Prepping your Room 

Before you depart, please review the Safety and Maintenance flyer for info on securing your room. The Safety and Maintenance flyer also includes information on preparing your room for Housing's safety and maintenance checks. Safety and maintenance checks typically start during finals week and into break. Check with your RA or CA for when checks will start in your community.  

If you currently have a vacancy in your room/apartment, ensure that the space is ready to welcome a new roommate should one be assigned to your room or apartment during the break. 

What to Expect During a Room Check 

Health and safety checks are intended to cause the least amount of inconvenience to students, while proactively addressing safety concerns. Staff will announce their presence by knocking loudly prior to entering a room or apartment. 

If you are aware of anything that needs to be fixed, please submit a work order before you depart for break. 

Staff will check the following items:

• Doors: Room numbers are intact and clearly visible
• Electrical Outlets: Not overloaded with excessive cords. Surge protectors are permitted but must be plugged directly into the wall and not into one another.
• Screens: Present, secure, and in good repair (no holes) 
• Windows: Closed and locked (locking pin in place if present)
• Food/Trash: No open food and all trash removed from room
• Heaters: Turned off and no visible leaking
• Fire Safety Concerns: Candles, tampered smoke detectors, items hanging from the ceiling, unapproved lighting, mopeds in room, flammable items, etc.
• Lights: All lights turned off
• Cerro Vista Apartments and Poly Canyon Village: (In addition to the checks above)
  • Kitchens & Bathroom: Verify that all water is turned off (no dripping faucets or running toilets)
  • Kitchen: Verify that ovens and stovetops are turned off

Staff will not open closets, refrigerators, or other private property areas 

If any changes are needed, staff will leave a "fix-it-ticket" that describes the change needed. Failure to fix issues may result in a referral to OSRR. Staff will follow up on fix-it tickets.

If any violations of University Housing policies are observed, they will be documented for appropriate follow-up. 

Fall Break

All residential buildings will remain open during Fall Break, Nov. 24-30. The Aliso desk in Poly Canyon Village is the only desk open during break: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily, with the exception of its closure on Thursday, Nov. 27. All other front desks close for Fall Break at 8 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 22 and reopen at 8 a.m., Monday, Dec. 1.  

If you are staying during the break and need a service when the front desk is closed, reach out to the RA on-call — you can find the on-call number at the front door of each building. Housing Admin. is also available to assist by phone 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Wednesday, closed on weekends and Nov. 27-28. 

Winter Break 

All residential buildings close for Winter Break at 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13 and remain closed through noon, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026.  All front desks close for Winter Break at 5 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 13 and reopen at 10 a.m., Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026.  

Winter Break is not included in residents’ housing contracts and the cost is not included in their housing fees. Residents who would like to stay for break pay a flat fee of $1,155. The Winter Break Interest List opens at 9 a.m., Wednesday, Oct. 15. Residents on the interest list will receive an email when the application opens at 9 a.m., Thursday, Nov. 13. Once the application is complete, no refunds or cancellations will be made for Winter Break. During Winter Break, residents who do not secure housing for the break will not have access to Housing. Residents who live in apartments and have a completed Winter Break application will remain in their space; residents (including RAs) who live in residence halls and have a completed Winter Break application will temporarily move into Cerro Vista Apartments. 

The RA on-call is available for residents who need a service when the front desks are closed. Housing Admin (Bldg. 31) is also available to assist you from 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Bldg. 31 will be closed Monday, Dec. 22-Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. Phone support will be available 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Dec. 22-24 at 805-756-1226. 

Campus residents who are not staying for Winter Break should reach out to Housing Admin. at 805-756-1226 or email housing@calpoly.edu for support. 

North Mountain residents: Before departing for Winter Break, you will return your keys to Express Key Drops in Building 31 or Trinity Hall before departing and pick up at the Trinity Front Desk on your return, starting at noon, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026. 

Spring Break  

All residential buildings will remain open during Spring Break March 24-29. The Aliso desk in Poly Canyon Village is the only desk open during break: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. daily. All other front desks close for Spring Break at 5 p.m., Friday, March 20 and reopen at 10 a.m., Sunday, March 29. 

If you are staying during the break and need a service when the front desk is closed, reach out to the RA on-call — you can find the on-call number at the front door of each building. Housing Admin. (Bldg. 31) is also available to assist you 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday-Friday.