On Thursday, Feb. 23, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee University Housing reinstituted its policy of charging students $50 for repeatedly unlocking dorm rooms.

The policy was briefly suspended because the Sandburg Halls Administrative Council had not been consulted about the change, a SHAC official said.

“We did not disagree with the policy, we just wanted it to go through us,” SHAC President Matt Franson said.

According to Assistant Director of University Housing Kelly Johnson, it is not uncommon for University Housing to bypass SHAC when making decisions.

“Many day-to-day operations do not go through SHAC, it is just not possible,” she said.

The policy was actually more of a change in procedure as University Housing had already been changing locks after unlocking a room three times, which resulted in a fee charged to the student.

The newly created Sandburg Policy Board, comprised of five students and four administrators, approved the policy during its first meeting on Feb. 20.

The board was created to bring together students and administration on issues and policies pertaining to dorm residents.

The lock change policy states that a $50 fine will be charged to a student after the third time a room is unlocked. Security staff must provide the offending student verbal notification of their opportunity to appeal the fine.

An increase in dorm theft greatly contributed to the policy change, Johnson said. Students leaving their doors unlocked or not carrying their keys on them has become a problem, leading to more thefts and lockouts, she said. Most lockouts are a result of students unknowingly locking out their roommates, Johnson added.

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