Moving Out

Fall 2023

General Closing Information: Fall 2023

  1. Residents are expected to vacate the halls within 24 hours of their last final exam.
  2. Residents returning to housing for the spring do not have to fully move out. However, USF ID card access to residence halls will be deactivated from noon on December 8 - January 5 at 9 a.m. (except for those with approved 'break stay' or early arrival housing).
  3. The residence halls close at noon on Friday, December 8, 2023.

Please read if you are...

Returning to your room in the spring

  • Do not leave any exposed or open food in your residence hall and dispose of any  items that will expire before your return in your refrigerator.
  • Unplug all personal electronics such as alarms clocks, computers, game systems, TV’s or small appliances.
  • Please clean all dirty dishes in your sink and your residential area. 
  • Take your fish home.
  • Be sure to secure your bike to a bike rack. Remember that powered bikes, hoverboards, scooters, etc. are not permitted inside the residence halls at any time.
  • Take down all holiday decorations.
  • Empty all trash and recycling materials.
  • Take home all valuables including important medications.
  • Take home or return rented textbooks.
  • Students who are returning to their current room in the spring may leave their belongings in the room throughout the break, but will not have access during that time.
  • You will keep your keys, but your card will not have access over the break. If you are found in the halls without permission, you will be subject to student conduct action.
  • Please keep your keys and USF ID Card in a safe place over the break so you are not subject to lock change or key replacement fines. 
  • Do not leave your bedroom doors unlocked or keys in your room.
  • Set your thermostat to 72 degrees. If your thermostat has a fan speed setting, set it to AUTO.
  • Make sure all showers and sink faucets are completely turned off and not dripping or leaking.
  • Verify your window is closed and the latch is locked. Close your blinds, rotating the louvers to the open position.
  • Residence halls re-open for the spring semester at 9 a.m. on Friday, January 5. Card access will be automatically restored at this time. Your financial account must be in good standing before you move in.
  • IMPORTANT: If you live in a double room and do not have a roommate at the current time, please anticipate a roommate being assigned to your room for the spring semester. Before you leave for break, please clear the room (including the vacant bed, desk, dresser, bathroom space, etc.) to allow for a new roommate to move in their belongings. If you do not move belongings from these areas, Housing & Residential Education will move them and post a charge to your student account. Staff will be entering rooms to confirm readiness for all new roommates.

Not returning to your room in the spring

Residents not returning for the spring semester must complete the checkout process on/before Friday, December 8 at noon. This includes formally canceling your housing contract for the spring semester as early as possible via the Housing Portal; cleaning your space prior to your departure; and returning your key(s) to your service desk. For cancellation information, see Section V of your Housing Agreement. Residents participating in commencement after residence halls close for winter break should submit a late stay request in the Housing Portal by Sunday, November 19.

  • Before You Depart:
    • Check out with an RA/CM before you leave 
        • Contact your RA/CM or RLC for more information
    • Please remove all personal belongings from your room prior to checkout time.
    • Please return all furniture to its original position. (There is a $30.00 charge to re-assemble or move furniture.)
    • Please remove posters, tape/decals and residue, nails, hooks, etc. from walls, windows, and mirrors.
    • Please clean your room and/or apartment thoroughly. Clean and remove all food from the refrigerator and clean the stove and other appliances in the apartment if applicable.
    • Please remove trash and sweep/vacuum the floor. Common areas must be cleaned each time a member of the living unit checks out, otherwise cleaning charges will apply - regardless of who is responsible for clean up.
    • Set your thermostat to 72 degrees. If your thermostat has a fan speed setting, set it to AUTO.
    • Verify your window is closed and the latch is locked. Close your blinds, rotating the louvers to the open position.
    • If you are the first person in your room/suite/apartment to check out, please have your room/suite/apartment-mate present, if possible, at the time of your checkout to clarify who is responsible for any damages that might be identified.

  • Ready To Depart:
    • Check-out with your Resident Assistant or Community Manager and complete your Room Condition Report form.
      • Go to your assigned community location and let RAs know that you are ready to check out. If you are leaving outside of scheduled hours, call the RA on duty or complete an express checkout. 
      • When the RA/CM arrives for your checkout, your belongings must be out of the room. If the staff member arrives and you are not finished moving out, an improper checkout fee may be applied.
      • When the staff member arrives, they will check your room and complete your RCR with you. Please note that the community A/RLC and facilities make the final decisions regarding charges of damages.
      • If there are damages, be sure all members of the room let the staff member know who is responsible. If no one claims responsibility, everyone will be charged. If the apartment/room is dirty, you will be charged. All areas of the apartment/room must be cleaned prior to each person checking out.
    • Turn in your room key(s) at your service desk (Holly M, the HUB, or Juniper-Poplar) Monday - Friday between 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. (Express check-out envelopes will be available outside of Holly M and Juniper-Poplar service desks for after hours checkouts)
    • Update your address on OASIS and in the Housing Portal.
    • Failure to complete these steps will result in an improper checkout fee of $100.00, as well as any applicable damage fees.
    • Keys must be physically turned in, we do not accept keys that have been mailed in. 

