Housing & Dining for Remainder of Spring Semester (student email) — March 19, 2020 - The University of Tulsa
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Housing & Dining for Remainder of Spring Semester (student email) — March 19, 2020

Dear TU students,

I write to follow up on Interim President Janet Levit’s email about the steps we are taking at TU to protect the community from COVID-19. Campus Services is operating under new safety guidelines that will affect housing and dining options for our student body for the remainder of the spring semester. Our overriding priority during this crisis is the health and safety of our students. We ask you to pleaseread this message carefully and adhere to the guidelines outlined in this letter.

In an effort to comply with current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and public health directives to lower the population in community spaces, access to campus residences will be severely restricted beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, March 20, 2020. All students who are able should reside at their permanent homes for the rest of the spring semester.

Limiting the on-campus population decreases the health risks to you, your friends and the larger TU community and helps to “flatten the curve” of transmission. Exceptions to this policy will be very limited and made on a case-by-case basis. (Please see the REMAINING ON CAMPUS section below.)
LEAVING CAMPUS

We realize this announcement comes with a very short timeline and many logistical questions. Here is what we suggest right now:

  1. Take any items you may need, including valuables, and try to pack in ways that allow you to leave campus on your own rather than requiring family members or friends to assist you.
  2. You may store all other possessions in place until the end of the semester. Your residence hall room or apartment will remain locked, and campus security will remain active. Please visit our FAQs page on key return procedures.

We are outlining options for you to collect your remaining belongings after social distancing restrictions have been lifted and will share those with you in a future communication.
REMAINING ON CAMPUS

You are permitted to continue living on campus until the semester ends only if you meet one or more of these criteria and are granted permission to stay:

  1.  The student’s permanent residence is outside of the United States and they are unable to travel to their home country.
  2. The student has personal circumstances preventing them from returning home, some examples include:
    1. The student is a certified independent student.
    2. The student is part of the foster care system.
    3. The student/student’s family does not have a permanent address.
    4. The student’s home community is quarantined.
    5. Returning to home represents a health/safety threat to the student or those at home.
    6. Returning home will prevent the student from accessing their courses remotely because of insufficient technological capabilities.

If you meet one or more of these criteria, you must register here and be granted a waiver to stay on campus. Without formal approval to remain on campus, your electronic access to campus facilities and services will be deactivated at 5 p.mFriday, March 20. This may sound extreme, but these steps are necessary to ensure we know who remains on campus and what support systems are required for them. We will do everything we can to accommodate your needs while safeguarding our campus community. Campus Security and Residence Life staff will be going door-to-door and entering residences after March 20 to ensure that students living on campus meet the above criteria.

REIMBURSEMENT FOR HOUSING AND DINING CHARGES
We will have more information available about Housing & Dining refunds by April 6.

MAIL SERVICES 
Please have mail forwarded via U.S. Postal Service by clicking here.

LAB ITEMS, LIBRARY MATERIALS, AND MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
Please contact Campus Security at 918-631-5555 to assist with those arrangements.
QUESTIONS?
First, visit our Frequently Asked Questions on the TU website. It is being updated regularly. If you cannot find the answer there, please email covid19@utulsa.edu or call 918-631-2000 and someone will help you.

Thank you for your understanding and patience during this challenging time. We know this situation is not easy and many of you may be touched personally by this outbreak. We are working to keep our campus safe and our students, faculty and staff healthy and ready to finish the semester strong.

Sincerely,

Dr. Melissa France

Associate Vice President for Campus Services