Fall 2020 Student Academic FAQ

As we prepare for the Fall 2020 semester, please find answers to some common questions under the following subject headings:

Last Updated: July 30, 2020

FAQ Topics

Instructional Mode

  • Will the university prioritize offering as many in person classes as possible?

    Yes, Catholic University is prioritizing offering as many in person or blended classes as possible.  We value the in person interaction with our students and can’t wait to be back in the classroom!  But, we recognize students may need to be virtual to self-quarantine or self-isolate, and that faculty might need to do that, too, so our plan is to be in person as much as we can but with flexibility.

  • How has it been determined which classes are taught wholly online, in a blended or hybrid format, and wholly in person?

    UPDATED (7/27/20):  Our course instruction decisions have been guided by DOH regulations and CDC guidelines.  To facilitate these decisions, we conducted an analysis of the classrooms, surveyed faculty, and looked at course enrollments, and have made the following determinations:

    • There will be some classes taught wholly in person. In others, students will rotate in person and virtual attendance; for instance, some lab classes will require students to be physically in class to complete the lab in an alternating rotation with a lab partner.  
    • Many classes will be blended or hybrid in order to address the needs of students and faculty who need to self-quarantine or self-isolate or who are participating remotely.
    • There will be some classes taught wholly online due to the size of the class, pedagogical issues, health and wellness concerns, and/or alternative arrangements for faculty members.  If a class is determined to be completely online, the classroom will be reassigned to make the best use of classroom space that we can.

  • Where can I find the updated class delivery information?

    UPDATED (7/27/20):  Class information has be updated in Cardinal Students to reflect how the class will be delivered.

  • Is there a cutoff for the size of an in person class?

    We will follow the DC regulations and CDC recommendations for group sizes.  For DC, that means we can have groups of 10 in Phase 1, groups of 50 in Phase 2, groups of 250 in Phase 3, and unlimited groups in Phase 4 (once a vaccine has been discovered).  We anticipate that DC will be in Phase 2 and we will be able to have groups as large as 50 when we resume classes in August.  However, we also need to engage in social distancing in the classrooms, so a classroom that usually seats 40 will not be able to hold that number of students this fall.  Our classroom committee has developed new maximum capacity numbers for each classroom, so every class will abide by the number of students allowed in that classroom, but no class will be greater than 50 even if the space allows to adhere to DC Phase II guidance.  Classes larger than 50 will either be moved online or will have students on a scheduled rotation.

  • How and when will students be notified of the format of particular classes?

    UPDATED (7/27/20):  All changes to class formats have been made in Cardinal Students and are now available for viewing.  Students were notified of the changes by the Vice President for Student Affairs on July 23, 2020.  Follow-up emails were also sent out by school deans on July 24, 2020.

    If during the semester a class is moved to be completely online, that change will be made immediately in Cardinal Students. Faculty members will also communicate to you the plan for synchronous and/or asynchronous teaching.

    If a class is going to be blended or hybrid - there are lots of different ways to do what we plan to do - the faculty member will put that on the syllabus and communicate it to you so you know the expectations of participation in the class.

  • Will students be able to notify the University of the format of instruction they would prefer for the fall semester?

    UPDATED (7/27/20):  Students can complete a Google form through the Dean of Students office to make a request for fully online instruction, and a member of the Dean of Students office will contact you regarding that request. Students should also contact their school dean's office if there are any questions about the instructional formats used by the school.

  • If D.C. advances through the reopening phases during the semester, will the mode of instruction on campus be adjusted?

    To maintain consistency, the format of the course delivery, as documented on the syllabus, will remain the same throughout the semester.  We know DC may advance through the reopening phases, and we will be excited to welcome larger group activities on campus as that happens.  However, we will not then change the mode of delivery, as we believe we will still need to maintain social distancing in classrooms.

  • Conversely, if a second wave of COVID-19 were to arise, would instruction be moved online? Would students be asked to return home?

    We are all going to be monitoring the impact of COVID-19 as we move into and through the fall semester.  Our hope is that we can all stay together on campus and continue a mix of in person, blended, and online learning.  But, we will follow DC regulations and CDC guidance in making decisions, and if need be, we would continue instruction online so that everyone has the opportunity to complete the semester.

  • If an instructor tests positive for COVID-19, would the class move online, or would the instructor Zoom in to the regular classroom on campus?

    The syllabus for each course will spell out a contingency plan that covers possible changes to the mode of instruction should the instructor be unable to teach in person.  If you have any questions about the implementation of the contingency plan, please contact the Associate Dean of your school.

  • If a student needs to self-quarantine or self-isolate, will it be possible to shift to online learning?

