Safety & Security

In 2015, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Housing and Residence Life received a directive from the State Fire Marshal's Office (SFMO) to examine the bathroom locks in all residential bathrooms to determine if the locks met National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) Life Safety Code requirements for Hotels and Dormitories. If locks existed that did not meet those requirements, a solution to eliminate the possibility of a person becoming trapped in the bathroom was required. UTRGV Housing and Residence Life together with SFMO, Environmental Health and Safety and Risk Management and Campus Facilities conducted an evaluation of its residence hall bathroom facilities and found that Unity Hall suite bathroom locks did not meet the NFPA code, and we began the process to address the SFMO directive.  

Although we explored alternatives, it was determined that no hardware locks that met the code requirements existed, and an alternative infrastructure redesign was not feasible. UTRGV Housing and Residence Life decided that removal of the bathroom locks on one of the bathroom doors in each suite was the most suitable solution to comply with the State Fire Marshall’s directive. Each suite has one restroom that locks, and another that does not. Due to capacity constraints, this cannot be changed or accommodated after move-in.  

UTRGV Housing and Residence Life remains committed to resident safety, security, well-being and success through numerous layers and measures of support. All exterior suite doors at Unity Hall are lockable.  Unity Hall has secured access control doors at the main entry door lobby and to each individual building.  Unity Hall has security cameras at all main entry points in the buildings.  Unity Hall provides staff during visiting hours to monitor access and has Live-In Resident Assistants on-site and conduct daily walkthroughs of the property.  UTRGV Police conduct walkthroughs of Unity Hall. Students should use this as an opportunity to engage their suitemates in a dialog about how to develop boundaries, shared respect, and measures to secure the privacy, safety, and security of all students and their friends who are sharing a suite. College should teach our students the skills they need to meet new and different people, engage in meaningful communication, resolve differences, and negotiate shared solutions. UTRGV Housing staff encourage these discussions through RA (Resident Assistant) wing and Hall meetings and are trained and prepared to facilitate these discussions as well as mediate and resolve suite-mate issues. 

UTRGV Housing and Residence Life does not condone individual measures for residents to circumvent the State Fire Marshall's directive. We will, however, allow students to utilize safety alarms on bathroom doors that do not impede the ability to exit the bathroom space but provide an audible alert upon entry of the bedroom space from the bathroom. Students can find acceptable options at many retail locations and through online consumer sites – a generic search result for "door alarm" will produce several reasonably priced options for consideration. 

Students or parents with concerns may contact Housing Administration at home@utrgv.edu.