Residence Halls Closure, Spring 2020

Updated: 3/24/20

City of Austin shelter-in-place order, effective midnight Tuesday, March 24

CTX Residents:

As some of you may be aware, several local news stations have reported that the City of Austin is entering into a shelter-in-place order, as of midnight tonight. We have received several questions from students and families as to how a shelter-in-place order will impact this week’s scheduled move out from the residence halls. Since a shelter-in-place order has been implemented, we strongly encourage you to comply with the order.

If you are currently staying in the residence halls and a shelter-in-place order will change your plans to leave, please fill out the Request for Emergency Extension for Housing Form as soon as possible. If you are currently not on campus, we are happy to keep your items in your room until we can arrange for you to pick up your items at a later date. If there is anything you urgently need from your room (books, laptop, medication), please let us know and we can discuss arrangements for staff to enter your room to retrieve those items and mail them to you.

If you decide that you still want to move out of the residence halls this week as planned, please know that as a shelter-in-place order has gone into effect, you will need to use express check out (envelopes and drop box located by the mailboxes in H1) and staff will be available to assist you by phone rather than in person at the front desk. In case of a health or safety emergency, we need to be able to know who is in the residence halls and contact them quickly. For that reason, we will be turning off ID access to the residence halls at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 29, 2020, as planned, with the exception of those students who have been granted an exemption to remain in the residence halls.

If you need to store your belongings in your room, we ask that you let us know as soon as possible. Please email us at residentiallife@concordia.edu with your name, room number, and plans. Additionally, please feel free to reach out with any additional questions or concerns. Currently, e-mail is the best way to reach us quickly.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate this rapidly changing situation.

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Note: Please read carefully, as this contains important information and deadlines.

Concordia University Texas (CTX) has determined it necessary to close residence halls.

Students are expected to check out of their residence hall no later than Sunday, March 29, 2020 at 5:00 p.m.

The Office of Residential Life seeks your cooperation and support as we ask students to begin relocating to their permanent residence.

March 29 Closure, Extensions and Refunds

• Beginning March 29, 2020, at 5 p.m. all CTX residence halls will be effectively closed and will not reopen for the Spring 2020 semester.
  Please note that care for you as our students is our first priority and we understand that this decision to close the residence halls may cause undue hardship for some of you. If you have circumstances that you feel necessitate remaining in the residence halls, please submit a Request for Emergency Extension.
• Effective March 29, 2020, CTX will issue pro-rated refunds for both housing and food, for students vacating the residence halls.
  There is nothing you need to do in order to receive this refund (other than check out of your room). It will be automatically applied as a credit to your student account. Please be aware that if you currently have a balance on your student account, the refund will be applied to that balance to decrease the amount owed. However, we do ask for your patience as we process these refunds over the next several weeks.
• Only students who have petitioned for and received an exception will be permitted to remain in the residence halls past Sunday, March 29, 2020.
  This request must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 24, 2020. Again, if you have circumstances that you feel necessitate remaining in the residence halls, please submit a Request for Emergency Extension.

Move-Out Planning

• If you are currently residing in a residence hall, do not delay planning and conducting your exit.
  Students leaving by car are urged to plan appropriately, pack belongings, and depart in a timely fashion. Students traveling by air should take immediate action to plan and schedule their flights. Carefully consider what may be packed and, if necessary, consult your air carrier for details. If you need assistance in storing or shipping your items, please see the resources listed at the end of this information.
• If you are not currently residing in a residence hall but need to return for belongings, sign up for a time to do so.
  In order to follow the recommended social distancing protocols, we are limiting the number of students who can return to the halls at one time for move out. We ask that if you plan to bring people to help you, limit it to a small number of individuals, ideally one or two.

Belongings and Keys

• Remove belongings by March 29: If you cannot remove belongings by March 29, inform the Office of Residential Life that you cannot return to campus prior to the hall closure. Your belongings will be stored in your room until a time when the University permits students to return to campus and claim them. The Office of Residential Life can be reached via e-mail at residentiallife@concordia.edu.
• Room and mailbox keys: If you have moved out of your room and still have room and mailbox keys, please place them in an envelope along with a piece of paper with your full name, Banner number, and room number on it, and mail them to: Office of Residential Life, 11400 Concordia University Drive, Austin TX 78726.

Checking Out of Your Room

• Observe precautions: As you develop your plans to exit the residence halls, please be vigilant about your health and safety. Continue to observe recommendations for social distancing, frequent hand washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and isolating yourself if you believe you may be ill.
• Express check-out: Express check-out will be offered to all students checking out of the residence halls. Express Check-Out envelopes will be available at the front desk. Please note, for health and safety, there will not be bins, carts, dollies, or tools available in the halls for move-out. You are encouraged to bring boxes, bins, suitcases, or your own carts, as well as any tools you may need, to assist with transporting your items. For these reasons, staff will not be available to assist you with moving your belongings.

During the move-out process, please remember the following:

• All items must be removed from your residence hall room.
• Everything must be removed from your refrigerator and freezer.
• All trash must be removed from your room.
• Residents do not need to de-loft their beds. Staff will take care of this after your departure.
• Place your room key and mailbox key inside the Express Check-Out envelope.
• Complete your Express Check-Out envelope.
• Drop your Express Check-Out envelope in the drop box by the mailboxes.

Stay Informed as We Look Forward to Your Return

As this public health emergency is evolving, we will continue to share information as it becomes available. We understand the serious nature of this pandemic and continue to take our guidance from public health officials. Please be sure to check the Concordia Texas University website and your CTX email often for updates and important information.

The Office of Residence Life thanks you for the time you shared with us. We are saddened to see our residential students leave our residential community earlier than expected and under very different circumstances than we had hoped. We are looking forward to your return in the fall and cannot wait to have our Tornados back on campus!

Helpful Resources

We are passing along offers of which we have been made aware that may be helpful to you during this transition. Please be aware that CTX is not endorsing any of these services, but we want to make sure you are aware of offers that you may find useful.

Internet Access

• If you do not have access to internet in the United States, Spectrum and Comcast are offering students free internet.
• For more information on Spectrum’s offer, call 1-844-488-8398.
• For more information on Comcast’s offer, go to InternetEssentials.com or call 855-846-8376 for English or call 855-765-6995 for Spanish.

Transportation

• With colleges and universities all over the United States announcing campus closures in response to coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, many students may need last-minute transportation. Enterprise Rent-A-Car has reduced the age minimum and waived the young renter fee. Assistance for students wishing to make Enterprise Rent-A-Car reservations or having questions are available by calling (1-844-624-4412).

Storage

• U-Haul is offering college students free storage for up to 30 days. Learn more about this offer.