Communication Archive
Dear Resident,
As you likely have heard, the coronavirus continues to surge in many states across our nation, although thankfully Connecticut has remained relatively stable in terms of reported COVID-19 infections. As a result of the national circumstances, however, we wanted to reach out and strongly encourage students not to travel outside the state of Connecticut.
If you do need to travel during the fall semester, please ensure you check the Connecticut state travel advisory webpage prior to departure and prior to your return to campus. Any student returning from a state on the active travel advisory list will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. This protocol is required by the state of Connecticut. You must also complete the Travel Health form upon return.
Again, we strongly encourage students to remain on campus, minimize all travel, and avoid out-of-state excursions as much as possible. If you must travel to a state under the travel advisory, please contact your hall director directly to arrange for a quarantine assignment upon your return.
Sincerely,
The Office of Residence Life
Good evening,
Our records indicate you did not participate in dropping your items off today even though you signed up. We’ve made you eligible to sign up for another day. Please do so as soon as possible.
Dear Student,
Our records indicate that you have moved in early for Fall 2020 semester or plan to arrive prior to August 25th. Every student on campus must complete their check in forms as it has important information like your emergency contact.
Please log into your MyHousing portal and select the "applications" tab to complete the "Check In Forms for Early Move In." We ask that you complete this form no later then Wednesday August 19, 2020.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact our office at reslife@southernct.edu or 203-392-5870.
Dear Student,
We wanted to reach out to highlight some important information as you plan to arrive on campus in a few days!
Arrival Days are August 24th and 25th
Sign-up's will be live on your Myhousing portal starting in the afternoon on August 18th. In order to select your arrival time you must have completed the following:
-Signed up for a Drop Off
-Health Compliant - Including the submission of your negative COVID-19 test result. A copy of the lab result must be either emailed to healthservices@southernct.edu or faxed to (203) 392-6301. Please ensure when submitting your results you have your name, date of test, type of test, and test result captured on the screenshot or form. If you have questions regarding COVID-19 testing, please contact Health Services; Phone (203) 392-6300.
-Financially Compliant - University bills can be paid by using the following method: University accepted credit cards, debit card or an electronic check online using the BANNERWEB system. If you have any questions regarding your bill, please contact the Office of Student Accounts(Bursar) directly at (203) 392-6140.
-Registered for classes
-Signed the Housing Contract Agreement COVID-19 Addendum located on your Myhousing Portal
-Completed your check in forms located on your Myhousing portal. Check in Forms are avaible the morning of August 18th.
You will receive an e-mail confirmation with the date and time you've selected by August 21st.
Click here to join us for a live chat from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
Lastly, we highly recommend that you check the State Travel Advisory website for the most up to date information regarding the state your traveling from.
Be sure to follow us on social media and check your Southern e-mail and MyHousing Portal for the most up-to-date information regarding housing on campus. If you have any questions about any of the information provided above, please contact us at (203) 392-5870 or via email at reslife@southernct.edu.
As always, we appreciate your patience, understanding, and cooperation.
Office of Residence Life I Southern Connecticut State University
Dear Student,
We have officially confirmed your belongings drop-off date for Sunday August 16 at 1pm to 2:30pm. This e-mail will serve as your confirmation for approval to participate in dropping off your items.
Please ensure you read the following information and frequently asked questions as you prepare to come to campus.
When you arrive:
-Please do not arrive earlier than your confirmed drop-off time (see above).
-Upon arrival, you may report directly to your assigned fall residence hall; the main entry doors to your hall will be unlocked.
-A staff member will unlock the door to your assigned space for the duration of your drop-off timeframe. The staff member will lock the door once you have finished depositing our belongings.
-Please call the number posted at the front desk in your residence hall once you’ve completed your drop off so a staff member can lock your door.
-As a reminder, we have extended the timeframe from 45 to 90 minutes. We hope this additional time will provide greater flexibility for students and remove some of the anxiety.
Reminders:
· DROP-OFF HELPERS: In the interest of social distancing, while students may bring more than one person to assist during their belongings drop-off, we ask that only one guest enters the building with you for the drop-off. All guests must adhere to the campus safety guidelines outlined below.
· SOCIAL DISTANCING: As recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the State Department of Public Health, all members of the campus community are encouraged to practice appropriate social distancing. You and your guests should maintain a minimum 6-foot distance from others who are not part of your “family unit.” Additionally, occupancy in campus elevators will be limited and certain staircases will be designated for up-only and down-only traffic.
· MASKS: You and your guest on campus MUST wear masks throughout the drop-off process.
· CARTS & SANITIZING WIPES: Although there will be a limited number of moving carts available, you are encouraged to bring your own. If you choose to use a university cart/bin, we encourage you to bring your own sanitizing wipes to disinfect the bin.