    Yes, if a student needs to self-quarantine or self-isolate, it will be possible to shift to online learning.  In fact, we would strongly encourage the student to stay caught up with class content if physically able to participate remotely while self-quarantined or self-isolated.  One of the main reasons we are planning to use blended learning modalities is to allow students to take care of their health when needed.  We have updated technology in our classrooms to make this an easier process. Students will already be in contact with the Dean of Students deanofstudents@cua.edu office about their need to self-quarantine or self-isolate.  The Dean of Students office will notify instructors, CACS and faculty advisors, and if necessary, the academic dean.

  • How will students who need to self-isolate or self-quarantine be supported academically?

    While a student is self-isolating or self-quarantining they will have online access to the full range of academic resources and supports that are available to students in person; tutoring services, Writing Center appointments, Math Center appointments, and scheduled Academic Coaching meetings will all be conducted virtually for students who are physically able to participate.  Additionally, Academic Advisors in the Center for Academic and Career Success will conduct regular virtual check-ins with students during their self-isolation or self-quarantine period to ensure that they are tracking with the class and receiving the support they need to remain successful.

  • How will office hours work?

    Office hours will be conducted primarily online. Please consult your course syllabus for instructions on how to meet with your instructor.

Grading

  • Will students have the option to change a course from graded to pass/fail at any time?

    Students can change from a letter grade to pass/fail by Friday, November 13, as per the Academic Calendar for free electives following the policy and the usual approval process.

  • Will assignments be turned in online, in person, or both/either?

    Your instructor will specify policies with regard to turning in assignments with specific regard to safety, for example, to minimize the passing of papers from student to student. When in doubt, please consult your instructor.

  • How will comps be affected by the new safety measures?

    Comprehensive exams take many different forms across the university.  Comps can be administered virtually to comply with health and safety guidelines, or they could be administered in person if conducted in a classroom with sufficient space for social distancing.  This would apply to both written and oral comps.  For additional information on comps in your school, please contact your Department Chair or Associate Dean.

Policies

  • Will attendance policies be modified to encourage students to stay home if they feel ill or have been exposed?

    Students who feel ill should follow the policy spelled out in the syllabus about notifying their instructor of an absence. We need to care for each other as a community, so please exercise prudence if experiencing any symptoms of illness, and of course, please follow protocols if you need to self-quarantine because of exposure.

     

  • If a class is structured so that students attend on alternate days, will students who choose to attend remotely on an “in person” day be in violation of the attendance policy?  Conversely, will students who attend in person on a “remote” day be in violation of the attendance policy?

    Your instructor will spell out the attendance policy on the syllabus. In person attendance is an important aspect of learning and, as we have come to appreciate in a special way, a privilege. We ask students to adhere to their instructors’ attendance policies so as to maximize the in person interaction available in the class while protecting the safety of both the students and the instructor.

  • Will I still be able to receive accommodations if my classes are online or blended/hybrid?

    Yes! All students who present their faculty members with a current letter of accommodation will continue to receive approved accommodations no matter the format of the course (e.g. hybrid, online, blended). DSS will continue to work with faculty to ensure that accommodations are met, including testing accommodations in all class formats. If faculty or students have questions or concerns about accommodations, please contact DSS immediately. Please see DSS's FAQ for further information.

  • If instruction is blended, will students be required to bring laptops to class?

    Your instructor will spell out policies regarding technology use on the syllabus.

  • If students elect to take classes closer to home for a semester, will the university be more lenient about transferring credits?

    If students take a Leave of Absence for the semester and wish to take classes at another university or college to transfer back to Catholic University, they should consult the Transfer of Credit policies and email cua-transfercredit@cua.edu for more information.  We will make an exception for spring and summer 2020 classes to accept transfer credit courses graded on a pass/fail basis, and we will monitor the situation to determine if we should extend this consideration for courses taken during the fall 2020 semester.

Academic Calendar and Class Schedules

  • How will the academic calendar be adjusted in response to COVID-19?

    Classes are starting one week earlier, on August 24, and will end one week earlier, on December 5, followed by final exams on Dec. 7 and Dec. 9 to 12.  After Thanksgiving, there will be one week of virtual classes, and all exams will be virtual.  The Academic Calendar will have an Administrative Monday, on Oct. 13.  The Academic Calendar has been adjusted with revised dates for add/drop, midterms, withdrawing from classes, etc. to accommodate the earlier start date.

  • Will the date of Orientation also be adjusted? What about Take Flight?

    Orientation for undergraduate students will begin on Thursday, Aug. 20.  The Take Flight program will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Full details are available here.

  • What should I do if I won’t be available to start classes on August 24 as I already have my tickets to come later? Or if I’m returning from abroad and need to self-quarantine for 2 weeks and won’t be able to be in person on August 24?

