Winter Break Housing

If you are not planning to stay for winter break, you are responsible for the following:

• Attend your winter break hall floor meeting (check with your CA for the specific time and location). At this meeting, your CA will request information about your winter break plans.
• Complete and return your Winter Break Checklist that your CA will hand out during the Winter Break hall floor meeting. If you are leaving, please provide information about when you will be out of the hall.
• You will be required to check in at your residence hall front desk upon your return to campus.

Before you leave for winter break, please follow this checklist to meet Health and Safety Inspection standards for Winter Break:

• Clean your room.
• Defrost and clean your Micro-Fridge/mini-fridge*. 
  • Leave it unplugged, empty, with the door open, tilted with its back to the wall so excess water does not leak out.
  • Do this at least 48-hours before you leave to avoid flooding. Fridges must remain in your room – do not defrost them in common areas.
  • *This does not apply to full-size university-owned refrigerators in apartment kitchens.
• After defrosting, please plug your refrigerator back in.
• If you are leaving, dispose of all open food and perishable items you own and remove all food from your room and common areas. Dispose of any holiday decorations.
• Do your laundry (or take it home) and put it away (piles of clothes can get smelly!)
• Take trash and recyclables to the nearest trash room.
• If you are leaving, unplug all appliances, including radios, clocks, lamps, computers, etc. Make sure your alarm clock is unplugged and off!
• Move all furniture/items away from your heat/AC unit. Facilities staff complete routine work during the break and will not change your filter if your items block their access.
• Move important items off the floor and away from walls.
• Secure your valuables. Remember to take home any essential items as your access to the community will be shut off once you check out of the hall for fall semester (medications, passports, tickets, house keys, glasses, seasonal clothing for your destination, etc.).
• Secure bicycles on bike racks or in your room. Do not leave them in hallways, attached to signs or railings, etc.
• Report any door or window lock problems to your neighborhood desk before you leave so that your door/window may be secured when you depart.
• If you are leaving, close and lock your window. (Windows left open may cause pipes to freeze and burst, leading to water damage.)
• If you live on the first floor/ground floor, close your blinds. If you live on upper floors, leave your blinds open.
• If room is completely unoccupied for Winter Break, set your thermostat (if applicable) to “off”.
• Return to their proper place any University furnishings (such as lounge furniture) that are not part of the standard arrangement of your room. Any such items found in student rooms during inspections will result in disciplinary sanctions.
• If room is completely unoccupied for Winter Break, turn off all lights!
• Lock your door. Take your keys home with you if you are returning to your room for the spring semester.
• Don't post anything on your door that indicates you are gone!