Moving & Breaks

Governor Evers has issued a Safer at Home order. As a result, we have discontinued the move out process.

Due to Governor Evers’ Safer at Home order, we had to discontinue the move-out process. We realize this change may not have allowed you to make it back to campus in time to move yourself out. We have been asked by the state of Wisconsin to prepare for the possibility of providing housing to groups who need special housing provisions during the COVID-19 emergency. Because of this, a contracted professional moving company will be packing and storing your belongings here on campus. We will be back in touch with a clear process for pick-up when we are told students are allowed to visit campus again.

We understand, but no, at this time please do not travel to UW-Madison. We understand that this is not how you planned or want to move out of the residence halls. However, due to Governor Evers’ Safer at Home order, we have restricted Wiscard access to the residence halls.

Yes, however items cannot be picked up at this time. When we are cleared by the state of Wisconsin to safely resume move-out, we will resume allowing roommates or friends to pick up items left behind. Please make sure they are able to show staff an email or text from you verifying that they have permission to do so.

A contracted professional moving company will take time with each room and will:

• Carefully box all items in the room (except perishable items)
• Label each packed box with the hall name, house, and room number
• Store boxes in a secured location within that building

If the room has multiple residents that have not yet moved out, there’s a chance one roommate’s belongings may get packed with another. When it is safe to return to campus to pick up your items, we will have a clear process in place to ensure items are released to the correct roommate. Housing will not charge any fees for packing and storing items. Please check your @wisc.edu email for updates.

We understand that this is not the way any of us planned for move out to occur and we promise to handle your items with the utmost care and respect. We will note the information that you have provided, but you should be aware of the full process of how we are packing items. A contracted professional moving company will take time with each room and will:

• Carefully box all items in the room (except perishable items)
• Label each packed box with the hall name, house, and room number
• Store boxes in a secured location within that building

Please know we will take good care of these items and will be in communication about picking them up when it’s safe to travel to campus. 

Email us at reslife@housing.wisc.edu and list the exact items you are abandoning. Please indicate in this email you are giving University Housing consent to dispose of (or recycle, if possible) these items. We will follow-up with a confirmation email before any action is taken.

No. You are unable to leave your items in the same room for next year.  The state of Wisconsin has asked us to prepare for the potential of providing housing to groups who need special housing provisions during the COVID-19 emergency. Although we have not been given that order yet, we need to be prepared. We also typically use the residence halls in the summer for camps and conference programs. As a result, a contracted professional moving company will need to carefully box and securely store belongings for those who have not been able to move out. You will receive follow-up communications openly and quickly about this process.

The University, as an agency of the State of Wisconsin, is insured by the State against losses resulting from negligence of State employees. If your property is damaged as a result of negligence by a University employee, you may file a claim for reimbursement with the University’s Risk Management Department. 

No. UW-Madison will provide residents with appropriate prorated credits back to their university account for Housing and Dining.

Yes, all students no longer living in University Residence Halls will receive a prorated room credit, as well as a credit for any remaining Housing resident food account funds on their Wiscard. These credits will be applied to their campus student account. If the student has any outstanding amounts due with campus, these amounts due will be subtracted from their credit, and any remaining credit balance will be refunded to the student. In order to receive their refunds as quickly as possible, we encourage students to be sure they are enrolled in eRefunding through MyUW Student Center. More information on eRefunding Direct Deposit can be found on the Bursar’s website. For questions regarding these Housing credits, please email us at cashiers.office@housing.wisc.edu, and someone will respond during normal work hours (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

While we are refunding students for these housing and dining costs, we refer to it as a credit, because it is applied to their campus account first, and any outstanding amounts due are subtracted before a refund payment is issued. The credit cannot be applied to next year’s housing. Students cannot carry their refund into the next school year because of rules related to federal financial aid. If a student still has a balance due in their campus account after the Housing credit is applied, they will not receive a refund payment and are still expected to pay their outstanding balance.

The credit is expected to be applied in the Student Center by mid-April. The time to receive a refund payment once the credit is applied will depend on the type of refund being issued: the Bursar’s office will process eRefunds (also known as direct deposit) each business day, and check refunds once per week. In order to receive their refunds as quickly as possible, we encourage students to be sure they are enrolled in eRefunding through MyUW Student Center. More information on eRefunding Direct Deposit can be found on the Bursar’s website.

Prorated room reimbursements for students who vacated the residence halls will cover March 23, 2020 through the remainder of the spring semester (May 10, 2020), regardless of the actual date they may have moved their belongings out of the residence hall. The amount of the credit to the student’s campus account will vary depending on the rental rate for their particular residence hall, room type, and learning community fees, as well as the remaining balance in their resident food account.

Remaining balances in resident food accounts will be credited as a payment in their student center account and removed from their Wiscard. We have decided to return this money to students, rather than let it carry over to the next school year.

Yes. University Housing staff are working to coordinate pickups with Lazybones. However, this may change and that information will be communicated to you.

We are continuing to accept mail and packages at this time and are forwarding them to your active address in MyUW. Make sure this mailing address is updated. Additionally, please make sure to change your address on any online retailer you use frequently.

UW-Madison Transportation Services has stated that no bicycles or mopeds will be impounded at this time. They will extend the “abandoned” date through an undetermined date in the summer. More information will be provided on the process when normal campus activities resume.

Housing staff are thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting common areas in occupied residence halls, and began proactively doing so earlier in the month in all of the halls before any residents were moved. Following CDC and WHO guidelines, they are cleaning the buildings daily in accordance with their standard protocol: using sanitizer on all surfaces in all common spaces. In addition, staff are disinfecting all high traffic spaces in all common areas including bathrooms, elevators, kitchens, and dens, among others. This includes daily disinfecting of sink faucets, counters, light switches, door handles, and elevator buttons with disinfectants approved and suggested by the EPA.