Break and Closing Information

Please take note that during breaks, the undergraduate residential areas on campus will be closed. Academic classes and coursework will still be conducted as scheduled by the respective instructors.

It is important to understand that residential closing does not serve as an excuse for missing class.

Arriving Early or Leaving Late

If you need to arrive on campus early or leave campus late during breaks, apply for permission through the Housing Portal.

Undergraduate students will be provided instructions and dates for completing the early arrival/late stay application before each break. Approved requests to arrive early and/or stay late may result in a daily rate, to be assessed to your student account.

Undergraduate International Students

Undergraduate international students can remain in campus housing for all breaks (fall, Thanksgiving, winter, and spring,). These students will need to complete a late-stay application on the housing portal for each break. All students remaining in campus housing during Thanksgiving, winter, and summer breaks will be responsible for associated late stay fees.

For summer break, undergraduate international students must complete the summer housing application on the Housing Portal. Undergraduate international students will be responsible for summer housing fees.

2024-25

Early Arrivals for Fall OpeningFall BreakThanksgiving BreakWinter BreakSpring BreakYear-end Closing Information

Early Arrivals for Fall Opening

What’s more exciting than the beginning of the fall semester? Many of you are already preparing for August, and gearing up to return early for student groups, athletics, and/or organizational training.

To make sure that you are on the approved list to return early, please check your email for a message from our office letting you know the earliest date that you are allowed to check in and the process you should follow to do so.

If you have not received an email confirmation by mid-July stating the earliest date that you may return, please contact your coach, supervisor, or advisor to make sure your group is registered to come back early. Once completed and approved, you will be automatically notified by email.

The move-in dates for students not approved to arrive early are:

Aug. 15	First-year students, transfer students, and approved returning students
Aug. 16	First-year students and approved returning students
Aug. 17-18	Returning students

Fall Break

Fall Break is scheduled for Oct. 10-13, 2024.

Students can remain in residential facilities on campus during this break period and do not have to complete a late stay application. There is no charge to remain in campus housing during part, or all, of the break period. Students who depart campus should secure personal belongings by ensuring they lock their room doors and secure their vehicles, as applicable. Campus Safety and Security staff will complete periodic rounds during the break period. University offices will be open on Thursday, Oct. 10, and Friday, Oct. 11. Meal plans are suspended during the break period. Available dining options will be communicated via Dining Services.

Details regarding Fall Break closing will be communicated to students in mid-September.

Thanksgiving Break

Thanksgiving Break is scheduled for Nov. 23-Dec. 1, 2024.

Undergraduate residential facilities:

Close	Friday, Nov. 22, 2024 @ 9:30 p.m.
Open	Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024 @ 10 a.m.

Students may not remain on campus during Thanksgiving Break without prior authorization. Students who need to remain on campus after Nov. 17 must complete a late stay application through their Housing Portal. The application will be available for completion Oct. 28-Nov. 17, 2024.

Details regarding Fall Break closing will be communicated to students in late October.

Meal plans are not offered during Thanksgiving Break. Dining options will not be available on campus unless otherwise communicated.

Winter Break

For exam purposes, 24-hour quiet hours will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.

Undergraduate residential facilities:

Close	Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024 @ 9:30 p.m.
Open	Friday, Jan. 17, 2025 @ 10 a.m.

Students may not remain on campus during Winter Break without prior authorization. Students who need to remain on campus after Dec. 14 must complete a late stay application through their Housing Portal. The application will be available for completion Dec. 2-10, 2024.

For students who need to arrive on campus earlier than Jan. 17, 2024, an early arrival application will be available on the housing portal.

Students may not remain on campus during winter break without prior authorization.

Winter Break Checklist

Details regarding Fall Break closing will be communicated to students in early December. Before leaving for winter break, please do the following:

Unplug all appliances, except for aquariums (please use long-term feeders).
All refrigerators must be emptied, unplugged, and left open. (excluding Southside kitchens)
Dispose of any perishable items.
Empty all trash cans.
Ensure the residence is generally clean.
Close and lock all windows.
Pull the blinds down and close them.
Turn the HVAC/thermostat on low, and cool (keep fans running).
Turn off the lights.
Close and lock all doors.

Note: Failure to complete all of the above will result in fines and possible sanctions.

The Office of Campus Safety and Security will be conducting rounds and periodic safety checks throughout the break period.

Non-returning Students

If you are not returning to the University of Lynchburg for the spring semester, you must remove all items from your room/residence before departing.

Turn your key(s) into the Office of Campus Safety and Security upon vacating your residence. Failure to turn in keys will result in a $150 charge, per key.

Spring Break

Spring Break is scheduled for March 8-16, 2025.

Students can remain in residential facilities on campus during this break period and do not have to complete a late stay application. There is no charge to remain in campus housing during part, or all, of the break period. Students who depart campus should secure personal belongings by ensuring they lock their room doors and secure their vehicles, as applicable. Campus Safety and Security staff will complete periodic rounds during the break period. Details regarding Spring Break closing will be communicated to students in late February.

Meal plans are not offered during Spring Break. Dining options will not be available on campus unless otherwise communicated.

Year-end Closing Information

For exam purposes, 24-hour quiet hours will begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 6, 2025.

Undergraduate residential students must vacate their rooms 24 hours after their last exam or by the deadline in the table below, whichever is sooner. All residents must vacate by 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2025, unless they are pre-approved by the Office of Housing and Residence Life to remain longer. A transportation issue is not an approved reason to stay beyond 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, 2025. Students should plan their travel arrangements accordingly to depart on time.

