Yes you can. The 4th amendment only applies to an unreasonable search and seizure. Colleges cannot make rules up that go against some type of federal law. It couldn't be allowed. As an RA, if we have a justified reason to enter a room (suspicion of illegal substances, rape, etc) then we can enter. The room a person occupies is not their room. It belongs to Carson-Newman, who reserves the right to deem whatever they want as an illegal activity on campus. The 4th amendment only applies to government officials. Yes, they can't enter without a warrant. However, if they see an illegal substance in plain view, then they are allowed to search without a warrant. And this happens most of the time we bust a guy because they are dumb and have it out in the open. The 4th only applies to private property that you own and you exclusively own it. They do not own the dorm rooms/apartments. Carson-Newman does. Like I said, we're not unfair. If they are not in their room, we will call them and give them a 10 minute notice that we are about to search their room and give them the option to confess/show up. If they are in the room, we knock and announce who we are. If they refuse to open up, then we have the right to master key in (only applies for room searches). This does not break the law in any manner because we are not government officials for one, and the room that they are most likely hiding an illegal substance is the school's, not their's.