COVID-19 Response Plan

June 11, 2020 8:00AM Update

Dear Husson Students,

With COVID-19 on everyone’s mind, I wanted to keep you posted on the efforts being undertaken at Husson to protect your health. The University is continuing to focus considerable time and effort on COVID-19 prevention as we prepare for the reopening of our campus in the fall. We’re following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and doing everything we can to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in an effort to keep our campus community healthy.

Actions we have already taken include:

• Providing training and personal protective equipment (PPE) to Wellness Center medical professionals and staff.
• Installing Plexiglas physical barriers and signage to help protect the health of students and staff in strategic areas.
• Distributing cleaning products effective in fighting COVID-19 as part of a more aggressive campus-cleaning regimen on door handles, handrails and other frequently touched surfaces.
• Adopting new PPE protocols in dining services as part of a strict adherence of ServeSafe food handling sanitation guidelines.
• Installing new mobile payment and touchless remote card readers in various campus departments that will reduce contact during payment transactions.
• Rearranging furniture in the Campus Center to encourage social distancing.

In the weeks to come, we will be sending you a guide with more information about social distancing, masks, and other activities that will help prevent the spread of the coronavirus when you return to campus.

Later this summer, we will be making decisions about the disposition of our fall collegiate sports seasons based on future conference and NCAA guidelines.

Even though the pandemic has changed life for all of us, Husson University is continuing to move forward in preparation for the fall. We will get through this. Our best days still lie ahead!

Sincerely,

Robert A. Clark, Ph.D., CFA
Husson University President

June 8, 2020 9:00AM Update

To assist you and your family during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have pushed back our fall billing deadlines. We hope that this later due date will make it easier for you to plan and make financial arrangements.

• Financial Aid filing deadline is now June 30, 2020
• All bills will be issued on July 10, 2020.
• Your new billing due date is August 3, 2020.

In the meantime, you can check the student portal to see your fall bill. Please remember that the bill is based on your fall course registration, as well as the costs for housing and meal plans during the semester. Any changes you make to your registration or housing, will be reflected in your bill on the student portal immediately.

Further information will be sent to your billing mailing address on file.

If you have questions about FAFSA or your financial aid offer letter, contact the Financial Aid Office at 207.941.7156 or finaid@husson.edu

For questions about your bill or payment plans, contact the Student Accounts Office at 207.941.7150 or accounts@husson.edu.

June 5, 2020 10:00AM Update

Dear Students,

I thought you would appreciate an update on our plans for the fall semester. Over the past several months, we have been thoughtfully analyzing various strategies for delivering your education. Our priority has been to protect your health and the health of our entire community during these unprecedented times. We appreciate your patience as we continue to adapt to this continuously evolving healthcare crisis and work through all of the various issues associated with reopening in the fall.

We are currently planning to resume face-to-face instruction on August 31. While the continuing need to maintain social distancing and wear masks may make the classroom experience different, the high quality of education we provide to you will remain the same.  

Social distancing and masks will not be the only change. To make sure our campus is a safe and healthy learning environment, Husson has created a series of task forces responsible for developing protocols for different aspects of the University. These task forces are addressing issues affecting housing, dining services, academics, athletics, health, safety and more. You will receive more information about protocols affecting the upcoming fall semester as these task forces make decisions. 

Our plans are part of a much larger effort. Husson University is one of 38 private colleges and universities in Maine who helped develop a reopening framework for higher education.  We are working to provide you with as much information as we can by the end of July, with the understanding that the coronavirus pandemic will continue to require all of us to be flexible.

In the interim, I encourage you to consider taking a class over the summer. There are over 73 courses to choose from during the upcoming summer session that start in either June or July. This is a great way to save money and complete your degree sooner. It may interest you to know, that Husson University was the only Maine institution rated “High” for its online learning experience, according to EDMIT and as reported in the Boston Globe. Registration for these classes is still open. A full list of available classes and the dates they begin can be found at https://www.husson.edu/course-offerings.

While we are continuing to work on policies and protocols for the fall, I want you to know that your health and the health of our campus community continues to be our first priority. Your patience and understanding during this time is greatly appreciated. Additional information will be sent to you in the days and weeks to come. I look forward to welcoming you back to campus soon.

