Lafayette College Residence Life offers a limited amount of community storage as an option for currently enrolled students. Residence hall community storage is intended for students who have a small number of items to store that they will not need immediately upon return to campus – access to drop off or pick up items is not available on-demand. By its nature, Residence Life community storage does not provide the same level of security, flexibility, individualization, temperature control, or convenience as pick up and delivery services, individual storage units, or storing items at a student’s home. Most significantly, availability cannot be guaranteed. For that reason, students should make move out and storage plans that do not rely on the availability of residence hall community storage.
Students who cannot take all their items with them when they move out of College housing – especially those who have very specific concerns about timing of storage access or more than a few items to store – may consider pick-up/delivery storage service with our storage partner, DormRoomMovers, or other self-storage facilities in the area to meet individualized needs.
General Information
The Office of Residence Life has established storage policies and procedures to manage the program for students in as secure and consistent a manner as is reasonably possible. For this reason, access to residence hall storage is granted to students only by Residence Life staff.
Students should make an informed decision about storing their items. We advise students to review the information below when deciding whether storage within the halls is the best option for you. Please note that items placed in Summer Storage spaces (excluding temporary storage provided for summer residents) will not be accessible between the end of finals week and approximately 1 week prior to the start of Fall classes. Students should not place anything into Summer Storage spaces that they may need to access during this time.
General Policies
- Students are expected to adhere to the storage policies and procedures established by the Office of Residence Life. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary sanctions, including fines.
- The Office of Residence Life makes every effort to protect the belongings of students who use these facilities. However, community storage areas are accessible to other individuals, and the security of students’ belongings cannot be guaranteed.
- Students accept a level of risk when using college storage. Lafayette College assumes no responsibility for loss, theft, or damage of property stored in its residence halls. Students should refer to their own insurance policies to determine whether their items are covered in community storage locations. It is suggested that students do not store items of significant value.
- In order to keep our residence halls safe and to maximize storage availability, the following items are prohibited in Storage closets: furniture (including futons and mattresses), carpets, flammable items, chemicals, food, bicycles, or any item prohibited in the housing contract. In the event a prohibited item is placed in storage, the College will discard it.
- Items should be packed in boxes, tubs, suitcases, or other containers that may be safely stacked.
- To maximize space, items may be moved to a different location within the closet.
- Residence Life is not responsible for making arrangements for students who are unable to put items in campus storage areas for any reason including: the closets are full (or have closed), the student is seeking access outside of scheduled hours, or the items are prohibited in storage.
- A few residence halls contain small hallway closets. These are for use during the school year only. Students are not permitted to leave or place items in these closets for summer storage. Items left in a non-approved storage area will be discarded.
- The scheduled hours for item drop-off and pick-up are limited. Students may not access storage outside of these designated hours during the hall closing/opening periods each semester. During the opening/closing periods student staff are preparing for or taking exams themselves, in training, or attending to duties related to the residence hall closing or opening process.
- Belongings left in the areas outside of storage will be discarded or donated. Although the residence halls are only fully occupied during the fall and spring semesters, most buildings are used during the summer and many are open during Interim. Even if a building is unoccupied, maintenance occurs during these periods and common areas must be free of personal items.
- Summer storage is only in larger, centrally located closets. The Office of Residence Life designates which closets are available over the summer. Items will be accepted until a closet is full or the scheduled access hours have ceased. The Office of Residence Life will determine if the capacity of a storage closet has been reached. If a closet is deemed to be full, the closet will be closed and no additional items will be accepted – even if it is prior to the end of the scheduled hours. We understand that this uncertainty may be difficult for students with later departure dates; however, we cannot predict when closets will fill up and must be sure the capacity of each closet is not exceeded for safety reasons.
- Students in early arrival groups returning in August should look at the schedule for pick-up prior to placing items in storage as there are limited pick-up times during the early arrival period. Early arrivals are expected to refrain from storing items that will be needed immediately upon arrival (linens, toiletries, athletic equipment, etc) as staff availability is limited and does not begin until late August.