· SAFETY ON CAMPUS: Reminder, you and your guest on campus MUST wear masks throughout the drop-off process and adhere to social distancing guidelines. Finally, you and your guest should NOT come to campus if you are feeling ill or if you are experiencing fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, etc.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Is Southern offering on-site testing during drop-off?
Testing will be available at Moore Fieldhouse from Sunday, August 16--Thursday, August 20 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The cost is $106.00 and provided by Griffin Hospital. The cost will be billed to your student account and insurance is not accepted. Tests will take at least 48 hours to process. Students may alternately opt to be tested by their primary care physician, a regional testing center, or other location. The COVID-19 test that is required is the transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. This is the simple nasal-swab test that is most commonly being performed. The Rapid Results Test is not acceptable.
Will moving bins be available?
Yes, we will have moving bins available either directly in front of the residence hall or in the main lobby. While the moving bins will be fully cleaned prior to your arrival, we do encourage students to bring sanitizing wipes or sprays and/or gloves, if they prefer to sanitize the bin prior to use. Please be courteous to other students who will be arriving and bring all trash to the dumpsters prior to returning the moving bin to the entrance to the residence hall.
Where do I park?
When you arrive, you can pull up directly in front of your residence hall. We kindly ask that you unload your belongings at the curb and then relocate your car to an adjacent parking lot or the West Campus parking garage.
What if I need an item I brought to campus?
Once you have dropped your belongings off, you will not have access to the room again until your official move-in time. Please plan accordingly and ensure that you are not including items that you may need in the interim between drop-off and move-in (for example, electronics, medications, charging cords, important documents, etc).
Now what? I've confirmed my belongings drop-off time but when/how do I select my move-in time?
Once the final belongings drop-off period has closed, the move-in scheduler will be made available next week. Students will then be able to select a move-in time to return to campus with their remaining (minimal) belongings and officially unpack and settle into their spaces.
Can I set up my room during the drop-off period?
Because of the time restrictions, students will only be able to drop their belongings off. Students should plan to clean, hang wall decor, set up linens, unpack clothing, etc. during the official move-in period later this month. We also recommend you wait to bring any perishable food items until your official move-in date.
How will I know my belongings are secure?
The door to your room will only be unlocked during your designated timeframe. Residence Life staff will lock the room at the close of your drop-off timeframe. It is always a good idea, however, to keep an inventory of the items that you are bringing to campus for your reference. As a reminder, you will not have access to your belongings again until your official move-in time, so we recommend you wait to bring important items like electronics, personal documents, etc. until move-in.
Other Updates
After the Belongings Drop-off period, off-campus guests will no longer be permitted in the residence halls. We recognize this is a change from the initial revision to our guest policy, but based on recent guidance from the Department of Public Health, we will no longer be allowing non-residents in the residence halls. This means that students may only meet with friends, or significant others in exterior gathering spaces. Immediate family members are allowed to wait in the main lobby of the residence hall. Students who are residing within the residence hall or within a different residence hall on the SCSU campus may still be signed in as a guest (one per room, in general).
We can't wait to see you on Monday!
Dear Student,
We wanted to share one quick update regarding our previous e-mail. The testing will cost $106.00. Once again we will have further information in the Belongings Drop-Off confirmation that will follow in the next few days.
Sincerely,
Office of Residence Life
Dear Student,
We have a few important updates to share with you as we prepare to welcome you back for Fall 2020!
First, we are pleased to announce that on-campus testing will be available as promised. Testing will be available at Moore Fieldhouse from Sunday, August 16 - Thursday, August 20 from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. The cost is $103.00 and provided by Griffin Hospital. Tests will take at least 48 hours to process. Students may still alternately opt to be tested by their primary care physician, a regional testing center, or other location. The COVID-19 test that is required is the transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. This is the simple nasal-swab test that is most commonly being performed. The Rapid Results Test is not acceptable.
Secondly, if you will be participating in the belongings drop-off, we have extended the timeframe from 45 to 90 minutes. We hope this additional time will provide greater flexibility for students and remove some of the anxiety.
Thirdly, based on recent recommendations from the Department of Public Health, we must modify the guest policy that we originally distributed. After the belongings drop-off, no off-campus visitors will be permitted inside the residence halls. You may still have one guest per room if the guest is a resident from another building (or your same building) on campus, but no off-campus guests will be admitted. Unfortunately this means that immediate family members, significant others, etc. may not enter the residence hall beyond the main lobby. We encourage students to utilize exterior spaces, when necessary, to interact with non-residents.
We will have further information in the Belongings Drop-Off confirmation that will follow in the next few days.
Sincerely,
Office of Residence Life
Dear First and Last name,
We wanted to reach out to highlight some important information as you plan to return to campus this month!
