Students will return to campus for Fall 2020 semester

In a campus-wide email today, June 15, 2020, President Nowaczyk announced that students will return to campus for the Fall 2020 semester.

“I know this has been a difficult few months for many of you as students simultaneously navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing with your studies. I want to thank all of you for your efforts and patience during this challenge unlike any we have ever faced. But know that we are also employing solutions that have not been considered before,” the email opens.

“While circumstances will continue to change, we need to start moving forward with our plans for fall 2020.” Attached in the email was a video link where President Nowaczyk introduced FSU’s plans for the Fall 2020 semester.

The video as well as the email give a clearer sketch as to what life on campus will be like in the coming months. First and foremost, classes will begin on Monday, August, 17, two weeks prior to the original start date of August 31. Residential students will return to campus in the days prior to August 17 and will move into residence halls by appointment. Classes and finals will be completed by Tuesday, November 24, two days before the Thanksgiving holiday. Residential students will be required to leave campus by Wednesday, November 25. Students will not return to campus until the spring semester, which, according to the video, has yet to be determined.

Because of the drastic change in the Fall 2020 semester, a new academic calendar has been posted, as well as a page where announcements and developments for Fall 2020 will be posted.

Classes will be offered in a few different formats, including in-person, online, and blended classes. According to the email, “the number of students in each class will be adjusted, and classrooms will be reconfigured to provide distancing and other safeguards.” For first year students, the semester can be split into two 7-week “mini-mesters” to help with the college transition, where they would be able to take two classes for the first 7 weeks and another two for the second 7 weeks. As decisions and information continue to develop, the campus will notified of how classes will operate in the fall.

In keeping with health and safety procedures, the university will increase the sanitation of all buildings and common areas, in addition to increased availability to hand sanitizers. Face coverings will be “expected to be worn when other people are present.” FSU will provide health screening procedures for students, faculty, staff, and visitors that comply with both the CDC and Maryland Department of Health guidelines. Furthermore, Brady Health will work in conjunction with the Allegany County Health Department to “ensure any cases and contact tracing are handled according to guidelines.”

All residential students will live in single rooms only for the fall, to account for residence hall density and the number of students utilizing residence hall common areas (i.e. bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, etc.). CARES Act funding will be provided to students in need of financial support to offset the cost of single rooms. FSU has offered CARES Act funding for students since it was received, but many students have reported on social media that they have either not heard back regarding funding or have received significantly less than what they were hoping to receive. Some have questioned whether FSU has withheld CARES Act funding to students currently in order to be able to offset the cost of single rooms for students in the fall.

According to the video, FSU plans to play and compete in inter-collegiate sports with other schools. Detailed plans are being sorted out with the NCAA and the Mountain East Conference, and will be announced in the coming weeks.

Students should not expect an increase or change in tuition and fees for the coming year. The University System of Maryland Board of Regents will be voting on the cost of tuition, fees, and meal plans. Per President Nowaczyk’s video, FSU does not anticipate a change in pricing from the 2019-2020 academic year to 2020-2021.

Due to the continued uncertainty of the very abnormal semester ahead, President Nowaczyk has scheduled a Teams Town Hall for students, their families, and other interested individuals on Wednesday, June 17, at 5:30 PM. In the meantime, students and FSU community members are encouraged to send in their questions to president@frostburg.edu by noon on Tuesday, June 16th.

Since the email went out this morning, students have raised concerns, most notably about a two-month notice on drastic changes to the beginning of the semester. Students, especially those not in the immediate FSU area who can hold jobs year-round, rely on summer jobs and internships to make money, and have expressed concern on losing two entire weeks of employment to account for the early start to the semester. According to Frostburg SGA’s Twitter, the Student Government Association was not consulted about the early start to the semester.

Questions have arisen about the administration’s transparency, as well as their inclusion of a student voice, as they have made these important decisions. Others have questioned whether the university will accommodate for those students who either cannot return to campus two weeks earlier than previously scheduled, or do not want to risk their safety and return to campus for the semester.

This is a developing story.