Important residence hall and dining updates 2021-22

Dear students,

Yesterday you received an email from the President and Provost outlining their cautiously optimistic vision that we will resume extensive in-person teaching, residential housing and on-campus activities and events for the 2021-22 academic year. This email provides more detailed information about what to expect related to residence halls and campus dining next year.

Residence Halls

We understand that much goes into the decision to live on campus. We have amended our room selection timeline to align with yesterday’s announcement that fall classes are expected to be offered fully in-person except where they have traditionally been offered online. Also, as a reminder, we have temporarily suspended the freshman and sophomore residency requirement for the 2021-22 year.  

We are preparing for more students to live on campus while we continue to adhere to federal and state COVID-19-related guidelines. We are confident that we can accommodate students who wish to live on campus while still reserving space for quarantine and isolation for resident students who test positive for COVID-19, experience symptoms, and/or are identified as close contacts with someone who tests positive. 

Because of increased demand for housing, we will utilize all of our bed spaces as designed. While singles will still be available, they will be offered in limited quantity and at the standard double single rate.

We will continue to implement COVID-19 protocols in the residence halls including enhanced cleaning and sanitization, social distancing and mask wearing. Resident students will also be required to be tested in advance of their arrival for the fall semester, follow state-mandated travel advisories at the time, and participate in our weekly mandatory surveillance testing program throughout the academic year. We are working hard to allow students to utilize common areas within the residence halls, provide more in-person in-hall programming, and update our guest policies to allow for a more robust on campus residence hall experience.

We are all looking forward to a greater sense of ‘normalcy’ on campus.  We hope you’ll consider living on campus this fall to fully benefit from all that campus has to offer.

Room selection process and timeline

Planning to live on campus? To secure your place in the room selection process, you must first pay your $200 housing deposit (priority deadline Tuesday, March 30) and begin your housing application. While housing deposits and applications will continue to be accepted after March 30th, lottery numbers and housing options may be impacted. All students wishing to participate in room selection must have started a housing application by April 5th. More detailed instructions about the housing selection process are available on the Residence Life webpage. Please review the housing cancellation policy as you consider housing plans for next year.  Residence Life will work on a condensed room selection timeline with a goal of placing all returning students by the last day of classes on April 30. Room selection for incoming students will occur in June.

Returning student room selection timeline

• March 15 - Housing application opens

• March 30 - Housing deposit deadline

• April 5-6 - Greek room selection

• April 5 - Housing application deadline

• April 8 - Individual lottery numbers emailed

• April 9-14 - Group formation

• April 16 - Gender inclusive housing selection

• April 20-21 Apartment & suite selection

• April 23 - Single room selection

• April 27-29 - Standard double room selection

We know you’re so excited to move onto or return to campus that you’re already anticipating move-in. The fall semester will begin as planned on September 8, 2021. We will provide additional details about move in, including dates and instructions, in early summer.

If you have any questions about living on campus and the room selection process, please contact Residence Life at 609-896-5102 or [email protected].
 

Campus Dining

Dining Services remains committed to providing students and employees a quality dining experience. We will continue the safe practices we instituted this year in response to the pandemic including temperatures checks, increased cleaning and disinfecting and social distancing and reduced dining room occupancy as required. While cash will continue to be accepted at Starbucks, The Market and Sweigart’s Café, we encourage use of GrubHub wherever possible. 

Additionally, you can expect the following next fall:

Daly Dining Hall

• Take-out will be available throughout the week and weekends through GrubHub.

• Dine-in will be available for all-you-care-to-eat dining via reservations made through GrubHub and walk-in as long as max capacity has not been reached.

• We will offer special days, nutritional events and take-home kits you can make in your residence hall.

• We are optimistic that the Teaching Kitchen will open this fall.

 Retail dining

• We will open Sweigart’s Café and extend operating hours at most retail locations.

• Contactless delivery to your residence hall from Cranberry’s venues including Piccola Italia, Sonos, Wendy’s, The Pub and Sushi will continue through GrubHub.

• The Pub will offer its full menu along with beer and wine service on specific days and for special events.

• We will offer pop-up events and limited offerings throughout the year.

Quarantine and isolation dining

• We will continue to provide daily meal service to students in quarantine and isolation via GrubHub. 

• We will continue to maintain robust pantries stocked with breakfast items, beverages, plasticware, snacks, soups and condiments.

Because we know students have different meal plan needs, we offer multiple meal plans and flexible dining dollar options. To learn more, check out our meal plan options (rates not yet finalized for 2021-2022). Purchase $100 or more in Bronc Bucks and receive a 10% bonus.

For the upcoming 2021 - 2022 academic year, students living in sorority houses will be required to have a Rider University meal plan. The shift from house kitchens to meals provided through university dining will assure appropriate adherence to COVID-19 health mandates including meal preparation, meal pick up, kitchen sanitization and social distancing.

For any questions or concerns, please email [email protected]. 

We are all looking forward to a vibrant fall semester on campus, and hope you’ll contribute to that by living and dining with us.

Sincerely,

COVID-19 implementation team