Housing Policies & Resources
Lost your key? Locked out? Heading home for break? Want to stay on campus during a break or transition period? Having trouble with your roommate?
The policies and procedures outlined below have you covered for these situations — and more. If you have further questions, contact Housing Services or stop by our offices in Vedder Hall.
Policies & Procedures
If you lose your key, you'll need to come by the Housing Services office in Vedder Hall 126 during business hours to pick up a temporary key and have the locks changed to your room.
There is a $75 fee for this process to pay for the new lock, keys and manual labor that is performed. The charge will be added to your student account.
If you are locked out in the evenings, please contact the RA on duty. They can let you into your room.
If you are locked out of your room during the day, go to the Housing Services office in Vedder Hall 126 during business hours to pick up a temporary key. You will have 48 hours to return the temporary key to our office. When you return the temporary key, bring your original key with you so we can check to make sure you have the correct key.
The Housing Calendar lists all of the important dates for campus closings and openings to help you make your travel arrangements for the year. Before the break, schedule your shuttle and prepare your room for the period it will be left empty.
Before You Go
The following is a list of things you should do prior to leaving the University for a break:
- Unplug and empty the refrigerator.
- Take out all trash and vacuum the room.
- Lock all windows and close the shades.
- Turn the heat or air conditioning to low.
- Lock up your valuables or bring them home.
- Take your room key and BU ID with you.
University staff will be conducting room inspections during breaks looking for any violations of University policies and the Residence Hall Contract.
Review the Residential Living Policies section of the Student Handbook.
We encourage students to plan their travel according to the Housing Calendar. However, you may request Transition Housing during breaks and transition periods ("transition" refers to times when classes are not in session).
Note: If you would like to stay on campus during a break or transition period, you must request this using the process outlined below.
Step 1: Review the Transition & Break Housing Policies & Guidelines
Students remaining on campus during transition periods will only be permitted to enter their assigned residence hall or building on the day(s) for which they are registered. If you remain on campus for part or all of the break, carry your BU ID and room key with you at all times since all doors to all buildings will remain locked. Check out the schedule for break housing to see if you will need to apply.
Some services may have reduced hours during break periods, including dining halls, health centers, libraries and IT services.
Most repair and maintenance work occurs over breaks. Facilities personnel may enter student rooms to perform routine maintenance, or there may be interruptions of services (water, electricity, etc.). While our goal is to notify students of these interruptions, emergencies may arise, and timely notice may not be available.
Step 2: Complete Transition Housing Request Form
Only those students who registered on myHOME will be provided access to their campus housing. Students registering for transition periods at the beginning or end of an academic semester will receive specific information about move-out/move-in protocol.
If the deadline for online registration has passed, you may go to Housing Services during office hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or the Office of Public Safety (after hours) to register; they can issue a temporary card that will be good only for the dates which you have requested.
Most buildings have one centralized climate control system that adjusts the temperature of the entire building. Temperature cannot be instantly adjusted. Heating and cooling systems and spaces need time to approach the desired temperature. Even more time is needed to cool spaces.
Heating
Heat usually gets turned on between the middle of September and late October. Once turned on, it will remain on until the spring semester.
The decision to turn on the heating systems in the residence halls is based upon the weather at the time. We try to wait until we are sure that the campus won't experience any warm spells that could make rooms too hot. But there will be days in the spring and fall where temperatures can fluctuate throughout the day, reaching 70 degrees Fahrenheit in the day and drop to 30 degrees Fahrenheit at night. During these times, our heating and cooling systems struggle to keep up with the changes and getting the building temperatures set just right.
Automatic and Manual Temperature Control
The heating systems in the buildings on campus are either automatically or manually turned on. The heating systems of the buildings turned on automatically usually occur when the outside temperature drops below 55 degrees. Do not store items on the heating/AC units, especially when the heat is turned on.
For buildings with automatic change-over that have air conditioning, it will take several hours for them to cool down. The building water loop must cool down sufficiently before chilled water can be circulated for cooling. Likewise, when transitioning from cooling to heating, several hours are required before hot water can be circulated through the building and begin heating the spaces. These transition periods are required to protect building piping systems.
