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Contact Information
housing@temple.edu
215-204-7184
https://housing.temple.edu/

University Housing and Residential Life is available to assist students and parents with a wide range of services relevant to students’ on- and off-campus residential experience. Our focus is on the procedures involved with processing all housing and meal plan requests for over 5,000 residential students.

Students are encouraged to live on campus freshman year, and are also invited to apply for on-campus housing throughout their collegiate experience.  

Here are the questions parents and family members frequently ask us:

Will students impacted by the J&H de-densification who elect to live in an affiliated housing option be able to select their roommates and will they have RA’s?

Students can elect to remain in current roommate groups and select housing. Students can also remove themselves from their current roommate group to see all available options. We will have RAs in all affiliated housing locations. Off campus roommate and staffing structures will vary. 

If my student currently lives in Johnson & Hardwick and selects an affiliated housing option, will we pay Temple or the affiliated housing directly?
For students who select an affiliated housing option through University Housing, room and board charges will be posted to student accounts.  Students will be billed the Johnson & Hardwick double rate.  Utilities are included in their housing rate.

If my student currently lives in Johnson & Hardwick, when will they select new housing?
 Your student will select housing based on a room selection access time (which is determined by the date of housing deposit). Students may select beginning on July 20, 2020. 

If my student dos not select a housing assignment, can we get our housing deposit back as a refund?
Students who do not receive housing will have deposits refunded or applied to their university accounts as long as they submit an online cancellation request by July 31st.   

Will residence hall rooms be cleaned professionally after students move-in at any time through the semester?
On a daily basis, University Housing and Residential Life staff will clean and sanitize common areas, community restrooms, laundry rooms, lounges/public spaces, and high touch point areas such as elevator buttons, water fountains, and door handles.  UHRL Staff will also ensure that residence hall rooms have been properly cleaned prior to arrival.

As usual, once rooms are occupied, residents are responsible for cleaning and disinfecting their own bedrooms, apartment/suite bathrooms, and living room/kitchen (if applicable).  Students should follow CDC recommendations when cleaning their individual spaces.  High-touch surfaces (chairs, tables, doorknobs, light switches, etc.) should be cleaned and disinfected daily in their bedrooms and other non-common spaces.  The CDC recommendations provide information for cleaning different types of surfaces, including porous surfaces, non-porous surfaces, and electronics.  Students are responsible for bringing appropriate cleaning supplies.

How will the University ensure roommates are respectful of social distancing guidelines? Will there be any repercussions for students who do not follow these guidelines?
It is expected that residents will abide by University, UHRL, and local government expectations for social distancing, face covering, etc.  Violations of UHRL or University policies will be taken seriously, and may result in removal of the student from on-campus housing depending on the severity of the violation.  

Additionally, roommates will be able to discuss and codify additional expectations via the Roommate Success Plans that we will ask residents to complete upon move-in. In conjunction with a University public health campaign, we will take steps to provide robust educational messaging regarding campus expectations and proper protocols for maintaining student health and safety.

Will residents be allowed to have guests in the residence halls?
In order to limit the spread of COVID-19 in the residence halls, absolutely no guests from outside Temple University, and no Temple students who live in other buildings, will be allowed in on-campus residential spaces during the 2020-2021 academic year.  Residence halls will only be accessible to those students living in their assigned building and to authorized University officials.  Students living within their residence hall may visit other students within the same building, but must adhere to proper physical distancing and facemask wearing guidelines.  This rule will remain in effect until it is deemed to be safe to begin to relax these guidelines.

How will students meet new people, learn, and engage with each other? Will there be opportunities for students to get to know others in their residence hall?
We anticipate that most of our interactions and events will occur digitally, but also recognizing the importance of face-to-face interaction in building relationships and community, there may be some events that are held in person in accordance with established health and safety guidelines.  Either way, establishing opportunities to connect and develop as both an individual and a community remain cornerstones of University Housing and Residential Life. We will be intentional in providing opportunities for residents to connect.

Will common areas in residence halls be open and how will they be monitored to ensure students adhere to social distancing guidelines? 
We are currently evaluating the usage of our common spaces and expect that some common spaces, including lounges, laundry rooms, and common kitchens, may be closed or adapted to maintain student safety.  Signage and instructions for use will be posted, and existing furniture may be moved or removed in order to facilitate social distancing.