Belonging Drop Off
- Sign-up's will be live on your Myhousing portal starting August 5th.The sign-up will appear on your main page of your Myhousing Portal right underneath your room assignment section.
- You must complete the following to be eligible to sign up:
- Health Compliant (except COVID test result)
- Financially Compliant
- Registered for classes
- Signed the Housing Contract Agreement COVID-19 Addendum located on your Myhousing Portal
- You will receive an e-mail confirmation with the date and time you've selected once the drop off date has closed for additional sign ups.
- As a reminder the drop-off sign-up dates will close a few days prior. Please ensure you are registering promptly for your preferred date:
- August 16th - sign-ups close 8/13 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 17th - sign-ups close 8/14 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 18th - sign-ups close 8/14 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 19th - sign-ups close 8/17 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 20th - sign-ups close 8/18 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 21st - sign-ups close 8/19 at 11:59 p.m.
Arrival Day
- Sign-up's will be live on your Myhousing portal ONCE you've participated in Drop Off and have completed the following:
- You must complete the following to be eligible to sign up:
- Health Compliant - Including the submission of your negative COVID-19 test result. A copy of the lab result must be either uploaded to your patient portal, emailed to healthservices@southernct.edu or faxed to (203) 392-6301. If you have questions regarding COVID-19 testing, please contact Health Services; Phone (203) 392-6300.
- Financially Compliant - You may pay your University bill by: Paying with University accepted credit cards, debit card or an electronic check online using the BANNERWEB system.- If you have any questions regarding your bill, please contact the Office of Student Accounts(Bursar) directly at (203) 392-6140.
- Registered for classes
- Signed the Housing Contract Agreement COVID-19 Addendum located on your Myhousing Portal
- Check in form completed located on your Myhousing portal. Check in Forms will be live on your Myhousing Portal August 17th.
You will receive an e-mail confirmation with the date and time you've selected by August 21st.
Lastly, we highly recommend that you check the State Travel Advisory website for the most up to date information regarding the state your traveling from.
Be sure to follow us on social media and check your Southern e-mail and MyHousing Portal for the most up-to-date information regarding housing on campus. If you have any questions about any of the information provided above, please contact us at (203) 392-5870 or via email at reslife@southernct.edu.
As always, we appreciate your patience, understanding, and cooperation.
Office of Residence Life
Dear First and Last Name,
Here in Residence Life we are so excited to have you on campus for the Fall Semester! We wanted to share some updates and answer a few questions you may have.
As a reminder, moving on to campus will be a two-step process this year. Students will drop off their belongings during the week of August 16-21. We are calling these our Drop-Off Days. Students will then return to campus on August 24 or 25 to begin their college experience. We are calling these our Arrival Days. Read on to learn more.
Due to social distancing recommendations and elevator/building capacity you are REQUIRED to sign up for a time to drop off belongings within your assigned residence hall. If you are unable to sign up for a drop-off time (because you are not financially or health compliant with the university, for example), you may move in on the regular arrival days (August 24th or 25th); please note, however, that no guests will be permitted on these days so you will need to move in independently. You will need to minimize your belongings and pack lightly since elevator capacities will be limited.
Before you select your belongings drop-off, please read the following instructions and information carefully below and ensure that you have completed all of the required forms in your MyHousing Portal (including the Housing Contract Agreement COVID-19 Addendum and your Check In Forms):
- DROP-OFF DATES: Residential students will be required to sign-up for a day/time to come to campus to drop their belongings in their room between Sunday, August 16, 2020 and Friday, August 21, 2020. For each day, there will be six timeslots per hour for students to choose from. The timeslots will be 45 minutes each. To reiterate, the purpose of this time is to allow students to simply drop belongings off in their individual room. In addition, only one helper/assistant will be permitted per student.
- DROP-OFF DAY REQUIREMENTS: In order to select a drop-off day, you must be financially and health compliant with the university. Please check your MyHousing Portal and university account to ensure you have completed all requirements. The COVID-19 test is not required prior to your belongings drop-off date.
- DROP-OFF SIGN-UP: All in-state residential students must sign up for an appointment to drop off belongings. You will be able to sign up for a date and timeslot that is convenient for your schedule as long as spaces are available; we have limited the capacity for each timeslot to maximize social distancing. If the timeslot you desire is already full, you will need to select another available day and/or time. You will be able to sign-up for your drop-off times starting August 5th, 2020. Your belongings drop-off appointment scheduler is located on your MyHousing Portal.
- Please remember: in order to sign up for a time to drop off your belongings you must be financially compliant and health compliant with the university.
