COVID-19 Update: Student Belongings and Housing

Office of Communications
May 1, 2020

Dear Students,

I hope this finds you and your family healthy and well. We miss having you on campus! I want to thank you for your flexibility and understanding during these trying times. It has been a memorable semester, to be sure.

I know that many of you are eager to retrieve/receive your belongings and I have appreciated your patience while we have had limited access to campus under Ohio’s stay-at-home order. Our staff have used this time to work out the details on a retrieval plan that is especially mindful of your health, as well as the health of our staff, local community, and the students remaining on campus. With news this week that the state plans to lift some restrictions in May, and with further guidance from our local health authorities, we are pleased to be able to share details about how and when you can be reunited with your belongings.

You can choose one of two options: returning to campus to retrieve your belongings yourself or having them packed, shipped or stored on your behalf. Both are detailed below.

In-person retrieval

At the end of May, students will be permitted to begin returning to campus to retrieve their belongings. The process will be similar to the one we followed in March, with some additional guidelines and restrictions:

Please sign up here to reserve a 3-hour time slot between Saturday, May 30 and Wednesday, June 10. This timing is based on the strong recommendation of public health authorities; no students will be permitted to return prior to May 30.
You may be on campus only during your assigned 3-hour window. Please plan your travel accordingly, including meals. As of this date, restaurants in Ohio are open only for takeout, and many are closed.
Only one person may accompany you. You and your packing partner must be healthy and not exhibit any signs of fever. Please check your temperature before coming to campus.
Packing supplies will be available, but it’s a good idea to come prepared with materials of your own.
Masks must be worn when you are not in your residence hall room. We ask that, to the greatest extent possible, you not interact with others on campus and that you keep a distance of 6 feet from others. Please coordinate directly with your roommate to stagger your time slots if at all possible. This goes without saying, but no gatherings are permitted.
You must collect all of your belongings from your residence hall room. Any items remaining in your room will be donated or discarded. The exceptions are oversized items, such as televisions, bicycles, etc. Those items should be clearly labeled “STORE” with your full name and student ID number.
We will not store any upholstered furniture, including mattresses, couches, futons or other soft furnishings, in an effort to prevent any cross-contamination. You might consider contacting these local companies in advance to facilitate the storage of such items at your expense: PAKMail and Summer Break Storage.
Belongings that were stored in the KAC have been moved into students’ residence hall rooms. You are responsible for the retrieval of belongings left in other locations, such as study carrels, Rosse, etc. In advance of returning to campus, please make any necessary arrangements to access these spaces. Remember that all items must be retrieved within the 3-hour window.
You may indicate on the form the name of another trusted individual whom you authorize to enter your space, pack, and remove all of your belongings. This person must be willing to show identification, and complete this process under the same restrictions stated above.
All registered vehicles remaining on campus must be relocated to the South 3 lot. Vehicles remaining that are unregistered or in other locations may be towed. Questions regarding vehicles should be directed to transportation@kenyon.edu.

This will be your only opportunity to return to campus and handle your own belongings. Because we must disinfect residence halls prior to the start of next academic year, no belongings may remain in rooms. If you choose not to return, we will pack, ship or store your belongings for you.

Packing, shipping, storing

In early June, we will contact students who did not return to campus to pack their belongings, including those students who completed prior forms (thank you!) requesting packing assistance. Students will be able to schedule a one-time appointment with a student employee and maintenance staff member to conduct a virtual “walk-through” of your room. Together, you will identify which items belong to you, and what is to be shipped, stored, or discarded/donated. The time-consuming nature of this process means that students may not receive an appointment for several weeks. Those who completed the prior forms will be given priority for appointments.

The general guidelines for the packing and shipping/storage process are as follows:

All items must fit in large boxes (measuring 20x20x12 inches) in order to be shipped. You will receive shipment tracking information.
Items that cannot fit in a large box will be stored at no charge to you, with the exception of upholstered items (as outlined above). We will work with seniors to make special arrangements for oversized items.
Food items will be discarded or donated to a local food pantry. All alcohol will be discarded.
Items will be handled only once, and cannot be pulled from storage and shipped at a later date.

Additional details will be provided to students as part of the packing process.

Housing selection

I understand that many of you are eager for information regarding the 2020-2021 housing selection and room assignments, including theme and division information. At this time, we are waiting to begin the housing selection process until we have more information regarding fall and full-year study abroad programs. We also are awaiting guidance from public health authorities regarding their recommendations for physical distancing within a residential program. We will update you by no later than July 15, once we have developed an occupancy plan that is mindful of state and local guidelines, and students’ health and safety. Thank you for your patience.

We are very grateful for your assistance and cooperation in ensuring a smooth retrieval process. Please be mindful that based on state guidance and new directives, we may be required to make changes to the above plans. If so, we will communicate with students as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact my colleagues in Residential Life: reslife@kenyon.edu. Since the majority of our staff are continuing to work remotely, email remains the best communication method.

Be well, and take good care.

Meredith Harper Bonham ’92
Vice President for Student Affairs

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