What actions can students take to help keep themselves and their fellow community members safe and healthy this fall?
Even as UHRL and Temple University put in place mitigation measures, it is unfortunately not possible to completely eliminate the risk of COVID-19 infection on campus.  We will need students to play an active role in keeping themselves and their fellow community members safe to reduce that risk.

First, follow Temple’s Four Pillars.  Within the residence halls, this means the following:

• Wear Face Coverings at all times indoors and outdoors when other people are nearby.
• Practice Physical/Social Distancing--keep an appropriate distance between you and others whenever possible. 
• Use Proper Hand Hygiene--wash your hands frequently and/or use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
• Monitor Your Health and Call SHS if You Have Symptoms of COVID-19.
• Wipe down shared surfaces in your bathroom and shared living spaces.
• Abide by University expectations for social distancing, face covering, etc.

What is the University doing to prepare in the event someone tests positive for COVID-19?
Students who test positive for COVID-19 will be asked to isolate themselves from others.  Depending on their living situation, that may mean going home, staying in their current room, or being temporarily moved to isolation housing space. Student Health Services has an internal contact tracing unit that will be in touch with anyone who tests positive so that we can quickly identify any close contacts to make sure that they are quarantining themselves and know what to do if they develop any symptoms of COVID-19.

What should my student do if their roommate gets sick?
Don’t panic and remain calm - they should encourage their roommate/suitemate to contact Student Health Services or their healthcare provider and follow the guidance of the medical professional.

When will my student's move-in be?
Students will receive notification in July with details regarding how to select  their  specific move-in time. New students will move-in starting Tuesday, August 18 - Friday, August 21, 2020. Students will receive their move-in appointments by floors and wings. Roommates may select the same 20 minute window for arrival, however, they may be moving in within approximately hours of each other. Learn more about move-in at https://housing.temple.edu/resources-and-services/fall-and-spring-move-in. 

How many guest(s) will be allowed to help me during move-in?
Students will be allowed one person to assist them during the move-in process.

Will services and operations in the residence halls be different this fall?
While we want our students to experience as much of the residential experience as possible, COVID-19 guidance requires us to modify some of the ways we support that experience.  We are currently determining how our services and operations will change in order to ensure the health and well-being of students and staff and we will communicate information as it is available.

Will staff be available on campus to assist in the fall?
All residents will have a Resident Assistant (RA) to assist with any questions or concerns that may arise.  Additionally, our Resident Directors, who are full-time professional staff living in our communities, are able to assist residents.

Are there laundry facilities in every residence hall?
Yes, and in most cases, laundry facilities are on every other floor in each building. The cost of laundry washers and dryers is $1.75 per load. Those who reside in Morgan Complex, 1300, Temple Towers, White, Johnson, Hardwick, and 1940 will pay for laundry with either Diamond Dollars or quarters.  

Can my student bring a refrigerator?
Yes, but it must be Energy Star Rated and no larger than 3.6 cubic feet. They can also rent a refrigerator through Campus Specialties.  For more information about renting a MicroFridge, please visit https://www.mymicrofridge.com/.

Can my student bring a microwave?
No, personal microwaves are not permitted, however, there are microwaves on every floor of traditional and suite style buildings for everyone’s use. The microwaves in the common area have an automatic shut-off safety feature.  Another option is that they "can rent a refrigerator and microwave combination (a MicroFridge) through Campus Specialties, Temple’s preferred vendor. For more information about renting a MicroFridge, please visit https://www.mymicrofridge.com/. 

What are the bed sizes in the Residence Halls?
The University has two standard-sized bed in its residence halls:
STANDARD TWIN bed - 75" by 39"
EXTRA-LONG bed - 80" by 39"
Residents of 1300 Residence Hall 1st through 3rd floors and Beech International Village will have a STANDARD TWIN bed.  Residents of 1300 Residence Hall 4th and 5th floors , 1940 Residence Hall, Morgan Hall, Johnson & Hardwick Halls, White Hall, or Temple Towers Apartments will have an EXTRA-LONG bed.

Will housing and meal plan rates be adjusted due to closing the residence halls as of Fall Break on November 21, 2020?
Yes, all students living in campus housing will receive a 15% discount on the Fall 2020 semester housing and meal plan rates.

Click here to watch a brief video about University Housing and Residential Life. 

If you need additional assistance and direct support from University Housing, visit us Monday-Friday from 11am-5pm in our Zoom Customer Service Support by clicking: https://temple.zoom.us/j/522061472.