Residential Safety and Prohibited Items List

At McKendree University, the safety and well-being of our residential students are our top priorities. To ensure a secure and comfortable living environment, all residents must comply with established safety policies regarding fire hazards, electrical usage, and prohibited items. These guidelines help prevent potential risks, maintain the integrity of our facilities, and foster a positive community experience.

Looking for What to Bring to College?  Check out our Bearcat Blog:  Dorm Room Essentials

Many of our policies are informed by or required through our institutional insurance provider to mitigate fire hazards, reduce risk, and maintain compliance with industry safety standards. Enforcing these policies helps prevent additional costs from being passed on to students due to increased insurance premiums, damages, or emergency-related expenses. As a result, McKendree University upholds a higher standard of safety expectations to protect students, staff, and university property.

Below, you will find a detailed list of items and activities that are not permitted in residence halls, as well as important safety regulations regarding appliances, decorations, and network connectivity. It is essential that all students review and adhere to these policies to avoid fines, removal of unauthorized items, or potential disciplinary action.

This list is intended to provide additional details and clarification for policies outlined in the McKendree University Student Handbook. While it serves as a valuable resource for students, it is not an exhaustive list of all university policies or possible prohibited items. Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with all residence hall regulations, including those found in the student handbook and other university policies, and to ask questions when unsure.

If you have any questions or need clarification on an item, please contact the Office of Residence Life at reslife@mckendree.edu or (618) 537-6855.

 

Fire Hazards

Opening flames or heat sources

• • • • • Fire starters and burners, such as sternos, lighters, matches, etc., are prohibited.
        • Objects with open flames such as candles (including those with burnt wicks), incense, lanterns, or oil lamps are prohibited.
          • • Light bulb candle/wax warmers are the only type of candle/wax warmers allowed on campus
        • Students are prohibited from drying clothing or other combustible items on heating units.

Flammable substances:

• • • • • Gasoline, propane tanks (e.g., camping or grill equipment), or any flammable/combustible chemicals are prohibited.
        • Combustible items such as lubricants, degreasers, and rust-removers are prohibited.
        • Butane or any butane-powered devices are prohibited.

        • Possession of ammunition, explosives, fireworks or other dangerous implements is prohibited.

        • Charcoal and lighter fluid for grilling is prohibited inside buildings.  Students wishing to utlize in-ground provided charcoal grills at McK West Apts. are encourage to purchase and fully utilize ready-light charcoal so that there is no need for storage.

Electrical Safety

Electrical usage limit: There is a maximum 900-watt total usage for any appliance; standard dormitory outlets operate at 120V/7.5A.

Non-UL-listed appliances: All electrical devices must meet U.S. safety standards and be UL-listed.

Look for this image on the tags or plates of the electrical items:

   

Overloaded or unsafe wiring:

• • • • • Extension cords shall not exceed six (6) feet in length.
        • Extension cords should have 3-prongs, un-grounded extension cords are not permitted in residential areas, and 14 guage or larger.
        • Extension cords may not be run under rugs or closet doors, nor secured to building surfaces or furniture.
        • Overloaded power strips or surge protectors without safety rating are prohibited.
        • Daisy-Chaining Power Strips: Connecting multiple power strips together is strictly prohibited.
        • Any electrical appliance with damaged cords must be removed from the building.

Direct-to-Outlet Appliances:

• • • • • The following devices must be plugged directly into a wall outlet and are prohibited from being connected to extension cords or power strips:
          • • Space heaters provided by the university
            • Refrigerators, freezers, and microwaves
            • Kitchen cooking appliances (e.g. toasters, coffee makers, etc)
            • Hair dryers and other hair care appliances
            • Medical devices (e.g., CPAP machines)

Prohibited appliances:

• • • • • Humidifiers are not allowed.
        • Personally-owned dehumidifiers are not allowed without permission of the Office of Residence Life.
        • Portable air-conditioning units are not allowed.
        • Electric blankets, sun lamps, and space-heaters are prohibited in residential facilities.
        • Laundry washers and dryers are not permitted.
        • Clothing irons, to smooth wrinkles out of clothing, and hair curling irons are heavily discouraged. 

Prohibited lighting:

• • • • • Halogen lamps or lamps with combustible shades.
        • LED light strips, as the adhesive damages paint and drywall.

Cooking Appliances and Implements

Prohibited Cooking Appliances in Traditional Dorm Rooms & Suites (without kitchens)::

• • • • • Kitchen appliances with exposed heating elements are prohibited in traditional halls and suite-style buildings.  This includes hot plates, immersion coils, toaster ovens, broilers, grittles, presses (e.g., George Foreman-style grills), electric woks, rice cookers, etc.
          • • Items with internal heating elements, such as Keurig coffee makers or electric kettles, are permitted.
            • Individual use blenders (e.g. Magic Bullet, Ninja Blast portable, Hamilton Beach travel, etc.) are permitted, but must be plug directly into a wall unit while being used and should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent pests or mold.
        • Moisture-Producing Appliances Warning:
          • • Prolonged use of moisture-producing appliances (such as coffee pots, tea kettles, diffusers, etc.) can cause excessive moisture in the room.
            • Residents should take precautions to prevent condensation-related issues by ensuring proper ventilation and wiping down excess moisture after use.
        • Processors
          • • Blenders, juicers, hand and stand mixers, and food processors are prohibited.
            • Knives with a blade longer than 3 inches and without a protective case or sheath are prohibited.

