The Department of Residence Life found fire safety risks in 37 East Quad rooms over winter break, according to Megan Drangstveit, the quad's director. Violations included plastic bags covering smoke detectors and lights hanging from sprinkler pipes, Drangstveit said.The violations were found during room inspections conducted throughout campus during extended vacation periods. Residents did not face charges through the University's student conduct board, Drangstveit said, even though flyers posted around the dorm early this academic year warned that tampering with fire safety equipment and hanging objects from sprinkler pipes is prohibited.

Those cited for violations were instead required to attend a Jan. 25 meeting in East Quad's Airplane Lounge. Drangstveit said Residence Life decided to educate students rather than "just send them through the judicial process."

Eddie Silvera '08, who lives in Hassenfeld Hall, said he was cited for hanging lights on sprinkler pipes.

"I definitely got a fair shake," Silvera said.

Pomerantz Hall resident Eugene Svirkin '08 said he was cited for the same violation, but said the meeting was "more of a joke than a serious thing."

Svirkin said his door was left unlocked after the inspection, which occurred before he left for winter vacation.

"The door was open when I came back," Svirkin said. "I felt violated."

Assistant Dean of Student Life Maggie Balch, who oversees the Department of Residence Life and was its director before being promoted last year, said the inspections occur to ensure the rooms are not violating any fire safety codes and defended the department's right to inspect the rooms.

"If your landlord needed to get in to fix your hot water heater, your landlord doesn't need to tell you that he's coming in," Balch said, adding that her office tries to let students know before rooms are inspected.

According to the University's on-campus housing contract, for safety and security reasons, students must allow ResLife to enter their rooms.

"The University reserves the right to inspect rooms and perform maintenance at reasonable times," the University's current Rights and Responsibilities Handbook states.

Colleen Donnelly '08, who lives in Hassenfeld Hall, said she was written up for having objects hanging from sprinkler pipes in her room. She also attended the Residence Life meeting, which she said was ineffective.

"There wasn't much of a point to it," Donnelly said. "People were just making jokes about it anyway."

The University's on-campus housing contract requires students to agree to "participation in health and safety inspections and right of entry by Residence Life staff members for safety and security purposes."

Still, Hassenfeld resident Greg Weil '08, who was cited for an unrelated violation in December, said he felt uneasy with Residence Life's presence in the Quad and that the Department has made that presence known since last semester.

"It's a police state in East this year," he said.