Residence Life Winter Break Check Out Steps

We are writing to you with important updates regarding Fall move-out. All undergraduate residence halls will close November 25, 2020 by 10am. The process will require the following guidelines:  

• In order to maintain safe physical distancing, residents may have no more than two individuals (aged 16+) with them to assist with move out for fall.  Health precautions – if your helpers answer yes to any of the following, they should stay home:
  • Have you been in close contact with anyone with confirmed COVID-19 in the last 14 days?
    • Are you currently or have you experienced any of these symptoms in the last 14 days?
    • Fever greater than 100?
    • Difficulty breathing
    • Persistent Cough?
• All residents and helpers must wear masks at all times. This is mandatory and will be enforced. 
• You should have all your items packed and ready to move out before your helpers arrive. You do not have to sign up for an appointment for move out, but plan with your roommate so that you are not moving out at the same time to avoid having too many people in the room. 

Leaving Your Room for Break: 

• Complete a light cleaning; sweep/dust room 
• Take out all garbage & recyclables outside to designated building dumpsters 
• Turn off lights 
• Close & lock the window(s) & door(s) 
• Set thermostat to 68 degrees 
• If you have a vacancy in your room be sure that the other side of the room is ready for a potential roommate 
• Take home all academic and personal items you will need in the event the return to campus might be delayed. We cannot permit access to the halls once we close for break. We want everyone to be prepared for any situation. You should take laptops, electronics, chargers, books, notes, instruments, equipment, medications, legal documents, clothes and other personal care items with you. 
• Self-Checkout in the Housing Portal this allows us to know you have vacated your room for break and that we are able to inspect  your room for break.

• Remove all personal belongings, including all posters, tape, stickers and nails from furniture, walls, ceilings, closets and doors 
• Complete a light cleaning; sweep/dust room 
• Take out all garbage & recyclables outside to designated building dumpsters 
• Empty and clean your refrigerator if there is one in your room. Do not leave any food in refrigerators.
• Open all your furniture drawers and cabinet/closet doors 
• Turn off lights 
• Close & lock the window(s) & door(s) 
• Return your room and/or apartment key(s) by completing an Express Checkout envelope, placing your key(s) inside, and leave in the black drop box available at the area/building  Duty Office .
• Self-Checkout in the Housing Portal so that we know we can check your room and that you have vacated your room 
• If you need storage and shipping you are able to utilize Dorm Room Movers.  When you register with them you will receive a move-out supply kit of 5 boxes and tape. Click here to get started.
  • Benefits include:
    • Boxes and tape for you to pack
    • Pickup and delivery by professional movers
    • Climate protected storage
    • Domestic shipping via UPS$100 per barcoded item coverage

If you live in Tribe Square or the Graduate Complex you are permitted to remain in your current apartment. However you will need to verify you are staying via the Winter Break form in the Housing Portal located under the navigation menu under forms. 

Do not forget to let Residence Life know your housing plans for the spring by completing the End of Semester Plan form by Friday, November 6, 2020. It should only take a minute to fill out. 

How to access End of Semester Plans:

• Complete the form by logging into your Housing Portal
• Select the button on the right ride for "End of Semester Plans" or click "Forms" on the navigation menu 
• Complete the form 

 Please let us know if you have any questions.

 -W&M Residence Life

Common Area Refrigerators 

All common area refrigerators are now available for resident use based on consultations with Environment, Health and Safety and Student Health Center.   This is based on revised CDC guidance:  In general, because of poor survivability of these coronaviruses on surfaces, there is likely very low risk of spread from food products or packaging

Health and Safety Requirements in Residence Halls

As we return to William & Mary and manage the impact of COVID-19 in our community,
a mutual commitment to the health and well-being of one another has never been
more critical. Here is what you need to know about living on campus this year: Residence Hall Guidelines

8/5/2020 Housing Contract Cancellation Update

Residence Life will be flexible with housing contract cancellations through September 3, 2020. After this date we will defer to the cancellation procedures outlined in the housing contract terms and conditions and/or housing contract addendum. 

Eligible students can cancel contracts with no penalty until September 3, 2020.

• • Students in classes of 2020, 2021, 2022 can cancel contract via the housing portal
  • Students in classes of 2023, 2024 are required to live on campus. They may cancel contracts only if they meet the following criteria:
    • Completing a fully remote class schedule and live at permanent residence with legal guardians.
    • Commuting from permanent residence located within 60 miles of W&M campus.

8/3/2020 Fall Check-In Updates

Greetings –

As you are no doubt already aware, William & Mary’s Path Forward for classes and residential students changed significantly with the operational shift announced on Friday.   We have temporarily closed the portal for check-in appointments while we adjust check-in dates and times to accommodate the changes in check-in dates.

