Hall Closing Information

Fall Semester Closing Memo

FALL 2021


Residence Halls Close: Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at Noon Halls will be locked

Residence Halls Reopen: Friday, January 21, 2022 at 9am Halls will be accessible
 

Below is an overview of closing for the 2021 fall semester. Please review the information and speak with your Area Coordinator regarding any questions you may have.  An important reminder for students who have submitted a Housing Request/Room Change Request Form for the spring semester; you will need to remove all your belongings from your current room. If you fail to remove your belongings your room change request will be canceled.  You will receive a decision regarding your request via e-mail in mid-January. Thank you.

1. Continuous Quiet Hours
Begin: Tuesday, December 7, 2019 at 12:00AM until Monday, December 13th at 12 noon. 
During Continuous Quiet Hours, the residence halls are expected to remain quiet at all times so students can finish work and prepare for final exams. PLEASE respect your neighbors' sleep and study needs during this critical time. Quiet Hours violations will result in a written warning; subsequent violations will result in a conduct hearing that may result in social probation.

2. Holiday Decorations
Please help us keep the halls safe by following these practices:

• Candles and live trees, wreaths, garlands, etc. are PROHIBITED.
• Decorative lights may be turned on ONLY when someone is in the room.
• Keep door decorations at least six inches away from door edges.
• Use circuit-protected power strips, rather than simple outlet multipliers and extension cords.

3. Leaving Your Room for Winter Break 
Please remember to take any items with you that you will need during break, as Mount Holyoke College staff members are not available to provide access to your room after the residence halls have closed. Residence Halls close on December 14th at 12:00 noon. Please prepare your room for your absence by doing the following:

• If you are staying in your current room assignment and not filling out a room change request form you should leave your room tidy ready for your return in Spring 2022. You do not need to pack your room up. 
• Properly dispose of ALL trash, including perishable items in refrigerators.
• Unplug ALL electrical items including power strips, computers, and electric appliances.
• REMINDER ABOUT UNPLUGGING REFRIGERATORS:
  • When refrigerators are unplugged they 'leak' water such as condensation and melted ice. Catch the water with the appliance's drip pan and/or towels placed beneath the unit to avoid damaging the room and/or creating an unsanitary condition. Wipe the refrigerator out and leave the refrigerator door open to avoid odors. You should do this a day or two BEFORE you intend to leave.
• If you fail to unplug your refrigerator as instructed above, we will unplug it. 
• Make sure radiators are on and nothing is on them. 
• Close and lock windows and pull down window shades. Remove any fans or other objects which block windows from closing.
• Close and lock the room (and suite/apartment) door.
• Any animals should be under the care of their owner. If you will not be on campus for December or January Break your animal cannot be on campus. You must designate an off-campus person to take care of your animal should you not be on campus. 
• Sign the Closing Checklist (provided to you after November Break) and place the checklist on the corkboard on the outside of your door. 

4. Room Checks
The Residential Life staff will be conducting room checks of all residence hall rooms December 14, 2021. Residential Life staff members are obligated to conduct room checks of student rooms to verify that the residence halls are properly prepared for the break. Room checks address only items in plain sight; drawers will not be opened.  Residential Life staff members will be unplugging items that are left plugged in and prohibited items may be removed/discarded. Residential Fellow/Resident Advisors must, notify the Professional Staff of the following:

• Pets, prohibited appliances, and furniture
• Unsanitary conditions, and/or health and safety concerns
• Electrical appliances that are not unplugged
• Community Compact, Residential License Agreement and/or Student Handbook violations

5. Expected Moves Out of Campus Housing
If you are expecting to NOT to live on campus for Spring 2022 because you are graduating, transferring, studying abroad, going on leave (including study abroad)/withdrawing from the College, or have prior approval from the Office of Residential Life to live off-campus you must remove your belongings at the end of fall semester.

6. Housing/Roommate Changes 

• If you have an open bed in your double or triple, you will be assigned a new roommate during the break. The open bed space must be clean and all furniture ready for a new student to move into.
• If your roommate moves out, you will be assigned a new roommate during the break. If you think that your roommate might be leaving, please prepare your room for the arrival of your new roommate. Winter break brings many changes in a short amount of time. Although we make every effort to notify you during the break of your new roommate's name, we cannot guarantee to do so; in that case, you will meet them when you return to campus.
• If, during the break, you learn that your status with the College has changed, you must make an appointment with your Area Coordinator to remove your belongings by January 10, 2022 to allow the room to be confirmed and prepared as available for an incoming student.

7. December Break Housing 

• This meeting has been rescheduled. The McCulloch Center and the Coordinator team will have a MANDATORY meeting for those living on campus on Friday afternoon, December 17 at 4:00pm, location TBD. There will be a mandatory meeting on Tuesday, December 14, 2021 at 4:00pm in Gamble Auditorium for those students who have been approved to stay for December break. 

8. January Break Housing - Form is opened in my.mtholyoke if you need to apply. You will be emailed notifications. 
Students who have been approved to stay on campus for January 2022:

• January housing begins at 9:00am on January 2, 2022
• Students are expected to continue to adhere to Community Compact and College policies. This is especially true of the guest, noise, alcohol, and drug policies.

If you have any questions at any time feel free to contact the Residential Life office at 413-538-2088 orres-life@mtholyoke.edu. 

Best, 
The Office of Residential Life