- In order to give staff adequate time to prepare, the drop-off sign-up dates will close a few days prior. Please ensure you are registering promptly for your preferred date:
- August 16th - sign-ups close 8/13 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 17th - sign-ups close 8/14 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 18th - sign-ups close 8/14 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 19th - sign-ups close 8/17 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 20th - sign-ups close 8/18 at 11:59 p.m.
- August 21st - sign-ups close 8/19 at 11:59 p.m.
- RESIDENCE HALL ACCESS DURING DROP-OFF: Please do not arrive before your designated timeslot. Upon arrival, you should report to your assigned residence hall. The entry doors to the buildings will be open and the desks will be staffed. Bedroom/suite/apartment doors will be opened for you during your scheduled timeslot only.
- COVID-19 TESTING: All students are required to have COVID testing completed by their official arrival date (August 24-25), NOT their belongings drop-off date. COVID testing must be done no more than 14 days prior to the official move-in date (i.e. between August 11th-25th). A copy of the lab result must be either uploaded to your patient portal https://patient-southernct.medicatconnect.com/login.aspx, emailed to healthservices@southernct.edu or faxed to (203) 392-6301. If you have questions regarding COVID-19 testing please contact Health Services; Phone (203) 392-6300.
- DROP-OFF HELPERS: Because of social distancing guidelines, we will not have university staff or volunteers to assist you with dropping off your belongings to your rooms. Therefore, you will be able to bring ONE guest with you to assist with the drop-off process. All guests must adhere to the campus safety guidelines outlined below.
- SOCIAL DISTANCING: As recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the State Department of Public Health, all members of the campus community are encouraged to practice appropriate social distancing. You and your guests should maintain a minimum 6-foot distance from others who are not part of your “family unit.” Additionally, occupancy in campus elevators will be limited and certain staircases will be designated for up-only and down-only traffic.
- MASK: You and your guest on campus MUST wear masks throughout the drop-off process.
- CARTS & SANITIZING WIPES: Although there will be a limited number of moving carts available, you are encouraged to bring your own. If you choose to use a university cart/bin, we encourage you to bring your own sanitizing wipes to disinfect the bin.
- SAFETY ON CAMPUS: Reminder, you and your guest on campus MUST wear masks throughout the drop-off process and adhere to social distancing guidelines. Finally, you and your guest should NOT come to campus if you are feeling ill or if you are experiencing fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, etc.
- OFFICIAL ARRIVAL DATES: Students will be able to officially move into their residence halls on Monday, August 24th and Tuesday, August 25th. During the official move-in period, guests will not be permitted in the residence halls (since belongings will have already been dropped off). Information regarding how to select an arrival time for the official move-in will be forthcoming.
- TRASH REMOVAL: The move-in process often creates a lot of trash due to empty boxes and other debris. Trash should not be left in hallways or other areas of the building. You must dispose trash in the dumpsters adjacent to your residence hall.
Lastly, as a friendly reminder, the deadline to withdraw from housing for the fall semester is this Friday, July 31st.
If you have any questions about any of the information provided above or if you have concerns with the timeframe of the belongings drop-off process, please contact us at (203) 392-5870 or via email at reslife@southernct.edu.
As always, we appreciate your patience, understanding, and cooperation.
Dear Student-
We're so excited for Fall 2020 and we can't wait to have you on campus with us! As a reminder you may verify your housing assignment and roommate information through your MyHousing Portal.
Your room assignment is : Residence Hall & room
As a student who lives in a state currently listed on the State of Connecticut Travel Advisory, we ask that you read this message carefully. Due to this travel advisory, you are required to arrive on August 10 to quarantine for 14 days before other residential students arrive on August 24.
As you prepare to arrive on campus in August, please note that there are some important steps that must be taken prior to your arrival. We've outlined some pertinent information below:
In addition to quarantining, the Connecticut State College & University System Office has mandated all residential students be tested for COVID-19 within 14 days prior to their arrival on campus. The CT Travel Advisory also requires that you submit the travel health form to the Department of Public Health upon arrival. We will remind you about this again upon check-in to your residence hall.
-The COVID-19 test that is required is the transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. This is the simple nasal-swab test that is most commonly being performed. The Rapid Results Test will not be accepted.
- You are responsible for your own costs associated with the COVID-19 test (i.e. insurance, out-of-pocket payments, etc.).
- Knowing that test results can take several days, we strongly encourage you to get your test as soon as possible.
- A copy of the lab result must be either uploaded to your patient portal, emailed to healthservices@southernct.edu or faxed to (203) 392-6301.
- If the test is negative, you will receive an email from Health Services clearing you. If the test is positive, you will need to quarantine at home for 14 days.
- If you do not have your COVID-19 test results submitted by August 10, you should NOT report to campus until you have the documentation showing the results of your negative COVID-19 test. Please contact the Office of Residence Life to discuss alternative arrangements.
