[PA] Question about my rights during a dorm room inspection legaladvice

I know the rules can vary from campus to campus, but I would like to know how I can approach the situation I am in right now.

I am a 22 year old female and I attend a private Catholic university. We have a dry campus, meaning nobody is allowed to possess alcohol whether or not they are underage.

I made a mistake in bringing an empty wine bottle onto campus- I sometimes use old glass bottles as decoration or to stack my bangle bracelets and I kept this particular bottle because my fiance bought it when he was visiting me over Christmas and it reminds me of him (we live 4,000 miles apart). Two weeks ago I left on spring break and wanted to get it out of view because I wasn't sure if they would do the routine inspections (where they ensure if you unplugged your electronics, you're obeying fire safety rules, etc.) I figured I'd put it in the fridge since I own it, as opposed to a drawer of a dresser (which is technically owned by the university). I put the bottle in the freezer compartment, which is a part of my refrigerator that requires opening an opaque "flap" to see the contents.

When I returned to my room yesterday, I found a notice left by Residence Life saying they found an empty bottle of alcohol in my refrigerator and told me to make an appointment with the assistant director to give an explanation for it and discuss what disciplinary action should be taken.

I looked over the student handbook and the housing contract I signed upon moving in. I don't see anything in either document about searching personal possessions except for a small blurb in the handbook that is unclear (the gist of it is that a thorough inspection is not necessary unless there is a reasonable suspicion of a violation). From my understanding, it's a fairly basic, routine inspection since every room is checked.

My question is, before I give the explanation for the wine bottle, do I have a right to ask to see something in writing about their policy on searching personal items? It's obvious I knew having an empty alcohol bottle was wrong, since I went out of my way to hide it. I take responsibility for that. But would I be in the wrong to argue that, if there is no clear cut policy on what can be searched in an inspection, Residence Life went a little too far in their "inspection"? My best guess is that they were checking for spoiled food, but is that really necessary if there isn't a strong odor from the refrigerator?

I realize that every campus is different and private institutions can kind of carry out their own policies. But if it's not clear, do I have a right to dispute?

Submitted March 10, 2015 at 03:44AM by ayjustathrowaway http://ift.tt/1BZY1js legaladvice