Security is a collective responsibility. The University and the residential community are both concerned about and responsible for the safety and security of 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 apartment 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 a staff member or to the Lehigh University Police. 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 Housing Services.
Key Policies
Residents are provided one set of keys (1 key in traditional housing and 2 keys in suite/apartment housing).
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 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., can borrow a key from the IDEAL Office. The resident will be issued a temporary key. The resident has 24 hours to return the temporary key to the IDEAL Office. If the temporary key is not returned, the student's ID card (access only) will be deactivated and a lock change will be scheduled.
After business hours, between the hours of 5-8 p.m. residents can call the University Police for lockout assistance. From 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. and all weekend long residents can call the Gryphon on call for lockout assistance. The Gryphon on call number is posted on staff office and Gryphon doors throughout each building. After the first lockout, all lockouts have a fee associated with them.
Lost keys
Lost keys must be reported to the IDEAL Office within 24 hours.
Stolen keys
Stolen keys must be reported immediately to the IDEAL Office and to Lehigh University Police immediately.
Lock changes
Lost or stolen keys as well as temp keys which are not returned within 24 hours will result in a lock change. Once the lock is changed, a $65 service charge will be charged to the student's Bursar account. It is the resident’s responsibility, in the event of a lock change, to pick up his/her key(s) within 24 hours of the lock change occurring from the IDEAL Office. Students who do not pick up their key(s) within 24 hours of a lock change are subject to a fine of $25/day until the key is picked up.
ID Card Policies
ID cards will only operate the 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. ID cards that have been cut, burned, hole-punched, chewed, etc. will be considered to be the result of deliberate damage. A fee of $30 will be charged for a card that appears to be the result of deliberate damage.
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 or Employee Page, My GoldPLUS portlet, "Click here to report it Immediately" link.
A replacement LU ID card may be obtained at the IDEAL Office (see Replacement ID Cards), located at 42 University Drive, during regular office hours (see ID Card Office Home). A $30.00 replacement fee will be charged to your Bursar account or GoldPLUS account. In the case of stolen ID cards, the replacement fee will be waived with the confirmation of, or a copy of, a police report.
If your LU ID card is found after being deactivated, but before receiving a replacement, you must personally present the ID card to the IDEAL Office in order to reactivate it. Once a replacement card has been issued, all prior cards are no longer valid and cannot be reactivated.
If you live on campus, and your LU ID card is lost or stolen after regular office hours or on the weekend, 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. Then, contact a Gryphon via the building cell phone if you live in a residence hall, or contact your House Manager if you live in a fraternity or sorority. They will be able to issue you a Temporary Access Card, which will give you building access until the next business day. The Temporary Access Card must be returned to the IDEAL Office and a replacement LU ID card must be obtained (see Replacement ID Cards) the next business day. Failure to return the Temporary Access Card to the IDEAL Office the next business day will result in an additional $30.00 replacement fee charged to your Bursar account.
For the complete information on Keys and IDs, please reference the Building access on the IDEAL Office website.
