Move-In and Semester FAQs

Housing and Residence Life, along with the rest of the university, has invested a significant amount of time and money into putting systems in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.  Throughout this document, you will find updated policies, procedures, processes, and cleaning protocols.  We have worked closely with the Marshall University Office of Environmental Health and Safety, the health department, and local medical personnel in making these decisions.

Please know, we need to partner with you to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.  We can put all of these measures into place; however, without your compliance and cooperation, the impact of the efforts we are making will be diminished.  We ask that students make smart decisions regarding wearing masks, social distancing, avoiding large gatherings such as parties, completing the required daily wellness check, and other following university guidelines.

We have expanded the dates for residence hall move-in this year to allow students to return earlier to campus to spread out the number of people moving in on each day.  Residents are able to schedule a move-in appointment between January 15th to January 18th.

If you have a campus obligation or a travel restriction that requires you to move into the residence halls before the traditional move-in dates, you will need to contact Housing and Residence Life to request an early move-in time.  You may complete the request at https://www.marshall.edu/housing/move-inout/.   Please know that there is a $30 per day charge for double rooms and a $40 per day charge for single rooms for early arrivals.

If you are part of a group such as an athletic team which requires you to return early, your organization should be reaching out to you with specific details as to your move-in dates and instructions.  You will still need to sign up for a move-in appointment at https://www.marshall.edu/housing/move-inout/.

If you are approved to return to the halls early, you will go to the Don Morris Room from 9am-2pm on January 11th to January 14th to receive your COVID test.

If you are part of a group such as the band or an athletic team, your organization should be reaching out to you with specific details as to your move-in dates and instructions. You will still need to sign up for a move-in appointment.

All students will be required to sign up in advance for an appointment at  https://www.marshall.edu/housing/spring-2021-check-in/.  Move-in appointments are two-hour time blocks and will be enforced.  Students are asked to arrive at the beginning of their time block so they can finish on time.

Before you arrive at your building, you will need to report to your designated location for COVID-19 testing.  Testing will take place from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm—plan to show up before your scheduled move-in appointment time.  The test is a saliva based test and will vary in the time it takes you to complete it. Upon completion of the COVID-19 test, you will be provided with a wristband to show your residence hall you have completed your test.  Once you have your wristband, you are now ready to proceed to your residence hall to check-in. 

To sign up for a move-in appointment, please visit   https://www.marshall.edu/housing/spring-2021-check-in/.   You will use your MYMU username and password to log in.  Instructions on how to complete the sign up can be found https://www.marshall.edu/housing/2021-spring-move-in-guide/.  If you need to change your time, you can log back into the system to do so.  Appointments must be changed 24 hours in advance and cannot be changed the day of.  Please note if for some reason, you work with housing staff to change your room assignment after you selected a move-in appointment, you will need to log into the system to schedule a new time.

If you are traveling to campus and are delayed due to traffic, please contact the Housing and Residence Life office at 304-696-6765.  If your COVID test takes longer than expected, the hall staff will work with you on your move-in times once you complete it and arrive at the hall.

If you arrive without a scheduled move-in appointment or outside of your scheduled move-in time, you will not be able to access to the building.

Yes, you can have one person enter the residence hall with you to assist with as you move in. While we know that this is not ideal for everyone, after consulting with our Health and Safety staff, it was determined that this was a step we needed to take.

Both of your parents will have the opportunity to see your room and assist you in moving in. However, only one can enter the building at a time. While you have a person in the building with you, the second person should wait with your car or find a nice shady spot to relax (and enjoy not having to carrying heavy items into the building).

Unfortunately, due to the need to control the number of people around the residence halls during move-in, there will not be volunteers this year to assist. While each building will still have carts available on a first-come, first-served basis for check out to assist you with moving in, we encourage you to bring with you any equipment such as hand trucks/dollies that you might find helpful.

If you visit www.marshall.edu/housing, you’ll be able to find a list of suggested items to bring and items prohibited in the residence halls. The list can be found in the Residence Hall Guide in the resources section. We highly encourage students to limit what they bring with them for the fall semester due to the no move-in volunteers and the three-hour move-in timeslots. Please take the time to consider if you need extra furniture such as sofas or futons. Additionally, items such as winter clothes and such can always be brought later in the semester once you determine when they are needed.

Yes. Marshall University requires that all students who live in the residence halls, are from out of state, and international students to be tested for COVID-19 upon arrival.

No. Marshall University is paying for students to be tested during move-in.

If you live in Freshman South or Freshman North, please report to BE5 (basement) in the Memorial Student Center (MSC).

If you live in any other residence hall (Buskirk, Wellman, Gibson, Haymaker, Willis, Twin Towers East, or Twin Towers West), please report to the Don Morris Room (2nd floor) in the Memorial Student Center (MSC).

A university staff member will contact you regarding what you need to do should you test positive for COVID-19. Students who test positive for COVID-19 and do not require hospitalization will be housed in Holderby Hall until their quarantine period is over. We will work with local hospitals to accommodate students who are experiencing symptoms that require medical care. If a student prefers to return home to quarantine there, instead, the Marshall University Wellness Center and Office of Environmental Health and Safety will consult with you about how to return home safely.

Students housed in Holderby for quarantine will be asked to bring any items that they will need for up to two weeks with them. Linens are available if needed. Please note, rooms in Holderby are not airconditioned. Students will be provided with a fan. Don’t worry though, Holderby Hall still has cable and internet. So as long as you feel up to it, you will be able to keep up with your classes by attending remotely.

