Photo by Jacob Walton The University of Indianapolis’ Krannert Memorial Library is seen in this 2018 file photo.
This fall, the University of Indianapolis will be having many courses, student clubs and organizations and events that will take place on-campus in-person, University President Robert Manuel announced in an email to students on June 30. The adjusted fall semester is scheduled to begin on August 24.
750 courses are planned to meet in person as of now
There are currently 750 courses that are planned to meet in-person, with more being scheduled in July, according to Manuel’s email. This will allow UIndy to offer flexibility in students’ class schedules.
All students will have classes that meet remotely, but they will also have the ability to work with their advisors to schedule courses so that they meet in-person as well. If any students would like to make changes to their schedules, they can contact their advisor through Handshake or email advising@uindy.edu.
UIndy will offer an option for a completely remote fall semester for any students that feel uncomfortable about being on campus or have underlying health conditions that would place them at greater risk. The university is willing to support whatever decision is best for students and will ensure that they have the resources they need to have a successful semester.
Courses will be offered in a variety of formats
UIndy will offer courses in-person, face-to-face and technology-enhanced hybrid options and fully online formats, according to Manuel’s email. The university has invested in new enhancements to online courses to improve engagement between students and faculty.
Classrooms will be reconfigured and class sizes will be limited to accommodate social distancing standards that will be based on the number of students enrolled in each class. UIndy’s facilities staff will be following enhanced cleaning protocols for all classrooms.
Courses have been spread out throughout campus and throughout the week. Students are also now able to view their course schedules and formats on MyUIndy. After making it onto MyUIndy, students should select “Semester 1 2020-21” from the left dropdown menu and can see their course’s format under the Location section for each course.
Students are encouraged to check MyUIndy periodically as there will be changes to the courses over the next few weeks.
University housing will be open with modifications
All university-owned housing will be open beginning in August, according to Manuel’s email.
Rooms with double occupancy will only be offered for traditional room assignments in residence halls for this upcoming academic year in order to ensure that there are appropriate distances and air circulation in each room.
There have been new cleaning protocols established for each residence hall and common spaces and bathrooms will be cleaned at a rate that is almost four times what UIndy has done in the past.
If any students decide that living in a residence hall on-campus is no longer right for them, students can cancel their housing contract by contacting Housing Assignment Coordinator Mary Craft at mcraft@uindy.edu as soon as possible and no later than July 24.
Campus apartments remain open on a 12-month basis
The university’s apartment complexes—Greyhound Village, University Lofts and College Crossing— will remain open on a 12-month basis and will operate based on the terms students agreed to in the leases they signed. This is because the complexes are only partly-owned by UIndy and are run by a separate company, according to Manuel’s email.
If any students want to cancel their leases for the apartments, they need to meet the cancellation criteria that is in the appeal language of their leases. Students can contact Assistant Director of Residence Life Ayla Wilder for more information about the appeal process at wildera@uindy.edu.
Move-in process adjusted for social distancing
UIndy will only be able to accommodate two guests to assist students when they move in, according to Manuel’s email. Everyone who is on campus will be required to wear face masks or face coverings as required by UIndy’s face mask and coverings policy and will be required to follow social distancing guidelines.
Students will be given room keys at an assigned location and will be given out via “hands-free methods.” More information about the distribution of keys will be provided to students before they move in.
All students will be assigned a move-in time slot. For new students, the slots are from August 18 to August 20 and for returning students, the slots are on August 22 and August 23.
Students who will be living in College Crossing, Greyhound Village or the University Lofts will be able to move in on and after August 15 and will be assigned a time slot as well.
If any students need to move into residence halls outside of the scheduled times, like students who are a part of early arrival groups such as athletic teams, living-learning communities, international students and student-teachers, their coaches or sponsors will be giving them a date and time for moving into their on-campus residence.
If there are any students who have a health condition or an Americans with Disabilities Act disability and would like to request accommodations, they should contact the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities at ssd@uindy.edu.
