Thomas Jefferson University's Department of Public Safety website contains details on emergency preparedness, crime prevention tips, fire safety information, and services offered to students. To view emergency procedures by residence hall, please click here. 

All residence hall entrance doors are locked for student safety, 24 hours a day. Access to the residence hall is only through the front door. All other doors are locked from the outside and equipped with exit alarms that sound when the door is opened. These doors are to be used only in case of an emergency.

To enter a building, residents must swipe their ID at the proximity reader by the lobby doors. The ID will allow access to the front lobby. Resident students must then swipe their ID at the staffed RHM (Residence Hall Monitor) desk to enter the hall.

Residential Life and Public Safety reserve the right to deny admittance to the residence halls to any person. Please be sure to review our Residence Life Policies related to keys and IDs, unauthorized entry, and guests.

Residential Life conducts Health and Safety Inspections once a semester, as well as prior to the halls closing for Thanksgiving break, winter break, and spring break. We inform residents in advance about the inspection dates.

During these inspections, Residential Life staff enter rooms and apartments to verify residents' adherence to policies, particularly those related to fire safety. Staff members perform only a visual inspection and do not inspect personal belongings. Furthermore, during these checks, Residential Life ensures that students who have vacant spaces in their room or apartment are ready to accommodate a new roommate.

The University complies with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regarding the disclosure of student information. In accordance with FERPA, on-campus residents have the right to designate a specific point of contact to be notified by the University within 24 hours if they are reported missing. Residents can identify a preferred point of contact through the housing portal. This person will be contacted by Residential Life or other authorized University officials within 24 hours of a missing student report. If a resident has not designated a point of contact, University officials will contact the emergency contact information listed on the resident's housing application or student record database.

For residents under 18 years old, their parent or legal guardian will be contacted within 24 hours of a missing student report. If law enforcement is involved, University officials will collaborate with the designated POC or emergency contact to locate the missing student. Additionally, law enforcement will be notified within 24 hours of a missing student report.

The University recognizes and respects the basic interest of each resident to maintain privacy and control of personal living space. The University also has the responsibility to provide safe and secure residential facilities for both present and future occupants.

Right of Entry - Thomas Jefferson University reserves the right to enter residents' rooms for administrative reasons under the following circumstances:

• The overall well-being and order of the residential community is thought to be in jeopardy;
• Completion of a work order for a room repair;
• Danger, including, but not limited to, floods, fire, and life- or injury-threatening situation is thought to be occurring or is imminent;
• The occupant cannot be located for an extended period of time (a search for this purpose will solely be to enter the room and look for the occupant);
• It is necessary to inspect for, correct, repair, or remove hazards to health or personal safety. These checks, called Health and Safety Checks are conducted at a minimum of 2 times per semester. These times include: prior to Thanksgiving break; prior to Winter Break, prior to Spring Break and at closing;
• It is necessary to inspect a vacant/unoccupied portion of a room/apartment in order to prepare it for occupancy;
• It is believed that a resident is using their assigned space in a manner inconsistent with the provisions of the housing agreement or other University policies

Residential Life staff inspects the room/apartment before occupancy. Another inspection takes place when the room is vacated. Residents are responsible for any damage that takes place during their occupancy. Upon move-in, each resident will receive instructions on how to complete their Room Condition Report. All comments and edits must be submitted before the published deadline. In order to avoid being charged for damages upon move-out, it is important that each resident note anything needing repairs on this form. Additional inspections will take place during the residents' occupancy to ensure fire safety and adherence to University and/or departmental policies.

When a resident's room is entered for reasons described above in the Right of Entry policy, the University official generally will conduct a "plain view inspection." Only under exigent circumstances involving threats to health, safety, or potential violations of the University's policies, as determined by the Dean of Students Office, will a thorough room search be conducted. Illegal and/or prohibited items may be confiscated.