Off Campus Housing Policies

We want you to have a positive experience at TU, which includes your off-campus residence. You have the power to educate yourself on Baltimore County policies in order to make a positive experience in your neighborhood as well as to avoid any costly fines or violations.

Points to Remember:

• You have the ability to portray a positive image for yourself and the university.

• You are expected to act as a responsible, contributing member of your community.

• Some of your neighbors could be key people in the fields you wish to enter. Poor relations with them could hamper an otherwise positive connection with your future.

Consequences of Disruptive Behavior in Surrounding Neighborhoods:

• Property owners/landlords could face accountability actions related to your behavior, and this could lead to the loss of housing for you.

• If you lose a positive reference from your landlord, a search for other off-campus housing could be difficult.

• Being an off-campus student does not keep you from being held accountable by the university.

• If students who are part of an officially sponsored organization or group occupy your apartment or house, a number of complaints from your neighbors could result in disciplinary action against your organization.

• Frequent complaints may result in a meeting with the Student Accountability & Restorative Practices at the university.

Housing Codes

Baltimore County: No more than (2) two unrelated persons can live together in a single family dwelling.

Baltimore City: No more than (4) four unrelated persons can live together in a single family dwelling.

18-2-202. Obstruction of Streets and Alleys

(a) Prohibited. A person may not stop, park, or leave standing a vehicle on any road or alley:

(1) In front of or within 5 feet of the edge of any private driveway or parking area without the consent of the owner or occupant of the premises; or

(2) In a manner that prevents free passage of vehicles or the movement of a lawfully parked vehicle to or from a driveway or parking area.

(b) Parking in an alley. A person may not park, stop, or leave unattended a vehicle in any alley leaving less than 12 feet of clearance parallel to the vehicle.

(1) If a vehicle is parked, stopped or left unattended in a manner that prevents or impedes the free passage of an emergency vehicle or sanitation vehicle, the Chief of Police may tow the vehicle after making a reasonable attempt to locate the owner or, if the owner is known, the owner refuses to remove the vehicle.

(2) The owner of a vehicle towed under this subsection shall pay any towing fee incurred by the Chief of Police. (1988 Code, § 21-103) (Bill No. 131-97, § 1, 1-3-1998; Bill No. 66-01, § 2, 7-1-2004)

Summary of Policy on Off-Campus Disorderly and Disruptive Behavior Reason for Policy:

Towson University is interested in addressing the off-campus behavior of students who demonstrate a pattern of behavior over time that is disorderly and disruptive to others in the surrounding neighborhoods of the University.

Definitions

Disorderly Conduct: Behavior that is a violation of local, state, or federal laws or the University Code of Student Accountability. Examples of disorderly conduct include but are not limited to underage alcohol possession or consumption, public intoxication, noise violations, public urination, and harassment of others.

Disruptive to Others: Behavior that is likely to disrupt the activities of a reasonable person going about his/her daily life in the communities surrounding the University or one’s home.

Policy Statement

Under the provisions of the Code of Student Accountability, the University may bring allegations against a student or group of students whose “off-campus actions affect the university community or the university’s pursuit of its mission, policies or procedures.”

When addressing the off-campus behavior of its students, the University is primarily interested in responding to students who demonstrate a pattern of behavior over time that is disruptive to others in the community and involves disorderly conduct that is a violation of local, state or federal laws or the Code of Student Accountability.

Repeated off-campus behavior that is disorderly and disrupts others in the community is prohibited and is subject to discipline through the University’s accountability process. Students who lease or own off-campus residences shall be held accountable for the disorderly and disruptive actions of others occurring within the leased or owned premises and shall be subject to discipline under the Code of Student Accountability. It is not necessary for students to receive a criminal or civil citation in order for their behavior to be subject to accountability.

Possible Accountability Actions

The Code of Student Accountability lists a variety of penalties that may be imposed on students or student organizations for violations of the Code. The Office of Student Accountability & Restorative Practices may use any of the penalties listed in the Code to address violations. However, if students engaging in disorderly conduct develop a pattern of violations relating to disruptive behavior, they may respond with sequentially more serious accountability actions. Students may be put on probation and fined $250 per student resident, increasing to $500 for subsequent incidents of a similar nature. For particularly egregious violations, the University may impose a more severe accountability action.

Summary of the TU Code of Student Accountability

Generally, student or group behavior subject to the accountability process is limited to: on-campus actions; off-campus actions that affect the university community or the university’s pursuit of its mission, policies or procedures; off-campus actions by officially sponsored organizations, groups or NCAA teams; or actions on university property which is leased to, or managed by, an entity other than the university.

However, a student charged with a violation of federal, state, or local laws for off-campus behavior may be held accountable by the university without a hearing when: the student is found guilty by a court of law; the student pleads guilty or nolo contendere to the charges; the student is given probation before judgment; or, the case is settled. Allegations of off-campus event related misconduct (see definitions) must be supported by a report, statement, or accusation from a law enforcement agency in whose jurisdiction the behavior is alleged to have occurred.

