Dear ...,

We hope you are well and enjoying the beautiful fall weather we have had lately. The fall semester is more than halfway finished, and Thanksgiving break is only four weeks away. Keep up the excellent work!

We have some important housing information to share with you regarding the fall semester’s break periods and the forecast for spring 2021.

Thanksgiving Break - Housing Options

As noted last week, residence hall students have three Thanksgiving Break housing options. You may review these options by visiting the email notification about Thanksgiving Break Housing. We encourage you to discuss your options with your family and trusted advisors to determine your final plans.

You must inform us and submit your Thanksgiving Break Housing Intent Form by Monday, November 9, 2020, at 12:00 p.m.

Winter Break - Residence Halls Closed

All residence halls on both North Campus and South Campus will close for winter break at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 22. You must make plans to vacate your residence hall room 24 hours after your last final exam and no later than 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 22. You should take personal items needed for the winter break; however, you do not need to move entirely out of your room, and there is no need to turn in your key(s) if you are returning for the spring semester.

Emergency housing during winter break will be available only to students facing extenuating circumstances. Students who have extenuating circumstances and want to request emergency housing during the winter break must submit a request via the Housing Portal by December 4. The form will be available beginning November 13.

Residence Hall Spring Forecast

Based on current guidance and COVID-19 projections, all residence hall rooms will remain single occupancy for the spring semester, with few exceptions.

The Department of Resident Life will fill vacant residence hall rooms with students who requested on-campus housing for the spring, so you should anticipate seeing and welcoming a few new Terps to your community. However, you will not be assigned a roommate.

Room Reassignment Process Extended

For residents considering a residence hall room change, we have extended the Fall Mid-Term Reassignment Request deadline to Thursday, November 12.

This is the final opportunity to relocate into a new space until after the spring semester begins. We will not host a mid-year room reassignment process. We will announce the spring room reassignment process after spring move-in is complete.

Petition For Release- Spring On-Campus Housing

The On-Campus Housing and Dining Agreement is an academic year (fall and spring semesters) contract. Students who wish to request a cancellation of their spring residence hall housing must submit a Petition for Release via the Housing Portal to be considered for release from the housing agreement.

Petitions are granted on a limited basis and based on specific reasons outlined in the On-Campus Housing/Dining Services Agreement Terms and Conditions. The deadline to submit a Petition for Release is Sunday, December 13, at 11:59 p.m. Approved petitions received by December 13 incur no financial penalty.

Spring Residence Hall Opening Dates

As the Provost stated in her recent note, the spring semester will be conducted in a hybrid environment, with up to 25 percent of instruction delivered in-person. Once additional details about the spring semester are released, the Department of Resident Life will notify residents via email regarding the dates and details for spring residence hall opening.

As we approach the Thanksgiving season, we want you to know that we are truly thankful you choose to live on-campus and participate in the Maryland Residential Experience. It has been a unique semester for sure, but we are grateful to have such outstanding residents who have demonstrated care, empathy, and commitment to the Maryland community.