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Residents handbook

General safety

Residents, staff and visitors all have a responsibility to assist in making UOW Accommodation a safe environment. If you create or become aware of a potential hazardous situation (for example, exposed electrical wires, trip and slip hazard, etc.) you should report these to your residence office immediately.

Repairs, maintenance, and fault reporting

Please report any maintenance issues you have in your common areas, room or unit (for example, a light that does not work, a tap that is dripping continuously) via the Accommodation Services online web portal. Repairs will be prioritised by the urgency of incident. You are not permitted to: 

  • make repairs to or replace any University property and /or
  • contract external tradespersons or vendors to undertake any such repairs on your behalf

Beach safety

The beach can be dangerous if you are not familiar with swimming in heavy surf. You must observe all safety regulations relating to beach swimming, including:

  • swimming between the flags patrolled by lifeguards,
  • consulting the lifeguard on duty at the beach if you are unsure of beach safety,
  • not swimming after dark ,
  • not swimming after consuming alcohol.

Alcohol is not permitted on some Wollongong beaches. It is advised to check signage to comply with local government acts. Bonfires are also illegal,  because even under sand, embers may stay red hot for many hours and burn the feet of unsuspecting persons (especially children) who walk over them.

The Australian sun can also be very dangerous, so please also be aware of the dangers of overexposure. You are strongly advised to wear a hat, and apply plenty of 30+ High Factor Sun Protection sunscreen. If you are badly affected by sun burn, please consult your Community Leader/s about seeking appropriate medical assistance.

For more information on beach safety please refer to:

Workplace health and safety (WHS)

The University of Wollongong acknowledges that effective WHS is an integral part of achieving its vision of excellence in:

  • leadership
  • innovation
  • student learning and
  • community engagement

All Students must review this policy to ensure their obligations are understood.

Security 

Security at UOW Accommodation Services is everyone’s concern and you must play your part. You should make sure room or unit doors are locked when you are not in your room or unit, and if you use common areas (for example, TV room, games room, etc.) late at night, you make sure you close and lock all doors and windows when you leave. You are strongly encouraged not to leave any personal items in common areas, low balconies or patios, etc. where they may be stolen. Clothes should not be left on clothes lines overnight, or in the laundries for extended periods of time. You should not prop open or otherwise disable the latching or locking mechanism of any security door/s, nor should you lend, duplicate or modify any keys or electronic access device, or add additional locks or mechanisms to bar entry into or out of your room.

The doors can be locked from the inside. Whilst the Community Assistant on duty and UOW Security officers undertake regular patrols throughout the residence and, whilst doing so, close and lock exterior unit doors, this may not necessarily be possible if other, more important priorities eventuate. You should not, therefore, rely on your exterior unit door to be locked on your behalf. The living areas of residence are not public areas and individuals must only be admitted at the invitation of a current resident. If you see a person who you believe is acting in a strange or suspicious manner, please alert UOW Security immediately.

SafeZone is a free location-based app. for smart mobile devices making it easier to contact UOW Security if help is needed whilst on campus.  It also enables UOW Security to respond if direct assistance is required. SafeZone also coves the nearby local street network pathways of the Wollongong campus.

Room entry

Your privacy is important to us. In some circumstances, it may be necessary to enter your unit or room without prior notice. This may occur in one of the following circumstances:

  • an emergency or extraordinary situations to protect the health and welfare of residents or to make repairs
  • to ensure that health, safety and fire regulations are maintained
  • to correct any situation intruding upon the comfort of residents in the surrounding area (for example, sound equipment or alarm clocks left unattended)
  • if, in the reasonable opinion of the University, you are engaged in any illegal activity whatsoever, or is causing a disturbance, or your behaviour is such that there is a likelihood that the safety of any other person at the residence is at risk
  • if, in the reasonable opinion of the University, you are believed to have abandoned the room or unit, or it is suspected that a person other than yourself is residing in your room or unit;
  • if there are concerns for your safety or wellbeing or you have been reported as missing,
  • if you wish to allow a friend access to your room for the purposes of collecting something they have left behind or to borrow a personal item, you should telephone your residence to give your approval for a “Lock Out” key to be issued. At the time of your call you will be asked to verify your identity by confirming an item of personal Information that should be known only to yourself. When giving this approval, you acknowledge it is the responsibility of the person who is given the key/card to secure your room on their departure. The University accepts no liability in this regard. If a UOW Accommodation staff member is not confident of the caller’s identity or the purpose for which the key is required, the University reserves the right not to issue the key/card. The issuing of a key in this manner counts towards the number of lock-outs, and charges may apply.

Restricted areas

You must not access a restricted area unless specifically authorised to do so. Restricted areas include, but are not limited to:

  • roofs
  • secure storage areas
  • electrical, communications or machine rooms
  • or any area either temporarily or permanently restricted by a directive of the Associate Director, Student Residence

Climbing to or from balconies or windows and roofs of covered walkways is strictly prohibited. 

 

Balcony safety

Behaving irresponsibly on balconies is extremely dangerous. Do not use the balcony in a way that may endanger your own or another person’s safety

Take care on balconies and remember:

  • Don’t sit on, lean over, climb or hang off the side of balconies. Accidents happen – you could slip and fall
  • Never ‘room hop’ from balcony to balcony. One wrong move could prove fatal
  • Avoid overcrowding
  • Don’t throw objects. Objects thrown or dropped from a height can become dangerous projectiles when they reach the ground
  • Children on balconies must be supervised at all times. Please read this link about child safety and balconies and balustrades.

Room keys

You are encouraged to keep your room keys safe at all times. Missing keys have the potential to compromise the personal security of you and the other residents who live in your unit. Your property may also be at risk. If you lose your key the lock will be changed as soon as possible, and charges will apply.