Dining services and facilities will be open
All of UIndy’s dining services and facilities will be open for the fall semester, with changes that accommodate safety and social distancing guidelines, according to Manuel’s email.
These facilities include the Perk 1, Streets Grill, Hound Express and the Dining Hall located in Schwitzer Student Center. There has not been an announcement as to the reopening of the other Perk locations in the Krannert Memorial Library and the Health Pavilion as of The Reflector’s press time.
The Dining Hall will be open for in-person dining, with occupancy limits for social distancing. Food will be served in convenient, pre-packaged portions, instead of being buffet style.
Carry-out and to-go options will also be available for students to take to their residence halls or to designated public spaces on campus. Students are asked to dispose of leftover food and food containers properly to help with keeping residence halls clean.
The university is planning on having a vibrant campus community this fall, including many programs and activities, according to Manuel’s email. Registered Student Organizations will continue to operate throughout the semester. Socially distanced outdoor movies, corn hole tournaments, cookouts and sports are expected to occur.
From August 18 through August 20, Welcome Week activities will be available for students moving into their on-campus residence halls. The university is asking that all first-year students be available for the larger Welcome Week sessions on August 21 and 22.
Welcome Week programming is expected to include a campus scavenger hunt, drive-in movies, game shows, paint and sip events, fitness center opening, intramural tournaments and more.
If you are an incoming freshman student, you are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Affairs at studentaffairs@uindy.edu with any questions.
Campus facilities will be open
All campus facilities will be open this fall semester, including the library, Student Affairs offices, the Professional Edge Center, the Financial Aid office and the Registrar’s Office, according to Manuel’s email. These offices will be compliant with the most current standards for social distancing and cleaning.
Traditional library services will be offered, but some student activities will be temporarily moved to the library. This includes activities involving the Professional Edge Center and student meeting spaces. The hours of the library will remain unchanged and many of the materials that the library provides are also accessible online.
Athletic facilities will be limiting the number of students who may use the facilities at a time and increased cleaning will take place.
UIndy community has a commitment to ‘protecting our pack’
Manuel said in the email that while the university is working hard to implement the safest experience for students that they possibly can, UIndy cannot guarantee that there will be an environment that is completely free of COVID-19. There will still be a possibility that students may get sick, even with the university’s planned safety measures.
Monitor your health and the health of those around you by knowing and recognizing the symptoms of COVID-19.
Protect yourself and those around you by wearing a face mask/face covering, maintaining social distance and practicing good hygiene.
Keep our community together by following the guidelines recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and outlined within the UIndy Road to Re-engagement plan.
Students who do not comply with the policies are subject to disciplinary action by the Office of Student Affairs.
Face masks should be worn in public places on campus. Prior to returning to campus, students, staff, and faculty can review the university’s face mask policy here.
UIndy will provide quarantine space, contact tracing
In order to protect the university community, if any student shows symptoms of COVID-19, the university will provide the student with a safe space to quarantine at no additional cost, according to Manuel’s email. UIndy will also provide meal service if the student has a meal plan.
UIndy has formed a partnership with Community Health Network that will allow students to be taken to Community Hospital South for further treatment, if needed.
Students will be required to comply with the Office of Student Affairs if they are asked to leave their assigned residence hall space due to a public health crisis, including COVID-19 to maintain the safety of the community as a whole.
A contract tracing program will be created by UIndy in coordination with the Indiana State Department of Health and Marion County Health Department. UIndy is creating an office on campus to communicate with these agencies and local hospitals.
UIndy will also be honoring students’ privacy when it comes to this office.
The university is planning to educate students about these services during welcome-back activities that are planned for the fall semester.
Safety is the priority
UIndy has been working throughout the summer to make safety its priority, according to Manuel’s email. Although the semester will look different this fall, the changes implemented will still allow students to continue their academic growth and personal development. Students can support one another by adhering to UIndy’s Protecting Our Pack commitment and by following CDC guidelines.
