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Cornell University

Housing & Residential Life

2024 Winter Closing Notice

Winter Recess: December 22, 2024 – January 14, 2025

All undergraduate residences close for the winter recess on SUNDAY, December 22, 2024 at 2:00pm.
No resident is permitted access to residential facilities during winter recess with the exception of those who have been pre-approved to stay in approved winter break housing during the break. (Please see your Residence Hall Director/Area Coordinator or House Assistant Dean for details). 

Any resident remaining in the residential buildings after 2:00pm on Sunday, December 22 will be charged at the rate of $52.00 per hour for each hour or fraction thereafter. These charges are not prorated. Please submit a request via the housing portal by Monday, December 9 if you are unable to accommodate the 2:00pm departure time on December 22, and include your name, room number, and reason for the request. Undergraduate residences reopen on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 9:00am. Students may move back in at any time before classes begin on Tuesday, January 21 and must sign up for an arrival timeslot in the housing portal.

ROOM CHECKLIST (to complete before you leave campus!)

  • Dispose of all trash in your building dumpsters and take recycling to your building recycling center.
  • Take down all holiday decorations.
  • Return all dining items including plates, bowls, mugs, and silverware, to the nearest dining room – no questions asked!
  • Use the Fill it Forward app on your smartphone to return your reusable container in the return receptacle at any of our participating dining rooms including Okenshields, Morrison Dining, North Star Dining Room, Jansen's Dining Room in Hans Bethe House, Rose House Dining Room, Cook House Dining Room, Keeton House Dining Room, and Becker House Dining Room. You'll have a credit on your account to pick up a freshly sanitized one when you return for the spring semester.
  • Clean your bathroom and kitchen (if applicable).
  • Unplug all appliances – computers, lamps, clocks, etc. (Exception: Townhouse refrigerators should remain plugged in.)
  • Please remove all items from community fridges as these will be removed during winter break. 
  • Take all valuable items with you, including laptop computers, etc. Remember to take passports and medications! You will not have access to your hall/room during the break. 
  • Take fish and plants with you.
  • Lock your windows, close your drapes and/or shades, and turn out all lights.
  • Lock and double-check your room, suite, and/or apartment door.
  • Do NOT turn in your keys if you are returning for the spring semester.

 

Please indicate by initialing your printed closing notice that you have completed your Room Checklist and have left at your indicated timeslot.

 

Initials (All occupants) ___________    ____________ ____________   ___________   ___________ ___________

ROOM INSPECTIONS
Facilities staff members will conduct safety/maintenance inspections of all residential rooms during the semester recess. All furnishings will be inventoried, and please be aware that the following prohibited items found in any rooms will be confiscated: extension cords, multi-plug adapters, holiday/decorative lights, spider lamps, and all tapestries, drapes, and flags that do not have a flame-retardant certificate on file with Campus Life. Lounge furniture (and other unauthorized items) will be removed at a cost to the resident(s) of $50 per item. ANY trash found in rooms may result in additional damage charges. Residents of each room found in violation of the above guidelines or other guidelines found in the Student Code of Conduct, Community Living Standards, or the Terms and Conditions of your housing license will receive a violation notice. When appropriate, a follow-up appointment will be initiated with the residential staff and/or the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards. 

MAINTENANCE & REFURBISHING WORK
University and Campus Life maintenance staff may enter rooms during the semester recess to allow mechanics to perform routine mechanical repairs and/or general maintenance.

STUDENTS OCCUPYING A PARTIALLY EMPTY ROOM
If you are living in a double, triple, or quad room and do not currently have a roommate, you should expect to have a roommate assigned for the spring semester. Before you leave, please ensure that your belongings occupy only your part of the room. If your belongings are found to prevent a new roommate from using the space, some of your things may be moved or removed from the room to create living space, and you will be charged for the time and labor required. 

Moving out?  If you are leaving University housing at the end of this semester, and will not be returning for the spring semester, please be sure to return your room and suite (if applicable) key using a key envelope from your Service Center/House Office. All keys must be returned to your Service Center / House Office – or deposited in your building’s key deposit box – by 2:00pm on Sunday, December 22 to avoid key/lock replacement charges. Abandoned personal items will not be stored. 

DINING
Meal plans end for the fall semester with brunch on Sunday, December 22, 2024. Meal plans resume with lunch on Tuesday, January 14, 2025. Your dining meal plan contract is for the academic year. The deadline to reduce your meal plan, if applicable and available, for the spring semester is Wednesday, February 5, 2025. You can upgrade a meal plan at any time. Changes to your meal plan, if applicable, can be made online at dining.cornell.edu.

COMMUNITY CENTERS AND SERVICE CENTERS
Campus Life community centers, House offices, and service centers begin special or reduced hours during study week, and will close on Monday, December 23, 2024. Please visit housing.cornell.edu for specific building and service hours.

MAIL SERVICE
Mail and packages are held during the semester recess and are sorted when the service centers/House offices are open (see housing.cornell.edu for hours). We are unable to forward mail during the semester recess unless you are vacating your residence hall/House for the upcoming semester. If you are expecting essential mail during the semester recess, notify the sender of your forwarding address immediately.

IMPORTANT LOADING/UNLOADING PARKING INFORMATION
Due to construction and the need to restrict vehicle access from our fire apparatus roadways and sidewalks, changes remain in effect for where you will be able to park and load for your upcoming move-out, as well as your return in January 2025. We’ve outlined for you areas where you will be permitted to drive and park temporarily to load and unload your vehicle. It is important that you adhere to these loading locations and do not drive on any pedestrian walkways not designated for these locations. Please refer to your email communications from our Housing & Residential Life team and visit housing.cornell.edu for detailed information.

PARKING

On-Campus Parking: If you plan to leave your vehicle on campus during the winter recess period, please note that Parking and Transportation Services designates specific parking lots where students may leave their cars: please visit parking.cornell.edu for details. To park in these lots, you must either display a valid Cornell permit or have your vehicle registered (at no charge) with Parking and Transportation Services by visiting parking.cornell.edu and following the online forms link located under the Winter Parking Rules tab.

Ithaca City Parking: Please be aware that if you leave your car parked on city streets during winter break without moving it regularly, your vehicle may be considered "abandoned," and be ticketed, towed, and impounded. In addition, the City of Ithaca may enforce odd/even parking rules from November 1 - April 1 when there's snowfall, and you may need to move your car if Ithaca notifies residents. Violators will be ticketed and may be towed. For questions, call (607) 274-6570 or visit cityofithaca.org.

PERSONAL SECURITY AND THEFT
The need for residential security increases when there are fewer residents present (from now through closing). Protect yourself and your personal belongings. Wallets and bags, packages, and electronics are all more vulnerable at this time. Keep your doors locked at all times. As always, do not allow nonresidents access to the building unless a resident accompanies them. Any unusual observations should be reported to Campus Life or Cornell Police at (607) 255-1111. If it is an emergency, please dial 911.

Undergraduate residential buildings reopen on Tuesday, January 14, 2025 at 9:00am. Residents will not be permitted to enter their building or access their room before that time. Meal plan dining resumes with lunch on Tuesday, January 14, 2025.