 

Room access cards

All lost, stolen or misplaced keys or access cards must be reported to your residence office, so that your key or card can be cancelled and a replacement issued. The replacement key or card will cost $50.00, and there will be no refund for returned access cards. Temporary or replacement keys or cards will only be issued to the occupant of the room. 

 

Keeping your keys and cards secure

In addition to opening your individual room door, your key or access card gives access to entry and exit doors to your residential buildings, gates and the exterior door of your unit and the common areas, which you share with other residents. Depending on where you live, this door will be the first or second “line of defence” against unauthorised access. We ask that you be mindful of this and never compromise the security of your fellow residents or their property by leaving your keys or cards in unsecure locations or with other persons. Hiding keys or cards so they do not need to be carried when you leave your room or unit is a breach of residential community standards. 

Study rooms

There are dedicated study rooms located across the residences. You should be aware that if you lose the key or card to one of these rooms, charges will apply.

Visitors and guests

A guest is a person who has been invited to UOW Accommodation Services by a resident. Guests are not permitted to be within the precinct unless they are being accompanied by the resident, who is to accept responsibility for that person’s behaviour. You should not allow your unit to be used to shelter uninvited persons nor allow your guests to occupy your unit or room unless you are present. Residents who have officially departed UOW Accommodation Services (by returning their keys and completing all checkout procedures) may not be the guest of another resident. Only current residents may use the facilities and services provided at your UOW Accommodation residence (for example, laundries, computer labs). Any person who is not a current resident of UOW Accommodation Services and has no valid reason for being within the precinct should be instructed to leave. This includes former residents who are not in the company of a current resident who is acting as their host. Please notify your residential office, or UOW Security, such a person/s refuses to leave the precinct when asked to do so.

Overnight guests

Unless otherwise specified (in the case of some styles of self-catered accommodation), UOW Accommodation provides single occupancy accommodation.  

Reasonable visitation includes:

  • a friend who visits you and stays overnight
  • a friend(s) with whom you are working on a joint assignment together and would like to use your room/unit common area for group meeting
  • a friend who spends a few hours with you during the day on a regular basis but does not stay for extended periods of time

Unreasonable visitation includes:

  • a friend who visits you and stays overnight several times each week or every weekend
  • a friend who uses your unit as a base between lectures/work commitments whether you are present or not
  • large groups of friends who visit your unit on a regular basis to cook and socialise together

You may have a guest stay with you in your room for two nights free of charge. After that the visit becomes chargeable at a rate of $25.00 per night

The resident will be responsible for:

 

You can obtain a mattress for your guest by visiting your residence office at least two (2) working days prior to the scheduled visit. The cost for this additional service is $33.00, which covers the labour costs of delivering and collecting the mattress to/from your room. If it becomes known that guests are staying longer than two (2) days without paying, the Head or Student Residence Manager may direct the guest to leave the residence, or charge the daily rate of $25.00 from the commencement of their visit. The final decision-maker regarding the presence of any person within the UOW Accommodation residence is the Student Residence Manager. 

Illness or medical issues

There are a number of medical centres which are located close to the University campus.  These are:

Crown Medical Centre
325 Crown Street
Wollongong  NSW  2500
Ph:  (02) 4220 0100

Wollongong Medical Centre
239/237 - 241 Crown Street
Wollongong  NSW 2500
Ph: (02) 4254 2600

Illawarra Family Medical Centre
Floor 1, 338 - 340 Crown Street
Ph: (02) 4252 5200


If you become ill during the evening or weekend, you should notify your residential office. After hours medical assistance can be obtained from the Wollongong Radio Doctor, who will conduct home visits from 7.00 p.m. to 6.00 a.m. Monday to Friday There are also a number of general medical practitioners in the local area operating a variety of surgery hours.

If you are unable to meet your academic obligations because of illness, you must notify your subject convenor. If you are unable to do this yourself, you should make sure that a fellow resident or friend informs your Student Residence Manager.


All serious illnesses, accidents or hospital admissions must be reported immediately to UOW Accommodation. The only appropriate transport in an emergency is an ambulance and you will be responsible for the costs incurred. It is highly recommended you have health cover that includes ambulance travel, as it can be quite expensive.

If you contract a communicable disease (for example, Glandular Fever, Chicken Pox, Influenza H1N1, Rubella or Mumps) you must inform your:

  • Community Leader
  • Community Assistant on duty
  • Student Residence Manager
  • UOW Accommodation administration

If temporary relocation is suggested by your medical practitioner, this may be facilitated and meals be arranged for you. If you have a routine medical appointment at a local doctor’s surgery or hospital then you should make your own arrangements to attend. If you are too ill or taking public transport would be inadvisable or impractical, then you should contact us for assistance. Our ability to assist you will depend on the availability of staff and a motor vehicle. If we are not able to assist you directly, we will make arrangements for a taxi to collect you but you will need to bear the costs yourself. Whilst staff will assist residents as much as possible, should they become ill or injured whilst living at UOW Accommodation, it should be noted that residents will remain responsible for:

  • their own day to day care in terms of laundry
  • the cleaning of rooms
  • transport to and from the University and medical practitioners

Should a resident sustain an injury or contract an illness inhibiting self-care, it will be recommended the resident return to the family home where possible for convalescence.  

Disclosure of your personal and/or health information

Whilst you reside in UOW Residences, if UOW becomes concerned about your behaviour affecting the health and/or safety of yourself or others living in UOW Residences, UOW may need to contact and seek assistance from any third party who can reasonably assist in ensuring you and/or others are safe. This may involve exchanging your personal and/or health information with any relevant third parties.

We will not otherwise share your personal and/or health information with any other person or party, unless the disclosure is:

  • Required or authorised by law; or
  • You have consented to our disclosing the information about you