Break and Closing Information

Step 1: If you have not done so already, contact your instructors to learn your finals schedule.

Step 2: Select an anticipated checkout time in your Housing Portal. 

• South Campus apartment students: You must indicate in the Housing Portal if you will be around at any point during the break in order for the heat to be turned on for your apartment. If you are remaining during semester break and do not have heat, please submit an online service request.

Step 3: You may have family/helpers assist you in moving out of your room/apartment for the break. For residence hall students, you will need to sign your visitors in with the RCSO.

Step 4: On the day of your departure, you are to ensure the following steps have been completed:

• Residence hall students: unplug, defrost, empty, and clean any University-provided or personal microfridge.
• South Campus apartment students: remove food that will spoil, clean the University-provided full-size refrigerator, and leave it plugged in. If you have a microfridge in your bedroom, please unplug, defrost, empty, and clean it.
• Deposit all trash and perishables in the proper receptacles in the trash and recycling rooms/dumpsters.
• Close and lock all windows.
• Open curtains for all floors, except the ground level floor.
• Turn off all lights.
• Lock your door.
• Residence Hall students: Check for any remaining mail and packages and sign/initial the Room Departure tag in the outside of your door.
• South Campus students: Double-check that you have followed recommended package delivery procedures as detailed below.

Thank you for your cooperation. After your departure, Residential Living (RL) team members will be checking all residence hall rooms to ensure that these items were completed. RL members will also check and secure South Campus apartments that are not secured or have windows open following December 16, 2026. As per the direction of Fire and Life Safety Services, RL team members will unplug any appliances left plugged into outlets (with the exception of South Campus apartment University-provided refrigerators), close windows, and open microfridges not opened and defrosted by the student. Any alleged University policy violations observed while performing safety checks will be noted and you will be contacted in spring 2027 regarding how to resolve the concerns.

If RL team members need to complete closing tasks that were your responsibility, RL is not responsible for the following:

• Loss of data due to the unplugging of electrical equipment.
• Loss of fish as a result of having to unplug an aquarium.
• Loss of food or medicine left in refrigerators.

Packages will continue to be delivered directly to your apartment door throughout winter break. If you will not be here during the break, please cancel or postpone all shipments until after you return for the spring semester. If you have any items scheduled to auto-ship, please adjust shipping dates accordingly.

If you are moving to a new on-campus housing assignment for the spring 2027 semester, please follow the directions provided to you by Housing, Meal Plan, and ID Card Services or Residential Living.

If you are completely moving out (e.g., taking leave of absence, studying abroad, taking a withdrawal, etc.), you must also complete the following steps:

Step 1: Remove ALL personal belongings. Double-check all drawers, closets, and under furniture to ensure all personal items have been removed.

• Any items left in your room/apartment after you depart will be considered abandoned and will be donated/disposed of as appropriate. The University is not responsible for items left in the room.

Step 2: You may have family members/guests assist you in removing your belongings.

• Residence Hall students: these helpers will be required to sign-in with the RCSO.
• Residence Hall and South Campus apartment students: Moving/shipping company employees may not be your helpers. Lazybones is the only authorized moving vendor permitted in campus residential facilities (residence halls and apartments). With the student as an escort, Lazybones is permitted to conduct door-to-door service. 

Step 3: If you will be returning for a future semester in 2027 (post spring) and want to store your items or ship them, you are encouraged to contact Lazybones. Pricing for storage can be found here. Lazybones is the only authorized vendor who can pick up your belongings at your residence hall room or apartment. If you choose to use a different vendor, you are responsible for bringing your belongings to the vendor outside the building.

Step 4: Change your address with USPS and any frequently used vendors.

