Dear Students and Families:
As many of you know, the State of Michigan has had a series of pandemic orders in place since November 21, all of which are designed to decrease the spread of the COVID-19 virus. The orders have resulted in flattening the curve for infection in the state. On Friday, December 18, 2020, the current order was extended and slightly amended. As part of the announcement, Governor Whitmer asked colleges and universities to delay resumption of in-person learning until mid-January. We will comply with the governor’s request and will start in-person learning on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.
The revised timeline for winter term is as follows:
- All classes will begin in an online format as planned on Monday, January 4, 2021.
- Classes with in-person components will start those in-person elements on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, after the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
- International students and Resident Assistants who had planned to arrive early for the start of the term will still be able to do so. Staff members working with each group will be in contact with those students separately.
- Winter sports athletes who had planned to return on December 26 will receive communication from Athletic Director Becky Hall regarding their move-in date and times.
- Other students planning to live on campus will now shift their arrival time by one week, with arrivals on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, January 15–17, 2021. Arrival times and COVID testing details are being confirmed and will be communicated as quickly as possible. You will also receive email communication directly from Residential Life.
- Students planning to live off-campus and avail themselves of campus resources will also complete arrival testing, as communicated earlier. We are in the process of finalizing the testing dates and times, and will send that information along as soon as we have it. We will be using an online scheduling system to ensure a smooth process for off-campus students.
- Reminder: If you will not be on campus for any amount of time for any reason in the winter term, please opt out of the campus testing protocol via the Opt Out form. This link will enable you to opt out of both arrival and surveillance testing.
Billing and Credit
Student accounts will be updated by January 11, 2021 to reflect room and board credits for those students whose move into the residence halls is delayed. Any refunds owed to students as a result will be processed by January 15. For those students who have not entered into a payment plan, final payments for ALL winter term charges are due no later than January 18. Questions may be directed to Billing@kzoo.edu.
Building Access
Academic buildings and the Fitness and Wellness Center will open on Tuesday, January 19, 2021, with the start of in-person learning. Students who need access to specialized facilities for SIP work and other similar special projects before January 19 should contact their faculty supervisor to request academic facility access, as they did during fall term.
We recognize that delaying move in and resumption of in person components to courses by a week will be disappointing to many students and families, as it is to us. As has been the case throughout our preparations for returning to campus, we are committed to basing institutional decisions on public health guidance and to maximizing options for students to make choices about whether to learn remotely or here in Kalamazoo based on their individual situations. For those who are returning to campus in mid-January, we remain excited about having you here in person this winter.
Thank you,
Sarah B. Westfall
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students
Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost