Break Housing Policies & Procedures

Various break housing options are available depending on the time of year and nature of on campus housing:

  • November (Thanksgiving) Break - All residence halls and on campus apartments offer break housing.
  • Winter Break - Circle and Garden Apartments offer break housing. All other residential areas are closed; break housing options resume after Ithaca College (IC) reopens on January 1, 2025. For the 2024-25 academic year, Eastman, Terrace 6 and Tallcott will offer break housing over Winter Break.
  • Spring Break - All residence halls and on campus apartments offer break housing.
  • Summer Recess - All residence halls and the Garden Apartments are closed. The Circle Apartments remain open until Circles closing on June 30, 2025. 

Approximately 1–2 weeks prior to each break, on campus residents receive a Break Housing Notice outlining the specific procedures and requirements for the upcoming break, including the deadline to register for break housing. During Winter break, if you live in a closed residence hall you must vacate your room for the duration of the break.

Limited services are available during break housing periods. There will be a limited number of Residential Life staff present on campus to address lock-outs and other support requests. Refer to the duty schedule on the entrance doors of each building for information about the Resident Assistant (RA) or Apartment Assistant (AA) covering your area of campus. The Office of Public Safety will remain open for emergencies. Dining Services may be closed or have limited hours over breaks. Please refer to the Dining Services website for more information. Many other services may also be reduced or unavailable including Mail Services, Fitness Center, campus offices and other student support services. For more information on each service or office and its availability during break periods, please visit their website or contact them directly for more information.

If you are not familiar with the winter climate here, expect that over Winter Break there may be significant ice, snow, and wind chills that may make it more challenging to get around campus and the community.

All Ithaca College and Office of Residential Life Rules and Regulations remain in effect during break periods. Residents are only approved to stay in their assigned room during break periods. Room assignment changes cannot occur during break periods.

Break Room/Apartment Checks

All rooms and apartments will be inspected by staff during breaks to ensure compliance with closing procedures, health and safety regulations, and Residential Life rules and regulations. Violators are subject to student conduct referral. For information about our health and safety policies, please visit our Health and Safety Room Checks page.

November (Thanksgiving) and Spring Breaks

All residence halls and on-campus apartments have break housing available during November (Thanksgiving) and Spring breaks. Residents must fill out a November Break Housing Registration Form or Spring Break Housing Registration Form to register the dates they will stay in their assigned rooms during the break period. The forms will be available through IC Workflow a few weeks prior to the break period beginning. Residents must submit the registration form prior to 5:00pm on the Thursday before the break begins.

A break housing notice is sent to all residents two weeks prior to November (Thanksgiving) and Spring Breaks. Break housing begins at 12:00 PM (noon) on the Saturday of break and ends at 12:00 PM (noon) the Sunday that the break ends.

Winter Break

All residence halls, except for Eastman, Tallcott and Terrace 6, are closed during Winter break and offer break housing options after the college reopens in January. During Winter break, if you live in a closed residence hall you must vacate your room for the duration of the break. Residence Halls reopen for students, living in the same room as their fall room, on Wednesday, January 1, 2025 at 1:00pm.  Circle and Garden Apartments remain open during Winter break.  For the 2024-25 academic year, Eastman, Tallcott, and Terrace 6 are offering break housing over the entire Winter Break.

The Circle and Garden Apartments, Eastman, Tallcott, and Terrace 6 remain open for all current residents who are living in the same on-campus housing assignment for both the Fall and Spring semesters. Room assignment changes cannot occur during break periods.

Residents must complete the Winter Break Registration Form to register the dates they will stay in their assigned rooms during the break period. The form will be available through IC Workflow beginning Wednesday, December 4, 2024. Residents must submit the registration form prior to 5:00pm on Friday, December 13, 2024.  Only students who completed the form prior to it being closed will be approved to stay in December or return in January. 

Unauthorized Presence

Students found in a closed residence hall or apartment who are unapproved after the published closing time are subject to immediate removal from the building, a student conduct referral, and a $100.00 fine. This also applies to students who fail to check out of their rooms by the required check-out time.