Residential Life & Housing > Winter Break

Winter Break Resources & Policies

Policies & Reminders

The residence halls are closed for Winter Break starting at 9am on Friday, December 19, 2024, through 9am on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
Students may only access the residence halls if signed up for Break Housing and have a room assignment for both the Fall and Spring semesters. Students who take a leave of absence and/or cancel Spring housing will not be permitted to remain on campus during Winter Break.
Students involved in any disciplinary incidents and/or other violations of the Residence Hall Handbook, Student Conduct Code, and/or local/state/federal law may have their access to the residence halls revoked during the Winter Break.
Occupancy is minimal during Winter Break. As always, students should take safety and security precautions by locking room/suite doors. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with which other students may be nearby during the Break or Early Return week.
Students should carry their Barnard Student ID with them at all times. Students must swipe their ID each time they enter their residence hall.

Guest Policies

Guest sign-ins will be limited during Winter Break (9am 12/19 - 9am 1/17)

Students may sign in only 1 guest at a time.
Overnight guests will be limited to two consecutive nights.
Only guests 18 or older are permitted.
Minors are not permitted as guests until after classes start in the Spring (Tues, Jan 20).
Other students who did not sign up for break housing may not be signed in as guests to access their living spaces. Students found to have entered campus housing will be billed the entire break fee.

Dining

Barnard Dining will close for Winter Break after brunch (10:30pm - 2pm) in the Hewitt Cafeteria on Friday, December 19, 2025. Exam week dining hours & locations will be available at dineoncampus.com/barnard.

Liz’s Place will be open for purchases using Barnard Points, Millie Money, or credit/debit cards starting January 5-16, Monday-Friday, 8 am - 2pm.

Meal service will resume for the Spring 2026 semester starting in the Hewitt Cafeteria on Monday, January 19. The meal exchange with Columbia will resume on Tuesday, January 20, 2026.

Health & Wellness

Primary Care Health Services and Furman Counseling will be closed for clinical services during the break.

Local Urgent Care Options
If you require in-person care, several urgent care centers are near campus and can be found here. We recommend checking operating hours and insurance co-pay costs before visiting, as those may vary during the holiday season.

Additional Community Emergency Contacts

Columbia Health Sexual Violence Response 24/7 Helpline – 212-854-4357
Crisis Text Line -- Text HOME to 741741
Student of Color Crisis Text Line -- Text STEVE to 741741
Trevor Project Crisis Text Line (LGBTQ) -- Text START to 678678
Samaritan Helpline -- Call or Text (877) 870-4673
Trans Lifeline Peer Support Hotline -- Call (877) 565-8860

Campus Safety

Community Safety will be open during the break, with reduced staffing in alignment with reduced operations.

In the event of an emergency on campus, the phone line is (212) 854-6666.
As you navigate the area, remember safety tips - travel with others where possible, use well-lit routes, and know your options for transportation. Keep belongings on you / in sight at all times.
Campus academic buildings will be closed from December 24 - January 1, and the Main Gate will be the only entrance & exit for campus.
Requests for guests to enter campus must continue to be submitted in advance through the Workday Portal.
Columbia Evening Shuttle
If you are walking and would like a ‘phone escort’ call the CARES Line 212-854-3362 (select option 2) and a staff member will stay on the line with you until you reach your destination.

Residential Life & Housing Resources

On-duty staff will serve on call for the duration of Winter Break. On-call support will be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week between Friday, December 19, 2025 through Thursday, January 2, 2026.

To contact the Residential Life staff on Duty, students may call CARES at 212-854-3362
For an emergency, please call the CARES emergency line: 212-854-6666

The Residential Life & Housing office (110 Sulzberger) will re-open at 9am on Friday, January 2, 2026.

Lock Outs:

Quad - Students should call CARES at 212-854-6666 for assistance.
Off-Quad - Students may borrow the emergency key at the front desk of their building. Emergency keys should be returned within 15 minutes.

Mail Services

Mail Services will be available in a limited capacity throughout the Winter Break period.

Monday 12/15 – Friday 12/19 -- 9am - 4:45pm
Monday 12/22 – Tuesday 12/23 -- 9am - 3:45pm
Wednesday 12/24 – Thursday 12/25 -- Closed for Holiday
Friday 12/26 -- 9am – 1:30pm
Monday 12/29 – Tuesday 12/30 -- 9am – 1:30pm
Wednesday 12/ 31 – Thursday 1/1 -- Closed for Holiday
Friday 1/2 -- 9am - 3:45pm
Monday 1/5 – Friday 1/9 -- 9am - 4:45pm
Monday 1/12 – Friday 1/16 -- 9am - 4:45pm
Monday 1/19 -- Closed for Holiday
Tuesday 1/20 -- Normal Hours Resume (Monday – Friday, 9am – 4:45pm)