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Winter Break and Residence Hall Information

Residence Halls Are Closed

• Winter Break Information
• Holiday Tips
• Winter Break Closing Checklist
• Entry and Room Inspection Policy
• Sorority Spring Recruitment
• Questions?

Winter Break Information

The dates for the closing and opening of Residence Halls for Winter Break are listed on the Opening/Closing Calendar. The Residence Halls will close at 7 p.m. on the closing date and reopen at 9 a.m. on the opening date.

All residents must vacate their rooms for the entire break period. All residence halls, apartments and houses will be closed and locked throughout the entire Winter Break period. Students will not be permitted back into their rooms during the break period, for any reason.

Why Can't I Stay Longer?
Due to safety and security reasons, we are unable to remain open during the Winter Break. Students will not be permitted to remain in their rooms for any portion of the break. In addition, students will not be permitted back into their rooms to retrieve forgotten items, feed fish, or for any other reason.

What About My Late Exam?
If you have a late exam on the date that Residence Halls are scheduled to close, please see your Hall Director to discuss your situation no later than two days prior to this date. Only your Hall Director can give you permission to remain in the building beyond the 7 p.m. deadline. All students permitted to stay overnight on the date that the Residence Halls are closed, must vacate campus housing no later than 8 a.m. the following day.

All campus card readers will go into "Lock Down" mode beginning at 7 p.m. on the day of closing. If you are approved to stay until the following morning, you must return to your room prior to 7 p.m.; otherwise, you will not have access to the halls.

What Should I Take With Me?
University personnel will not be available to give you entrance back and forth into your room over the break. You should:

• Take anything of value with you as an absolute precaution against theft and damage.
• Take any belongings you may need over the break such as books or CDs, skis, medication, checkbook, passport, plane tickets, clothing, jewelry, etc.

CAUTION: When packing your vehicle for departure, keep your room and car doors locked between loads to prevent theft.

Holiday Tips

Christmas Trees
Live trees and other live decorations are prohibited in the residence halls, apartments and houses. Artificial trees and decorations may be used as long as they are fire retardant and are placed away from radiators, fan coil units, kitchens, lamps, or other heat sources.

Lights
All holiday lighting and wiring must be undamaged and labeled Underwriters Laboratory (UL) approved. Tree lights should be plugged into a single outlet. Lights may only be placed on the inside of room window(s) using electrical tape. Do not hang lights using staples, nails, or tacks. Outside lights are permitted on balconies and decks as long as they are plugged into a ground fault interrupt (GFI) device. No additional holes may be placed in the building to hang lights and Facilities Management will inspect all light structures for safety. Inside lights should be unplugged whenever residents leave the room and should not be left on overnight. Candles, incense, and other open flame items are never permitted in campus housing.

Other Decorations
Other holiday decorations may be placed on bulletin boards and room doors. Decorations should not be placed near radiators, fan coil units, kitchens, or other heat sources. All decorations used should be made of nonflammable materials, such as foil, metal ornaments, artificial wreaths, and flame retardant paper. Corridor walls, elevators, and fire exits should not be decorated.

Parking
If you leave your vehicle here during the break, park in perimeter parking lots (i.e. Student Apartments, Palmer/Piccolo) in order to allow easy access to the larger lots by facilities to clear any ice or snow that may fall over the winter break period. Students who park in the Satellite parking lot should move their vehicle on campus during Winter Break. Parking tickets will be issued during the break period. Do not park in faculty/visitor lots, park only in those areas designated Student Parking

Winter Break Closing Checklist

Residents, please complete prior to departing campus for Winter Break.

• Close and lock all windows.
• Unplug all electrical items (including fish tanks, surge protectors, alarm clocks and computer/ printer) from wall outlets.
• Move personal property off the floor. This could help avoid loss or damage if there is an unforeseen facility issue.
• Move all personal belongings and furniture away from air conditioner/heater unit. Filters will be changed during break. Personal belongings must not impede reasonable access to the air conditioner/heater units.
• Set all Fan Coil Units to 70°. Turn fan to low. Do not turn fan coil units off.
• Empty all trash and recyclable items from your room and common areas.
• Store food in closed containers. Remove perishables. Rooms may be sprayed for insects in residence halls during the break.
• Take bicycles home or store in your room.
• Take all valuables, computers, books, money, medication, clothing, jewelry, etc., home with you as a protection against theft or damage.
• Pull blinds down if you are on a ground floor or your window faces the balcony. Leave shades completely up if you are on an upper floor and your window does not face the balcony.
• Please remove ALL items from bathrooms and building common area kitchens. This will allow crews to thoroughly clean these areas and avoid any potential accidental breakage or removal of the items. For residents of the Polo Area make sure all kitchen counter/floor and bathroom counter/floor, tub/shower areas are clear of personal items and are cleaned before you depart.
• Remove all food, including condiments from common area refrigerators and freezers. This includes all residential facilities in the Polo Area. Do not turn the refrigerators off. They will be defrosted and cleaned over the break.
• Defrost and unplug personal room refrigerators and leave refrigerator doors open. Microfridge® Appliances should be cleaned and defrosted prior to departing campus for break. Allow yourself time to clean up the defrosted water.
• Turn off all lights and lock your door. Take your keys and student ID card with you.

Failure to comply with the items on the checklist will result in a minimum improper checkout charge of $50.00.

Entry and Room Inspection Policy

Before leaving for break, students must complete all items listed on the Winter Break Closing Checklist. For safety reasons, Residence Hall Staff will be inspecting rooms to ensure all items have been completed. Inspections will begin once the halls have closed (or when students have completely vacated their room and notified their hall staff) and will occur in all student rooms. Fines may result for students who do not complete all items on the checklist. Maintenance staff may also be entering rooms during the break to complete work requests or perform preventative maintenance.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

All common areas (including bathrooms and kitchens) within the Polo Area must be cleaned prior to leaving for Winter Break. Students with recycling containers within the apartments should empty and clean these containers. Housekeeping charges will be assessed if housekeeping items are not completed. In all other locations on campus you must defrost, clean, and unplug Microfridge® Appliances and any personal refrigerators. Leave the refrigerator doors to these units open.

Spring Sorority Recruitment

Women participating in Sorority Recruitment in January, arrangements will be made to allow for your early return to campus housing.

Active sorority members who are associated with this event will be permitted to return to campus housing beginning at 9 a.m. on Monday, January 7, 2008. Check-in for members who are returning from abroad will take place in the Benson University Center, room 101 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Potential new members may return to campus housing beginning at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, January 8, 2008.

Please visit the Sorority Recruitment page for more information.

Questions?

See your hall staff or contact Residence Life and Housing via e-mail at housing@wfu.edu or telephone at 758.5185.