ACADEMIC BREAKS & OFF-CAMPUS TRAVEL

Academic Breaks

International students should review the 2023-2024 Academic Calendar taking particular care to note the dates of semester starts, breaks, final exams and semester end dates. In addition to firm residence hall opening dates at the beginning of the semester and close dates at the end of the semester, the halls close for Thanksgiving break in late November and Spring Break in early March.

Halls remain open for Mid-Break in mid-October and Easter Break in late March.

When residence halls are closed, students are expected to leave campus. You will be provided with closure dates and procedures in sufficient time to arrange for an off-campus stay. Many international students use this time to travel to another part of the United States or to stay with the family of a friend they have made at Westminster.

Students with extenuating circumstances or who are participating in College activities that are in session during the break may request permission to stay on campus. However, permission is not guaranteed and can be impacted by your conduct history. If you are granted permission to stay, you will be responsible for your meals because dining services do not operate when the College is closed.

If you would like to seek permission to stay on-campus while the College is closed, you must submit a Break Housing Request Form no later than 4 days (or 96 hours) prior to the first day of breaks. The form can be found on my.westminster. Submissions will be reviewed and a response indicating approval or denial will be sent to your Westminster email. There may be a daily charge applied for students during break housing, which will be highlighted in the form.

Any questions can be sent to Patrick Bussiere, director of residence life, at bussiepj@westminster.edu.

OFF-CAMPUS TRAVEL

If you travel off-campus during your enrollment at Westminster, you are required to notify the College of your travel plans. Travel itineraries for F-1 students must be provided to Dr. Schedin and J-1 students must provide their itineraries to Ms. McCoy. Any international student (F1 or J1) planning to travel abroad over break, must obtain a travel signature from Dr. Schedin. The travel signature is required for returning to the U.S.

COLLEGE TRANSPORTATION SERVICE (LIMITED)

Shuttle service is scheduled around the academic calendar. Reservations are required and must be made in advance. Confirmation and communication regarding your reservation will be sent via email from Student Affairs. Occasionally, last-minute changes may be accommodated by visiting the Student Affairs Office (McKelvey Campus Center, Suite 341).

The shuttle service is available on the following dates during the 2023-2024 year:

· Start of fall semester (August 26 and 27)

Reservations close 8-11

· Mid-break (October 13, 14, and 17)

Reservations close 9-25

· Thanksgiving (November 21, 22, and 26)

Reservations close 11-6

· End of fall semester (December 14 and 15)

Reservations close 11-29

· Start of spring semester (January 16)

Reservations close 1-3

· Spring Break (March 1, 2, and 10)

Reservations close 2-15

· Easter Break (March 27, 28, and April 1)

Reservations close 3-12

· End of spring semester (May 9 and 10)

Reservations close 4-24

For all dates, the campus shuttle schedule is the same (all times are ESTEastern Standard Time):

Departure Times: 7 am, 12 pm, and 5 pm

Return Times: 11 am, 3 pm, and 7 pm

If the shuttle schedule does not fit into your travel plans, you may want to consider other options. Here are a few to begin your search:

· Allied Coordinated Transportation Services, Inc.

· Ground Transportation List of the Pittsburgh International Airport

Note

Check with your professors about final exams before making winter break and end-of-semester plans. Also, before purchasing flight/bus/train ticket, be mindful of the recommended arrival time prior to departure to ensure you have enough time. We are not responsible for delays due to traffic and road construction. Times listed are an estimate.

· Pittsburgh International Airport: 3.5 hours for travel and security checks

· Greyhound/Amtrack: 2 hours

· MegaBus: 2 hours and 20 minutes