Winter Break/December Closing

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. The date the portal will be live to accept departure date selection is pending.

• 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, SL team members will be checking all residence hall rooms to ensure that these items were completed. SL members will also check and secure South Campus apartments that are not secured or have windows open following December 18, 2024. As per the direction of Fire and Life Safety Services, SL 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 2025 regarding how to resolve the concerns.

If SL team members need to complete closing tasks that were your responsibility, SL 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 2025 semester, please follow the directions provided to you by Housing, Meal Plan, and ID Card Services or Student 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 2025 (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. SL 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.
• 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.

Residence halls will reopen 9 a.m., January 10, 2025, for the spring semester. There is no opportunity to return earlier. More information on Spring Semester Move-in is available online.

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!