- If you test positive for COVID-19, you should NOT report to campus until you have followed up with University Health Services and received further instruction.
Upon arrival on August 10, you will drop off your belongings in your fall residence hall room and then will be assigned a quarantine space in the North Campus Townhouses. Because there will be only a small number of residents on campus, we cannot have you spread out across all nine residence halls. Thus, we will have all out-of-state students from states on listed on the State of Connecticut Travel Advisory list, living together for quarantine. We also want you to feel supported during this time and having you together will allow better points of connection with each other and our staff.
Please pack accordingly so you can take your necessary items to the Townhouses. We are going to make your time in quarantine as positive as possible. We will be providing meals and snacks, and we can provide a spare set of linens (sheets, pillow, blanket, and towels, if needed). On your check-in forms, we will ask you to note dietary restrictions or preferences. On August 24, you will return to your permanent space with plenty of time to fully unpack and get settled before classes begin.
Please e-mail reslife@southernct.edu, confiming with us that you will be arriving on August 10th.
We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we prepare for your arrival. We are truly sorry that we have not provided more advanced notice of your early return. We are getting this information to you as quickly as we receive confirmation from the Governor’s Office. We know this is likely to raise questions for you. We will provide additional information in the next couple of days. We truly can’t wait for you to join us and to make the most of your Southern experience!
As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Dear First and Last Name,
Between August 1st and 14th, you may notice an adjustment to the housing charges on your university bill. We previously shared our plans to discount the housing rates for the Fall 2020 semester in response to an earlier move-out date (on November 24th, prior to Thanksgiving break). Recently, we were informed that we have to charge the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities’ Board of Regents housing rates and must adjust your bill accordingly.
However, we are committed to honoring our promise to our students and will be covering the difference in cost (through a partnership with Financial Aid). Ultimately, this means that while your bill will be adjusted, there will be no additional cost to you. You do not need to take any further action; simply pay your current university bill by the due date.
We wanted to inform you of the changes that will be made to your bill between August 1st and 14th to maintain the transparency that we believe is so important in all of our interactions with students. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.
Sincerely,
Office of Residence Life
Dear First and Last name-
We’re so excited for Fall 2020 and we can’t wait to have you on campus with us! As a reminder you may verify your housing assignment and roommate information through your MyHousing Portal.
Your room assignment is : room assignment here
As you prepare to arrive on campus in August, please note that there are some important steps that must be taken prior to your arrival. We've outlined some pertinent information below pertaining to our residents coming from Connecticut and other states that are not currently implicated in the state's travel advisory.
Moving on to campus will be a two-step process this year. Students will drop off their belongings during the week of August 16-21. We are calling these our Drop-Off Days. Students will then return to campus on August 24 or 25 to begin their college experience. We are calling these our Arrival Days. Read on to learn more.
By Friday, July 31, 2020, you will receive an email outlining the sign-up process for Drop-Off Days. At your designated time, you should plan to deliver the majority of your belongings to your residence hall room. Please read and follow the instructions and guidelines carefully.
Please ensure you have completed all paperwork and submitted all documents as requested on your MyHousing Portal. Students will not be allowed to sign up for Drop-Off Days if they have not taken care of these requirements.
The Connecticut State College & University System Office has mandated all residential students be tested for COVID-19 within 14 days prior to their arrival on campus. You will have the opportunity to sign up for your Arrival Day a little later in August. If you request to arrive on August 24th, you will need to be tested no earlier than August 10 and if you request to arrive on August 25, you will need to be tested no earlier than August 11.
- The COVID-19 test that is required is the transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test. This is the simple nasal-swab test that is most commonly being performed. The Rapid Results Test is not acceptable.
- Testing will be available on campus as a part of Drop-Off Days on August 16-20. There will be no testing available on August 21. We will provide more details about this testing option with the Drop-Off Day information. If you prefer to make your own arrangements for testing, there are a variety of testing sites throughout the state. Connecticut residents may call 2-1-1 or click here to find a testing location near you.
- Regardless of where you are tested, you are responsible for your own costs associated with the COVID-19 test (i.e. insurance, out-of-pocket payments, etc.).
- Results from the testing on campus will be available within 48 hours from the time of testing. Results from providers around the state vary significantly and may take several business days (so please plan accordingly).
- A copy of the lab results must be either uploaded to your patient portal, emailed to healthservices@southernct.edu or faxed to (203) 392-6301.
- If the results are negative, you will receive an email from Health Services clearing you to pick an Arrival Day time.
- If the results show that you have COVID-19 infection and you have no symptoms, you will be required to quarantine at home for 14 days. You will be required to complete a daily symptom checker on your patient portal at the above link.