    Changing the Academic Calendar to an earlier start with remote learning after Thanksgiving was the right decision for the health and well-being of our community.  Yet, we know that may cause some hardships for students who were planning a later date to return to campus.  If you find yourself in this situation, please plan on doing the following:

    • Let your Center for Academic and Career Success or Faculty Advisor know that you are coming back but are going to be delayed
    • Let the Dean of Students office deanofstudents@cua.edu know that you are coming back but are going to be delayed
    • Email all of your instructors to let them know you will need to participate remotely for the first week (or longer if you need to self-quarantine based on your travels)

  • Will there be instruction after Thanksgiving, or just exams?

    According to the revised Academic Calendar, after Thanksgiving there will be one week of instruction followed by exams.   Specifically, the last date of in person instruction will be November 24.  The last day of classes will be December 5.  Finals will be held December 7 and December 9 to 12. 

  • Will the academic schedule be adjusted to take account of earlier closing times on metro?

    At this point, there is no plan to change the schedule related to metro times.  If you foresee having a transportation issue related to Metro, please consult your CACS or Faculty Advisor as well as the Dean of Students office.  According to WMATA, the metro is currently operating from 5 am to 9 pm.  

  • Will the length of classes be adjusted to shorten exposure time to other students or, conversely, lengthened to reduce the number of different people who use the same space in the course of a day?

    At this point, there is no plan to change the daily schedule. Classes will meet at their normally scheduled times.  We are making classroom decisions where possible to reduce the number of people who use the same space over the course of the day. For instance, the Learning Communities will all be assigned to the same room for their classes so they are in the same space each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9:10 to 11.

  • Will classes meet on Saturdays?

    At this point, no additional Saturday sessions are being added to the Academic Calendar.  However, it is possible that an instructor could ask their class to meet on a Saturday if it is helpful (for instance, an extra in person session of a lab class that needs to meet in person rather than virtually could be held on a Saturday in place of a virtual meeting after Thanksgiving).  If instructors plan to do this, they should communicate the dates to their class as soon as possible with advance notice.  They should not penalize students who are not able to attend due to work or athletics.

Academic Services

  • Will the library be open on a regular schedule?

    We are planning for Mullen Library to be open during the fall semester. We have not yet determined whether Mullen Library will operate on its regular Fall schedule or if there will need to be changes to accommodate physical distancing for library patrons and library staff. 

  • Will occupancy of the library be capped at a certain number?

    Seating will be greatly reduced in Mullen Library. At this time we do not anticipate needing to enforce a fixed occupancy limit, however, in conversation with Facilities, we continue to explore options to ensure safe physical distancing. In order to support those unable to come into Mullen through the fall semester, we are planning to continue: curbside pickup of materials, digitization of print materials on demand, and online instruction & research consultations.

  • Will computer labs be open on a regular schedule?

    The public computing in Leahy Hall will be open on its normal schedule, which is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Staff will be on-site and available to assist users with issues between 9 AM and 5PM Monday through Friday.

  • Will the Writing Center, the Tutoring Center, and the Math Center be open on a regular schedule?

    The Writing Center, the Tutoring Center, and the Math Center will be operating on a regular schedule, however, the shift to virtual services may afford greater flexibility in scheduling to meet student needs.  Typical hours of operation can be found on the CACS website (success.catholic.edu), but students should work with their tutors if greater flexibility in scheduling is necessary.

  • How will academic support services be modified to accommodate social distancing?

    All academic support services provided by the Writing Center, Tutoring Services, and the Math Center will be conducted virtually using Google Meet and/or Zoom.  Any student who is unable to attend a virtual session for any reason can request an in-person appointment in advance of a scheduled appointment by emailing the Writing Center (cua-writingcenter@cua.edu) or Tutoring Services (cua-tutoring@cua.edu) or by calling 202-319-5655.  Requests for in-person support should be made at least 24 hours in advance.

  • Will the Center for Academic and Career Success be open on a regular schedule?

    The Center for Academic and Career Success will be operating on a regular schedule; operating hours are from 9am to 5pm, though some advisors and academic coaches may schedule appointments off typical hours upon request.

  • How will advising be modified to accommodate social distancing?

    All advising, academic coaching, and other CACS appointments will be conducted virtually using Google Meet and/or Zoom.  Any student who is unable to attend a virtual session for any reason can request an in-person appointment in advance of a scheduled appointment by emailing advisor or coach or by contacting the CACS office at success@cua.edu or 202-319-6262.  In-person meetings will be held in larger but private spaces so that attendees can accommodate social distancing.

Bookstore

  • How will the ordering of textbooks be done through CUA’s Barnes & Nobles? Will it be shipped? Picked up in the store? Also, how will the returning of books purchased last spring be done?

    Textbooks can be purchased online & shipped to the student home or campus address or selected for in-store pick up which will resume after reopening on July 27.  B&N will send email updates when the order is ready for pick up or has been shipped. Links and access codes for ebooks will be sent immediately to the student; access will be provided for the entire semester without interruption.  