View Hall Damage Charges. View Village Hall Damage Charges. 

Planning to stay on campus over winter break (Break Stay Housing)

The Fall 2023 - Spring 2024 Break Stay Request Form will close in the Housing Portal on Sunday, November 19. 

Conditions of Break Stay include:

  • Break Stay Housing is not free, nor is it already paid for in the Housing Agreement. The cost is based on the style of housing you live in (please see below for break stay rates). This does not apply to Greek Village.
  • Only residents with housing accounts in good standing are eligible (October 20 is the due date for Fall housing). Students with fall semester balances due are not eligible for Break Stay Housing.
  • Residents eligible to request Break Stay Housing must complete the Break Stay Request form in the Housing Portal before 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 19.
  • Due to the terms of their agreement:
    • Greek Village residents are charged for and have access to their regular assignment through the break unless they meet the cancellation criteria, in which case they must move out by December 8 at noon.

NOTICE OF ENTRY: From December 8- January 5 housekeeping and maintenance techs will be knocking on doors and then entering rooms starting at 8 a.m. to clean and/or complete repairs as needed. Because this transition occurs during a limited break/holiday period, we will not be able to postpone entry. Staff will be wearing appropriate IDs. We appreciate everyone's cooperation and support as we seek to prepare our residence halls for our returning residents and for new residents arriving for the spring semester.

For more information on break stay, including break stay rates, please visit here

RA's on Duty: All residence halls that are open for students with break-stay housing will have RA's on duty over winter break. For assistance, please look for the signage posted in your building with the RA on-duty phone number listed.


Winter Break Mail Information
Regular mail center hours will be in effect during winter break.
 
Regular Mail Center Hours at both Holly H and JPH  
Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturdays: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Sundays: CLOSED  

All mail centers will be closed on December 25 and January 1.

Winter Break Service Desk Information
All desks will be open during winter break.

  • December 4 - 8: 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
  • December 9 - 10: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • December 11 - January 1:
    • Monday-Friday 8 a.m. - 8 p.m.
    • Saturday-Sunday: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • January 2-7: 8 a.m. - 11 p.m.

 Normal desk hours resume Monday, January 8.

Maintenance Requests During Break:

Please submit a maintenance request as you normally would for any maintenance-related concerns over winter break.

Parking:

All parking rules will continue to be enforced throughout winter break.

 

 


24-Hour Quiet Hours

24-hour quiet hours begin on Wednesday, November 29 at 10 p.m. Please be courteous to your peers, especially when you are packing and moving during check-out. Failure to comply with quiet hours may result in immediate dismissal from the halls.


Mail During Winter Break

  • Make arrangements with anyone you anticipate will send you mail over the break to ensure mail is sent to your permanent address. If you have mail-order prescriptions, please plan ahead for this University closure.
  • Mail and packages are neither forwarded nor returned to sender over winter break. Please ensure packages are not mailed to your on-campus address after December 1.
  • During the break, residents not returning to USF for spring 2024 will have their mail sorted and forwarded after the start of the spring semester only if residents have left a forwarding address in the Housing Portal.
  • If you are leaving the University, please remember to update your forwarding address in the Housing Portal's Profile Information section. Please also update your information on OASIS.
  • If you will be staying on campus during winter break, please remember to review the mail center information provided in your information section above.


Regular mail center hours
Monday – Friday: 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Saturdays: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Sundays: CLOSED


LOST/DAMAGED KEY CHARGES

Core Change: $50/core
Key Replacement: $15/key
Temporary Access Card: $35 if not returned
Key Tag: $10/damaged or unreturned tag
Bent Key: $6 (key needs to be returned)

Note: Lost key charges will vary based on your residence hall location. You will be responsible for all keys that need to be reissued to roommates and suite/apartment mates.

We do not accept keys through the mail.


ADDITIONAL CHARGES

Applicable damage, hauling, lost key, and cleaning charges may apply if you fail to check out of your room/apartment.


Cart Checkout

A limited number of carts will be available to residents during the week of fall closing.

Cart Checkout Locations:

  • Holly K
    • December 4 - 8: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
  • JPH Lobby
    • December 4 - 8: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Transportation With Lithium-Ion Batteries

All forms of transportation with lithium-ion batteries are not permitted inside the residence halls and cannot be charged in residential areas. 

This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Electric Scooters
  • Hoverboards
  • Electric Bikes

These transportation devices are also not allowed to be stored in residents' rooms over break. Please ensure you take any transportation featuring lithium-ion batteries with you when leaving for winter break. We also strongly recommend leaving them behind when returning for the spring semester.

If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact the Housing office at 813-974-0001 or housing@usf.edu.