Services in the Residence Halls

Housing and Residential Services takes wellness, facilities, and safety very seriously and expects all students and professional staff to do the same. Fire drills and room inspections are conducted each semester in order to ensure that residents and professional staff within our halls are living in a safe, conducive, and wholesome environment that promotes positive academic and personal growth.

Fire Building Evacuations (Drills and Alarms)

When a fire alarm sounds in a building. You should always respond as though it is real. Follow these steps:

1. Immediately depart the building. If possible, leave with your name/face identification, coat (inclement weather) and shoes.
2. Utilize the closest building exit (do not use elevators) if it is safe to do so. If the closest exit is not then transition to the next closest exit.
3. Once you have exited the building report to your Assembly Point designated for your building. Do not leave the assembly point until you are given permission from a university official as there may be a roll call taken.
4. Report to a university official and/or emergency personnel any information that may be critical at that time. For example: someone was unable to remove themselves from the building.
5. Do not reenter the building until provided the clearance from a university official. Emergency personnel may signal the building is clear, but university officials may need to take additional administrative steps before allowing the building to be re-entered.

Health and Safety: Room Inspections

You received an email to your university email address about the Health and Safety Inspection 
providing the following details:

• Residents are provided notification of Health and Safety with a minimum of 5 business days via their student email account
• A pair of Housing and Residential Services staff members will visit your assigned space
• Inspections may be conducted physically or virtually.  This decision is based on the discretion of the building supervisor.

We perform these inspections to ensure a healthy and safe living environment for all in our community. If no violations are found, an electronic notification will be provided to you indicating that you have passed.  Any policy violations found will be documented and electronic notification will provide:

• Outline of the violations(s)
• Lower level violations (i.e. items on ceiling, trash build up, clutter build up) will receive a re-inspection date
• Higher level violations (i.e. candles, alcohol bottles, drugs) will be addressed immediately and documented through student conduct
• An incident report will be created for any violations not corrected.

Also, a room inspection as outlined in the Housing Occupancy Agreements may occur at any time without notice if department professional staff believes a violation is occurring, has occurred, or someone is in danger.  When this occurs, the incident is document

Expectations for Residents Related to Substance Growth

Substances can grow if a room is not properly maintained or ventilated. If moisture is allowed to accumulate in a room, substances can grow. It is important that residents regularly allow air to circulate in a room. It is also important that residents keep the interior of the room clean. If issues such as leaks, moisture problems and/or substance growth is found, reach out until you talk directly to a housing staff member:

• Contact a staff member in your respective building.
• Russell Front Desk: 978.665.4022
• Housing a Residential Services: 978.665.3219

After making contact with a housing staff member, enter a work request through Capital Planning.

Residents must maintain rooms in a manner that prevents the occurrence of substance growth. To do so, residents should follow the procedures below.

1. Keep the room free of dirt and debris that can harbor substance growth.
2. Notify a housing staff member of any water intrusion, including but not limited to plumbing leaks, drips, “sweating” pipes, and overflows (e.g., sinks, toilets, etc.).
3. Report to a housing staff member of any significant substance growth on surfaces inside the room.
4. Allow university staff or its contractors to enter the room to inspect and make necessary repairs.
5. Use exhaust fans whenever cooking, dishwashing, cleaning,  showering or bathing cleaning, and enter a work order for any non-working fans.
6. Use all reasonable care to close all windows and other openings in the room to prevent outdoor water from penetrating into the interior of the room.
7. Clean and dry any visible moisture on windows, walls and other surfaces including personal property as soon as reasonably possible.
8. Enter a work order for any problems with the air-conditioning or heating systems.

Document your verbal communication on an issue by submitting a work request.

