Temple University will close for winter break at the end of business on Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, and reopen on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. 

Please note: Graduate and professional schools (including the Kornberg School of Dentistry, the Beasley School of Law, the Lewis Katz School of Medicine, the School of Pharmacy and the School of Podiatric Medicine) may have separate policies regarding closing days. Students and employees from graduate and professional schools should refer to their school’s academic calendar for more specific scheduling information.  

Essential personnel should check with their supervisors to coordinate schedules throughout the break. 

Most university services, including shuttle services, will be suspended for winter break. Others, such as Parking Services, will operate on an abbreviated schedule.  

Student Housing 

• Residence halls have been closed for the fall semester since Saturday, Nov. 21; they will reopen for the spring semester for new students on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 10 a.m., and for returning students on Sunday, Jan. 17, at 10 a.m.  
• Spring meal plans will begin with dinner on Sunday, Jan. 17.  

Visit University Housing and Residential Life for more information.

Students living off-campus and leaving for winter break, please

• activate your security system, if you have one;
• ask a neighbor to watch your home and report suspicious activity;
• be sure your door and window locks work properly; 
• check smoke detectors to make sure they are working;
• suspend mail delivery (you can do this online);
• take your valuables with you;
• use light timers to make your home appear occupied at night; 
• leave the area and call police immediately if you return home and suspect someone was inside; and
• update or create a home inventory by taking photos and listing descriptions and serial numbers of your belongings. In the event of a burglary, having a detailed inventory can help identify stolen items and make insurance claims easier to file.

Students not leaving for winter break are encouraged to use the Walking Escort Program offered through Campus Safety Services, available daily from 4 p.m. to 6 a.m. Call 8-WALK (8-9255) from a campus phone or 215-777-9255 to request a security escort. For more information on safety resources, visit safety.temple.edu. 

Facilities

Main Campus

• The TECH Center will be closed starting Monday, Dec. 21 and will reopen Monday, Jan. 4, 2021.  
• Charles Library will have abbreviated hours Dec. 21 through Dec. 23 and will be closed for winter break.
  • Monday, Dec. 21 and Tuesday, Dec. 22:  8:30 a.m.–5 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Dec. 23:  8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. 
  • University Libraries will reopen on Monday, Jan. 4.
• Howard Gittis Student Center will be open 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 28 through Wednesday, Dec. 30, ONLY for access to the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union.

Temple University Center City (TUCC)

• TUCC will close at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 23 and reopen Monday, Jan. 4.  
• The TUCC Bookstore will close at 3 p.m. on Dec. 23 and reopen Monday, Jan. 4.  

Health Sciences Center (HSC)

• The Medical Education and Research Building (MERB) will be open and accessible via card swipe. Access to Kresge Science Hall (including Kresge West) and Medical Research building will be through MERB.
• The School of Pharmacy Building will be closed, but accessible via OWLcard swipe; entry must be reported to Campus Safety Services.
• The old dental school building will only be closed Dec. 25–26, and Jan. 1, but will be accessible via OWLcard swipe. Entry must be reported to Campus Safety Services. 
• The Kornberg School of Dentistry building (including clinical operations) will be closed for winter break. 
• Medical Office Building, Jones Hall, Ambulatory Care, Parkinson, outpatient buildings and Boyer Pavilion outpatient practices are open in accordance with the Temple Faculty Physicians hours of operation plan. 
• All other Temple domestic facilities—including those at the Ambler, Harrisburg, and School of Podiatric Medicine campuses—will be closed from the end of business Wednesday, Dec. 23, until Monday, Jan. 4, except to authorized/essential personnel.

Other Important Reminders

Winter break is a great opportunity to save energy. Before you leave for the break 

• turn off all lights and power strips, and unplug electrical equipment;
• discard any food in your refrigerator;
• if applicable, turn heat down to 60 degrees;
• be sure all windows are closed and locked when you leave; a window left open even slightly can lead to frozen and broken pipes; and
• close blinds and curtains.

Mail will not be picked up or delivered during winter break.  

• Do not leave any shipments in UPS drop-off boxes during winter break; they will not be picked up. If you are expecting a package to be delivered by an express delivery service, please let the sender know exactly where and when you will be on campus to receive the shipment due to limited facilities access and the likelihood that no one else will be present to sign for it. Do not order any items requiring refrigeration or other forms of special handling that may arrive during winter break.

Set up automatic email and phone notifications to let your colleagues and contacts know that you won’t be in the office during Temple’s winter break. For more information, see the Microsoft Exchange/Outlook or Gmail instructions.

You can also record an extended absence voice message on your standard or VoIP phone and easily remove it after your time off.

Lastly, for Temple University’s most up-to-date COVID-19 information, please visit temple.edu/coronavirus.

Have a safe and enjoyable winter break!