A note to on-campus residents regarding the University’s residence life operations

The following is being sent to all students who have on-campus residences on the evening of March 11, 2020:

We write to follow up on President Brown and Provost Morrison’s communication about Boston University’s response to COVID-19.

As stated in the communication, we strongly urge all students to consider going home. If you need to stay in University housing, we are sharing some information about changes to the residence experience that will take effect Monday, March 16. For those of you who have already decided to remain in residence, this is important information you need to know.

Between now and Monday, April 13, all scheduled activities in residence are cancelled, including:

  • Community Conversations (floor and house meetings)
  • Faculty-in-Residence (FIR) open hours and events
  • Residence Hall Council (RHC) meetings and events

Certain events may be moved by organizers to become online experiences. In that case, organizers will provide details about ways to engage in these online experiences.

Effective this Monday, March 16, no visitors will be permitted during the day, and no overnight guests will be permitted in all residences until further notice. In addition, we strongly discourage informal gatherings in student rooms, suites, and apartments.

Our interest is in creating residential settings that allow students to focus on engaging in online learning, studying, and sleeping.

The Residence Life offices in all halls and areas will reduce their hours of operation to 9 am to 5 pm, weekdays. During all other times, Residence Life staff will be on-call to assist with urgent matters. Details about contacting on-call staff will be posted in all hall lobbies.

Residence dining will continue during this period with certain changes. For example, all self-service stations will close; Dining Services staff will serve students. Dishes, cups, and utensils will be replaced by disposable items. There will be more grab-and-go options as communal dining will be discouraged. Details about dining hours, dining locations, and menus will be available on the Dining Services website.

You will continue to have 24-hour swipe access to your own residence. If you are a residential student with a dining plan, you will continue to have swipe access to Warren Towers during the regular 7 am to 2 am hours. Residential students will continue to have swipe access to high-rises with laundry rooms and mailrooms from 7 am to 2 am. When you have reason to enter Warren Towers for dining or a high-rise to do laundry or check your mailbox, please limit time in the halls to that purpose only, and please refrain from traveling up to floors where students live.

Facilities Management staff will increase the number of times each day that common bathrooms are cleaned, and will utilize enhanced cleaning methods that are effective in eliminating most viruses and bacteria. Per usual, Facilities Management staff will not clean bathrooms located within private rooms, suites, and apartments.

We will be reaching out to you via email later this week to survey you about whether you:

  • Will be in residence for the next month;
  • Will not be in residence for the next month;
  • Are still undecided.

If you need to make a trip to campus to retrieve some belongings from your accommodations, you will be able to access your property.

Online Room Selection 2020/2021 will continue as scheduled during the month of March. Please check the BU Housing website for Room Selection dates.

It is important to note that as the University monitors the situation on campus, it may become necessary for us to move students from their current accommodations to other on-campus locations. Members of the Dean of Students Office and Residence Life staff will provide notice to you if and when we anticipate this step being taken.

Please be sure to carefully review the University’s COVID-19 Information website, which is an excellent resource. You may also pose questions via the website or call your hall/area Residence Life office.

Should you develop flu-like symptoms, please contact Student Health Services and follow instructions to send a message to a nurse.

We understand that this is a challenging time. While the residence experience ahead will be different than the experience you have known, we appreciate your understanding as we introduce measures to prevent transmission of COVID-19.

Sincerely,
Nishmin Kashyap
Director of BU Housing

 

David Zamojski
Assistant Dean of Students
& Director of Residence Life