Residence Hall Maintenance and Security

Maintenance

House Operations Managers, or HOMs, are assigned to each residence and are full-time staff members responsible for the operations and facilities of a residence. If you have a maintenance concern, submit a ticket through Atlas for your House Operations Manager to follow up on.

If your maintenance issue is urgent and time-sensitive (such as a flood, loss of heat, power outage, or lockout), contact the 24/7 HRS operations team Unit-12 by dialing (617) 235-1500 and asking for Unit-12.

Security

Please help secure your residence hall by observing the following:

• Don’t forget to tap your MIT ID each time you enter the residence hall.
• Refrain from placing belongings in front of doors and windows.
• Keep the stairwells, as well as all ingresses and egresses, clear to allow full building access, especially in the event of an emergency.
• To prevent unauthorized access, do not prop open building doors or windows, including your bedroom door.
• To prevent unauthorized entry to your living space, lock your door and window whenever you leave your room or are sleeping (even briefly).

Report suspicious tampering with physical security devices (doors, locks, etc.) to your House Operations Manager and to housingsecurity@mit.edu.

Tailgating

• Do not provide residence hall access to others, including friends who don’t live in the building. All non-residents must follow the guest policy (see below).
• As a reminder, don’t forget to tap your MIT ID each time you enter the residence hall, even if you’re walking into the building with a group— everyone must tap, each time they enter.
• If you’re unsure whether someone is a resident, do not provide access. Report any suspicious activity to MIT Police (non-emergency telephone (617) 253-2996 and email mitpd@mit.edu

Refusing to provide building access to someone (i.e. not holding a door) can be uncomfortable, but don’t forget this is your home. Don’t hesitate to ask strangers to follow proper security protocols.

Keeping Your Room Secure

• Do not leave notes on your door or dry erase board announcing that you are away, or post your daily routine.
• Do not put your name and address on key rings — They’re nondescript for a reason!
• Keep valuable items like cash, checks, credit cards, and jewelry locked in a safe place, and consider taking these items with you during extended times away from campus.
• Consider acquiring a securable footlocker or trunk, and lock up items when guests and visitors are in your living space.
• When leaving your room, keep a light on to give the appearance that someone is in the space, and you’ll return to a lit room.

Protecting Your Belongings

MIT assumes no responsibility for lost, stolen, or damaged personal items. To protect your property, consider:

• Identifying high-value items and keeping a record, including serial numbers
• Registering your laptop with MIT Police
• Register Your Bike with MIT Police
• Obtaining insurance to protect personal property