We will re-open the portal with updated check-in dates and information as soon as we can. Please note that the university will be closed tomorrow, 8/4, due to the potential impact of the storm Isaias, which may impact our work on the portal.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these changes.

-W&M Residence Life

7/15/2020 Appointment Information & Move In

We hope that this message finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy.  We know that you are understandably anxious to come back to campus and we have appreciated your patience.  

This email contains:

• Appointment Information & when you can schedule an appointment
• Moving to Campus

Appointment Information

Fall move-in this year will begin August 8, 2020 and conclude by August 18, 2020. The process will require confirmed appointments as well as special health and safety considerations under the following guidelines: 

• In order to maintain safe physical distancing, no more than 600 residents will be allowed to move onto campus on any given day.  Residents may bring no more than two individuals (aged 16+) with them to assist with move-in. 
• Residents will sign up through the Housing Portal under the Fall Move In Form.  Windows for sign up will begin on July 15th by randomized times:  
  • All students have been assigned a timeslot (similar to upper-level room selection) to access the Housing Portal. Due to system requirements, we have to limit the number of individuals in our Housing Portal at any given time, which is why you are assigned a timeslot. This allows us to phase students into the portal without overwhelming it. All students will be phased into the Housing Portal between July 15 – 18. Once your timeslot opens it will remain open. Know that there are a more appointments than students, so if you miss your assigned timeslot you can still log in and make an appointment.
  • Your Timeslot is: 7/00/2020 00:00 (Military Time). Please know you will not be able to access the Fall Move In Form until your timeslot time opens.  
  • Once you access the Fall Move In Form you will be able to select your move in option based on the move in schedule: 
    • Campus Living Staff
      • Head Staff | August 4, 2020 | 8:00am - 5:00pm
      • Resident Assistants | August 6, 2020 | 8:00am - 5:00pm
    • Returning/Graduate Students
      • Phase I | August 8-11, 2020 | 8:00am - 1:00pm
      • Phase III | August 15-18, 2020 | 8:00am -1:00pm
    • New Student/Transfers
      • Phase II | August 12-14, 2020 | 8:00am-5:00pm
• You must have a pre-arranged and confirmed move in appointment before you travel to campus. If you do not have an appointment, then you will not be permitted to move into the residence hall. There will be no exceptions to this practice.  
• Once you have signed up for an appointment, your student ID will be activated for arrival that day. 
• You will receive a confirmation email with further instructions and expectations.    
• When students arrive on campus, we will be managing entrances and exits within the buildings to optimize foot traffic while maintaining safe distances. 

Moving to Campus

• As you pack for the upcoming fall semester, please be mindful of what you are bringing, how you are transporting it, and how difficult it may be to move your items quickly in the event of a campus closure. Obviously W&M hopes that we will have a relatively “normal” year ahead, but we also believe that we should plan for all semester possibilities. Our suggested packing lists include your basic living essentials with a few helpful suggestions!
• Just as the check-in process will look different this fall, so will move in! All residential students should following the prescribed Move-In Route for their residence hall assignment. All residential students will check-in via a limited-contact process and with key in-hand proceed along their color-coded route. Every residence hall has a specified Unloading Zone, as well as a designated Parking Lot to ensure adequate flow around all of our residential buildings.

We have developed these plans in consultation with our colleagues in Environmental Health & Safety, the Student Health Center, and Facilities Management - all with the goal of keeping staff, students and families as safe as possible. 

Your cooperation and understanding are vitally important. 

Go Tribe! 

-W&M Residence Life 

7/7/2020 Housing Release Request Updates

William & Mary is committed to both the intellectual and personal development of all students. As such, we require students to live on campus for their first two years in our community.

Given the COVID-19 pandemic situation, below are the ways we can help students navigate decisions regarding living on campus in fall 2020.

Classes of 2024, 2023 (Freshmen and Sophomores) have the following options if they wish to remain enrolled at W&M:

a) Students choose to live on campus and agree to abide by strict health and safety practices outlined in the Residence Life Resource Guide. 
b) Students whose permanent residence is within 60 miles of the W&M campus may commute from their home and join classes in person.
c) Students choose all fall remote course offerings, and reside at their permanent address on record and live with legal guardians.
d) Students defer/take leave of absence.

Living in an off-campus location locally in Williamsburg is not an option for freshmen or sophomore students unless it is their permanent address and they are commuting from their family home and residing with legal guardians whom live in with them in the residence 5 out of 7 days a week.

Classes of 2022, 2021, 2020 and graduate students have the same options as above. Additionally, they may request to cancel their housing contract with no penalty. This can be done via the W&M Housing Portal.

Please let us know your housing plans by August 18, we will continue to be flexible as you plan your fall semester.

