Fall 2020 Information for Students
Before you arrive to campus
Prior to arriving on campus this fall, all students must:
- Self-isolate for 14 days at home. This includes refraining from non-essential vacation trips out of state, non-essential trips to local businesses and restaurants and non-essential group gatherings and events. In addition to self-isolation, please be sure to always wear a mask in public and follow proper hand washing and physical distancing.
- Complete the COVID-19 Awareness Training videos that were sent to your UofL email on August 5. All students are required to complete the training prior to arrival on campus, or by August 17 at the latest. The training videos will cover university actions and individual responsibilities that are expected for a safe fall semester. If you missed this email, see the Training section below.
- Read the Student Acknowledgement. By coming onto campus you acknowledge that you are aware of UofL's fall 2020 protocols and expectations, along with your individual responsibilities as outlined in the Student Acknowledgement.
Everyone on campus is expected to follow all university health protocols.
If you are coming to campus for an admissions visit, review our additional information for admissions visitors
COVID-19 Awareness Training
The University of Louisville has partnered with SafeColleges to offer online programs that help educate students about the coronavirus and how to stay healthy this semester. Students should follow these steps to complete the safety training requirements:
1. Using your web browser, go to the SafeColleges Students website for UofL: SafeColleges
2. You will be redirected to a login page.
3. Log in using your ULINK userid and password.
4. Completion of the assigned course(s) is required.
Note: The training also appears on your To-Do list task in ULINK. View the task by selecting the Tasks tile on the Student Homepage.
Other Important Information:
- You will need internet access and audio capabilities.
- To avoid technical issues, please use any major web browser version released within the last year.
- You may take the course in multiple sittings.
- For login issues, contact the UofL HelpDesk at 502-852-7997. For technical issues within the SafeColleges Platform, support is available within the course or by contacting SafeColleges at support@safecolleges.com, Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 6:00 pm EST.
Mask Distribution
The university will provide one washable mask to every student on campus; but students should provide their own backup masks. For accommodations to required masking for health reasons contact Campus Health at hlthoff@louisville.edu.
Professional, graduate, upper division Nursing and Dental Hygiene students will receive their masks from their academic departments.
Residents of campus housing will receive their masks in their residence hall room or in their apartment.
All other students, not in one of the groups above, who missed the pick-up times at Cardinal Stadium or the Cardinal Shuttle stop during the first week of the semester, may pick up masks in the following areas:
-
Belknap campus:
Office of Admissions Houchens 150
Cardinal Card Office – Lower level of Houchens LL05
Belknap Academic Building Front Desk
Student Involvement Suite - SAC Rm 310 -
HSC campus:
Kornhauser Library Main Desk
Hybrid courses for Fall 2020
Fall semester classes for undergraduate and most graduate students will begin Monday, Aug. 17 in a hybrid course format.
Hybrid course delivery combines traditional face-to-face instructional activities with some online learning activities and can capture the best features of both delivery models. It also allows faculty to divide students into smaller groups for face-to-face learning to gain greater physical distancing in the classroom.
Although we are planning to be on campus through November 25, if the university must suddenly discontinue on-campus instruction in order to respond to new guidance and information about the pandemic, the hybrid model prepares both faculty and students to transition quickly to online learning. Hybrid courses also allow faculty to provide continuity of instruction if the faculty member gets ill. Hybrid courses also allow students to maintain continuity of learning if someone becomes ill for several days or must isolate due to COVID-19 exposure.
The following training modules are available to assist students with online learning:
Registering for classes
HY – Hybrid (25-75% of course taught face-to-face with remaining taught online)
RT – Remote (100% instruction with synchronous sessions available at the time and days designated in the schedule)
DE – Distance Ed (100% digital instruction with no designated meeting times except possibly for exams)
SACSCOC suggests that for every contact hour, students should expect to spend two additional hours outside of class learning the material, working on projects or assessments.
The delivery method (hybrid or online) for each course is being finalized. If you are registered for a class that is changing delivery method — for example moving from hybrid to online only — you will be notified of the change in case you’d like to adjust your schedule.
Students who wish to take a fully online course schedule for fall should be able to do so. Faculty may choose to allow students to complete some hybrid courses fully online, but not all courses may be available in an online-only format.
International Student Registration
Due to the University of Louisville implementing a hybrid course model for the fall, international students living in and traveling to the United States can maintain their active status. UofL falls under exemption 3 of the fall 2020 federal procedural changes, which means international students will be allowed to take more than one course or three credit hours online, but their entire schedule cannot be on-line.