Step 5: Turn in your key(s) into your residence hall main desk staff, utilizing the contactless checkout process:

• Residence hall students: Pick-up an Express Checkout Envelope from your main desk. You are to turn your key(s) in using the envelope at the designated area at your main desk. The envelope should be signed and dated. If you check out between the hours of 12 midnight and 9 a.m., you are to place your key(s) into the return envelope, sign and date the envelope, and place it in the designated location at the main desk. RL staff will retrieve these keys by 9 a.m. when the desk opens. Failure to return your key will result in a lock core change and a $50 fee. Keys may not be mailed back to the University to avoid this fee.
• Milton Residents: Failure to return your key fob will result in a charge of $75. Fobs may not be mailed back to the University to avoid this fee. The lock core change charge of $50 also applies for any bedroom key not returned.
• South Campus apartment students: Express Checkout Envelopes are available in the Housing Office at the Goldstein Student Center, Suite 210 and are located in the external dropbox. Turn your key into the Goldstein Student Center or external drop box using the Contactless Checkout Envelope. Failure to return your key will result in a lock core change and fees of $50 for the front door key, $10 for the bedroom key, and $5 for the mailbox key. Keys may not be mailed back to the University to avoid these fees.

Visit Spring Semester Move-in for more information on the January move-in timeline.

Please contact your Residence Director if you have any questions related to your December departure. Good luck on your finals and best wishes for a relaxing and safe winter break!

For those of you who will be staying in your residence hall for some or all of break, it is important to realize that some residential services will be reduced from March 5-14. The information below summarizes these services:

• Main desks hours will be significantly reduced with staffed hours. These hours are anticipated to be as follows:
  • March 5-12: 12-3 p.m.
  • March 13: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
  • March 14: 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
• No package distribution will occur during break week;
• A Resident Advisor will be on-call during the day and night throughout the break period. The phone number will be posted at the main desk.

For those of you leaving for all or a portion of the break:

• Close all windows.
• Lock all doors and windows.
• Close curtains if you are on the ground/lowest level floor and open curtains if you are on higher floors.
• Throw away any food that will spoil while you are away.

For those of you who will be staying in your South Campus apartment, please be aware of the following:

• All mail and package service will continue as normal. If you have any items set for auto-shipping dates that occur while you are away, please adjust them so that deliveries occur after you return from break.
• Any changes to the Goldstein Student Center hours will be linked here when it is available.

If you will be leaving campus for spring break, please note the following information:

• Consider postponing or adjusting package deliveries until after you return  to campus as mail and package delivered will continue as usual throughout break. Adjusting your package deliveries until after you return reduces the opportunities of their theft.
• Close all windows.
• Lock all doors and windows.
• Close curtains if you are on the ground level floor / open curtains if you are on higher floors.
• Throw away any food that will spoil while you are away.

Before departing, there are a few steps you need to take in order to have a smooth checkout process. Please review the following information.

Pre-Departure

Step 1: If you have not done so already, contact your instructors to learn your finals schedule.

Step 2: If you have a legitimate reason to stay later than 24 hours after your last final, you may make a Stay Late Request online. Requests will be reviewed and students will be notified of the decision via email. Reasons for such requests may include being a graduating senior, needing to work an on-campus job, completing a credited internship, etc. The Stay Late Request form was live through April 28. If you completed a Stay Late Request form, you should receive a decision sent to your SYR email within two business days and no later than 10 a.m., April 30.

Step 3: If you will store your items for the summer or plan on shipping your belongings, you are encouraged to register with Lazybones. Pricing for summer storage can be found on Lazybones.com. Lazybones is the only authorized vendor who can pick up your belongings at your residence hall room or apartment, provided that you escort them. If you choose to use a different vendor, you are responsible for bringing your belongings to the vendor outside the building. If you have questions, contact Lazybones at phone 877.215.2105.

Day of Departure

Step 4: Family/visitors will need to show photo identification and sign-in with the Residential Community Services Officer (RCSO) upon entry.

Step 5: On the day of your departure, please make sure you have completed the following steps:

• Residence hall students should unplug, defrost, empty, and clean any University-provided microfridge.
• South Campus apartment students should empty and clean the University-provided full-size refrigerator and leave it plugged in.
• Deposit all trash and perishables in the proper receptacles in the trash and recycling rooms/dumpsters.
• Remove ALL personal belongings. Double-check all drawers, closets, and under furniture to ensure all personal items have been removed. Per the Terms and Conditions of Housing, students are responsible for removing all personal property prior to vacating the housing unit. “If the student fails to do so, the University shall have the right to immediately re-enter the housing unit and remove all personal belongings therein, without liability for trespass and without liability for any loss or damage caused by re-entry and/or removal.” Any items left in your room/apartment after you depart will be considered abandoned.
• Close and lock all windows.
• Open curtains for all floors, except the lowest floor which should remain closed.
• Turn off all lights.
• Lock your door.
• Check for any remaining mail and packages.
• Change your address with USPS and any frequently used vendors.

