Access and Security-Graduate Housing

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Security is a collective responsibility. The University and the residential community are both concerned about and responsible for the safety and security of graduate housing. There are some things which each resident can do to help:

  • Do not prop open section or building doors for any reason.
  • Always lock your door and carry your keys.
  • Do not admit unknown or unidentified people to locked sections or buildings. Residents who have a legitimate reason to seek admission to a building should be willing to show their ID.
  • If there are people found in the buildings that are unknown or unidentified, report the situation to Lehigh University Police immediately. It is mandatory that any resident present a Lehigh ID card upon the request of any University community official. Refusal to do so can result in disciplinary action.
  • Try not to lose your ID card or room key; and never loan them to others. If keys or ID card are lost or stolen, contact the IDEAL Office and Lehigh University Police immediately.
  • Report all incidents of theft or damage to the Office of Residential Services.

Key Policies
Residents are provided a set of keys (1 apartment, and 1 mailbox key). If roommates or family sign a roommate agreement, an additional set of keys will be provided. Residents have card access to their building.

Each room key is individually coded. Key(s) issued to an individual may not be given to anyone who is not a resident of the particular room/building. All persons involved in such a transaction will be subject to disciplinary action.

It is against regulations to duplicate keys. All keys must be issued through the Offices of Housing Services or the IDEAL Office. The unauthorized possession, alteration, or defacement of any key and the illegal entry of any room by any means are strictly forbidden under penalty of disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the university.  

Lockouts
A resident locked out of his/her room, Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:15 a.m. and 4:45 p.m., can borrow a key from the Office of Housing Services. The resident will be issued a temporary key. The resident has 1 business day to return the temporary key to the Office of Housing Services. If the temporary key is not returned to the Office of Housing Services, the lock will be changed and new keys will issued.

After business hours, residents can call LUPD for lockout assistance. LUPD lockouts have a fee associated with them and the cost can be found on the GPO fines section of our website.

Lost keys
Lost keys must be reported to the Office of Housing Services within 24 hours.

Stolen keys
Stolen keys must be reported immediately to the Office of Housing Services and to Lehigh University Police immediately.

Lock changes
Lost or stolen keys will result in a lock change which will be billed to the leaseholder. Once the lock is changed, a fee up to $80 will be charged to the Bursar account of the leaseholder. The cost for this fee varies on which keys were lost/stolen. It is the resident’s responsibility, in the event of a lock change, to pick up his/her own key from Housing Services, and also inform roommate(s) of the lock change. 

ID Card Policies

ID cards will only operate the card reader doors in the area(s) to which the student has been authorized to access. Attempts to use a card in area(s) other than those authorized will be monitored and may subject the student to disciplinary action.

If an ID card becomes de-magnetized, worn or broken and stops working due to normal wear and tear, the card should be taken to the IDEAL Office for exchange.     

Lost or Stolen ID Card Policy

If your LU ID card is lost or stolen, immediately deactivate your card (Building Access, GoldPLUS, Meal Plan/Dining Dollars) by logging on the Campus Portal, Student page, My GoldPLUS portlet, "Click here to report it Immediately" link. A replacement ID card may be obtained at the IDEAL Office during regular office hours. If your ID card is lost or stolen after regular office hours or on the weekend, Log on the Campus Portal, My Lehigh tab, My GoldPLUS channel, to deactivate any access on your ID card. Contact the LUPD to gain access to your building after hours.

For the complete information on Keys and IDs, please reference the Buildings Access Policy and Procedures on the IDEAL Office website.