Name: UConn will close residence halls to out-of-state students this fall who are enrolled only in online courses
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UConn will close residence halls to out-of-state students this fall who are enrolled only in online courses

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AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantAug 11, 2020 at 10:43 amUConn President Thomas Katsouleas said Tuesday that due to concerns about COVID-19 the university is closing its residence halls to out-of-state students who are enrolled only in online courses. The university is the one of many schools across the nation pivoting plans right before the start of the fall semester because of public health concerns. “Out-of-state students who are enrolled in only online courses are being asked to stay home and will not be permitted to live in University housing during the fall 2020 semester,” Katsouleas said in a letter posted online.Advertisement“In recent communications with the state Department of Public Health and our own infectious disease experts at UConn Health, we have come to the difficult conclusion that we need to further de-densify our campus residential spaces,’' Katsouleas wrote. “This is to both reduce the risk of illness and enable greater quarantine capability in the event it is needed, and we believe it gives us a design which, with everyone’s cooperation, allows UConn to not only open successfully but complete the semester as planned.”UConn said the decision does not apply to students who have any in-person elements to their coursework and program, including hybrid classes, working in research labs, training with teams, etc. It also does not apply to international students, who rely on visas and would struggle with online learning given international time zones, or students who are already residing on campus.AdvertisementThose who are affected by the new policy will be contacted directly by the Department of Residential Life Tuesday. Housing and dining fees already paid will be refunded and students will not be charged any cancellation fees.“This communication will include instructions regarding an appeal process for those students with unique circumstances who, for any number of reasons, cannot remain at home for the upcoming semester. All impacted students will remain eligible for spring 2021 housing provided the university is fully open,” said Katsouleas.Students are scheduled to start arriving at UConn later this week. They will be required to maintain a two-week quarantine in residence halls.“During this challenging time, we are guided by the advice of public health officials. While the prevalence of the disease is low in Connecticut, that is not the case in many other states,” said Katsouleas. “By asking our out-of-state students who don’t need to be here in person for their studies to stay home, we are aiming at preserving the extraordinary progress Connecticut has made in arresting the spread of the virus.”UConn is not the only school to recently announce a sudden shift in plans due to public health concerns. In New Jersey, Princeton University announced Friday its undergraduate program will go completely online for at least the fall semester, while Duke University in North Carolina revised housing plans in late July to limit the number of students on campus. The University of California, Berkeley, plans to, as do several historically Black schools in Georgia, including Spelman College and Morehouse College. “This was a very difficult and unwelcome decision to have to make. In making a choice between the options available to us, we were guided by what would produce the greatest public health benefit and the least academic disruption,” said Katsouleas. “I know that this change will be a great disappointment to the hundreds of out-of-state students who wished to return to campus. We are committed to providing you and all of our students with an exceptional learning experience and keeping you as connected to the UConn family as we can, regardless of where you are living.”Amanda Blanco can be reached at ablanco@courant.com. Advertisement

AdvertisementBy Hartford CourantAug 11, 2020 at 10:43 amUConn President Thomas Katsouleas said Tuesday that due to concerns about COVID-19 the university is closing its residence halls to out-of-state students who are enrolled only in online courses. The university is the one of many schools across the nation pivoting plans right before the start of the fall semester because of public health concerns. “Out-of-state students who are enrolled in only online courses are being asked to stay home and will not be permitted to live in University housing during the fall 2020 semester,” Katsouleas...

UConn will close residence halls to out-of-state students this fall who are enrolled only in online courses

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