- If the results show that you have COVID-19 infection and have symptoms, you will be required to complete a daily symptom checker on your patient portal at the above link AND quarantine until: at least 24 hours since recovery (no fever/temperature of 100.4 or more without medication AND improvement in respiratory symptoms AND at least 10 days since first symptom).
- If you do not have your COVID-19 test results by the date of your official Arrival Day, you should NOT report to campus until you have the documentation showing the results of your negative COVID-19 test.
- As a reminder, if your results are positive for COVID-19, you should NOT report to campus until you have followed up with University Health Services and received further instruction.
We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we prepare for your arrival next month. Be sure to follow us on social media and check your Southern e-mail and MyHousing Portal for the most up-to-date information regarding housing on campus. We can’t wait for you to join us and to make the most of your Southern experience!
As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Office of Residence Life
Office of Residence Life I Southern Connecticut State University
Between August 1st and 14th, you may notice an adjustment to the housing charges on your university bill. We previously shared our plans to discount the housing rates for the Fall 2020 semester in response to an earlier move-out date (on November 24th, prior to Thanksgiving break). Recently, we were informed that we have to charge the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities’ Board of Regents housing rates and must adjust your bill accordingly.
However, we are committed to honoring our promise to our students and will be covering the difference in cost (through a partnership with Financial Aid). Ultimately, this means that while your bill will be adjusted, there will be no additional cost to you. You do not need to take any further action; simply pay your current university bill by the due date.
We wanted to inform you of the changes that will be made to your bill between August 1st and 14th to maintain the transparency that we believe is so important in all of our interactions with students. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact our office.
Dear Owl,
We hope you’re enjoying the last few weeks of summer and have had a chance to review your updated fall semester schedule. As you gear up for the fall semester, we wanted to let you know that housing spaces are still available, and we have tons of exciting opportunities (both virtual and “socially distant”) ready for your return.
If you’re newly interested in housing or you withdrew and would like to return, you can still apply! Simply visit your MyHousing Portal today!
We hope to see you from a distance on campus this Fall 2020!
Dear,
We have recently begun to upload forms to your MyHousing Portal that will need to be completed prior to arriving on campus. Over the next few weeks, we will post additional forms here including your check-in forms that need to be completed before moving in. Please get into the habit of checking your MyHousing Portal regularly for updates and remember to follow us on social media for the latest information!
Beginning today, you should log in to your MyHousing Portal to complete the first agreement. Select the "Applications" tab and complete the "Housing Contract Agreement COVID-19 Addendum". As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Office of Residence Life at reslife@southernct.edu, (203) 392-5870, or via the Live Chat function on our website.
Dear Residence Hall Students,
We are very excited to have you on campus for the fall 2020 semester! As Southern diligently works on plans for students to return to campus, I wanted to take a moment to update you on some of our plans. While we are very excited to have students back on campus for the fall, we are making some adjustments to our residence hall operations to ensure compliance with various COVID-19 safety guidelines. Because student health and safety is our top priority, we are adhering to guidelines and recommendations issued by the Federal Government, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the State of Connecticut, and the Connecticut State College & University System Office. As such, I want to make you aware of some of the things you can expect upon your return to the residence halls. As you know, information and guidelines pertaining to minimizing the spread of COVID-19 is frequently changing. As such, all of the guidelines listed below are subject to change as additional information is made available.
1. Residential student move in will begin with a process for dropping off belongings during the week of August 17th. In order to facilitate social distancing, students will be required to select a date and time for bringing belongings to their room and the number of people allowed to be on campus will be limited. Students will not be permitted to remain on campus overnight at this time. We are planning on scheduling students to return to campus beginning August 24th for new students and August 25th for returning students. More information will be provided to you in the near future on how to select a date and time to move in belongings and return to campus.
2. Current guidelines dictate that all residential students will need to be tested for COVID-19 prior to their return to campus. Details of the COVID-19 tests for students will be forthcoming as they are solidified.
3. Should a residential student test positive for COVID-19 either upon arrival to campus or at any point during the year, the student will be strongly encouraged to return home during their period of recuperation and will need to be cleared by Student Health Services prior to returning. Students who are unable to return home will be assigned to a dedicated isolation space provided by the university until they are cleared to return to the campus.
4. All students will be encouraged to practice appropriate social distancing across Southern’s campus (including in the residence halls). As such, everyone should make sure to maintain at least a 6-foot distance from others. To assist with this, the number of persons permitted in the residence hall lounges, meeting rooms, and other common areas at one time will be limited (and signage related to maximum occupancy will be posted). Additionally, students may not have access to certain common areas within the residence halls.
5. So that students can maintain 6-foot spacing, elevator capacity in the residence halls will be limited in each elevator. Additionally, the stairwells in some residence halls will be designated for either “up” or “down” traffic only (with the exception for emergencies).