Sincerely,

Robert A. Clark, Ph.D., CFA
Husson University President

May 6, 2020 10:00AM Update

Dear Students,

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted all of our lives during the last two months. In an effort to address the financial burdens that students have experienced, Congress enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (the “CARES Act”) on March 27, 2020.

Husson University is receiving $1.337 million as part of this legislation. These funds must be distributed directly to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the pandemic. These expenses include food, housing, course materials, technology, health care and childcare. 

Initial guidance about how to distribute these grants was released on April 21, 2020 by the Department of Education (ED). Husson University has been developing fair and equitable standards for the distribution of these funds based on federal government guidance, as we await the receipt of this funding.

Under the U.S. Department of Education rules for the program, these funds can be awarded to Husson undergraduate or graduate students who are pursuing degrees and matriculated at Husson. Unfortunately, the Department of Education’s rules prohibit these funds from being used for students who do not qualify for Title IV aid, which is verified by the filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®).

As a result, international students, undocumented students and non-matriculated students are not eligible to receive CARES Act distributions. Students enrolled exclusively in online programs prior to the pandemic are also ineligible. To ensure students with the greatest financial need receive support, the University has also decided that employees attending Husson as part of the tuition-waiver benefit cannot qualify for a CARES Act grant, but dependents of employees are considered eligible if they have met all the criteria. The remaining 2629 students who have a current FAFSA on file with the University qualify to receive this funding. These grants will range from $100 - $600.

Guidance from the federal government also encouraged colleges and universities to give special consideration to Pell eligible students. As a result, Husson has developed a distribution matrix that takes students’ expected family contributions (EFCs) into account. The distribution matrix is based on each student’s FAFSA. Whether a student was carrying a full- or part-time academic load for the Spring 2020 semester was another factor taken into consideration.

Here is what you need to do to receive a CARES Act grant. If you filed a FAFSA for the 2019-2020 academic year, you need to visit your Student Portal. Once you are there, please acknowledge the certification statement necessary to claim your funds. This step must be completed by Tuesday, May 12, 2020 if you want to receive a distribution. Husson will begin making distributions on Friday, May 15^, 2020. Should you decide to accept this CARES distribution, the University will electronically deposit any funds you qualify to receive to the specified account indicated in the information Husson has on file for you. If you do take the steps outlined above, the amount for which you are eligible will be redistributed to Husson University students who are able to demonstrate the need for financial support to cover COVID-19 expenses in accordance with the Act.

If you have questions regarding your distribution, please call Husson University Financial Aid at 207-941-7156 or the Student Accounts office at 207-941-7150.  Further information can also be found on Husson’s COVID Response website at www.husson.edu/covid-19-response in our COVID-19 FAQ.

While these grants may not meet all of your expenses, we hope they will help lighten some of the financial burdens caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

Please continue to stay safe, healthy and maintain social distancing. We look forward to seeing all of you again and hope to reopen campus in the next few months!

Best regards,

Robert A. Clark, Ph.D., CFA
Husson University President

May 1, 2020 2:00PM Update

Dear Students,

As you know, the ongoing disruptions from COVID 19 have required Husson University to postpone this year’s live commencement exercise. Instead of holding the event on Saturday, May 9 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine as originally planned, the event has been rescheduled to take place at the same location on Sunday, October 18, 2020.

We understand that many of you, and your families, may be eager to begin celebrating your academic achievements at the conclusion of the semester. To assist you in this effort, Husson University is preparing a NESCom-produced video presentation.  On or before May 15, a link to the graduation video will be emailed to you and posted on the Husson website.

This video will include:

• Remarks from the President
• Remarks from Husson University’s Board of Trustees Chair
• Recognition of the valedictorians and salutatorian
• The full list of all graduates, their honorary titles and hometowns accompanied by appropriate commencement music. 

We encourage you to watch this presentation and enjoy this celebration of your academic achievements in the safety of your home with your loved ones.

The timetable associated with diploma processing is currently on schedule. The diploma will be mailed to your home address. You should receive it by the end of May.

Your regalia will be sent to your home address by a Husson University vendor, as soon as it is available. Please save the robe, mortarboard and any honor cords you receive. You will need this regalia when you cross the stage at the live commencement exercise on October 18.

