Written by Jasmine Hightower, Copyeditor.

Housing has recently updated its health and safety inspection policy, increasing the number of room inspections to better the safety and well-being of their residents.

At the beginning of the 2024-2025 semester, students have noticed that housing has increased the amount of room inspections. In previous years, these inspections were conducted approximately once every two months.

However, under the new policy, inspections now occur on a monthly basis.

According to Jeffery Hooks, Director of Housing and Resident Life, these new policies are to ensure fire safety and overall cleanliness of resident halls.

“By conducting these inspections more frequently, we can proactively identify and address potential fire or safety hazards, maintain the cleanliness of residence halls, and ensure compliance with university policies and fire safety regulations,” Hooks said.

Students have expressed their feelings towards the new policy changes; most do not feel it is a big deal and are more focused on a warning in advance.

“I don’t really care. As long as it’s a warning before hand, like a couple of days in advance it doesn’t really matter to me,” Declan Myers, a freshman nursing major residing in Georgia Hall, said.

Other students also feel it is not a big deal but also feel that during certain points in the semester, it can be hard to keep your room up and can be stressful.

Taz Wilson, a senior criminal justice major, explained how the new policies could affect her and others.

“During the semester, things can get a bit hectic and so your room is not always up to par, so it kind of puts a little bit of stress on me to make sure everything is right,” she said.

Although students did not receive a warning about the new policy changes, housing does provide clear communication with residents before an upcoming room inspection.

“We understand the importance of clear communication, so residents receive a one-week notice before each scheduled inspection to ensure they have time to prepare,” Hooks said. “The goal of these inspections is to create a safer and healthier living environment for everyone, and we believe that this adjustment will help us achieve that.”

Photo by Jasmine Hightower.