For more guidance and travel updates, read the guidelines document that was sent to all international students on July 10, 2020. Please email isss@louisville.edu with any questions or concerns.
- More Information
- Registration information
- UofL advising
Academic Calendar
Aug. 17 – On-time start (for undergraduate students and most graduate students; professional students should check with their programs for start dates)
Sept. 3-4 – will be online instruction days (not vacation days) in order to accommodate possible traffic and parking issues for faculty, staff and students due to rescheduled Kentucky Derby plans.
Oct. 5-6 – Fall Break will continue as scheduled.
Nov. 25 – Face-to-face instruction concludes. Students will have remote access to advising, necessary student services such as the Writing Center and REACH, and faculty from Thanksgiving to the end of finals.
Nov. 30-Dec. 1 – The final two days of classes will be conducted online.
*Final assessments and exams will be conducted online.
Students may stay or return to campus housing for the remainder of the term, and the library and SAC will remain open for students to study and access WiFi and other essential resources.
Commencement
The Fall 2020 (and the previously postponed Spring 2020) commencement ceremonies will be held in December.
Campus Housing
Campus Housing is taking multiple actions to maintain a healthy residence hall environment. Some highlights include:- Move-in will be by appointment and staggered over several dates to limit crowds as much as possible. “Drop and go” days will be available prior to move-in appointments for students who would like to securely leave items in their rooms, allowing for a shorter move-in day process.
- Students will register for a move-in time in advance and are required to complete a video session on healthy campus living before arrival (this is in addition to the Campus Health video session required for all students).
- Community meetings and gathering spaces in residence halls will be restricted. Physical distancing must be maintained in any shared areas and meetings will be held virtually whenever possible.
- There will be restrictions on the number of visitors and overnight guests.
- Cleaning will be enhanced in all community spaces. Additional cleaning supplies for individual bedrooms will be available at all front desks for residents.
- More Information
- Fall 2020 housing operations
Graduate Students
Graduate students should review the detailed guidelines for graduate students, which outlines UofL’s commitment to supporting funded graduate students under our COVID-19 response for the fall.
Graduate students should plan on continuing their research, creative activity and service or teaching duties through the end of the semester in accordance with the university’s safe return to work policies and following the EVPRI’s protocols for reducing COVID-19 exposure in the research environment.
- More Information
- Guidelines for graduate students
Dining Services
- Dining Services will open all dining venues on the HSC and Belknap campuses by August 17. Each university dining venue will provide carry-out options and minimal dine-in seating that will be arranged to foster physical distancing.
- Dining staff have completed a rigorous training session to ensure thorough understanding and compliance with all CDC and university guidelines.
- At each dining location there will be reduced or eliminated seating, information regarding physical distancing and wearing a face covering will be prominent. All locations will have plexiglass counter shields and all dining staff will be wearing face coverings and gloves.
- At the Ville Grill, all meals will be prepared by dining staff at request, removing all self-serve options.
- To assist with convenience and speed of service, several modifications have been made including additional point of sale machines, dedicated food pick-up areas, and additional grab-n –go locations.
- We are excited to introduce an enhancement to the online ordering platform. Several locations will have new APEX cabinets. These automated point-of-pick-up dispensing machines work seamlessly with the popular GrubHub app.
- Visit the Dining Services website for information on meal plans, dining locations, hours and more.
On the Belknap campus, a multi-use tent will be set up in the quad (the area between Ekstrom Library and the Bingham Humanities building) solely to provide outdoor seating for either eating or studying.
Events, Meetings and Activities
Events, meetings and study groups should be virtual when possible or when a space is not large enough to observe physical distancing of six feet, in addition to wearing a mask or face covering. Gatherings of any kind on campus must follow all health and safety protocols, and organizers will be responsible for arranging spaces to keep attendees six feet apart and reminding attendees they must wear a mask or face covering. Students should review the COVID-19 Guidelines for Student Events and Meetings. Students wishing to host an event should complete the Student Events and Meetings during COVID-19 Form. Student groups hosting events or activities are responsible for following all guidelines. Events/activities that do not abide by the protocols may be subject to disciplinary action.
Social Gatherings
To reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19, individual students should not gather in groups of more than 10 people following the guidance from the State of Kentucky and CDC. Large gatherings of students are not permitted and may be in violation of the Code of Student Conduct. As a Community of Care, no individual should risk exposure to the virus and cause it to spread in the UofL community. Students should be vigilant in maintaining physical distancing, wearing face coverings, frequently washing their hands, and staying home when sick.