6. Due to social distancing guidelines, many residence hall programs will be held virtually and those that are held in person will have a maximum attendance cap based on the size/social distancing capacity of the programming space.
7. CDC guidelines indicate that one of the best ways to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus is by wearing masks. Therefore, students in the residence halls will be expected to wear masks when moving through common areas, hallways and lobbies of all residence halls.
8. At this time, guest visitation to rooms/suites/apartments will be limited to generally to one guest per bedroom/room with the exception of West Campus Suites which will be limited to two guests per suite. This includes guests both signed in from outside the residence hall and visiting from within the residence hall. For example, a Chase Hall double-occupancy room can host no more than 3 people (the two assigned residents and one guest); a North Campus apartment may have 6 people maximum (the four assigned residents and two guests (one per bedroom)).
In addition, outside guests (defined as any guest who is not a current resident in one of the SCSU residence halls) will be limited to immediate family (defined as parent(s), sibling(s), or designated guardian(s)); no other outside/off-campus guests will be permitted.
9. Students residing in the traditional halls with common-area bathrooms will have limits regarding how many people can be in the bathroom at any given time. Simply put, 6-foot social distancing should still be maintained in the bathrooms.
10. We will be increasing the frequency of cleaning and regularly disinfecting the community bathrooms and common areas which may result in period bathroom and common area closures.
While these are our current plans, I want to emphasize that these guidelines may change as additional guidance is issued from governing bodies and/or medical professionals. Our goal is to provide our residential students with the best possible campus experience, and we hope to be able to relax some of the safety guidelines as conditions permit.
In addition to the practices listed above, to adhere to social distancing, Southern will devise a plan for students to be able to bring belongings to campus prior to the official move-in day. Information will be forthcoming regarding how students may sign-up for times to drop belongings off to their assigned rooms beginning on August 17, 2020. This will minimize large crowds of people having to move everything in on move-in day.
I hope this information has been helpful. We will certainly remain in contact with you as the summer progresses to keep you up-to-date with new information. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Housing and Residential Life at reslife@southernct.edu or at 203-392-5870
We hope you have a safe and relaxing summer and we look forward to seeing you soon.
Hello New Owls!
We are so excited that the state of Connecticut has decided that SCSU may reopen for on-ground learning this fall and allow students to live in the residence halls. We are eagerly moving forward with plans to prepare the residence halls for your safe arrival this fall.
Given this announcement, we have scheduled room selection for July 7. Please read the following information carefully to prepare for this date.
• New students will be assigned a priority selection time based on the date they paid their housing deposit. Please check your MyHousing Portal on July 6 to view your selection time.
• Residence Life has adjusted our occupancy to provide students with more single room options at a reduced cost. (If you have matched with a roommate, you may need to un-match to be able to select this room type).
• Double rooms will still be available at a further reduced rate for students who are matched with a roommate. (Unmatched students may be required to select a double room if no singles are available and may be assigned with a random roommate. Triples are not available.)
• Students will be selecting a housing assignment for the Fall 2020 semester only at this time. The state has determined that the residence halls will close for Thanksgiving break and students be required to completely move out of their residence hall by Tuesday, November 24 and will finish the semester online. We anticipate students participating in another room selection process for Spring 2021 assignments.
Due to the changes in capacity, we cannot guarantee that all students requesting a single or a double will receive their room type or hall preference. Students will be able to select from the rooms available during their time slot.
Please remember to check your email regularly for further updates about preparing to come to campus, new policies and procedures in response to the coronavirus, and Move-In. Updated information can also be found on our New Student Housing Information webpage.
We are so grateful our residents will be allowed on campus this fall, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Dear Residence Hall Student,
The Office of Residence Life is committed to meeting the needs of our residential students in all seasons--from the first year on campus through graduation day and beyond. We are equally committed to providing support to our students during these uncertain and financially challenging times.
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic and its residual effects on our communities, we have extended the housing cancellation deadline to July 31st. We hope this will allow ample time for you to make an informed decision once the University has solidified the course schedule and the modality by which each class will be delivered. After July 1, you will have the opportunity to change your class schedule if there are seats available in sections that offer the mode of delivery you prefer. Of course, we hope you’ll have classes that allow you to continue to live on campus. First-year students will be registered for classes in early to mid-July. Stay tuned as the University will soon provide more information about our academic planning for the fall.
While we hope you will want to live on campus, we understand that it might not make sense to live at Southern if all of your courses are online. As such, if you need to take advantage of this extension, simply log in to your MyHousing Portal and complete the Housing Withdrawal Request form. Students who complete this request prior to July 31st will have all housing-related charges removed from their university bills. You may also opt to transfer the housing deposit payments to a future semester.