When the student checks into Holderby, they will be provided with a list of instructions for their stay and individuals to contact should they need any assistance. Students will have the opportunity to order their meals from Dining thought a special link, and a Housing and Residence Life staff member will deliver the meal at specified times.

If your friend or roommate tests positive for COVID-19, a contact tracer will reach out to you to determine the extent of contact and exposure you had from that individual. Depending on the level of interaction and exposure, you may be required to quarantine for up to two weeks in Holderby Hall or (if you prefer) at home. Students who were exposed to COVID-19 but have not tested positive for the virus will be housed on a separate floor from those students who have tested positive.

If you believe you have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus, please self-isolate yourself and contact Marshall University Student Health Services at 304-691-1100. After you have completed those steps, please feel free to reach out to a Housing and Residence Life Staff member. We recognize that this might be scary for you and are more than happy to assist you as you navigate it.

In the residence halls with community-style bathrooms, we have reduced building occupancy by opening up more single rooms for students than we have in previous years. This has reduced the number of people who are able to live in these halls. If you are currently assigned to a double room but are interested in a single room, please contact Housing and Residence Life at housing@marshall.edu to inquire if there are still spaces available.

Community style restrooms are cleaned daily by cleaning professionals who have received training in cleaning techniques and specialty equipment. Each bathroom will receive the standard deep cleaning and disinfecting each day that we traditionally perform. Later in the day, each restroom will also receive additional disinfecting. The university has purchased specialty cleaning equipment to assist in the disinfecting of bathrooms and other community spaces.

Additionally, students will be able to find extra cleaning supplies at the residence hall front desk or in the floor’s laundry room. This will allow students to wipe down any surfaces in the restrooms should they want to clean or disinfect the facility themselves.

Students who live in First Year North, First Year South, or one of the Commons Residence Halls are responsible for cleaning their own bathrooms. Since the bathroom is behind a locked door to your room or suite, housing staff do not enter the space to clean it. We highly recommend that you work out a schedule with your room/suitemates for cleaning. Each Residence Hall will have cleaning supplies available at the front desk that students can borrow to assist in the cleaning of these spaces. If you are not familiar with how to clean a bathroom, you can find some helpful tips at https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/g31292850/how-to-clean-bathroom/. If at any time you find that you have concerns that your room/suitemates are not keeping up with the schedule that you developed, please reach out to your RA or Area Coordinator. They will facilitate a conversation between you all to come to a resolution.

We recognize that students who live with roommates may have questions about how to best social distance.  When arranging your room, please consider how to maximize your personal space best when setting it up.  Additionally, Housing and Residence Life has purchased room dividers to have available for students in a double room.  These dividers are 6 ft high by 6 ft long and are on wheels, so you can move them around when needed.  The dividers are a metal frame with a curtain that hangs on it. (They look like this only will have a white curtain:  https://www.dormco.com/Expandable_Black_Privacy_Divider_Don_t_Look_At_Me_p/dlookme-epdivider07-blk.htm)   The room dividers are based on CDC guidance and allow for physical distancing between roommates.  If you and your roommate would like one for your room, please complete fill out a maintenance request and one will be dropped off at your room.

If at any time you or your roommate are not feeling well and showing symptoms of COVID-19, please report this immediately.  The sooner we are aware, the faster we can get you connected to the appropriate resources and separated if necessary.

During this time, we all have a responsibility to make smart decisions to keep our campus community safe. If you feel your roommate is acting in ways that might be unsafe or putting you at risk, please start by talking with your roommate. Express your concerns and discuss why campus safety measures put in place are important. If, after this conversation, you are still experiencing concerns, please speak with your Resident Assitant or Area Coordinator. After completing all of these steps, if you are still unable to resolve the situation, please contact the Office of Student Conduct.

The availability of these areas will vary from building to building. There will be some community space open in each building. Each of these spaces will have posted occupancy limits set by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. Students are expected to wear masks when in these areas and comply with the posted occupancy limits.

The lobby kitchen in each building will remain available for student use. Students will be required to check out a key from the front desk when utilizing the space. Students are also expected to disinfect the area before and after use. While the floor lounges will be open for students in Buskirk to use as study space, the kitchen appliances will only be available for use on the first floor.

Community microwaves that have previously only been available in laundry rooms and floor lounges in Buskirk, Twin Towers West, and Twin Towers East are no longer available because students are now allowed to have a microwave in their rooms. A community microwave is available in the main lobby kitchen in each building.

Laundry rooms will continue to operate as they have in the past. Each laundry room will have a maximum occupancy limit posted outside of it. Students are expected to wear masks and follow the occupancy limits, which were set forth by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, when in laundry rooms. Additionally, students are asked to wipe down the doors and controls on the machines before and after use.

The residence halls will continue to not allow students to sign any guests into the residence halls this academic year due to the increase in COIVD-19 cases nationally and locally.  Students who live in the same building as you are welcome to stop by your room to visit as long as all roommates are in agreement with the person visiting and masks are worn.

Yes, anytime you are outside of your room or the restroom in the residence halls, you will be required to wear a mask. Because you never know when you are going to encounter another person and if you’ll be able to maintain social distancing, it is important to make sure you wear your mask. You should never be without your face cover in elevators, lobbies, etc.

Yes, students are permitted to leave campus for the weekend. We ask that students use judgment when traveling or attending off-campus events. Students are asked to avoid attending parties and large gatherings where people are not social distancing or wearing masks. If you need to travel to an area with a large amount of COVID-19 infections or a place where social distancing may not be possible, please speak with your Area Coordinator in advance. You may be required to self-isolate upon your return to campus.