Answering all your Fall 2020 questions

Will all of my classes be in-person?

That depends. According to NKU, there will be a variety of classes held fully in-person, fully online, hybrid (online and in-person) and online courses with scheduled meeting times.

How will I know what type of class I’ll be in?

On July 1, the university’s registration system (myNKU) will be updated to show how the courses will be offered.

The following four categories will be used as the basis:

• in-person (delivered face-to-face via regular meetings at a specific site and time)
• online (delivered fully online, with no scheduled class meetings)
• hybrid (delivered both online and in-person, with scheduled in-person meetings at a specific site and time)
• online synchronous (delivered fully online, but with scheduled virtual online class meetings)

What if I want to change a class I’m in if I don’t like the method of delivery?

Rest assured, you’re always able to drop and change your classes on myNKU. Be sure you check with your advisor first to avoid any conflicts.

What about tuition? 

Tuition for the 2020-21 academic year will remain the same as last year. In addition, NKU is waiving the typical fees for taking online courses due to the course offering changes because of COVID-19.

When are classes starting?

August 17, 2020.

I’m a first-year student? What about convocation?

Fall convocations and new student convocation will be held virtually at dates and times to be announced.

What are we doing for breaks? How will classes work?

In-person and hybrid classes will move to fully online/remote delivery after Thanksgiving break, including final exam week. In-person instruction will not take place after Thanksgiving break, although buildings and offices will remain open.

According to NKU:

“Students will complete the last week of the semester and final exam week online/remotely. This precaution is being taken to avoid a potential spike in COVID-19 infection rates after students, faculty, and staff return from the travel often associated with school breaks. Fall Break will take place in October as planned. Information about fall commencement will be forthcoming. The timeline with the phases of reopening and the Fall 2020 academic calendar provide summaries of all these important dates.”

How is NKU going to keep us safe when everyone returns?

NKU has created “Norse Nine” which has principles needed for campus safety in the fall.

Will I have to wear a face mask?

Yes.

NKU students, faculty, staff and visitors are required to wear facial coverings and observe social distancing criteria on campus for as long as CDC and Kentucky health guidelines advise. For additional information, including qualifications for limited accommodations, please see NKU’s facial coverings FAQ webpage.

What other precautions is NKU taking? 

NKU will follow enhanced cleaning guidelines, rearrange furniture to promote social distancing, use an app to screen people for COVID-19 symptoms and more. For the full list, click here.

Will the campus rec reopen?

Yes, campus recreation will reopen August 3. Safety and health precautions will be in place.

According to NKU:

“To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, Campus Recreation will follow guidelines based on recommendations from the CDC, Kentucky’s “Healthy at Work” standards, and national collegiate campus recreational facility guidelines. As health and safety are primary driving factors for the reopening of the facility, Campus Recreation is developing a robust operational plan that will highlight hours of operations, equipment sanitization strategies, and general information regarding socially distant fitness activities, online services, and intramural programs. The operational plan will also provide guidance and direction for locker room usage, bathrooms and showers, offline areas for academic space, and aquatic and pool guidelines. More information will be provided on the Campus Recreation website as it becomes available.”

What about campus housing?

Campus housing will be available in the fall with restrictions. According to NKU, a limited residency model will be used based on CDC recommendations and nation University Housing and Residence Life guidelines.

All residential buildings in Boothe and East Resistantial Village will open at reduced occupancy. Some areas will be reserved for quarantine purposes.

University Housing will prioritize room assignments for nonlocal students, students with extenuating life circumstances and first-year students required to live on campus as outlined in the First Year Student Residency Requirement.

According to NKU:

“Students will be notified as soon as possible of any changes in housing assignments, and University Housing will strive to accommodate student housing needs and assist in finding alternative housing arrangements in the local area if needed. The fall semester move-in process will take place over a series of days to accommodate physical distancing. More information will be provided on the University Housing website as it becomes available.”

What if I’m in a student organization? How will those work?

All academic, administrative and student organizations/units should conduct meetings, events and activities online until further notice.

According to NKU:

“With approval, in-person meetings (particularly those for first year students), events, or activities with limited numbers of attendees may become possible as CDC and Kentucky health guidelines and space availability permit. Understandably, people want to resume in-person gatherings. However, it is critical to maintain social distancing. Additionally, campus meeting rooms and gathering spaces such as the ballrooms in the Student Union (SU) and the University Center (UC) will be repurposed and prioritized for socially distanced academic use, making the scheduling of in-person meetings, events, or activities all the more difficult. Guidelines for scheduling on-campus events that include external participants have been established.”

For the full list of new changes and guidelines, visit here. Have any more questions? Send me an email at hamrenn1@nku.edu.