If you are enrolled in a meal plan and wish to change or cancel your plan, you must visit mealplan.wm.edu before the end of add/drop and update your selection

Cancellation requests must submitted via the Housing Portal under the 2020-2021 Housing Application, if you choose a Commuter Exemption option please do so on the Contract Release Request page in the Housing Application.

6/17/2020 Housing Contract Addendum & Move In Dates

Residence Life Update:

This message includes important information on the following: 

• Housing Contract Addendum
• Move-in dates for August

In response to managing COVID-19 and all that we must undertake in order to bring students back to campus, it is necessary for us to create an addendum to the 2020-2021 Residence Life Housing Contract. 

Specific changes to the housing contract terms and conditions are presented below. We have made additional changes to some housing policies related to COVID-19 that are reflected in the Residence Life Resource Guide. All students are expected to read and abide by the Residence Life Resource Guide. These new policies include issues such as wearing face coverings, physical distancing and guest/visitation restrictions, etc., so please take time to carefully read this document.

Payment of your housing bill and/or completing electronic check-in will indicate your agreement to these changed terms. Any students with questions or concerns about these requirements should contact Residence Life at living@wm.edu.

Invoices will be posted to student accounts on July 10, 2020.
New student housing assignments will be available in the housing portal by July 8, 2020.

At W&M, we are committed to the flourishing of our Tribe for all time coming. Your consistent efforts for the well-being and health of your fellow students will be a discipline in living and learning together. We know there are new and inconvenient expectations to respect, but in order to return to campus and live together we must work to care for all in our campus community. 

We are excited to welcome you home to W&M!

William & Mary Residence Life
Housing Contract Addendum
2020-2021 

This is an Addendum to the William & Mary Residence Life Contract 2020-2021 that you submitted when you requested housing.  This Addendum is required in order to adjust the operation of the housing program to respond to the pandemic conditions. This Addendum supersedes the following sections of the original contract: 

Period of Contract: The period of contract is for the entire academic year when classes and exams are in session unless otherwise terminated or suspended under the terms and conditions of this contract. Agreements entered into after the beginning of the Fall semester continue in effect until the close of the academic year. The dates specified in paragraph 2 of the Terms and Conditions are no longer operable.

Moving In: You must abide by the published move-in schedule for arrival. Requests for early arrivals will be limited by building readiness, and there may be a charge assessed for early move-in. If you plan to arrive after your scheduled move-in date, you must inform Residence Life in writing from your W&M email account. If you enroll at the University but fail to move in to your assigned residence, you are still responsible for the full academic year room rent.

 Moving Out:

1. End of the academic year: You must abide by the published move-out schedule for vacating your assignment. Requests for late stays will be limited by building availability, and there may be a charge assessed for late move-out.
2. Mid-year: If you withdraw or terminate your enrollment during the academic year, or have your enrollment terminated by the University, you must notify Residence Life of your departure, in writing, vacate your assignment, and return the keys (if applicable) within 48 hours, or as determined by University authorities.

Cancellation of the W&M Residence Life Housing Contract During the Academic Year:

    The provisions of Additional Terms and Conditions §6.B.5 added the following:

1. The University may terminate this contract and your occupancy rights in the event of fire, earthquake, flood, hurricane, or other significant weather event or natural disaster, act of God, strikes, work stoppages or other labor disturbances, riots or civil commotions, litigation, war or other act of any foreign nation, plague, epidemic, pandemic, power of government or governmental agency or authority, state of emergency, or any other cause like or unlike any cause mentioned above, whether natural or man-caused, which is beyond the control or authority of the University.   In the event of such circumstances, all refunds of housing fees will be offered on the following schedule according to the academic calendar for undergraduate classes:

Closure Event Occurs                                                          Percentage of Semester Fees Refunded

Prior to the end of the 3^rd week of classes.                                                                    60%

During the 4^th week of classes through the end of 6^th week of classes.                          40%

During the 7^th week of classes through the end of 8^th week of classes.                          20%

After the end of the 8^th week of classes                                                                           5%

In the event of a residential hall closure during the fall 2020 semester, charges for the spring 2021 semester will only be billed if the residence halls re-open.

The provisions of Additional Terms and Conditions §1.D are deleted and replaced with the following:

1. General Information:
   This Contract is subject to all relevant University policies, which may be amended or updated from time to time in the sole discretion of the University. The University retains the unilateral right to terminate this contract at any time. Failure of either party to insist upon strict performance of any of the Terms or Conditions herein shall not be deemed a waiver of any rights or remedies of either party, and shall not be deemed a waiver of any subsequent breach or default in any of the Terms or Conditions herein. The University assumes no responsibility for failure to perform any terms or conditions of this agreement due to any force majeure. The University does not discriminate in any of its programs, procedures, or practices against any person on the basis of age, citizenship, color, disability, national origin, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or status as a veteran. If you have a disability or otherwise need special accommodations, please notify the Student Accessibility Services office. 