We sincerely hope this extension proves helpful for the students and families who are struggling during this challenging time. We miss our residents and hope you will still be able to join us this fall! We will be ready for you!
Room Selection – June 24th
Thank you for paying your housing deposit. Room Selection is back!! We are thrilled that we will be back on campus for the fall and that you will be joining us! We have been doing our best to manage all the changes and modifications that need to be made and we appreciate your patience, understanding and cooperation during these constantly changing times. Room selection is an exciting day and we want to make sure you have all of the information you need to make your selection. Please read carefully, as there are some changes for the fall and we want you to have the best chance of getting your preferred roommates and residence hall.
Roommate Matching: Deadline 4:30pm, June 22nd
Ensuring that you are assigned with your preferred roommates is easy. Every member of your group must request and/or confirm each roommate in the group. You can log into your MyHousing Portal to match with your preferred roommate(s). Roommate matches must be completed by 4:30pm on June 22nd. It is very important that you are fully matched as you will be placed into a room selection process based on your group size. (check for the thumbs up next to your roommates’ names to ensure you are matched)
o Continuing students will only be able to select from rooms in the following residence halls. Please see the maximum roommate group size for each hall as some capacities have changed for the fall due to covid-19 modifications.
Residence Halls Available for Selection Max Roommate Group Size
§ North Campus Group of 4
§ Schwartz Hall Group of 2 or 4 (rooms for groups of 4 are very limited)
§ Brownell Hall Group of 4 (suites -no kitchen) or 6 (rooms for groups of 6 are very limited)
§ West Campus Single Suites Group of 4
§ West Campus Double Group of 2
o Students with no roommate preference will be able to select a room individually and will be assigned with additional roommates.
o Students with a group size that does not match the group size in their preferred residence hall room, be assigned with additional roommates.
o We encourage you to find roommates to fill your preferred room type.
§ Looking for roommates?
· Complete the online roommate survey and use the MyHousing Portal advanced roommate search to find new roommates.
· Utilize social media.
Not sure how to match with your roommate(s)? Check out the “How to Match Roommates” video tutorial by clicking on the image below.
Room Selection: June 24th
Your room selection time is determined by your cumulative overall credits, and your group size. You will be placed into a room selection process specific to your group size, start times may vary and room types will be equally distributed amongst the room selection processes. We will post your room selection time on your MyHousing Portal by 5pm on June 23rd. As long as you are fully matched with all of your roommates, your group will be assigned to the same room selection process and receive the same room selection time. One member of your roommate group will log in at your room selection time to select the room for the whole group. It’s so easy, you can even do it from your mobile device.
o Credit limits for all residence halls have been waived for the fall semester only.
o Single rooms, aside from West Campus single suites, are not available for this room selection.
o Students who have requested gender inclusive housing may match with roommates and will be given room selection options that match their group size in a separate room selection process.
o Roommates who are not fully matched will not have the same room selection time. You can still log in separately and try to select the same room after both student’s room selection times have passed. (you are not guaranteed to be assigned together)
o Students should have back-up plans in case their preferred room or residence hall are not available.
o Room selections are final and cannot be changed until the room change process in August.
Please check our social media, your email and your MyHousing Portal for additional information, videos, and tips on room selection.
If you have further questions regarding roommate matching or room selection, please feel free to contact the Office of Residence Life at reslife@southernct.edu or 203-392-5870.
Good afternoon Owls,
We are so excited that the state of Connecticut has officially announced that SCSU may reopen for on-ground learning this fall and allow students to live in the residence halls. We are eagerly moving forward with plans to prepare the residence halls for your safe return.
Given this announcement, we have finally scheduled room selection for Wednesday, June 24th. Continuing students will only be eligible to select from the following residence halls and all credit requirements will be waived for the fall semester only: North Campus Midrise, Schwartz Hall, Brownell Hall, and the West Campus Residence Complex. Roommate matching will remain open until June 22 for students to modify their roommate matches regarding this new information.
Please note: students will be selecting a housing assignment for the Fall 2020 semester only at this time. The state has determined that the residence halls will close for Thanksgiving break and students will return home to finish the semester online. Students will be required to move out completely and check out with a staff member by Tuesday, November 24th. We anticipate students participating in another room selection process for Spring 2021 assignments.
Housing and meal plan rates for the fall semester have been prorated for this early closing of the residence halls.
Please remember to check your email regularly for further updates about returning to campus, new policies and procedures in response to the coronavirus, and Move-In. You can also check the Returning Students Housing Information webpage
We are so grateful our residents will be allowed on campus this fall, and we look forward to seeing you soon!
New Owls priority deadline for on campus Housing is Monday, June 15th!