Indoor Air Quality and Promoting Healthy Living Conditions in Residence Halls

Maintaining a satisfactory and healthy indoor environment and good indoor air quality in our highly-variable Massachusetts climate requires a joint effort by Fitchburg State staff and residence hall residents. No heating or air conditioning system is able to eliminate all pollen, dust and allergens; therefore, certain maintenance and housekeeping practices must be utilized to reduce humid conditions and prevent substance/microbial growth, such as mold and mildew within university buildings. Maintaining cleanliness in the residence hall living environment is essential for healthy air quality because substances grow and thrive in wet or humid conditions, including those created by food or other organic materials containing moisture, wet towels, wet clothing, water intrusion, or spills which are not cleaned up immediately. Substance growth can occur within 24-48 hours of a spill of any liquid or water intrusion, so clean-up of spills or reporting of water intrusion must be done promptly.

Fitchburg State University will take reasonable steps to:

• See that HVAC systems are operating properly and capable of maintaining temperatures at 73 degrees.
• Check and perform filter changes in fan coil units at least every 6 months.
• Investigate and monitor the mechanical rooms, basements and sub-basements, as well as the underground tunnel system for any moisture concerns bi-weekly.
• Respond to reports of water leaks and intrusion when notified.

Capital Planning and Maintenance and Department of Environmental Health and Safety (DEHS) will work with Housing and Residential Services as needed to perform resident and staff interviews and indoor air quality investigations to develop a plan to assist in locating and re mediating the sources of residents’ IAQ concerns.

Campus Residents' Responsibilities

Follow the 3 Cs: Cleaning, Climate and Communication

Cleaning

Because substances thrive in wet or humid conditions, cleanliness in the residence hall living environment can assist in improving air quality and promoting a healthy and comfortable living environment free of pests and insects. Items such as wet towels or clothing and oils or residue in leftover food containers and spilled drinks can be a medium for substance growth.  For these reasons, the following responsibilities have been established for all residence hall residents:

1. You are responsible for cleaning your residence hall room or apartment. Maintain your residence in a responsible fashion that does not promote unhealthy conditions for you or your neighbors. Health and safety inspections will be performed randomly by Housing.
   • Empty your trash regularly.
   • Hang damp or wet towels, bath mats, clothing, or other items immediately and allow items to dry completely to prevent microbial growth and musty odors.
   • Clean any spills immediately and thoroughly.
   • Vacuum carpet or rugs, sweep floors and dust your room regularly.
2. Pets are not allowed in residence halls, with the exception of service or emotional support animals and one fish tank that is less than 10 gallons per residence hall room.
3. Food preparation and consumption can attract pests and insects. Avoid leaving open food containers out, seal all containers after use and refrigerate perishable foods. Dispose of used food containers and food scraps regularly to prevent attracting pests and insects and promoting the growth of mold. Keep refrigerators tightly closed.
4. Do not allow mildew to accumulate in your baths and shower stalls. Report any substances in baths and kitchens immediately.
5. Cleaning of community bathrooms is the responsibility of Housing Custodial Services unless you are otherwise notified. Report any substances immediately through the maintenance system, the front desk staff, your RA or your Hall Director.

Climate

Controlling room climate is essential to the success of managing indoor air quality and comfort. Residents of Mara 8 and Simonds Hall have cooling within their respective halls and are expected to assist with the efforts to maintain climate control by following the guidelines below:

