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Housing During Breaks

Western’s academic year contains three major breaks when classes are not in session. Residential buildings remain open, but the majority of residents leave campus for most or all of the break. Many campus services are suspended, including meal service in the dining commons. To see special break schedules for other campus services please visit their websites for up-to-date information.

Thanksgiving Break

Nov. 27 - Dec. 1

Thanksgiving Break is Wednesday, Nov. 27 through Sunday, Dec. 1. Meal service in the dining commons ends at 3pm on Nov. 27 and resumes at 3pm on Dec. 1.

Winter Break

Dec. 14 - Jan. 6

Winter Break starts at 4pm Friday, Dec. 14 and ends on Monday, Jan. 6. Meal service in the dining commons ends at 3pm on Dec. 14 and reopens at 3pm on Jan. 5.

Spring Intersession

Mar. 21 - Mar. 31

Spring Intersession starts at 4pm Friday, March 21 and ends on Monday, March 31. Dining is closed/reduced during spring break. Find out more at Dine On Campus.

Housing Charges for Winter and Spring Breaks

Housing fees are billed to your student account one quarter at a time and they do not include the winter and spring breaks. This is because housing is free during winter and spring breaks—as long as you remain an on-campus resident for the first 14 days of the new quarter. If you move out during the break or within the first 14 days of the new quarter, you will be charged a checkout penalty for each day of the break, up to and including the day of checkout, even if you did not stay in your room for any part of the break. The purpose of this policy is to encourage students who are planning to move off campus, to do so at the end of the quarter.

Choose one of the three options:

To support the small number of residents who remain in the halls during break, a reduced number of staff are on call and desk services are centralized with reduced hours. If you plan to leave for part of break, check your community page for break desk hours.

Health and Safety Checks

On Friday of finals week, RA/AA staff will enter your room to inspect it for health and safety hazards, especially those involving window locks, electrical outlets, heat controls, pests and prohibited items. At no time during the inspection will staff open or move anything. Please note that if policy violations are found, it may result in conduct action. 

Health and Safety checks ensure your room meets the necessary occupancy safety standards outlined in Community Standards

Vacant Space Readiness Checks

During winter and spring breaks, cleaning, maintenance and inspections are completed to ensure rooms are ready for incoming residents.

  • Two staff members will clean vacant spaces, typically one hour of work, with a follow-on inspection performed by a supervisor which takes roughly five minutes.
  • All new room assignments will also be inspected by a manager. Staff may require additional visits to address maintenance and/or furniture issues.

Work schedules are emailed to students before academic breaks. Refer to the email for detailed information.

Room Vacancy

If there is a vacancy in your room, be sure to leave the vacant side clean and empty so it is ready for a new roommate to move in and feel welcome. Your side of the room should also be tidy and presentable. Failure to leave your room properly prepared may result in conduct action and additional housing charges. A new roommate may arrive at any time during the break. You can monitor your roommate assignment over the break on MyHousing.

Room Cleanliness

Even if there is not a vacancy in your room, you are advised to leave your side tidy and presentable. It is common for a roommate to unexpectedly move out during the break and for a new roommate to be assigned. In the event a new roommate arrives to your room and finds it extraordinarily messy and unwelcoming, you may be subject to conduct action and additional housing charges.

Bathroom Cleaning

If you are in a suite-style room, your bathroom may be cleaned or repaired over the break. Please remove all personal belongings from your bathroom area to allow access by custodial and maintenance staff.

Meal Service

Meal service in the dining commons is suspended during breaks. Brunch/lunch on Friday is the last meal served in the dining commons before closing for the break. Meal service for winter quarter resumes with dinner on Sunday; meal service for spring quarter resumes on Monday. Check Dine On Campus to see updated hours and locations of food services across campus.

Checklist Before You Leave
  • If you have live plants or fish, take them with you or arrange for their care.
  • Take out your garbage and recycling, and remove any perishable food from your fridge.
  • Lock your windows and close the blinds. Notify staff immediately if your window lock is broken.
  • Leave your heat on the lowest setting or on frost protection.
  • Unplug electronics and turn off the lights.
  • Lock your door.

Break housing is available only to students who are continuing at Western for the upcoming quarter. If you are graduating or leaving Western, you are not eligible to stay over break and you must be officially checked out of your room by 4 p.m. on Friday of finals week to avoid the Winter/Spring Quarter Checkout Penalty.

To support the small number of residents who remain in the halls during break, a reduced number of staff are on call and desk services are centralized with reduced hours. Check your community page for break desk hours.

Health and Safety Checks

On Friday of finals week, RA/AA staff will enter your room to inspect it for health and safety hazards, especially those involving window locks, electrical outlets, heat controls, pests and prohibited items. At no time during the inspection will staff open or move anything. Please note that if policy violations are found, it may result in conduct action. 

Health and Safety checks ensure your room meets the necessary occupancy safety standards outlined in Community Standards

Vacant Space Readiness Checks

During winter and spring breaks, cleaning, maintenance and inspections are completed to ensure rooms are ready for incoming residents.

  • Two staff members will clean vacant spaces, typically one hour of work, with a follow-on inspection performed by a supervisor which takes roughly five minutes.
  • All new room assignments will also be inspected by a manager. Staff may require additional visits to address maintenance and/or furniture issues.

Work schedules are emailed to students before academic breaks. Refer to the email for detailed information.

Room Vacancy

If there is a vacancy in your room, be sure to leave the vacant side clean and empty so it is ready for a new roommate to move in and feel welcome. Your side of the room should also be tidy and presentable. Failure to leave your room properly prepared may result in conduct action and additional housing charges. A new roommate may arrive at any time during the break. You can monitor your roommate assignment over the break on MyHousing.

Maintenance and Custodial Projects

Maintenance and custodial projects often occur within the residential buildings during break. These projects may involve noise, utility outages, detours and entry into student rooms.

Bathroom Cleaning

If you are in a suite-style room, your bathroom may be cleaned or repaired over break.

If your room is scheduled to be cleaned over break, please remove all personal belongings from your bathroom area to allow access by custodial and maintenance staff.

Mail Delivery

Mail is delivered to all residential buildings during breaks with the exception of when the desk is closed. Students are notified when a package is ready for pick up, but can only claim them during the reduced Intersession desk hours, posted at the front desk. If you have any questions please contact Housing-Mail@wwu.edu or Mail Services (360-650-3770).

Special Desk Hours

Be aware of special desk hours on your community page and how to contact the RA on call. The information is also posted at your front desk.

Meal Service

Since meal service in the dining commons is suspended during break, cooking in your residence hall can be fun and easy. To locate the kitchens in your community, explore your hall directory.

Check Dine On Campus to see updated hours and locations of food services across campus.

Lockout Assistance

If you need lockout assistance visit your community page for more information.

Please abide by the Checkout Instructions which involves contacting your RA/AA, vacating and cleaning your share of the room and handing in your keys.

  • Failure to follow the Checkout Procedure may result in a $35 improper checkout fee, key charges and additional room rent.
  • Moving out before the end of the school year may result in a contract breakage fee except in cases of school withdrawal, graduation, internship or study abroad.
  • Moving out during winter or spring break may result in a checkout penalty.
  • Keys not returned during checkout will result in charges up to $600 for a rekey and applied to your student account. We will not accept keys turned in after checkout.
  • Please remove all belongings from your room when moving out. Take everything that is yours with you!