All bundled up and ready to close
Timeline · Health & Safety Inspections · Express Check-Out · Extended Stay · Day of Closing · Finals Week Duty Scheduling · Closing Quiz
Please hold questions until the end of each section.
Noon
Residents must depart within 24 hours of their last final or by noon on December 18, whichever comes first, unless approved for housing or extended stay.
Winter Closing at a Glance
For residents
- Apply for and receive approval for Winter Break Housing if staying on campus.
- Otherwise, check out and leave by the earlier of 24 hours after the last final or Friday, December 18 at noon.
For Resident Assistants
- Host your mandatory wing meeting.
- Complete and document room Health & Safety Inspections.
- Prepare your wing for final closing checks.
- Pass your supervisor walkthrough and receive direct dismissal.
Closing Season Timeline
| Date | Task or event |
|---|
Additional tasks and due dates may change or be added throughout closing season.
Health & Safety Inspections
Inspect every room in your assigned wing/floor, preferably with the resident present when they depart. Record each inspection in the H&S Winter 2026 worksheet, using a phone, tablet, or laptop during the inspection. Residents use the designated scheduling form.
Look for
- Prohibited appliances, alcohol, drugs or paraphernalia, weapons or simulated weapons, and stolen property.
- Lighters; objects hanging from pipes or sprinklers; belongings blocking ceiling air-filter access.
- Major paint, wall, floor, furniture or blind damage; cleanliness and maintenance issues.
- Completed, signed and dated Winter Break Checklist left on each departing resident's door.
Document & report
- Visual inspections only; follow established policy for potential violations.
- Use the damage ruler and enter applicable damage in StarRez.
- Document inspections in the worksheet, including approved Winter Break Housing residents.
- Notify supervisors about suspected abandoned property; never bag, move or dispose of items independently.
LPAZ was renovated in summer 2026: pay special attention to newer floors, furniture, blinds and finishes.
Three Resident Pathways
Express Check-Out
Only for residents permanently leaving and not returning for Spring 2027. Submit request in MyUAHome. Chuck or Chris will email instructions. Once approved, remove belongings, place keys in the red envelope from the mailbox, and drop it into the lobby's black drop box. Staff inspect these rooms December 18; no RA H&S appointment.
Extended Stay
Exceptional circumstances beyond the resident's control, with supporting documentation. Request in MyUAHome and await Chuck/Chris approval. Maximum stay is Saturday, December 19 at noon. Approval is not guaranteed and may delay the assigned RA's dismissal.
Winter Break Housing
Apply by the published Housing & Residential Life deadline in MyUAHome. Central Office approval required. Residents relocating to LPAZ for break are also assigned to LPAZ in Spring 2027. This is distinct from Extended Stay.
StarRez and the Front Desk
Returning residents are not checked out in StarRez. DAs process permanent Express Check-Outs; RAs never process StarRez check-outs. Returning residents must visit the front desk in January to reactivate CatCard access.
Wing Meetings & Preparation
Every RA must host their own winter closing wing meeting November 30–December 6, using the provided agenda and attendance tracker. Sign up, market the meeting, and prepare inspection information. Chuck and Chris can attend upon request.
Before
- Reserve your meeting slot, advertise, review procedures.
- Post one Winter Break Checklist on each resident room door.
- Gather bulletin board materials, inspection sign-ups and wing meeting agenda.
- Keep the “Wildcat in the House” signs posted.
During & after
- Follow agenda, record attendance, explain deadlines and inspections.
- Review housing options, answer questions or refer to supervisors.
- Follow up with residents who missed the meeting.
- Complete documentation and continue reminders.
Friday, December 18 · Closing Day
| Time | Action |
|---|---|
| 8:00–9:50 AM | Breakfast at Highland District Office, and mandatory staff check-in before 9:50 AM (even if not eating). |
| 10:00 AM | Wake-up calls to all remaining residents required to leave. Make a reasonable effort to confirm they are awake; remind them two hours remain. |
| 11:30 AM | Final resident departure reminder. Tell remaining residents they have 30 minutes, and report expected late departures. |
| 12:00 PM | Building closes to residents without approval. Check every room, finish inspections and documentation, prepare rooms and common spaces for walkthrough. |
| After noon | Request supervisor final walkthrough only after personally double-checking every room and task. Leave only when formally dismissed. |
Finals Week Duty
24/7 finals duty begins Sunday, December 13 at 5:00 PM. Each RA covers two shift credits; a single Shift D counts as two. Duty staff remain in the building, take the duty photo and pass the phone to the next shift.
| Shift | Time | RAs | Rounds | Duty log | Work desk | Pass phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 7 AM–Noon | 1 | None | No | No | B |
| B | Noon–5 PM | 1 | None | No | No | C |
| C | 5–10 PM | 2 | 7 PM & 10 PM | No | Yes | D |
| D | 10 PM–7 AM | 2 | 12 AM | Yes | No | A |
All four shifts: duty photo required, remain in building. The schedule and call tracker are linked below once a URL is added.
Winter Closing Important Links
Open any of the ten live resources below. These include your tracking sheets, wing meeting materials, forms, guides, and MyUAHome Portal.
Community Closing Assignments
| # | Cleaning / reset assignment | Assigned RAs |
|---|
All-in-One Winter Closing Checklist
Check items off as you work. Progress is saved in this browser on this device. Use the print button for a paper copy.
Notes & Questions
A little space to collect questions for the end of each section.
Notes stay in this browser only.