W&M Residence Hall Move In Dates & Information

A phased move-in process is planned for August 2020. In order for us to manage the numbers of people on campus and in buildings each resident will schedule a move-in appointment.

The move-in schedule is below. Details regarding how and when to make appointments will be shared with residents by July 15.

Phase I            August 8-11                Returning Students

                                                            (early arrivals, student employees, etc.)

Phase II           August 12-14              New Student Move In

                                                            (Freshmen, Transfers & JDP Host Students)

Phase III         August 15-18              Returning Students    

There will be approximately 500 appointments available each day, spread across campus.

 We will make arrangements for families with siblings.

Additional details are forthcoming. You should minimally expect the following changes:

• Face coverings must be worn outside student rooms
• Touchless check-in process - likely drive-through for key pick up
• Limited time to unload vehicles outside buildings
• Each resident can bring no more than 2 adults to help with the move-in process
• Helpers will need to depart the building by a specific time each day
• One vehicle per resident
• Pack light – bring only essential items
• No personal furniture such as sofas, futons, home-made lofts, headboards, etc.

Richmond Hall will be used as quarantine and isolation housing as needed for the 2020-2021 academic year.  Residents currently assigned to Richmond Hall have been notified that their assignment will change to a similar capacity room elsewhere on campus.

As we noted in our communication last week, many triple and quad rooms will need to be reduced in density for use as double rooms. Students affected by these changes have been notified that their assignments will change.

We understand these changes are distressing and inconvenient, but they are necessary adjustments for us to make in order for students on live on campus as safely as possible.

Thank you for your patience as we manage these issues during this challenging time. Please address all housing questions to living@wm.edu

We wish you a safe and healthy summer!

 -W&M Residence Life

6/12/2020 Campus Living Path Forward Fall 2020 Residence Halls & New Student Orientation

Residence Life is happy to share our initial plans for welcoming students back to campus in August.

By July 1, we will publish details regarding move in. This will be a phased and scheduled process taking place over a few days in order to manage the density of people in each residence hall. It will necessarily be very different than you might have seen in the past, so please be prepared to adjust your plans and expectations accordingly. We realize the need for families to plan and schedule their visit to campus for move in, and we will share the schedule as soon as we can.

The health and safety of our learning community is a top priority.

We will house all students who have already signed a housing contract for 2020-2021. If you have a completed housing contract we will accommodate you on campus. In the event it is necessary, we have reserved space to accommodate residential students who may need to be quarantined or isolated.

Due to the change in the academic calendar and new expectations regarding living spaces, each student planning to live on campus will be required to sign an addendum to the housing contract that includes a Residence Life Health and Well-Being Pledge.

The addendum and instructions will be provided to contracted students by June 16 and will be due by July 1, 2020.

Compliance with the expectations and commitments in the contract addendum once students are on campus is critical for the ongoing operation of the residence halls. If students are unwilling to agree to this addendum, they should contact us at living@wm.edu regarding their housing options. Instructions will be provided in the coming electronic communication.

We have spent the past weeks reviewing the nature of residence hall living in concert with the current worldwide health situation. Our goal was to design a plan allowing for a housing balance that will provide optimum wellness outcomes for our whole community.

Our housing plan will reduce residential density where possible, and set in place a number of community expectations targeting our shared responsibility of maintaining health and safety.

Below are the initial steps we are taking in the residence halls for Fall 2020:

• We will consider roommates, suitemates, and those sharing apartments to be Flexible Family Units.
• We will eliminate many triple and quadruple rooms.
• We will set out clear guidelines regarding sharing of bedrooms, bathrooms, and other common living spaces.
• We will increase the distance from 30 miles to 60 miles for students who live locally and may wish to consider commuting from home.
• We will temporarily prohibit all guests and visitation in and between residence halls. Only residents of halls will be permitted to enter. This will be relaxed as health guidance safely permits.
• We will hold space for quarantine or isolation housing.
• We will increase cleaning efforts in high touch locations such a bathrooms and doors.
• Hand sanitizer will be located at each building entrance.

Residence Life will communicate additional details to residential students in by July 1, 2020. We will directly contact individual students whose assignments may be changed.

While many of these changes might be uncomfortable, these efforts are critical in reducing risk for yourself and the entire campus community.

We ask for your patience until we are able to provide more specific information regarding assignments and the move in process.

New Student Orientation

First Year Experience looks forward to welcoming you to campus in August! In accordance with public health guidelines, William & Mary has made decisions regarding the fall semester that require alterations to the new student move-in and orientation program and schedules. Look for updates via email and on our website beginning the week of June 15 so new students and families can adequately prepare for this exciting transition.

We can’t wait to see you all on campus in August! Have a safe and healthy summer!

For Continued Updates On COVID-19 From The University Please Visit

• Campus Announcements