1. If the windows are operable, then it is important to KEEP WINDOWS CLOSED when the air conditioning is running. Some buildings have the resident room windows secured to better control the environmental conditions; do not open secured windows. Tampering with the secured windows and opening them may result in a damages charge. The condensation created during the cooling season by open windows (hot air) mixing with conditioned HVAC air (cool air) indoors is capable of creating significant mold and moisture problems within the HVAC system and the residence hall room or apartment.
2. Close blinds early in the day to prevent the sun from heating the room. Turn off all lights when leaving the room.
3. Do not tamper with the HVAC unit. Contact the Housing Office or a staff member in your hall for assistance with temperature or humidity issues or water intrusion.
4. Do not block the HVAC air supply or return air vents or doors where the units are located. Reduced air flow to the HVAC system can result in excess moisture and promote substance growth within the system and residence hall rooms.
5. Bathroom exhaust fans should be kept running during and after showering to help remove moisture from the air.
6. Use bath mats to help absorb water after showering or bathing.
7. Hang damp or wet towels, bath mats and any wet clothing articles to allow for thorough drying after use to prevent substance growth or musty odors. Do not hang damp or wet items over the furniture in the room or closet doors.
8. Follow these refrigerator tips:
   1. Keep refrigerator doors tightly closed. Failure to secure refrigerator doors may result in defrosting of the freezer and may cause leaking onto the floor.
   2. When defrosting refrigerators, take steps to prevent water from getting onto carpeting, rugs or floors. Clean up spills immediately to prevent water damage or substance growth. Residents may place small refrigerators in the shower areas where there are drains to defrost the freezer as needed as long as it doesn't prevent other students from using the facilities.
   3. Refrigerators must be emptied of contents and defrosted before leaving for winter break. Please note that you will be responsible for correcting conditions within your room or apartments that are designated as your responsibility, and as deemed reasonably necessary. Tampering with units or secured windows or failure to report problems with moisture may result in a residence hall policy violation.

Communication

1. Communication of any leaks or water intrusion to a housing staff member is required immediately, as it only takes 24-48 hours for substances to grow.
2. A housing staff member should always be the initial contact for indoor air quality or substance growth.
3. Utilize these format of outreach:
   • Contact a staff member in your respective building.
   • Russell Front Desk: 978.665.4022
   • Housing and Residential Services: 978.665.4145

After making contact with a housing staff member, enter work request.
 

The university takes the health and safety of our students very seriously. All suspected bed bug 
cases are taken very seriously and given a high priority.  Bed bugs are a common issue all across 
the United States as well as worldwide and can be found in high-end hotels, apartment complexes, 
hospitals and even college residence halls.

If you suspect bed bugs:

1. You repeatedly wake up with unexplained bug bites on your body.
2. You see dark brownish black stains appearing on your linens or mattress.
3. Contact and speak directly with a housing staff member:
   • Contact a staff member in your respective building.
   • Russell Front Desk: 978.665.4022
   • Housing & Residential Services: 978.665.3219
   • After making contact with a housing staff member, enter a work request.
4. Capital Planning and Maintenance (CPM) will coordinate with the pest control provider and HRS for an onsite inspection as soon as possible. It is important that a trained professional confirms the existence of bed bugs.

What not to do before inspection:

1. Do not remove items from your room including throwing them away. If not done in the correct manner, you risk infecting other residents' rooms and potentially re-infecting your room.
2. Do not try to control the problem on your own. Bed bugs can go a long time without food and most over the counter treatments are ineffective.
3. Do not relocate to another room. We understand the desire to not want to stay in your room, but in doing so you risk taking bugs with you in any belongings you take. This would spread the bugs and could quite easily lead to your room being re-infected after treatment.

After the inspection:  Upon receiving inspection findings, CPM will work closely with the Housing and Residential Services office who will provide residents with additional information and next steps if bed bugs have been detected including a proper treatment plan.
 

There are two types of Fan Coil/Unit Ventilator systems, two-pipe and four-pipe. The two or four-pipe designations refers to the water distribution system serving the climate control equipment in a building. 

The HVAC systems differ across the residence halls on Fitchburg State’s campus. The major points of the systems are to understand they either provide heating only or heating/cooling. For the residential buildings that do not provide cooling, residents may find box fans/oscillating fans to provide some levels of comfort during seasonal changes.

The majority of the residential buildings are heating HVAC systems only. The changeover to transitioning into out of heating is a manual process. The manual switchover requires a couple of days for hot water transition. A review of the residential buildings and their system is below. The residence halls will note heating only (cooling is not part of the system) and heating/cooling (for buildings that have both).