Closing Preparations

Closing Dates Fall 2016 & Spring 2017

Spring Break

Watterson, Haynie, Wright, and Wilkins Halls close at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 11. All students in these halls must vacate rooms by this time. Students may leave their personal belongings in the room; however, they must take whatever they need for the week while on break as no student will be allowed back into these halls for any reason during spring break. The residence halls will reopen at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 19. Please make appropriate travel arrangements for your return to campus on or after this date and time

Hewett, Manchester and University apartments (Cardinal Court, Fell/School, Shelbourne) remain open over spring break. Students living in these buildings may enter and exit throughout spring break. Residents are required to fill out and submit the preparation checklist before departure. These forms have been provided to residents, but can also be accessed and printed from PDF below:

Hewett and Manchester Spring Break Procedures
Watterson Towers Spring Break Closing Procedures
Tri-Towers Spring Break Closing Procedures

Things to do before leaving your room for break

Take out all trash.
Dispose of all perishable food (including empty bottles and cans) in the refrigerator.
Unplug all electrical appliances. (During fall break you may leave your refrigerator and fish tank plugged in; however during winter break all items must be unplugged)
Computers should be unplugged in case of power surges.
Close and LOCK room windows.
Open draperies (except first floors).
Move personal possessions/furnishings from in front of the windows to the desk or bed.
Move personal belongings that are on the floor to bed or desk. (This will prevent them from being damaged in the event there are leaks or plumbing problems over the break).
We recommend you take valuables home, as the University assumes no liability for personal property.
Turn off room lights.
Lock your door!
The University assumes no responsibility or liability for the personal property of students. This includes damage, loss, fire, water damage, theft, flooding, etc. Students desiring this kind of protection must make their own arrangements for insurance.
Before summer break, be sure to update your mailing address on iCampus. Learn more about Mailroom Guidelines.

Fall Break

Watterson Towers, Haynie and Wright Halls will close for fall break on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. All students in these halls must vacate rooms by this time. Students may leave their personal belongings in the room; however, they must take whatever they need for the week while on break as no student will be allowed back into these halls for any reason during fall break.

The residence halls will reopen at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 27. Please make appropriate travel arrangements for your return to campus on or after this date and time.

Manchester, Hewett, Wilkins, and University apartments will remain open over fall break for residents of these buildings. Students living in these buildings may enter and exit throughout fall break.

Winter Break

Closing Dates

All residence halls (with the exception of Manchester and Hewett Halls) will close for winter break on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 2 p.m. All other students must vacate their room by 2 p.m. on Saturday. Students may leave their personal belongings in the room; however they must take whatever they need for the entire break as no student will allowed back into the halls for any reason during break periods. The residence halls will reopen on Friday, Jan. 13 at 8 a.m. Please make appropriate travel arrangements for your return to campus on or after this date and time.

Manchester and Hewett Halls along with University apartments will remain open for students who live in those buildings. Students of these buildings may enter and exit throughout winter break. However, Hewett and Manchester will be vacated and closed on Dec. 20 from 8 a.m.-12:00 p.m. and 1 -4 p.m. due to trash chute fogging.

Preparation

Preparing for safety checks and pest control spraying. All rooms will be treated for pest control.

Close and secure all windows and room door.
Leave window shades open.
Dispose of all perishable food.
Empty and clean all trash receptacles.
Unplug, clean and dry refrigerator(s); leave refrigerator door(s) open.
Unplug all electrical appliances including clocks and computers.
Set room temperature to on 65º and set blowers on low.
There must be access to the windows, so all items must be moved from on top of or in front of heaters.
Turn off all lights.
Pull all furniture, including beds, desks, chairs, etc. approximately 8” inches away from wall to allow space for pest control spraying.
Move personal belongings off the room and closet floor and place on top of bed, desk or dresser.

Note: This will lessen that chance of damage in the event of water leaks and/or plumbing concerns.

