Residents on the USF Tampa and St. Petersburg campuses must move out of their dorms by noon on April 6. To apply for an exception, complete this online form by 9 a.m. on March 30.
Devin Rodriguez | The Crow’s Nest
By Dylan Hart
Students at USF St. Petersburg and USF Tampa were ordered to leave residential housing today in a new advisory from the university regarding COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
The news comes less than a week after university officials said campus residents could stay.
Residents on both campuses must leave their dorms by noon on April 6, unless they apply for an exception and qualify for one of the five categories specified by the university.
The categories for exception include:
- International students unable to travel or concerned about not being able to return to USF St. Petersburg when in-person classes resume.
- Residents without permanent housing or who are unable to return home.
- Residents whose guardians are considered higher risk (compromised immunity, pre-existing conditions, positive COVID-19 test or self-isolating).
- Residents who will not have online access if returning home.
- Residents with other hardships to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Students on the St. Petersburg campus who wish to apply for a housing exception can do so at this link.
The deadline for exception requests is 9 a.m. on March 30. USF ID card access will be disabled on April 6 for all students who are not approved to remain on campus.
The university is also offering departing students partial refunds for the rest of the semester –– to be credited starting from March 23 –– and will end all residents’ current housing agreements. The refund, which will be in the amount of 46 days, will appear in students’ Oasis accounts by April 10.
Residents who are allowed to stay may be relocated to another building or area of campus later in the semester, but “their current housing rate will remain the same.”
For students who are not physically residing on campus, the university said that they are not allowed to return to campus until they receive “an approved move-out date and time,” which is expected to be some time between April 8 and May 8.
Students who have already moved off campus with all of their belongings do not need to return and are instructed to mail their keys to 500 2nd St. S. The university also directed students who have yet to move out and are sick or cannot return to campus to email housing@usfsp.edu.
Residents who plan to leave campus must move out during a scheduled time. The sign-up form will be available on the housing portal at 10 a.m. on March 30.
The advisory also said that more information regarding meal plans will be available early next week.
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