The new semester has begun and, like the rest of the world, Stevens has undergone major changes to remain operational this fall. These new implementations are focused on ensuring that virtual students will have a fulfilling academic experience and those who are returning to campus will be able to study safely. Currently, freshmen, as well as first-year transfer and graduate students, are allowed the option to be on campus, whereas upperclassmen are not.
While many universities across the country stated within the first few weeks of summer that they would be fully online for the fall semester, Stevens did not send out an official final plan until much more recently. In July, Stevens was planning for a partially in-person, reduced-density university environment for the fall. They were hopeful that students would be offered a combination of virtual and in-person courses and would have the opportunity to return to campus if they chose to do so. This idea was officially dropped, however, when President Farvardin sent out an email in early August that stated only new students would be returning for hybrid courses. With this news came a completely new plan for students and staff that has now been officially implemented as the semester has begun.
In addition to getting tested before they return to campus, freshmen and staff who are on-campus are required to get tested for COVID-19 once per week. Additionally, students are not allowed to have guests in their dorm rooms and are required to wear masks throughout the campus and in their dorms. The school is hosting socially-distanced events, including a virtual orientation and outdoor movies with markings every 6 feet for students to lay down blankets. As for day-to-day life, students and staff are encouraged to wash and sanitize their hands often as well as self-isolate if they or anyone they’ve been in contact with begins to experience symptoms of the virus. To make the first-year students feel a little more at home, Stevens-themed masks were handed out with the university logo and Attila the Duck.
Students who are studying from their homes or apartments are experiencing a similar situation they did at the end of the Spring 2020 semester. All lectures, labs, and recitations will be held via Zoom and it’s the students’ responsibility to ensure they keep up with their classwork and attend the necessary instruction times. Although clubs aren’t allowed to meet in-person, many organizations are hosting virtual general body meetings (GBMs) and other events so they can keep connected and productive until they can meet regularly again.
Although many hours of planning have gone into this fall semester, situations can change in the blink of an eye. The Stute will continue to keep tabs on the effectiveness of the fall semester in terms of both safety and academics and will continue to update the Stevens community on the situation.
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