Sac State to consolidate dorm residents amid COVID-19 outbreak

Room assignments into singles begin Monday

The+early+move-outs+prompted+by+the+coronavirus+leave+the+Riverview+Hall+plaza+empty+aside+from+two+people+pushing+a+wheeled+moving+cart+on+March+18%2C+2020.+President+Nelsen+said+10%25+of+residence+hall+students+per+week+will+undergo+random+COVID-19+surveillance+tests+in+his+spring+address+Thursday%2C+and+Vice+President+of+Student+Affairs+Ed+Mills+said+it+will+be+voluntary.

Magaly Munoz

The early move-outs prompted by the coronavirus leave the Riverview Hall plaza empty aside from two people pushing a wheeled moving cart on March 18, 2020. President Nelsen said 10% of residence hall students per week will undergo random COVID-19 surveillance tests in his spring address Thursday, and Vice President of Student Affairs Ed Mills said it will be voluntary.

Chris Wong, deputy news editor

Sacramento State will consolidate on-campus housing residents into American River Courtyard and Riverview Hall next week due to the spread of COVID-19, according to a University Housing Services email sent to dorm residents.

Residents will begin to receive their new housing assignments into single-occupancy dorm rooms beginning Monday as space becomes available and custodial staff are able to clean the rooms, the email said.

The deadline to move is the end of spring break, April 7. Assistance for moving large or heavy items will be available Monday and Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Residents will not be charged for moving to American River Courtyard and Riverview Hall, according to the email. Current American River Courtyard and Riverview Hall residents will not be moved or consolidated, UHS said.

Rooms in these buildings charge higher rent than the other halls according to UHS’ rates for this academic year.

The email said that the first-year buildings—Sierra, Sutter, Draper, Jenkins and Desmond halls—will each have between 15 and 30 residents in them after residents leave over the next 10 days. Typical occupancy is 200 or more residents each.

Michael Speros, executive director of Housing and Residential Life at Sac State, previously said in an email that University Housing Services will consider consolidation if the population of a residence hall is at 50% or less.

Speros said consolidation would be considered to improve living environments for students remaining in the residence halls, as well as to ease challenges of providing services to residents that are scattered.

The UHS email said some first-year buildings may remain open depending on space availability. Speros previously said consolidating students to different floors within the same building will be considered.

“For example—if there are five to ten students living alone on a top floor, it might make more sense to consolidate them to a lower floor,” Speros said in an email.

Residents are encouraged to move out and will have their $250 cancellation fee waived, according to the FAQ on the student affairs website. 

RELATED: MAP: What’s still open on campus at Sac State?

Students in the dorms are no longer allowed to have guests and cannot use their keys to enter other residence halls. 

State Hornet staff living in the residence halls verified the lounges and computer labs are still open. If they close, Speros said IRT has acquired a significant number of laptops for students who need them.

The Courtyard Market and Servery are currently open. The FAQ states the Servery at the Dining Commons may reduce hours or close if the number of dorm residents declines significantly.

The FAQ also says that students will be charged based on their official checkout date online on Hornet Housing plus an additional 10 days. Usually, residents who leave early must give a 30-day advanced notice.

Additional reporting by Alexis Perales. This is a developing story and will be updated when more information is gathered.

UPDATE: March 27, 2020

This story was updated to reflect new information sent by University Housing Services to residents.

UPDATE: March 23, 2020

This story was updated to reflect additional comment from Executive Director of Housing and Residential Life Michael Speros and to correct an error from the FAQ on the student affairs website. The computer labs and study lounges are still open and were not closed Monday.