Friendly Reminders

The “Pass-It-On” project is an opportunity to donate unwanted items and non-perishable foods to those in need. Collection Bins will be located in the lobby area at specific times in order for you to participate in this program. Flyers will be posted with more details.
All steps on pages one and two of this document must be completed to ensure that residents have a positive experience in preparing for Safety Checks, Pest Control Spraying and Hall Closing (if applicable).
Please be responsible with your keys during the Winter Break period. Residents will be billed $75 for each room and/or suite key.
University Housing Services does not accept responsibility for personal items that are damaged due to an unexpected leak or water damage. It is suggested that personal valuables that cannot be easily replaced be taken with you over the break period.
In the event of an emergency that will require you to contact a professional staff member, please call the Illinois State University Police at (309) 438-8631.
Watterson Towers and Tri-Towers will re-open on Friday, January 13, 2016 at 2:00 p.m.
University Housing Services wishes all of our residents’ safe travels during break, and we can’t wait to see you in January!

Room Inspections

The reason for checking each room is to ensure that room windows are secured in case of inclement weather, electrical outlets are unplugged in the event of a power surge, and that trash is emptied to avoid pest problems. Should a staff member notice additional policy violations, you will be referred to Community Rights and Responsibilities (Dean of Students’ Office).
Materials attached to, suspended from, or draped beneath room ceilings
Materials which hinders emergency personal from entering or exiting the room through the door or window (e.g. beads, non-university issued drapes, decks, lofts, etc.)
Multiple outlet extension cords or similar devices.
Illegal appliances. (e.g. hot pots, Kuerigs, beer signs, halogen lamps, etc.)
Any candles, incense or alcohol of any kind
Items on or around the windows. (e.g. signs, stickers, etc.)
Any other item(s) that violate University Housing and/or University policies

You may wish to refer to the University Housing Policies.

Residents are required to fill out and submit the preparation checklist before departure. These forms have been provided to residents, but can also be accessed and printed from PDF below:

Hewett and Manchester Winter Break Closing Procedures
Watterson Towers Winter Break Closing Procedures
Tri-Towers Winter Break Closing Procedures

Prepare Room for Pest Control Spraying (Winter Break Only)

Please unlock and open closet doors. Closet door must remain unlocked and open for pest control spraying.
Remove all items on closet floor to the bed or desk area.
Remove all contents from dresser and desk drawers and place on bed or top of desk.
Remove all items from under the bed.
Move bed and other belongings at least eight inches away from walls and windows so Pest Control can spray these areas.
There will be a charge of $15 per room assessed for any rooms not properly prepared for spraying. Spraying will take place even if the room is unprepared. If you feel you have a medical reason to avoid spraying, please contact the Office of Disability Concerns at 438-5853 prior to Monday of Finals Week. There is no guarantee your room will not be sprayed if you call after this date.
The University assumes no responsibility or liability for the personal property of students. This includes damage, loss, fire, water damage, theft, flooding, etc. Students desiring this kind of protection must make their own arrangements for insurance.

Please remember your keys when you return! If you return without your keys:

Core changes are $75 for room keys plus an additional $75 for suite keys (if you live in a suite)

Window Checks

Staff will be entering each room (in all residence halls) to do window checks for fall & winter break. Staff will knock before entering a room. Please note that all policy violations in plain sight will result in documentation and possible proration.

Please be sure to close and lock your room window when you leave for an extended period of time. Windows left open will cause pipes to freeze and break, and flooding can occur as a result. The University assumes no liability for damage to personal property that could result from a pipe breaking.

If you are not returning for the spring semester

Anyone canceling their contract or moving to another room for next semester must move out of their current room before break! All belongings must be completely cleared from the current room. Students may choose between two forms of check-out if they are moving out of the residence halls or changing their room assignment for spring. These students may choose Express Checkout or RA Checkout. If students choose an Express Checkout, students must obtain a checkout packet from their RA in advance, sign this paperwork when they would like to leave, and drop this packet (along with room key) into the Express Checkout Box located at the Residence Hall Front Desk when vacating their Residence Hall. If students choose to check out with their RA in person, they must make arrangements with their RA 24 hours prior to their checkout time. If you choose to check out in person, but do not sign up with an RA at least 24 hours in advance of your check-out time, you will be charged an improper check-out fee of $25.