Departure

Step 6: Checkout. Check-out of your residence hall/South Campus apartment housing assignment in your Housing Portal. Access your Housing Portal via MySlice and select “check-out.”

Step 7: Key Return.

Residence Hall Students

Express Checkout Envelopes will be available at your main desk in late April. You are to turn your key in using the envelope at the designated area at your main desk. Failure to return your key will result in a lock core change and a $50 fee. Keys may not be mailed back to the University to avoid this fee.

• Milton Residents: Failure to return your key fob will result in a charge of $75. Fobs may not be mailed back to the University to avoid this fee. The lock core change charge of $50 also applies for any bedroom key not returned.

South Campus Apartment Students

Turn your key into the Goldstein Student Center Housing Office or use the external drop box and an Express Checkout Envelope. Express Checkout Envelopes are available in the Housing Office at the Goldstein Student Center suite 210 and located in the external dropbox. Failure to return your key will result in a lock core change and fees of $50 for the front door key, $10 for the bedroom key, and $5 for the mailbox key. Keys may not be mailed back to the University to avoid these fees.

If you have additional questions, please review the Residential Move-out FAQ section below and/or contact your Residence Director.

If you have additional questions, please review the Residential Move-out FAQ section and/or contact: Residential Living, located in the Goldstein Student Center, Suite 206, at orlsouth@syr.edu or  315.443.3893; or, Housing Meal Plan, and I.D. Card Services, located in the Goldstein Student Center, Suite 210, at housing@syr.edu or 315.443.2721.

Lazybones is Syracuse University’s authorized moving and storage service. As the authorized vendor, Lazybones is the only vendor who can provide door-to-door service to pick-up your items directly at your room. As all visitors require, students need to escort Lazybones to their room to pick-up their items. All storage items are kept secure in their climate-controlled facility for the desired amount of time, then delivered back to the customer’s new address. All storage items are priced by item, and there are no monthly fees. If you need to ship your belongings, Lazybones can assist with that process as well. Visit Lazybones, email them, or call them directly at 877.215.2105 to learn more or set-up service.

If you would like to donate some of your belongings prior to your departure, several options are available to you. The following locations are some agencies to which you may wish to donate, however, this list is not inclusive of every location in the surrounding area.

Campus Food Pantries

You may leave for summer as soon as your academic requirements are complete. If you depart when classes/finals are in session, your academic progress may be impacted. Please consult your instructors for information regarding any intended absence from in-person instruction and/or examination(s). When you do depart campus, please ensure that you follow the instructions outlined on this page.

Syracuse University’s residential facilities remain open through the end of spring semester. Departing early is a personal choice. You are responsible for all housing-related charges through the end spring semester.

Residence hall students may pick up another envelope at their hall’s main desk.

For South Campus apartment students, envelopes are available at the South Campus Housing Office, Goldstein Student Center, Room 210, or in the dropbox located outside the building.

Summer housing is different than academic year housing. It is likely that you will need to vacate your spring assignment and move to a different room/residence hall. Housing for summer is not automatic and you must apply for summer housing. Once you have applied, the Housing Office will provide you with your summer room assignment.

There is no University-provided moving assistance. You will need to seek external transportation for your belongings.

Absolutely! We would be happy to answer your questions.

Residence Hall Students: If you have additional questions, please contact your Residence Director.

South Campus Apartment Students: Please contact Residential Living, located in the Goldstein Student Center, Suite 206, at orlsouth@syr.edu or  315.443.3893; or, Housing Meal Plan, and I.D. Card Services, located in the Goldstein Student Center, Suite 210, at housing@syr.edu or 315.443.2721.