Dear Lafayette Leopards,
I wish you much ease and success as you engage with the remainder of the fall 2024 semester and prepare for your final exams. As you conclude the fall semester, I share the following as valuable information, especially for our students remaining on campus during the break period.
All residence halls will close, and the college meal plan will end on December 17, 2024, at 5 p.m.
Students are expected to depart campus within twenty-four (24) hours of their last exam or by 5 p.m. on December 17, 2024 (whichever comes first), as access will deactivate at that time. Students remaining on campus any later than December 17, 2024, must apply for Winter Housing if living in college-owned or operated housing.
If you missed the deadline to register, please email reslife@lafayette.edu immediately.
The college will close for Winter Recess on December 23, 2024, and reopen on January 2, 2025. Only essential/emergency services will be available during this time. If there is an emergency, please contact Public Safety at 610-330-4444.
Following Winter Recess, students may return to their residence halls/campus room assignment beginning Saturday, January 25, 2025. Only students with special permission as pre-approved team/group members may arrive before January 25, 2025. Remember to bring your keys before returning to campus.
For students moving into a new residential assignment for spring 2025, please look out for an email from Residence Life in January with information on where, when, and how to acquire the key to your new assignment.
The Counseling Center will be open 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. (closed 12-1 p.m.) during winter break weekdays, during which the College is open until spring semester classes begin.
Should you need mental health support when the Counseling Center is closed, students can speak with a crisis counselor by dialing the main number (610) 330-5005. In the case of a life-threatening emergency, please call Public Safety at (610) 330-4444.
Additional crisis resources are also available. Togetherall is an online, peer-to-peer mental health community where you can receive and provide support anonymously. It is available 24/7, 365 days a year.
For end of semester and winter break dining location hours, please visit the Dining website. Simon’s Market, however, will remain open throughout this time, accessible 24/7, and restocked with meals regularly. Off-campus locations that accept Pard Dollars remain options as well.
Starting with dinner on January 6, 2025, and concluding with lunch on January 25, 2025, meals will be available in Upper Farinon (including weekends). Students on campus may dine in this location for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Pard Dollars will be the only acceptable form of payment; meal plans will not be active during this time. Students with meal restrictions/allergies should contact dining ahead of time at dining@lafayette.edu.
Hours and costs will be as follows:
Should an emergency arise for which you need immediate assistance, the College has an Emergency Fund available to help if the need meets the outlined parameters.
Bailey Health Center:
Bailey Health Center will transition from regular hours on the last day of finals to a 9 a.m.-4 p.m. schedule with a lunch break until December 22, 2024. It will then be closed until January 2, 2025, when the College reopens. During January, hours are 9 a.m.-4 p.m. until classes start.
Local Urgent Care/Non-Bailey:
Should non-emergency medical needs arise, the local bus service, LANTA, has several routes that could provide transit to local urgent care facilities or hospitals. The list below includes those facilities and the corresponding LANTA Route/bus you would want to take that you may compare with the LANTA schedule.
St. Luke’s Care Now, 2003 Sullivan Trail, Easton, PA – Route 214
Easton Hospital Wellness Center, 1800 Sullivan Trail, Easton, PA – Route 214
Advance Physical Therapy PC, 318 Town Center Blvd. Easton, PA – Route 214
St. Luke’s Hospital, 250 21st St, Easton, PA – Route 214 to EBT, then Blue Line or Route 106
LVHN Express Care, 3701 Corriere Road, Easton, PA – Route 214 to EBT, then Route 106
Patient First Primary & Urgent Care, 2450 Butler St, Easton, PA – Route 214 to EBT, then Route 106
St. Luke’s Hospital Anderson Campus, 1872 St. Luke’s Blvd, Easton, PA – Route 214 to EBT, then Route 220
LVHN Express Care, 2101 Emrick Blvd. Bethlehem, PA – Route 214 to EBT, then Route 220
NorthStar Urgent Care, 430 Nazareth Pike Nazareth, PA – Route 214 to EBT, then Blue Line to Route 327
St. Luke’s North Medical Center, 153 Brodhead Rd Bethlehem, PA – Route 214 to EBT, then to Blue Line to Route 327
During the break, operating hours for recreational facilities and services such as the Fitness Center will be amended. Please see the Recreation Services page for hours.
Skillman & Kirby Library’s operating hours will be amended during the break. Please see the Library’s website for the amended hours
Students looking for a local religious community to worship with during break can consult the Office of Religious & Spiritual Life’s website for information.
The Pard Pantry, located in the Leopard’s Lair of lower-level Farinon College Center, will be open on Mondays and Thursdays over break beginning on December 12, 2024, between 12 pm and 2 pm for students needing food or hygiene products. Students with significant and unexpected food or other emergency needs should also consider submitting a request to the student emergency fund.
Between December 23, 2024, and January 2, 2025, Farinon College Center will be closed, though the Pard Pantry will remain available during the days/times noted above (except it will be closed on December 26). Students should arrive at the rear entrance to Farinon College Center for assistance in gaining access to the building and space.
If you are leaving a car on campus during the winter break, it must be registered with Public Safety (even if you have a permit). Contact Jenn Borgo at Borgoj@lafayette.edu. All requests must be via email. Due to the possibility of snow over winter break, all vehicles staying on campus must be moved to the Leopard Deck (do not use the lot adjoining the deck or the top level) for the following dates: 12/17/2024 – 1/24/2025.
If you do not have a parking pass for the spring semester, do not bring a car to campus. At this time, all parking is fully assigned, and the waitlist must be filled before accepting any other parking requests. The City of Easton Parking Garage has parking available downtown. You may use the link below to purchase a parking pass if you need a car near campus. https://www.easton-pa.com/242/Parking-Garages
A partnership between the College and the Lehigh and Northampton Transit Authority (LANTA) provides transportation at no cost to current students, faculty, and staff. LANTA Bus service operates 363 days a year and provides reliable and consistent access to the Easton Bus Terminal, with stops along Cattell Street on College Hill as well as the Giant Plaza and Weis Market in Forks Township using Route Number 214. In addition to these routes, members of the Lafayette community may board any LANTA Bus, making the entire Lehigh Valley accessible.
I wish you much success in the remainder of your semester and your finals.
Respectfully,
Dean Snipes