Any behavior that is deemed disruptive, loud, aggressive, or that in any way disturbs the orderly closedown of the halls or the quiet study atmosphere may result in immediate removal from the hall, pending a hearing.

Commencement Exercises

Graduating seniors and students pre-approved to assist with the Commencement exercises (marshals, flag bearers, choir, band, etc.) will be approved to stay in their campus residence until 10 a.m. Friday, May 16, 2025. Lists of these students’ names will be provided by sponsoring offices and departments.

Extenuating circumstances

Students with extenuating circumstances may be permitted to remain in their on-campus residence beyond their respective closing/move-out date. However, these students must have truly extenuating circumstances. The Summer Break Late Stay Application will be available on the Housing Portal. The application will be available for completion April 28 to May 11, 2025. If approved, students will be assessed subsequent housing charges at a rate of $35 per day.

Summer Housing

Students who are approved for summer housing will be permitted to remain on campus, in their current residence, until told to relocate into their summer housing assignment. Students approved to reside on campus during the summer will be placed in Montgomery Hall. Students are not permitted to remain in their Spring assignments for Summer, nor are they permitted to reside in their Fall 2025 assignments for Summer. All students will be consolidated into Montgomery Hall.

Summer housing applications will be available on the Housing Portal The application will be available for completion from March 3-May 4, 2025. Summer school housing check-in will take place May 24-25, 2025, as spaces become cleaned and available for student move-in.

Year-end Closing Dates 2024

May 4	Deadline to register for summer housing through the Housing Portal.
May 11	Last day for residential students to apply to stay late through the Housing Portal.
May 14	University housing closes for all undergraduate students, at 10 a.m. Any resident must be pre-approved by the Office of Housing and Residence Life to stay after 10 a.m.
May 16	All undergraduate university housing closes by 10 a.m. Graduating seniors must depart by 10 a.m.
May 19-23	Summer School Session I (students stay in their Spring 2024 residence)
May 24-25	Housing check-in for Summer (students relocate to Summer housing in Montgomery Hall)

Check-out Process

As you prepare to leave the University of Lynchburg, please read this information carefully so your check-out process is quick and painless.

Remember: You must check out, you must be quiet, and you should return the room to the state it was in when you moved in — clean and orderly. If you have questions, please talk to your CA.

Students are encouraged to schedule a closing walkthrough with their respective Community Assistant before their departure to assess the room condition and any possible damages. Students may do a standard checkout with their Community Assistant, or do an express checkout and depart without meeting with a housing staff member.

Resident responsibilities before departure:

Remove all personal belongings. Your room must be cleaned out at check-out time. All paper, trash, etc., must be removed.
During the closing process, all trash must be bagged and taken to your residence’s respective trash location or the dumpsters located on campus.
Clean the space. Sweep or vacuum your room. Do not sweep anything into the hallway.
Clean your doors and walls of graffiti, tape, etc., to avoid damage charges.
Empty refrigerators.
Remove personal furniture and refrigerators.

Avoid Fines and Sanctions

Below are some of the common things that result in fines. To avoid fines, make sure you do the following:

Clean, scrub, mop, and vacuum: This is crucial. Be sure to clean the entire room or Southside residence. If you live on Southside, in Hundley Hall, or Westover Hall, please be sure to clean the bathroom, kitchens, and living rooms. Students are often charged because these areas are dirty.
Remove belongings: Students tend to leave behind items they do not want. Charges will be applied for items left behind.
Remove adhesive tape: (glow-in-the-dark stars, etc.) It takes a lot of time for physical plant staff to remove tape before preparing to paint.
Take care in removing command strips from walls. Any damage left after removal will result in damage charges.
Empty refrigerators: Throw out all food in your refrigerator before moving out.
Remove personal furniture and refrigerators: Discard any personal furniture or refrigerators, or take them home with you. Again, charges will be assessed for items that are left behind.
Empty ALL trash: This very often results in charges. Take the time to empty your bedroom, kitchen, and/or bathroom trash in the appropriate areas.
Vacate on time: Move out of your residence on time, following the timeline provided by the Office of Housing and Residence Life. If you need to stay late, you must complete a Late Stay Request Form and be pre-approved.
Return your keys(s): You must return ALL keys to Campus Safety and Security (first floor, Hall Campus Center) using a check-out envelope, located at Campus Safety and Security. Note: It is cheaper to report a lost key now ($75) than to pay for a key not returned upon departure ($150).

Cleaning Recommendations

To avoid a cleaning charge after check-out, please leave your room in the following condition:

Furnishings: Empty and clean all closets and drawers. Rehang all closet doors.
Floors: Sweep or vacuum your room. Do not sweep anything into the hallway.
Hallways: Don’t place trash, wood, or furniture of any kind in hallways or common areas.
Walls: Remove all posters, nails, and tape. Clean marks off walls.
Doors: Remove all stickers, inside and out. Remove tape and staples and clean off all writing/marks.
Windows: Close and lock windows. Remove all stickers and marks.

Some conditions which may result in assessment for damages, include, but are not limited to:

Writing on doors.
Unattached/missing closet doors.
Dart holes anywhere.
Burn marks on desks, doors, mattresses, and/or carpet.
Holes in the walls, doors, or molding strips.
Cracked windows or mirrors.
Damaged or missing phone jack, door lock, towel rack, or internet jack.
Failure to remove items, such as couches, rugs, or lofts.
Stickers/decals/tape on windows, doors, walls, or mirrors.
Discarding trash or furniture in hallways or common areas.
Missing or damaged beds or furniture.