If you have any questions, call Housing Services. If you experience problems with your residence's heat after hours or on a weekend, please contact Public Safety at 570-577-3333.
Each roommate relationship is different, and it is not necessary to be best friends or share every aspect of your college experience together. However, it is important that roommates respect each other's rights and work toward creating an environment conducive to being a student. Getting to know each other and talking about your expectations of living together can help build that successful relationship. Below are some proactive steps that may help get the conversation started:
Complete the roommate agreement on myHOME. Important topics include:
- Living arrangements
- Schedules
- Study habits
- Sleeping habits
- Guests
- Use of property
- Noise level
- Lifestyle issues
- Lingering questions
- How would you prefer to communicate with each other if there is a problem?
- What are you not willing to compromise on?
Basic Communication Skills for Talking with Your Roommate(s)
Bringing up an issue with your roommate(s) can sometimes be a difficult task. There are different ways to talk to your roommate(s) about an issue in a civil and respectful manner that can help improve the relationship. Below are some basic guidelines for talking about issues that may arise during the year.
Basic Guidelines
- Be calm and cool.
- Talk about issues directly in conversation.
- Use statements that begin with "I".
- Talk about how a situation has made you feel.
- Be careful not to make accusations or assumptions.
- Talk about specific behaviors, not a person's character.
- Treat your roommate(s) as you would want to be treated.
- Think about what it is like to be in the other person's shoes.
- Be willing to offer solutions and compromise.
Seeking Assistance Regarding a Roommate Conflict?
If you are experiencing a roommate conflict, please reach out to your RA for help. Your Community Director is also available to assist if mediation is needed.
The University does not have accommodations for married students with their spouses or for students with children or dependents.
Are you curious about Gender Inclusive Housing? Please see this document.
Yes. Bucknell strongly believes a residential setting is home for foundational learning, growth and development. Students are required to live in University housing the first four years of their undergraduate enrollment, unless granted an exemption from Housing Services. New students who are over 23 years of age, living at home, or have children are typically exempt from the living requirement. Returning students who will turn 25 during their senior year are also typically exempt for their senior year.
The best way to protect your personal property is to keep your keys in your possession at all times and lock your room any time you leave. This is an important topic to discuss with your roommate(s).
Bucknell will not be held liable for loss of or damage to personal property, including loss that arises from theft, fire or water damage, even if those incidents take place in residence halls or elsewhere on campus. Bucknell's insurance protects only the University's property. Full details can be found in your Student Housing Agreement.
For this reason, Bucknell strongly recommends that all students, whether residing on or off campus, obtain some form of personal property protection insurance. Often called renter's insurance, this coverage is offered by many providers, and may be available as an add-on to a parent's home-insurance policy.
Bucknell has partnered with GradGuard Renters Insurance to offer students an opportunity to obtain coverage for their personal property. Students can find information about this insurance and have the option to purchase a policy in the University housing portal, myHOME.
Stress less on move-out day by using our official storage provider, Dorm Room Movers, to store your stuff during the summer.
Dorm Room Movers will send you boxes and tape. You pack up your stuff — and that's it. Their movers will pick up your items, store them while you're away and deliver everything back to you when you return.
Dorm Room Movers also can ship boxes to your home or wherever you need them.
How it works:
- Sign up online or over the phone.
- Dorm Room Movers sends you packing supplies.
- Pack your stuff in the boxes or out of the boxes.
- Their insured movers pick up your stuff.
- They store or ship whatever you need.
- They deliver to your new residence at the beginning of the school year.
No stress because:
- They send you boxes and tape to pack.
- Your gear is picked up and delivered by professional movers.
- You get $100 insurance per box or unboxed item.
- Your stuff is stored in a climate-protected storage facility with 24/7 security.
- The company is BBB A+ rated.
High levels of outdoor humidity can create a challenge in some of our older buildings, whose HVAC systems were not designed to remove the excess moisture in the air, leading to indoor mold growth. Learn about Bucknell's plan for mold prevention and remediation, and what to do if you find mold in your residence, in this FAQ.