Additionally, interim or final accountability action(s) may be taken before any court action is completed. Examples of allegations that may result in action include acts of violence, drug- and alcohol-related violations, and a citation for a disorderly house. Such action will be taken only after a limited investigation by the Office of Student Accountability & Restorative Practices.

The student will be offered a meeting with a university official to discuss the incident. In situations where a student is not able to meet with a university official, interim action may still be taken pending a meeting with the student.

Some behavior clearly disturbs only the campus environment; when such behavior occurs, the university may take internal action.

When there is evidence that a student has committed a crime on campus, the accountability process at the university will normally proceed independently of pending criminal charges, including when charges involving the same incident have been dismissed or dropped. The student may then be subject to civil authorities as well as the accountability process.

When a student is accused of a violation of one or more provisions of this Code, a notice of allegations letter arranging a meeting with a representative of the Office of Student Accountability & Restorative Practices will be given or sent to the student within a reasonable amount of time. At the meeting, the student will be informed of:

a. specific violation

b. description of alleged incident

c. hearing or informal investigation procedure

d. rights of appeal

Prohibited Conduct

The following misbehavior is subject to accountability action:

1. Acts of Harm Toward Others

a. Physical assault, causing physical harm to, or having unwanted physical contact with any person.
b. Threats of violence include behaviors such as gestures, words, or written communications that would place a Reasonable Person in fear of imminent physical injury or harm. The person who is the object of the threat does not have to observe or receive the threat so long as a Reasonable Person would interpret the threat as placing the person in fear of imminent physical injury or harm.
c. Endangering behavior that imperils or jeopardizes the health or safety of any person or persons.
d. Any violation of the Policy on Sexual Harassment and OSM (06-01.60).
e. Intentionally or recklessly damaging, destroying, defacing, or tampering with University, public, or personal property of another.
f. Theft of property or services. This includes, but is not limited to, attempted theft, conspiracy to steal, possession of stolen property, misappropriation of another’s property, extortion, blackmail, utilizing services without payment and embezzlement.
g. Engaging in bribery of any person by providing, offering, or taking anything of value (e.g., money, presents, services, meals, assets, etc.) in exchange for something which can include, but is not limited to, enticing someone not to participate in the student accountability process, a change of grades, the removal of an assignment, or any other action that seeks to influence a student or University Official to gain a more favorable or desired outcome.
h. Discrimination against any person. See Definition.
i. Harassment or Cyberbullying of any person. See Definitions.
j. Retaliation against a person(s) for reporting or alleging misbehavior (including violations of University policy or the Code) or participating in any related University process or procedure.
k. Acts that unreasonably invade the privacy of another person.
i. Stalking any person. See Definition.

2. Community Disruption

a. Disruption or obstruction of teaching, research, administration, accountability proceedings, or normal University operations, including University-sponsored activities or events.
b. Off-campus behavior that is disorderly and disrupts others in the community.
c. Lewd, obscene, or indecent behavior.
d. Unauthorized entry into, presence at, or use of University property, facilities, systems, or records.
e. Engaging in Event-Related Misbehavior. See Definitions.
f. Possession of explosives, fireworks, or pyrotechnic paraphernalia on campus.
g. Action in association with or encouragement of another person whose behavior violates any policy.

3. Failure to Comply

a. Uncooperative behavior and/or failure to comply with reasonable instructions of University Officials acting in performance of their duties.
b. Violation of any Accountability Action imposed by a University Official.

4. False Information

a. Intentionally furnishing false or untruthful information to a University Official.
b. Forging, altering, possessing, or using false instruments of identification or University Official documents (e.g. a false driver’s license, altered parking pass, falsified medical documents, etc.).

5. Substance Misuse

a. Possession or use of alcoholic beverages by any person under 21 years of age.
b. Providing or otherwise making available an alcoholic beverage to any person under 21 years of age.
c. Consuming alcohol from an open container either on campus property at a location not approved by the University or on public property in an unlawful manner.
d. Public intoxication.
e. Possession or use of illegal drugs, unauthorized controlled substances, or drug paraphernalia. (As required by federal law, this includes the possession or use of marijuana/cannabis on University premises or at University-sponsored activities or events, including medicinal, recreation, and any other consumption forms of marijuana/cannabis).
f. Sale, distribution (or intent to distribute), and/or manufacture of illegal drugs or controlled substances.
g. Possession, sale, use, and/or distribution (or intent to distribute) of medication not in accordance with a medical doctor’s prescription.

6. Violation of Other University Policies or Laws

a. Violation of the University Policy on Weapons Prohibited (06-01.11).
b. Violation of the Hazing Policy (05-09.00).
c. Violation of the Student Academic Integrity Policy (03-01.00).
d. Violation of the Policies for On-Campus Housing.
e. Violation of other published Towson University regulations and policies.
f. Unauthorized use of the name "Towson University" or the unauthorized use of any University trademark, service mark, logo, or seal for advertising or promotional purposes in a manner that expressly or impliedly indicates the University's endorsement.
g. Violation of state, federal, and/or local laws.

Information on Student Accountability and Restorative Practices can be found here.