Although several weeks remain before Thanksgiving, when most students will return to their permanent residences to finish the semester remotely, it’s never too early to start planning. Have you discussed preparations for when and how your student will return home?
Please note that the university is in the process of developing and communicating our plan to have your student's COVID test before leaving campus.
Keep in mind that Thanksgiving break will begin on Saturday, November 21 and continue until Sunday, November 29. When classes resume on Monday, November 30, they will be remote for the rest of the semester. Your student can opt to stay on campus, or they may choose to return their permanent residence to complete their studies there.
If your student currently lives in a residence hall or apartment with University Housing, make sure you and your student know if they have a Standard Contract or an Extended Contract.
The Standard Contract ends on Friday, November 20, 2020, which means students should plan to depart their residence by this time. Students can leave their belongings in their room. If your student's travel plans do not permit departure until November 21/22, they can request an extension by going to assignments.housing.umich.edu by October 31 to request the additional time.
If your student chose the Extended Contract, this contract ends Friday, December 18, 2020.
For questions about contracts, please refer to the Housing FAQ page here or contact [email protected].
Transportation
Your student may need to arrange transportation to the airport. Normally, the CSG AirBus, the Michigan Flyer, and AirRide would all be in operation to help shuttle students from campus to the Detroit Metropolitan Airport and other transport hubs. Due to safety considerations and lack of demand, the Michigan Flyer and AirRide are not currently operating during 2020.
Central Student Government will be offering AirBus for trips to the Detroit Airport the week of November 16. Space will be limited, and new policies will be in place to promote safety for riders and AirBus employees. As the schedule is being finalized, please visit www.csgairbus.com regularly for more information regarding new ridership policies and to make a reservation.
You can stay informed by bookmarking the CSG AirBus website and by making sure you check our regular email updates.
Other options include rental cars, taxis, and ridesharing services. As with move-in, your student should be prepared with face coverings and be careful to wash or sanitize their hands frequently and minimize close contact with others.
Not returning?
If your student will not be returning for the winter semester, moving out includes packing and shipping items for your student. If you live outside Michigan, you may wish to look into pack and ship options and make a reservation now, as well as check state government websites to see if quarantining prior to or after traveling out of state will be required from your current place of residence. Be aware that as the severity of the pandemic ebbs and flows in different regions, these state stipulations may change.
Regardless of state requirements, practicing safety measures like quarantining before and after any travel is vital to helping keep yourself, your student, and your loved ones safe.