Off-Campus Housing Policies

Some 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.

It is in the entire TU community’s best interest that we can tell you what some of the consequences of disruptive behavior in our surrounding neighborhoods could be:

• Property owners/landlords could face sanctions 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 sanctioned 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.

(c) Authority to tow a 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 conduct 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: Conduct which is a violation of local, state or federal laws or the University Student 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: Conduct which 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 Student Code of Student Accountability, the University may bring charges 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.”

(Student Code of Student Accountability, section C. Scope, #1). Off-campus behavior which is disorderly and disruptive to others in the community or the neighborhoods surrounding the University may fall under this category.

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 University Student Code of Student Accountability.

Repeated off-campus conduct that is disorderly and disrupts others in the community is prohibited and is subject to discipline through the University’s disciplinary process. Students who lease or own off-campus residences shall be held accountable for the disorderly and disruptive actions of other occurring within the leased or owned premises and shall be subject to discipline under the Student 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 discipline.

All policies related to students can be found listed in the Code of Student Accountability.