This message has been updated on July 06, 2020, at 2:20 p.m.
This message to all students has been approved by Shannon Staten, Executive Director of University Housing.
The deadline set for notifying housing of their plans is based on when academic information is anticipated to be public. University Housing will adjust this deadline as needed to allow the academic information to be available prior to students making decisions.
If you choose to continue living on campus for the upcoming term, you may visit the housing portal and update your building and room type preferences, as well as change your requested roommate.
Update: The email previously sent on June 1 (listed below) announced June 26 as the deadline to cancel the Fall 2020/Spring 2021 housing contract without penalty. That deadline has been extended to July 16 to allow students and families time to review the University’s academic plan information.
Email to all students who have current contracts for fall/spring 2020-2021:
Date: June 1, 2020
Hello from FSU! You are receiving this email because you have a current contract to live on campus with University Housing for the academic 2020/2021 year. Students living in our LLCs will hear more from the faculty about how their programs will adapt.
We hope your summer is off to a great start. As we move toward fall, we recognize the COVID-19 situation may present several challenges and concerns for our residents. We also recognize that even as we follow the CDC guidance on community living environments, residing in a residence hall with other students as roommates, suitemates, or neighbors on the hall may create the risk of exposure to COVID-19 by the nature of the congregate community. Adherence to current CDC social distancing guidelines may also prove to be challenging.
We know that your plans may have changed, or you may have concerns about living on campus within the restricted guidelines. We also know that how you take your classes (remotely or in-person) may help you decide where you should live this fall. The academic plan for the University should be available before July. To help you and your family meet your needs, we are offering you a limited opportunity to cancel your 2020-2021 residence hall contract without a cancellation fee and with the return of your deposit. Here are a few expectations you need to know before deciding.
Community Living on Campus this Fall:
Our plan for the fall is to provide on-campus housing in an adjusted environment from previous years. The changes in use of the facility, gathering of students for support and events, and some of our community expectations are designed to manage social distancing and unwanted exposure. Some of the community standards and procedures you can expect for this fall in the residence hall include:
Room assignments:
- We will offer a combination of single- and double-bedroom suites and apartments ranging from 2-4 students living in the unit. Most students will share a bath with other students.
- We will not assign triple or quadruple bedrooms this year unless a group of students specifically request that option.
- We cannot guarantee a single bedroom occupancy to all students who request it.
- Assignments will not be made before July.
Residence hall opening or closing dates may adjust:
- We continue to work closely with the campus to determine the best time to open the halls for the fall semester. Note that even once we have announced dates for move-in, it could change based on the university’s response to current conditions and expectations.
- We also cannot guarantee you the full semester will be open for residential living. This again will be based on the campus decisions to provide the best conditions possible for healthy living. If the academic calendar availability is adjusted, the semester rental rate for on-campus halls and Seminole Dining plans will not be adjusted.
Not all amenities/space will be available, and we have adjusted availability of some of the standard services within the halls. While additional aspects may be adjusted as we plan for the fall, you can expect the following:
- Front desks may not be open in all residence halls at all hours. There will be desk staff available in a nearby building and a staff member on duty to respond to student needs.
- Ice machines and microwaves will not be available for the residents in common kitchens. Students can bring a residential microwave to use in their own room.
- Water fountains with bottle filling stations will remain in service, but all waterspouts on fountains will be restricted from use.
- Some recreation equipment and games may be unavailable for shared use.
Requirements of relocation for isolation (positive case and exposure):
- University Housing will work closely with Health and Wellness staff to determine if a student should be relocated to a quarantine location.
- Any on-campus resident who presents as positive to a COVID-19 test or has been exposed to individuals with positive tests may be moved temporarily to another hall during a mandated quarantine time. Students will need to stay in the quarantine location for a minimum of 14 days and must have a follow-up test that is negative before being allowed back into their assigned room and hall.
Community living expectations:
- Students will be responsible for maintaining a clean living environment within their suite or apartment. Students should provide cleaning supplies to use within the suite.
- University Housing staff may conduct health and safety inspections of the living space to ensure space is being maintained in a safe manner.
- Students will be expected to wear masks when gathering in small groups in lobbies, lounges and other public space within the residence hall. Any student meeting with a staff member will also wear a mask throughout the meeting.
- Students will be expected to not gather in groups larger than the posted occupancy of the space or CDC requirements and to practice social distancing when in the hall.
- Elevators will be limited to one person, family, or roommate pair at a time.
- Alcohol will not be allowed within the residence halls at all, regardless of the age of the student and roommate.
- We are reviewing the guest visitation policy. Minimally, there will be no overnight guests allowed. The policy will be updated soon identifying any further restrictions.
University Housing will provide the following:
- Regular cleaning of the halls and sanitizing of public areas such as lobbies, service rooms, and elevator areas.
- Programming and support for student success within the guidelines of CDC group sizes and events.
If you choose not to live with us on campus, we will miss you, but every effort is to support you in making decisions that are right for your situation. To cancel your on-campus housing contract, please go to the housing portal to initiate that request. We will approve all requests received before 5 pm, July 16.
If you choose to continue living on campus for the upcoming term, you may visit the housing portal and update your building and room type preferences, as well as change your requested roommate, through 5 pm on July 16.
Although we have preventative measures in place to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses, University Housing cannot guarantee that residents will not become exposed to COVID-19. By continuing to live on campus, you acknowledge there is—and has always been—an elevated risk of contracting any contagious illness simply due to the dense population in the residence halls.
You may direct questions to our email Housing@fsu.edu.
Sincerely,
University Housing