Anyone who's ever been on a college or university campus knows that a dormitory is more than just a residence. It 's a social hang-out, a study lounge, a cooking facility-in short, it's a home. The focus of the EVC will be to help staff that work at the school and not necessarily the students who live in the dorms, since often the students are not responsible for handling issues governed by environmental regulations.

It's also densely populated, so it's important to be aware of any potential health hazards, applicable environmental regulations and safety procedures designed to keep injuries, chemical spills and other accidents to a minimum.

This section of the EVC addresses potential risks, such as these:

• Household hazardous materials
• Mercury-containing items
• Fluorescent bulbs
• Lead paint
• Asbestos

It also discusses conservation and recycling measures, and the regulations that have been established to protect all dormitory residents. (These regulations fall under the acronyms EPCRA, RCRA, TSCA, NESHAP and the CAA, each of which is discussed in this section of the EVC.) Best practices for residential-life management are offered here as well.