Salisbury University students on campus

March 17 Campus Communication

3/17/2020

Members of the Campus Community,

In accordance with actions taken today by Governor Larry Hogan and the University System of Maryland:

  1. All SU classes will continue to be taught in an online format for the remainder of spring semester
  2. In-person Spring Commencement exercises are canceled. SU is exploring alternate possibilities for celebration.
  3. The Housing and Residence Life Office has established a plan for students to retrieve their belongings from the residence halls. Please see below for more information and continue to check your email for updates.
  4. Housing and dining refunds are in progress and will be credited to students’ accounts.

I know many of you have been looking forward to returning to campus the weekend of April 4-5. Unfortunately, given the danger posed by the spread of COVID-19, we no longer are able to resume in-person instruction at that time. Classes will be taught online and remotely beginning Monday, March 23, and continuing through the remainder of the semester. Those enrolled in courses for which online instruction is difficult will be contacted by their instructors with instructions on how to proceed.

In addition, following the Governor’s guidance that all gatherings of 10 people or more should be canceled, SU’s in-person Spring Commencement exercises scheduled this May have been canceled. Graduating seniors should watch for additional communications from the University in the coming weeks regarding alternative plans for a meaningful celebration of their hard work and academic scholarship.

Many students have asked when they may be allowed to return to residence halls to pick up their belongings. Times and dates for each student will be assigned to allow us to maintain social distancing and comply with the Governor’s order. Please watch for an email from the Housing and Residence Life Office for more information in our effort to follow that guidance. Students or families who show up to campus without making prior arrangements may be prohibited from collecting their belongings. Gull Card access to residence halls has been turned off and will not be restored until further notice.

Students living in off-campus housing should check with their landlords or property management companies regarding their lease policies and procedures for removing belongings. Those moving out of these complexes are encouraged to follow a similar process, practicing social distancing, limiting any move-out activities to groups of 10 people or fewer, and coordinating those times to ensure a safe and healthy environment. Given this public health crisis, we must move forward in an orderly and organized manner.

For those residing on campus and those with meal plans, additional information regarding housing and dining refunds is forthcoming. Refunds will be credited to student accounts.

For our staff who are able to work from home or other remote locations, teleworking will continue through the remainder of the semester. We ask that you refrain from coming to the physical campus unless otherwise instructed. Those currently working on the physical campus, as well as those unable to complete their duties via telework, should contact their supervisors for additional guidance.

Other restrictions currently in place will continue through the rest of the spring semester. All events, including athletics, remain canceled, and campus buildings are not open to the public.

The past two weeks have been tremendously difficult for all of us as we try to maintain our operations and do our part to slow the spread of COVID-19. I regret having to ask you to make additional sacrifices, yet this is the best way for us to help ensure not only the safety of our students, faculty and staff, but of the surrounding community, our state and our nation.

I have never been prouder to be a member of this campus community. Students, you have been understanding and willing to adjust to continue learning. Faculty, you have proven to be ready and capable to practice new methods of teaching to maintain instruction for our students. Staff, you have been working tirelessly to support our institution and continue our operations until we get back to some level of normalcy. You all have been truly inspiring.

I believe the actions that we’ve taken as an institution and University System are in the best interest of the public good and our campus community. I appreciate your patience and flexibility as we continue to adapt to this unique situation.

Please continue to visit www.salisbury.edu/coronavirus for updates and additional information.

Charles A. Wight
President