Approved Kitchen Appliances for Apartments (units with full kitchens): 

• • • • • Students living in University apartments equipped with full kitchens may use the following appliances in their kitchens as long as they are used safely used and properly maintained:
          • • Air fryers, toasters, and toaster ovens
            • Rice cookers, insta-pots/pressure cookers, food steamers, and crock pots
            • Blenders, juicers, hand and stand mixers, and food processors
            • Presses, grittles, sandwich makers, waffle maker, and other hot plate presses are allowed.
            • Cookie knives are permitted as long as they are kept in the kitchen and contained safely in a block or drawer.
        • Items that have higher instances of fire incidents have been prohibited.
          • • Deep friers and cooking with large amounts of oil are prohibited. 
            • Grills, electric or otherwise, are prohibited. 
        • Use of heat-producing appliances for food preparation in any area not specifically designated for this purpose (i.e. the kitchen and dining rooms) is prohibited.

Microwave and Refrigerator Guidelines for Campus:

• • • • • Students may have one microwave and one mini-refrigerator per bedroom.
        • Full-size refrigerators are not permitted.
        • Refrigerator size is restricted to 5 cubic feet
          • • Basic Use (Drinks & Snacks) → 1.7 - 2.5 cu. ft. (Compact, fits under bed and desks)
            • Moderate Use (Groceries & Leftovers) → 3.0 - 3.5 cu. ft. (More shelving, small freezer)
            • Full Functionality (More Storage & Freezer Space) → 4.0 - 4.5 cu. ft. (Best for shared rooms)
            • Mini-Deep Freezers → only permitted in apartments
        • For convenience, students are encouraged to consider renting an approved unit through our partner, MicroFridge, which offers combination microwave/refrigerator/freezer units designed for residence halls.

Remain Vigilant: Students must adequately monitor all food preparation processes and can be held liable for any damage to University property that results from their neglect.

Activity Guidelines

Tampering with fire safety equipment:

• • • • • Covering, disabling, or tampering with smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, or fire extinguishers.
        • Triggering false fire alarms or improper use of fire escapes and emergency exits.
        • Not promptly evacuating when a fire alarm sounds.

Hazardous usages and/or storage:

• • • • • Gasoline-powered vehicles or components (e.g., motorcycles, mopeds) are prohibited in residential areas.
        • Hoverboards, segway scooters,  are prohibited on campus property.
        • Drones are restricted on campus property without clearance from the Office of Public Safety due to our proximity to Scott Airforce Base.
        • Grills and Fire Pits
          • • No person(s) shall store or use outdoor grills, fire pits, and/or fuels in any university-owned or operated housing facility.
            • The use of wood-burning, gas, or electric fireplaces is not permitted in any residential area.
            • Students may utilize the fire pit located outside of Ames and utilize the charcoal grills located at McKendree West or the Lair.  See the Bearcat Boulevard Tailgating Policies for exceptions.

Risky and/or dangerous behaviors:

• • • • • It is prohibited for a person to ernter any area where access is limited to only authroized personnel (e.g. attics, tunnels, roofs, boiler/maintenance rooms, equiptment and storage rooms, housekeeping closets, private office areas, unoccpied studetns residence hall rooms, etc.) except where permission has been granted in each instance.
        • Climbing, rappelling, or related activity is prohibited on campus residential buildings, structures, or trees.
        • The institution strongly discourages possession and use of fire ladders.  All students sare advised that the University ill bear no responsibliity for the use of these ladders under any circumstances and that non-emergency use of such ladders will result in disciplinary action.

Decorations

Prohibited materials: Live trees, straw, hay, or other highly flammable organic or inorganic materials or items.

Open-flame decorations: Menorahs, candelabras, or other items with open flames. Battery-powered or electrical items are permitted.

Safe lighting:  All additional lighting must be UL-certified.  All string lights must be LED and UL-certified for indoor use.

Improper decorations:

• • • • • Tapestries, flags, burlap, fish netting, or wicker ornaments that hang from the ceiling or obstruct sprinklers, smoke detectors, or light fixtures.
        • Adhesives and other items that damage surfaces, including nails, screws, duct tape, or 3M Command strips.
        • The hanging of paper posters or other decorations should be limited to a maximum of one third (1/3) of the available wall space within the residential space.
        • Smoke machines are prohibited.

Network and Connectivity Safety

Wireless routers or personal Wi-Fi devices:

• • • • • Personal wireless routers are not permitted in residence halls as they interfere with campus Wi-Fi and can negatively impact the network for others.
        • Smart devices that generate their own wireless networks (e.g., Google Chromecast, Amazon Echo, or similar devices) must have network broadcasting features disabled to prevent interference with university Wi-Fi.
        • Radio transmitters and exterior antennae/antennas are not permitted in residence halls.