Item Drop Off Procedures
1a. Semester closing: Students are to bring the items that they plan to store to the storage area of their choice during the posted hours. Drop-off hours will be scheduled at the end of the spring semester starting with the last day of classes (and may be scheduled at the end of the fall semester). Students arriving at storage areas outside of these designated hours will not be able to access the closet.
1b. During the fall or spring semester when there is no published schedule for access: To access storage during these times, students must make an individual appointment with a Resident Advisor. Students on campus for the semester should not place or keep any items in storage areas. All items need be removed by May 1 or other communicated deadlines in order to prepare the closets for Summer Storage. Items that have not been picked up by May 1 are subject to being discarded or donated to Green Move Out.
2. Students are responsible for transporting their items to the storage area and for placing their items properly inside. Items should be compactly arranged at the furthest point from the entrance. When placing their items in the storage closet, students are to fill out a storage label for each item they have stored (ex. a student stores a refrigerator and a box of clothes: the student is to fill out 1 storage label for the refrigerator and 1 label for the box of clothes and stick the corresponding label to each item). Due to the number of items that have been left unclaimed in the past and the need to empty storage areas each year for future student usage, unlabeled items will be discarded or donated to Green Move Out.
3. Once the storage labels are filled out, the student is to complete a Community Storage Agreement. Students are encouraged to read this form and all the information on this web page in advance of placing items in storage. Labels and Community Storage Agreements will be supplied by the Residence Life staff member who has opened the closet.
It is ultimately the responsibility of the individual student placing items in storage to follow these procedures. Therefore, do not leave any items in storage without completing a Storage Agreement form and appropriately labeling all items.
Item Pick Up Procedures
1a. Semester opening: Students are to arrive at the location where their items are stored during the published storage hours. Specific pick-up hours will be scheduled at the beginning of the fall semester (and may be scheduled at the beginning of the spring semester). Students arriving at the storage areas outside of these designated hours will not be able to access the closet.
1b. During the fall and spring semester: Items may also be picked-up between the first day of classes, and the end of the second week of the semester. To access storage during this period, students must make an individual appointment with a Resident Advisor. Items that have not been picked up by the end of the 2nd week, or other communicated deadlines, are subject to being discarded or donated to Green Move Out.
2. Upon arrival at the closet, students are to show the staff member a picture ID and may remove only their items from the closet. Students are responsible for transporting their items from the storage area.
3. It is the responsibility of the individual student to pick up items from storage by the deadline. Unclaimed items beyond the pick up periods will be discarded or donated.
Temporary Storage for Registered Summer Housing Students
This program is available after submitting a Summer Housing request in MyHousing.
This is for students registered for Summer Housing who will not move directly into their summer assignments or who will not be here for a scheduled housing transition. Temporary Summer Storage has the same restrictions on which items can be stored as our other storage spaces.
Summer Housing residents who need access to Temporary Summer Storage between May post commencement weekend and August move-in weekend will need to request an appointment with a Summer Housing Assistant. Storage access is available most days, times are dependent upon availability of student staff. Please submit your temporary storage request no later than one week from your departure from campus. This is to ensure there is staffing available to assist, as well as to locate adequate storage location(s) for your belongings. For Summer Temporary Storage questions, please email Ken Burns at burnsk@lafayette.edu.
Please note: No items are able to be dropped off early (before the last day of classes) and all items must be picked up by the first day of classes. Any items not picked up by September 1st will be considered abandoned and either discarded or donated.
Study Abroad Storage (Semester or Year Study Abroad)
Students planning to Study Abroad for a semester or for an entire academic year can request to use Study Abroad storage in RAMER. Students registered to study abroad will be contacted via email about available closet hours to drop off or pick up their items. Study Abroad Storage has the same restrictions on which items can be stored as our other storage spaces.
If you are returning from a semester abroad and will be on campus for 2024-2025 and have storage questions, please contact Ken Burns at burnsk@lafayette.edu.
May 2024 – Ramer Closet Sign-up Forms
Monday 6th
Wednesday 8th
Friday 10th
Saturday 11th
Sunday 12th
Monday 13th
Houses Storage
Storage programs are administered by Residence Life in McKelvy House, Grossman House, and several college-owned Greek Chapter houses.
