Room Entry and Search
Augustana recognizes the right of students to protection against unreasonable search and entry as guaranteed by the section on Rights, Freedoms, and Responsibilities of Augustana Students (found in the Student Handbook). In order to protect this right, the College has instituted the following procedures to govern search and entry of college-owned student rooms, apartments and houses.

The Residence Life program respects the privacy of the students and therefore, as a general rule, rooms will not be entered without an invitation. However, college staff and maintenance personnel are authorized to enter student rooms unannounced under certain conditions such as instances of extreme emergency relating to danger of life, safety, health, and property. The College also reserves the right to enter college owned or operated housing for maintenance requirements and when behavioral concerns may constitute a violation of college rules and regulations such as suspicion of possession, and use of alcoholic beverages and drugs, or other violations.

Room entry and/or searches will be made with sensitivity to a person's protection against unreasonable search and entry as discussed above. However, residential living encourages informal relationships between residence life staff and students and the detection of policy violations are many times the result of frequent and casual interaction in student rooms. The following guidelines therefore establish a suggested procedure and should not be interpreted as a rigid policy.

Entry

  • No student room will be entered without knocking or identifying one's self as an authorized staff member.
  • Whenever possible, the purpose of the entry will be stated to the occupants of the room.
  • College staff are not authorized to enter a student's room upon the request of another student.
  • Rooms are routinely entered during vacation periods for safety and security reasons (i.e. closed windows, locked doors, electrical appliances unplugged, refrigerator doors ajar, etc.).
  • Residence Life staff and other college personnel are authorized to use a pass key to gain entrance to a room if the assigned occupants are not present or if college personnel are refused entry. If assigned occupants are present, they will be notified of the entry.

Search

  • Only items which are specifically prohibited or which pose an immediate danger to the health or safety of the residents will be removed from the room without the permission of the owner.
  • College personnel are free to seize illegal material but the extent of the search must be in keeping with the factual information upon which the room entry and probable cause for the search is intended.
  • Except under extreme circumstances, premises occupied by students and the personal possessions of students shall not be searched unless appropriate authorization has been obtained. For premises such as college-owned housing or other property managed by Augustana, approval shall be given by the Vice President for Student Services the Associate Dean of Students, the Director of Campus Life, or designate before a search is conducted. The request for search shall specify the reasons for the search and the object or information sought.
  • All evidence seized during searches complying with the above procedures may be used in college disciplinary hearings.
  • No provisions in the Augustana regulations give college officials officials authority to consent to a search of a student's living quarters by police or other governmental officials without a court-issued warrant.