Move-In Weekend Reminders & Resources

August 27, 2020

Dear Resident,

We look forward to welcoming you to campus for Fall 2020!  Please take a moment to review all of this information carefully as some details have been updated to reflect the upcoming weather forecast.  

As described in a recent letter from Chancellor Barnhart, Vice Chancellor Waitz and Dean Nelson, there are a number of community expectations, including those outlined on the COVID-19 student policy page, that we also ask you to be mindful of.  

As always, if the HRS team can be helpful with answering your housing-related inquiries, please take a peek at the Fall 2020 undergraduate housing dashboard and the undergraduate Campus Guide for regular updates, or send us an email at ughousingfall2020@mit.edu.

Sincerely,

RICH HILTON 
Director of House Operations 
Housing & Residential Services

Prior to Your Arrival to Campus

In addition to signing the Housing License Agreement and completing the Personal Departure Plan through the MyHousing portal (which should have been submitted earlier this month), please complete the following:   

  1. Log into the Covid Pass health monitoring system.  You should have already received an email formally inviting you to use MIT’s Covid Pass.  To access the program, please download the MIT Atlas mobile phone application, or access the system online.
  2. Acknowledge and agree to the Student & Resident Campus Agreement.  Through the Covid Pass system, you will be able to sign the Student & Resident Campus Agreement which outlines student policies and community expectations. 
     
  3. Complete the online learning module for residents which outlines COVID-19 student policies and life on campus.  The learning module is linked through Covid Pass and is also accessible directly through the Atlas Learning Center.  
     
  4. Massachusetts Travel Reporting Requirement (if applicable).  As of August 1, 2020, individuals over the age of 18 entering Massachusetts from any international location, or from a restricted state, are now required to complete the state-mandated Massachusetts Travel Form either immediately prior to arriving, or upon arrival, to Massachusetts.  To learn more about these requirements, please visit the Commonwealth's website or review the Campus Guide.  MIT’s COVID-19 policies for students who arrive to live on campus satisfy the state-mandated testing and quarantine requirements, however, students should still complete the Massachusetts Travel Form if arriving from an international location or a restricted state.   

Pro Tip: Please take a moment to review the undergraduate Campus Guide which has other helpful pre-arrival information.  As a reminder, residents should not arrive to campus or MIT housing if they are sick, having symptoms, or are in the process of being treated for COVID-19 at the time of their scheduled arrival.  

General Move-in Reminders

Please take a moment to review the brief video about Fall 2020 move-in.  Additional details about the move-in process are outlined in the Campus Guide, however, these are some of the most important details to keep in mind:  

  • Arrive on Your Scheduled Date and Time.  At this time, you should have received confirmation of your arrival date and time. All students are expected to arrive during their assigned arrival period unless alternate arrangements with HRS have already been made, or if there are circumstances beyond the student's control (i.e. travel delays - see below for Saturday move-in information).   
     
  • MIT Medical = First Destination. All students who are scheduled to arrive between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm are required to go to MIT Medical first for a COVID-19 diagnostic test prior to arriving at their residence hall.  If your pre-scheduled arrival is outside of these hours, please proceed directly to your residence hall and HRS will provide provisional access to your room until the next available testing time. 

    MIT Medical has been working hard to streamline the testing process, but with over 700 students arriving this weekend, the wait times for testing may fluctuate.  Thank you in advance for your patience, cooperation, and understanding as we welcome everyone to campus safely.  Please be sure to remain physically distanced from others if waiting in line for your test.  
     
    • Students who receive their first test on Saturday, August 29 will receive their second COVID-19 test at MIT Medical on Thursday, September 3.
    • Students who receive their first test on Sunday, August 30 will receive their second COVID-19 test at MIT Medical on Friday, September 4.
       
  • Getting Around Campus. On-campus shuttles will help transport students and their belongings from MIT Medical to your residence hall.  Additional details about the move-in process are outlined in the Campus Guide. 
     
  • Move-in Guest Policy. Returning students will not be permitted to bring guests into the residence halls during move-in. First-year students will be permitted to bring up to two guests with them for move-in, and guests may stay in the residence halls for a maximum of two hours. 
     
  • Please Have Your MIT ID.  As highlighted within the COVID-19 student policies, IDs will be needed to access campus buildings and students are encouraged to always have their MIT ID with them when leaving their residence.  If your ID is lost or stolen, please contact the Atlas Service Center to request a replacement as soon as possible.  
     
  • Q-Week: After you arrive to campus and receive your COVID-19 test from MIT Medical, you will be expected to self-quarantine in your room for Quarantine Week or "Q-Week" (August 29 through September 7).  Please take a moment to watch this helpful video which outlines Q-Week guidelines, and check out the Campus Guide for more information about self-quarantining.  

Preparing for Inclement Weather 

The weather forecast for Saturday, August 29 is calling for rain. For Saturday only, staff from the Division of Student Life (DSL) will have a Welcome Area inside the Wiesner Building (E15).  Signage and staff will help direct you to the appropriate building entrance.  Look for red welcome banners, and stop by to ask questions or to leave your luggage temporarily while you complete testing at nearby MIT Medical. There will be rain ponchos for anyone who would like one, but be sure to pack an umbrella just in case!

The weather may cause travel delays on Saturday; if you are running behind schedule and it looks like you will arrive after your assigned move-in time block, it’s OK! It’s important to stay mindful of your assigned arrival time, and to do your best to arrive at that time, but delays happen and the team at DSL understands. 

On Sunday, staff will be outside by the MIT Medical testing trailers to greet students as they arrive.  Remember that MIT Medical testing will be open from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday; if you arrive during those hours, stop at MIT Medical first, and if you arrive after 5:00 pm, you can go directly to your residence hall and complete testing immediately the next morning.