Coronavirus Information

Welcome to your nest

January 8, 2021

We hope you had a restful break and are preparing to begin your spring semester at JHU. We are looking forward to having you back on campus, and as promised in the move-in appointment email you received in December, this email provides additional information regarding the move-in process. We have adjusted the move-in process to follow public health guidance. Please read the information below carefully, and should you have any questions or extraordinary circumstances related to move-in, or if your plans have changed regarding on campus housing for the spring semester, please email us at housing@jhu.edu or call 410-516-7962.

General Overview
Because of public health guidance, all students will need to sign up for a move-in time. At your scheduled time, you should arrive at the South Garage (3101 Wyman Park Drive, Baltimore, MD 21218). After parking, please go into Shriver Hall and complete the health screening and COVID testing, and then you will receive your key. Please keep in mind that only the student may leave the car and go to Shriver Hall; family members will need to stay in the vehicle. Although there will be an immunization station for those who have not yet received their flu shot, we strongly encourage you to receive the vaccine prior to arrival.

First-Year Students and Transfer Students: Move-in will occur on January 16, 17, and 19 Appointments will be every half-hour from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. The last appointment is at 3:30PM. Appointments will be limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Returning Students: Move-in will occur on January 21 and 22.

Schedule Your Appointment
Please log into the Housing Portal to sign up for a move-in time by NOON on Monday, Jan. 11. Once you have logged in, please click on Move-In Appointments to select your move-in time.

Compliance
All residents are required to comply with all JHU weekly testing requirements, public health guidelines, and housing contract mandates. Students are required to wear masks while on campus (except while inside their residence hall room), may gather in groups of 10 or less while also not exceeding posted room occupancy limits, and may not have visitors in their living units (rooms, apartments, or suites) who do not reside in that same living unit. Additionally, students living in apartments or suites may not have apartment-mates or suitemates inside their individual bedrooms. Failure to follow these requirements may result in disciplinary action including and up to removal from the residence halls.

Key Pick Up
After screening and testing, you will be given your residence hall keys. You will use the QR code located on the welcome page of the Housing Portal. Please have this QR code readily available (either printed or on your mobile device) when you reach the Housing table at Shriver Hall. A staff member will scan your QR code and give you the keys to your room. You will also receive your J-Card at this time.

At the Residence Hall
After you have received your keys you will be directed to your residence hall. Staff members will direct traffic and assist students on where to park.

Upon arrival at your residence hall, you will be greeted by a staff member and receive a bin to unpack your vehicle. Please pack minimally, as no family members or guests will be allowed into the building. Parents and families are asked to stay by their vehicle and out of the way of the entrance.

After you move in, please return the bin back to the entrance of the building, as it will need to be sanitized before it can be used again.
Once your car is unloaded, you will need to move it to an appropriate location to park, either within the community or at the JHU San Martin garage. Please be diligent in complying with all parking signs on or around campus. It has been our experience that the City of Baltimore can be quite aggressive in ticketing and towing all vehicles parked illegally.

Mail Services
The mail room will begin receiving packages for students on Monday, Jan. 11.

Once packages are delivered and processed, an electronic package notification will be sent to your JHU email account. Mail Services and Package Pick-Up will be available by appointment only. Please follow the steps in your package confirmation email to schedule an appointment.
The mailroom will be open during move-in week, January 16th – 23rd, from 9am-5pm (closed Monday, January 18th- observance of MLK). Regular operating hours begin Monday, Jan. 25. Please note you must have received a negative test result from the COVID test you had at move-in to schedule an appointment to go to the mailroom.

J-Card Services
As a reminder, your J-Card functions as your access card for your residence hall.

Card Access and Dining
Your current J-Card will be programmed to access only your residence hall and the 33rd Street entrance to Charles Commons. Nolan’s on 33rd, a residential dining option, is located inside of Charles Commons. Other available JHU dining facilities do not require a J-Card to access during operational hours.

Students will have the option of dining at Fresh Food Café (FFC), Charles Street Market, Levering, or Nolan’s. Only residential students will be allowed in FFC & Nolan’s. Family members and parents will not be allowed at the dining centers on move-in day.

Sabbath Observance Information:
The Housing Operations office only uses this information for the purpose of Sabbath key distribution. Click here to complete the form.

Residence Hall Bed Lofting
Bed lofting will not be available for the spring. Please do not attempt to loft your own bed!

Important Reminders
Please review the What to Pack and Do Not Pack lists for a complete list of permitted and prohibited items. For a variety of safety reasons, any of the prohibited items brought to campus will need to be sent home.

Please pack minimally, as you will not be able to have a family or guest help move your belongings into the residence hall.

Please remember that University Housing buildings are non-smoking, which includes e-cigarettes and vaporizers.

Personal Property
Students are strongly advised to purchase or check with their current home insurance provider about coverage for their personal property. The University cannot take responsibility for students’ personal property. Students and parents may be able to secure the appropriate rider or seek additional coverage with their homeowners or renters insurance to cover the loss, damage, or theft of their personal property. Laptop computers, cell phones, tablets, etc. are common targets for theft.

In addition to ensuring that you have coverage for your valuable items such as laptop computers and jewelry through your own insurance provider, please also consider using a laptop cable-lock device and/or safe for added protection. Personal protection is further enhanced by locking your door when you are not present in your room or when you are showering or sleeping. Give careful consideration and leave unnecessary valuables at home.

Inclement Weather
In the event that the Johns Hopkins University Homewood Campus issues a closing, all appointments are canceled and will be rescheduled based on availability. In the event that the University issues a late opening, any appointments scheduled to start prior to the late opening time will be canceled and rescheduled based on availability. In the event of an early closing, any appointments scheduled to take place after the early closing time will be canceled and rescheduled based on availability.

We advise you to use the following resources for the most up-to-date information on campus closure decisions:

  1. Call the JHU Emergency Weather Line at 410-516-7781. This line is updated as soon as a closing is determined. You may want to program this number into your cell phone.
  2. Visit the JHU Emergency Weather Alert page, https://www.jhu.edu/alert/. It may be helpful to bookmark this page on your computer for quick and easy access.
  3. Subscribe to the Emergency Alert Text Message System. To subscribe, text JHUHomewoodAlerts to 226-787. Subscribers will receive a confirmation text message in return. To unsubscribe when you leave campus, text STOP JHUHomewoodAlerts to 226-787.

We look forward to seeing you in a few weeks, and safe travels! If you have questions regarding the information in this email, please contact our office at 410-516-7962 or requests@jhu.edu.

Best Regards,

Sarah Mansfield
Director of Housing Operations