The large, unscreened window that Penn State student Natalie Paglione plummeted through last week complies with building codes, officials said.

"Basically, a window can be as large as you want," said Tim Knisley, senior fire and housing inspector for the Centre Region Codes Administration.

"There are minimum standards so that firefighters and emergency crews can enter the building," he added.

Furthermore, windows have to be large enough so that a person can crawl out of the building in case of a fire, he said.

While a window could be out of code if it is too small, a window can't be considered out of code for being too large, Knisley said.

There are no maximum standards for window size in Centre County, Knisley said.

"Take sliding glass doors for balconies for example," Knisley said. "If there was a rule that windows couldn't be a certain size then those wouldn't be allowed."

Paglione, 20, fell eight stories from the window of her Beaver Terrace apartment, 456 E. Beaver Ave., in the early hours of Sept. 8. She has been upgraded to fair condition and is expected to survive the fall, a nurse manager at Hershey Medical Center said.

Building codes require windows to start no more than 44 inches from the floor.

The window in Paglione's apartment started 18 inches from the floor. Therefore, the window exceeded building codes standards, Knisley said.

Additionally, Centre County codes do not require windows to have screens.

Apartments with a mechanical means of ventilation, such as air conditioners and heaters, are not required to have screens.

"We require all buildings to have some sort of ventilation," Knisley said. "But this apartment had mechanical ventilation so it was not required to have a screen."

Screens are not meant to be a safety device, but instead are used solely to keep insects out of the building, Knisley said.

High-rise apartment buildings in State College are not required to have guards installed on windows to prevent people from falling out, Knisley said.

"In New York City there is an ordinance that requires guards to be placed on the windows of high-rise apartment buildings when children live in the apartment," Knisley said. "But that does not apply to this building or any other apartment building in State College."

The Building Officials and Code Administrators International Inc. approves the Centre County's codes, Knisley said.

"The standards we use are recognized nationwide," he said.

Paul Moomaw, owner and manager of Paglione's apartment, said he has no additional knowledge of the incident.

"We have Natalie in our thoughts and prayers," Moomaw said. "And we wish her a speedy recovery."