Placement of Cameras Inside a College Apartment
A Texas college has told students living in an on-campus college apartment complex that they will be installing cameras inside all of the apartments, including in bedrooms. The apartments have private bedrooms around a common area. There is no mention of cameras in the lease.
Can the college install the cameras? If they do, can a student break her lease?
Re: Placement of Cameras Inside a College Apartment
The college likely can install security cameras in the common areas. To install cameras in bedrooms without the consent of the student who is renting the bedroom is problematic, and I suspect that the students could delay installation in bedrooms until the expiration of the current lease term.
If they choose to rent knowing that cameras are present in their bedrooms, the law does not prevent them from making that choice -- but it would seem like the college is apt to have a lot of empty units if they press ahead with this plan, because who would want that?
If the student doesn't want a fight, there is the option of covering the camera. But I think that the affected students should object and, if the college doesn't relent, that they should consider consulting a lawyer about their options.
The secret placement of cameras in a bedroom is normally a crime, Texas Penal Code Section 21.15, but that statute does not prevent people from consenting to the presence of cameras.