The Spring 2021 semester is upon us and we are eager to have you back on campus! As we hope you have anticipated, it is imperative that we remain vigilant in our COVID-19 practices as we prepare for your return to campus. There is a significant spike in positive cases as a result of holiday travel and gatherings. We want to provide every opportunity to be safe and healthy while we await universal vaccination in the coming weeks. Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. We hope that everyone had a safe and blessed holiday season. Together, let’s make 2021 a fantastic year!
Special link for students to provide required test results before return to campus
Students have been given specific instructions related to their required testing for returning to campus. The link through which you can provide your official test results is provided here.
IMPORTANT: Get COVID tested before you return to campus
Before you return to campus for the Spring 2021 semester, D&E students must be tested for COVID-19. Guidelines for being tested before your return include:
- students must be tested before returning to campus so that they can stay home to isolate if the test is positive;
- the result date of the test must be no more than 3 days/72 hours from the time of arrival on campus;
- the test should be a PCR test, which is considered the “gold standard” in COVID-19 testing since it has proven to be more accurate than the rapid test;
- PCR tests may be conducted at doctor’s offices, clinics, hospitals, or in your car;
- COVID-19 test results must be uploaded (the link is above) to D&E prior to leaving home to return to campus, but if this is not possible, test results may be uploaded upon return to campus; and
- any student who has not uploaded a negative PCR test or have one in-hand at the time of his/her arrival on campus will be housed in the quarantined section and receive meal delivery. Additional charges may be incurred.
- due to limited PCR availability around the country, you may present negative results of a rapid test administered within 48 hours of arrival on campus if you are unable to obtain a PCR test.
Students who tested positive in the fall should not test again before their return in January. Any test they take for approximately three months after the initial positive may continue to show positive, necessitating an unjustified isolation period. These students should return to campus with a copy of their initial positive test result and defer further testing.
Special January move-in procedures to ensure COVID-19 safety
D&E has outlined special move-in procedures as students return to campus for the Spring 2021 semester. Those procedures are as follows:
- Move-in hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please start by passing through the front campus entrance (by the Gatehouse). There you will meet a number of D&E staff members in a Coca-Cola concession trailer who will assist in your arrival process. You must start your arrival process on front campus before entering/venturing to your residence hall.
- Only five (5) students and the accompanying family members (no more than two additional family members) are allowed to move in their belongings during each one-hour time slot per residence hall.
- Special note: Residential students who are assigned on the approved D&E airport shuttle service do not need to sign up for a check-in day and time.
- New residential students will need to follow the special January move-in procedures. All residential students are required to sign up for a move-in date and time. Please review the special move-in procedures and the information provided below.
- COVID-19 test results are required to have been uploaded to D&E prior to moving back into residence halls or, as a last resort, at the time of move-in. Please find the link through which to load your official test results here.
- There will be a New Student Orientation Session on Sunday, January 10, at 2:00 p.m. in the newly renovated Myles Center for the Arts. This session is required for all new students (those who are arriving for the Spring 2021 semester only).
- Please take a minute to complete the meal service form before the semester starts, as it relates to meal service should you be placed in isolation or quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure. If this form is not on file, you will receive the “standard meal offering.”
COVID-19 testing requirements in place for international students
International students at D&E can expect to undergo the same COVID-19 requirements for the Spring 2021 semester as they had prior to the start of the Fall 2020 semester. Those requirements include:
- international students will need to quarantine upon their arrival to campus in January and then receive a negative COVID-19 test (PCR type) result before attending classes in person;
- this applies to any students traveling to campus via public transportation of any kind (plane, train, bus); and
- any student testing positive will be housed in the Byrd Conference Center and receive meal delivery.
Campus improvements made while you were gone
As part of our ongoing efforts to improve the residence halls, the common areas (lounges and hallways) of Gribble Hall were renovated over the break. Fresh paint, new flooring (similar to improvements to Darby Hall and Roxanna Booth Hall), new lounge furniture, and new entryway furniture will welcome home residents of Gribble Hall. The Madden Student Center, particularly the Cadillac Daddy Café, also received attention over the break. Cosmetic improvements, a new menu, and a new staffing pattern are all in place. A grand reopening of the Cadillac Daddy Café is slated for Monday, January 18. Finally, the Myles Center for the Arts is ready for use. Look for classes and special events taking place in the venue, such as a New Student Orientation Session on Sunday, January 10, at 2:00 p.m. in the new event space. This session is required for all new students arriving for the Spring 2021 semester.
Student account holds require immediate attention
Holds on student accounts for the Spring 2021 semester have been placed on applicable student accounts. Please check your Self-Service Portal to see if there has been a hold placed on your account. Holds are now being assigned different levels:
- Level 3 is the most severe. Immediate action is required, or you will not be admitted to classes, dormitories, or the dining hall.
- Level 2 is less severe but must be taken care of as soon as possible or you will not be able to register for classes for the next semester.
- Level 1 is the least severe, but needs be taken care of before you will be able to register for classes for the next semester.
All offices are currently open to assist you with your holds and are open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. If your account has a Level 3 hold, you will not be admitted to classes, dormitories, or the dining hall until that hold has been satisfied. Please make every effort to resolve your hold(s) prior to attempting to returning to campus. Continue to check the Self-Service portal daily to confirm you do not have a hold(s) on your account prior to returning to campus.
Students not returning next semester must notify Office of Student Success
Any student not returning next semester must follow appropriate procedures with Angie Scott. She can be reached by phone at 304-637-1983 (office) or 304-642-6217 (mobile); by email at scotta3@dewv.edu; or in person on the third floor of Halliehurst.
Spring 2021 Academic Calendar
D&E has announced the Spring 2021 Academic Calendar. You may access the calendar by following this link.
Check this weekly student update, the D&E Mobile App, and your email regularly for updates. The Emergency Notification System (nixle) will also be used as appropriate.
Please wear a face mask, practice social distancing, and stay well.