    At the end of the Fall semester students will be able to return their rentals in person to the store or mail them back with a free return label provided by B&N.  

    Due to the unique circumstances of Spring 2020, we will be helping students who need to turn in their rental books once they've arrived back to campus if they were not able to do so in the Spring. 

    Buyback is a service we offer at the end of semesters that assists us with acquiring used books for store stock as well as our company warehouse. Since buybacks are done in person, this service will be offered from August 16 - September 19 when students will actively be in the store acquiring supplies & books for Fall. Students will need to present their Cardinal Card in order to participate in buybacks.

Disability Support

Disability Support Services has created FAQs for Fall 2020 which can be viewed at DSS Update.

Study Abroad

  • Will fall 2020 study abroad programs proceed?

    Study abroad programs for fall 2020 have been suspended. Students who were planning to study abroad in fall 2020 should contact their Center for Academic Success or Faculty Advisor to discuss their plans for the semester.  They should contact the Center for Global Strategies for information on studying abroad in the spring 2021 semester.

  • Should students who are interested in studying abroad in spring 2021 still apply to do so?

    At this time, all study abroad programs for spring 2021 are scheduled to proceed as normal. We will continue to monitor the international COVID-19 situation throughout the fall semester as we plan for spring experiences.  We strongly believe in the value of global education and we are hopeful that we can safely have students return to our Rome Center in the spring, as well as attend our exchange partner programs again.  Students should contact the Center for Global Strategies (CUAbroad) for more information.

Safety Concerns

  • Is the University still requiring that residential students be tested for COVID-19 before returning to campus?

    UPDATED (7/15/20):  Most residential students will not be required to be tested before returning to campus, given the most recent guidance from both the CDC and D.C. Department of Health. The University is developing a daily health checker to assist in this regard and will provide access to resources for follow-up in case you are ill. All students should begin daily symptom checks on the University’s daily health checker 14 days before returning to Washington, D.C.  This protocol, which will include taking temperature and considering a list of symptoms, will serve the University community through its regular and sustained use.

    Any student previously infected with COVID-19 and since recovered should submit documentation to the Student Health Portal of the previous positive COVID-19 test result. The student will also need to have documentation from a primary care provider that the student has passed the CDC recommended time for isolation or quarantine when ill with the coronavirus.

  • During the semester, will the University be testing students for COVID-19?

    UPDATED (7/15/20):  Yes.  We are currently working with vendors to establish a testing center on the campus.  The focus of this effort will be in testing symptomatic students and those who have come into direct contact with positive cases of COVID-19.  Direct contacts are those individuals who have come into direct contact (at least 10 minutes of contact within 6 feet) of a positive or presumed positive case.  University staff will conduct an initial trace of possible direct contacts with the student in question.  We are required to report positive or presumed positive cases to the D.C. Department of Health (DCDOH) will take the lead in more systematic contact tracing.  Residential students who test positive or are presumed positive based on symptoms will be required to relocate to a self-isolation room on-campus and their close contacts will be required to quarantine.  

  • What should I do if I test positive for COVID-19 within 7 days of my scheduled arrival on campus?

    You should let the Dean of Students office deanofstudents@cua.edu know. The Dean of Students will contact your academic dean. You should also email all of your instructors to let them know you will need to participate remotely at the start of the semester.

    If someone tests positive, any close contact would need to self-quarantine.  A close contact is defined as someone who has been within 6 feet of the Covid-19 positive person for more than 10 minutes.  Someone sitting in a classroom more than 6 feet away, or the faculty person in the class, would not necessarily need to self-quarantine.  A boyfriend/girlfriend, roommate,  or anyone else who would fit the "close contact" definition would need to self-quarantine.  They would be contacted by a contact tracer from the DOH as well as possibly by SHS staff, if SHS had ordered the initial test.

  • How is the safe capacity of classrooms being determined?

    The University Classrooms Committee is developing a plan that will be submitted to the District of Columbia for approval. They have been using the diagrams, to scale, of each classroom to determine maximum density that would allow students to be 6 feet apart from each other.  The committee has also been evaluating the furniture in rooms where the furniture is not built in to determine if different furniture would be better given the current conditions.  Further evaluations include the use of other barriers that could be put into classrooms to allow additional separation between instructor and students, with a particular focus on how to address this issue in classes in the performing arts and classes that use studio spaces.

  • Will seating arrangements in class be fixed?

    Assigned seating in classes will greatly simplify contact tracing if necessary. 

  • Will it be possible to set up some classes outside, at least at the start of the semester?

    We will not be assigning any classes to meet outdoors.  However, as in a usual semester, instructors always have the option of bringing their class to meet outside if the students in the class agree.