Dear Undergraduate Students and Parents:
In the past days, we have seen a rapidly changing environment related to the coronavirus, COVID-19. The World Health Organization designated COVID-19 as a pandemic and the District of Columbia has declared a state of emergency and public health emergency. Additionally, the United States has increased travel restrictions from European countries. And, as President DeGioia announced earlier today, we are continuing the virtual student learning environment through the rest of the spring semester, including finals. This message outlines how the university will support students as they return to their permanent addresses.
Move-out for Undergraduate Students in Residence Halls
We ask that you completely move out of the residence halls, apartments and university townhouses. Accordingly, for all students living on campus, we are instituting a spring move-out process from Friday, March 13, 2020 to Sunday, March 29, 2020. If you are currently not on campus, you should not return until your designated move-out date. In order to reserve a move-out time, ALL residential students must complete the Residential Move-Out Form before coming to on campus and no later than Tuesday, March 17, 2020 at 12 p.m. EST.
This move-out process aligns with the university’s efforts to minimize the spread of the coronavirus by reducing the density of social encounters (limiting the number of members of our community on campus and reducing the size of public gatherings), practicing social distancing (ensuring that we provide sufficient distance between ourselves), and seeks to provide students and their families flexibility in making the necessary arrangements.
Please note, any student or visitor returning from a country designated Level 3 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including newly designated countries in Europe, should not come to campus for move-out before completing at least a 14-day self quarantine in an off-campus residence.
Undergraduate Students Needing to Remain on Campus
All students are being directed to return to their permanent addresses and to stay there until their designated move-out window. However, we recognize that there are a small number of students whose personal or family situations make it impossible or impractical to return to their permanent addresses. Students with a compelling reason to stay on campus must apply to remain on campus. Be aware that, should you be approved, you may need to move to another residential building that would be more suitable for social distancing and will need to practice social distancing in all interactions on campus.
For undergraduate students who are absolutely unable to return to campus by Sunday, March 29, 2020, and pack their items for move-out:
- We will ship one small box of essential items (laptop, medication, course materials) to you. If you need for us to go to your room, collect those items and ship them to you, sign up via this link by Monday, March 16, 2020.
- If you are absolutely unable to come to campus and move out by Sunday, March 29, 2020, please contact us via this link. We will be developing alternative resources at a later date.
- Be assured we will not dispose of your personal belongings.
Summer storage will also be available for anyone who is interested in this paid service. Use the following link for more information on storage.
Prorated Rebate for Room and Board
We will not charge undergraduate students for room and board for the portion of the semester when they will not be occupying their residence halls or utilizing their meal plans, following March 16. In the coming weeks, undergraduate students who vacate campus should expect to receive a prorated credit on their student accounts. Since each student and financial aid circumstance is unique, we request students’ patience as the Finance department and Office of Student Financial Services work to process and communicate the impact of prorated reimbursements to students’ aid packages. If you have questions about your financial aid package, please contact the Office of Student Financial Services at (202) 687-4547.
For All Undergraduate Students who Live Off-campus
The university encourages in the strongest terms all students living off campus to return to their permanent addresses. Students should avoid returning to the neighborhood if possible or return only briefly to gather necessary items for the completion of academic work before departing to their permanent addresses. We would remind all off-campus students to be mindful of the terms and conditions of their leases. Services and facilities on campus will be very limited during this time, and students should be aware of this in planning for the weeks ahead.
During this time, be assured that essential services and emergency response will be the university’s priority. The Office of Neighborhood Life is fully operational and will communicate directly with off-campus students regarding move out procedures.
We know that many members of our community have friends and family members who may be impacted by the virus. We encourage anyone who might need support to reach out to university resources, including the Office of Campus Ministry, Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS). We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this time with our community.
Should you have additional questions, please contact the call center at 202-784-3510, Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
We deeply appreciate your patience and support as we navigate forward though these extraordinary times. For more than 225 years, Georgetown has withstood many challenges. Please know that our mission as a university and strength as a community will guide us through these challenging times.
Sincerely,
Robert M. Groves, Provost
Geoffrey S. Chatas, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer