our ever-changing society.

The main office for Residence Life is located in Founders Hall in the Upper Lounge. Here you will find the Assistant Director, and Resident Coordinators of our department. The Director's office is located off the lobby of O'Connor Hall. We are there to help with any concerns and answer any questions you may have.

You can ask any of our paraprofessional staff, Community Assistants (CAs) or the live-in professional staff, Resident Coordinators (RCs). Students are always welcome to come and stop by the Office of Residence Life to discuss any concerns they may have. We ask that all residents store our department cell phone number (973) 985-7394 in their phones to assist in any emergencies during evening and weekend hours.

Quiet hours are in effect from 12:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. every day. All residents of the halls are responsible for maintaining an environment conducive to learning. Therefore, a 24-hour Courtesy Hours Policy is in place to limit excessive noise or loud music outside of Quiet Hours. Every student has the right to quiet and therefore the responsibility to maintain it. Select floors have been designated as "Quiet Floors" on which a 24-hour quiet environment is to be maintained.

Please bring what you feel are the essentials to survive in the beginning, you can always get things you left home another time. But please check out About Your Room for a more comprehensive list of what to bring and what not to bring.

The Office of Residence Life is responsible for handing out keys at the beginning of the year, but does not make or produce the keys and ID Cards in the office.

If you lose your ID card or key after hours (4:00 p.m.), please contact our emergency phone (973) 985-7394 to arrange temporary access. You must go to the ID office on the 2nd floor of Santa Rita Hall during business hours to replace a lost ID card.

For a lost key, please see any residence life staff person to put in a formal request for a lost key, which will be re-cored and charged to your Bursar account.

We ask all students to place their own work orders in order to monitor the repair process. All you need to do is submit a work order. If it is an emergency, please contact your CA, email residencelife@steu.edu, or call (973) 985-7394.

In the event you are not getting along, find your CA or any Residence Life staff member and tell them your concern. They will schedule a mediation with both parties in an unbiased manner and then complete and/or update a roommate contract. We encourage all students to attempt to work out all situations with their roommates first.

In order to maintain a healthy and safe environment in the Residence Halls, the Office of Residence Life conducts Health and Safety room inspections several times during each semester during vacation breaks (Fall Semester Recess, Thanksgiving Break, Spring Break, Easter Recess, and Summer Recess). Fines are imposed for violations (such as possession of prohibited items). Residents are provided notice during monthly building meetings and are provided information on how to properly close down their rooms for long break periods.

The only approved exceptions to this policy are:

• International Students
• Residence Life Office Assistants
• Student Athletes
• Student Teachers
• Students with Departmental Approved Internships for Credit
• Students enrolled in classes at Saint Elizabeth University (Summer Recess and Winter Recess Only)

In order to be approved to stay in the Residence Halls during the vacation periods a student must be in good judicial standing. The privilege to remain in the halls during vacation may be revoked prior to or during a break due to a judicial infraction.

All students who fall within these groups for Summer and Christmas Recess must secure approval to stay from the Office of Residence Life and may be obligated to pay additional fees as set forth by SEU. They may also be required to change rooms or residence halls during these periods at the discretion of the Office of Residence Life.

There is a period of two weeks during both Christmas and Summer Recess during which no student may reside on campus. Students are cautioned that their residence hall contract is not valid during these vacation periods and that any student entering any residence hall building during these periods is trespassing and will be treated accordingly.

For more information, please contact the Office of Residence Life at (973) 290-4130/4184 or residencelife@steu.edu.

At the end of the fall semester (December), students are required to leave the Residence Halls, but do not need to remove their belongings unless they are checking out, not registered, or not returning to their residence hall in the spring semester. However, students are encouraged to take expensive property home with them. Clothes and other belongings can be left, but are left at the student's own risk.

Kitchens are located throughout the residence halls. Kitchen appliances are not permitted in student rooms, besides mini-fridges. Therefore, our kitchens are equipped with community refrigerators, stove units, and microwaves.

As a safety precaution, students must be present in the kitchen while the stove or microwave units are in use. A fine will be imposed on any student not present in the kitchen while the stove or microwave is in use.

It is the resident's responsibility, as a matter of courtesy, to keep the kitchen areas clean. Unclaimed dishes or kitchen utensils left in this area may be discarded.

Do you want to be a CA and have an impact within our campus community? Awesome! Residence Life holds information sessions that you can attend that will explain the role and all that it offers.

During each semester we will have an informational session where you can learn about the CA position and what it entails, as well as the requirements to apply. At the informational sessions, you will be provided with an application, upcoming deadlines, and the opportunity to speak to current staff members about the process.

The CA Applicant process will consist of an application, personal interview, and group process. Selected Community Assistants and Community Assistant alternates will also receive a full summer and winter training before each semester.

All students can have a car on campus, but they need to be registered with the University.

Register your car here.

Resident students may park in the designated lot and gravel areas near the two residence halls, provided that a proper resident student parking decal is displayed on the vehicle. No student parking is permitted in the Santa Rita Hall lot, Henderson Hall lot, Santa Maria Hall lot, or any other designated staff/faculty parking spaces.

SEU is easily accessible via public transportation. New Jersey Transit offers low cost student train fares. Contact NJ Transit directly for application materials. Once the application is completed by the student, Student Services will verify attendance, prior to submitting the application to NJ Transit. For a list of local businesses, visit Local Businesses.

In addition to SEU's Substance Abuse policy, the following regulations apply specifically to the use of drugs and alcohol in the residence halls:

• No alcohol is permitted in the residence halls for those persons under the age of 21.
• Students of age 21 or older may consume or possess alcohol in their residence hall room, but such activity may not infringe upon the rights of others to sleep, study, or engage in appropriate activities.
• Persons under the age of 21 are not allowed in rooms where alcohol is being consumed.
• The consumption, possession, or intent to consume alcoholic beverages in public or common areas of the residence hall is prohibited; students are not permitted to be in the presence of alcohol, whether open or closed, in a public or common area.
• The serving, allowing, or permitting to be served, offering, or intent to serve, distribute, purchase for, or offer alcoholic beverages to anyone under the age of 21 years is in direct violation of New Jersey Law and is prohibited.
• Intoxication resulting from substance use by students under the age of 21 is prohibited. Misconduct as a result of intoxication by any student is prohibited.
• No kegs or beer balls are permitted in the residence halls.
• The use, possession, manufacture and/or distribution of illegal substances in connection with any on-campus or off-campus activity are strictly prohibited.
• The misuse and/or distribution of prescription drugs are strictly prohibited.
• The use of any substance for other than its intended purpose is strictly prohibited.
• Beer pong tables are prohibited within the residence halls. As dictated by the Substance Abuse Policy, sanctions for violation of this policy include: monetary fines (first offense = $50.00, second offense = $100.00, third offense = $200.00) and possible referral to counseling, revocation of privileges to attend or consume alcohol at campus events, disciplinary probation, removal from residence, suspension and/or expulsion.