Access to these programs is not available to the general student body, and is limited to program / chapter members who are moving into or out of the house.
Chapters may impose more limited restrictions on who may store in these spaces based on internal policies and processes for apportioning limited space. These programs also do not follow the posted pick up or drop off schedules on the website. Periods of peak demand for residents will also coincide with exam periods for the student staff members managing these spaces. Please respect their need to study as well by requesting access well in advance.
Members should consult with chapter officers about parameters for use of chapter house facilities. Space availability is not guaranteed. On-demand or short notice access is not available.
Incoming, current, or outgoing members of Grossman House and McKelvy House should email a request form to arrange an appointment for access. Space availability is not guaranteed. On-demand or short notice access is not available. Periods of peak demand for residents will also coincide with exam periods for the student staff members managing these spaces. Please respect their need to study as well by requesting access well in advance.
Space in these closets is limited, cannot be guaranteed, and is inaccessible between hall closing in May and late August, and hall closing in December and late January. Do not place items into these closets with the expectation of removing it for use during Summer Housing, the Fall Early Arrival period, or Winter Housing / Interim.
I am leaving / arriving on campus soon. Can someone open storage for me at a specific time?
Generally, no. The storage schedule linked above outlines when the main closets are open and staffed during the hall opening and closing periods. Students should plan accordingly. Residence Life staff members need to attend to several different responsibilities during these busy times of the year and cannot manage requests for individual appointment times.
We do not recommend that students store items with us that they will need in their first or last day or two on campus. Our community storage program cannot operate as an on-demand service and students failure to plan ahead may create unnecessary conflicts with the limitations of program operations.
Where can I store my (item prohibited in campus storage)?
Where can I store my couch, mattress, or my bike are common questions that we receive. Due to space limitations, these items are not permitted in our storage areas. Students could choose to pursue off-campus storage options for these purposes. Some students also find it productive to ask a friend who will be staying on campus to hold onto an item or two for them.
Can I grab my friend's items from storage for them?
Generally, no. Students collecting items need to show a photo ID of themselves and collect items with their name on the labels and inventoried on their Community Storage Agreement.
I live in ____ Hall. Am I assigned to one of the main storage closets?
Currently enrolled students who cannot take all of their items home are able to store items in designated closet areas. Based on available space and the student’s own preferences, they are welcome to use either of the general storage closets.
I'm living in ________ next year - can I put my items in temporary storage?
No. Summer Temporary Storage is set aside for the summer to assist students who need short term storage to facilitate required moves during Summer Housing. There is not enough room to accommodate the items of other users. Students who are not registered for Summer Housing are not approved to use this space and can reduce our ability to effectively and efficiently help other students. Ineligible students using this space will be documented and referred for a violation of Residence Life policies.
I'm living in ______ Hall next year - can I move my items in after finals in May and leave them there for the summer?
Due to scheduled cleaning, maintenance, summer uses of various buildings, and the security of unattended personal belongings, no, students are not able put items into their Fall assignments when leaving in May.
For students who are unable to take all of their belongings home over the summer, we administer Storage programs and provide information about off-campus storage options.
I am departing from campus after residence hall closing in May or returning to campus over the summer or winter, outside of the normal academic semester. Can I place items in storage or access my items?
The only storage closets with planned summer access (between residence hall closing in May and fall opening in late August) are Study Abroad Storage and Summer Temporary Storage. Both of these programs are limited to students who meet the program criteria, as full semester or full year study abroad students, or students who are registered for summer housing and will not be able to move directly into a summer assignment. Students who do not fit the program criteria are unable to utilize these spaces. Our other storage closets are inaccessible during these times – students should plan in advance to deposit or pick up items during the scheduled windows.
Other storage programs have no expectation of access outside of the academic semesters. All items going into or out of these spaces should be placed or removed in consultation with the posted access schedules or pre-sloted appointment processes in use. Access to these spaces is not available during the winter Interim period or during Summer Housing (mid May – mid August).