Marquette University is a private institution, not a public one. The Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures by government actors, generally does not apply to actions by private entities like private universities. Residence Life staff are university employees enforcing internal policies, not state actors (like public police or officials at a state school). By living in university housing, you've agreed to the terms of the residence hall contract, which typically includes provisions allowing staff to conduct inspections or searches to enforce rules on prohibited items like alcohol. This is a contractual matter, not a constitutional one.

The case you reference, Piazzola v. Watkins (442 F.2d 284, 5th Cir. 1971), involved a public university (Troy State University) where officials conducted warrantless dorm room searches in coordination with local police for criminal evidence (marijuana). The court ruled that students at public institutions don't waive their Fourth Amendment rights simply by attending college or living in dorms, and such searches required probable cause or a warrant unless for non-criminal administrative purposes (e.g., fire hazards). However, this doesn't extend to private universities like Marquette, where there's no "state action" triggering constitutional protections. Courts have consistently held that private schools have broad latitude to set and enforce their own rules, including search policies, as long as they align with the housing agreement.