Your ability to complete your degree requirements, despite the disruptions caused by a global pandemic, demonstrates the fortitude and perseverance necessary to achieve career success. Everyone at Husson University is incredibly proud of the Class of 2020.

Congratulations!

Sincerely,

Lynne Coy-Ogan, EdD
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost 

A Message to the Class of 2020 and the Husson University Community

As we have worked diligently to transition the entire University’s academic efforts to online over the past few weeks, we have not forgotten that there are many other operational issues we need to address. One area of importance is Commencement. Graduation is the culmination of years of hard work by our students. It’s an opportunity for our new graduates, their families, friends, faculty, staff, and trustees to come together to publicly celebrate and recognize our students’ academic achievements. Personally, it is one of my two favorite days of the academic year. The other is when our first year students arrive each fall.

Nevertheless, in light of the ongoing global disruptions from COVID 19 and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) ban on gatherings of more than 50 people for the next eight weeks, it’s apparent that we’ll have to postpone this year’s commencement exercise. This action acknowledges the realities of the world that we must navigate going forward and is consistent with our efforts to protect the health of our Husson community.

Some of you may be wondering about the graduation fee. The graduation fee covers everything associated with the commencement ceremony: your diploma, announcements, and your graduation cap and gown. Since commencement has been postponed, graduation fees charged to student accounts will be refunded. This one-time, special dispensation is only being offered to the Class of 2020 this year because of the need to reschedule commencement. For future commencements, we will resume our policy of assessing the graduation fee to all students regardless of whether they actually attend the graduation ceremony.
 
To graduate, you will still need to complete the standard petition for graduation. This initiates a final check of your file to ensure that all academic requirements have been met and all official transcripts and other documents are on file. While the commencement ceremony has been postponed, the status of students who complete their degree requirements will continue on schedule. If the final review initiated by your student petition shows that you have completed all of the necessary degree requirements, you will be a graduate of Husson University. Your transcripts and official records will reflect the completion of your degree.
 

Rest assured, we intend to develop an appropriate celebration for the Class of 2020 and we’re working with a planning team of faculty, staff and seniors to discuss ideas and options. We invite you to share your suggestions with me at clarkr@husson.edu. As soon as we’re able to provide more specific information, I’ll be in touch.

Class of 2020, we are incredibly proud of you and look forward with great anticipation to celebrating your successes at a future date!

Best regards,

Robert A. Clark, Ph.D., CFA
Husson University President

March 20, 2020 3:00PM Update

Dear Students,

As the number of people with the coronavirus continues to increase, government and local officials are enacting executive orders and local ordinances designed to limit interaction between people in public spaces. These emergency declarations are being put forth to help protect your health and the well-being of everyone in our state. 

These emergency orders by government officials are going to affect the ways you will receive services from Husson University. We want you to know what you can expect in the days to come.

You should avoid public gatherings, reduce contact with others, ensure six feet of distance between yourself and others whenever possible, and continue to wash your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds. (That’s the equivalent of singing the “Happy Birthday” song aloud twice.) Each individual has a personal responsibility to help keep his or her personal environment clean.

Dining Services. To ensure state and local compliance, Dining Service food offerings will only be offered on a “Grab ‘N’ Go” basis with a limited selection and to only students with active board plans. Students will need to observe “curbside only” restrictions and pick up food outside of the dining facility. Only three students will be allowed in the Grab ‘N’ Go at a time to ensure social distancing.  Since, the university has temporarily suspended all seated dining options, students should plan to eat in their rooms.

Restricted Access to Common Spaces. Cressy Market, the Furman Student Center, the lower Campus Center and all athletic facilities will all be closed until further notice.

Academic spaces like the W. Tom and Bonnie Sawyer Library, Peabody 132 and 134 and the NESCom Computer Lab will all remain open as study spaces. Access to these facilities will be limited to 10 people at a time. All of the people in these rooms will also need to have at least six feet of space between them.

Campus Housing. It is important for the University to use our available space as efficiently as possible.  Accordingly, we will be consolidating resident students into one building. This will help promote safety and allow the University to maintain a thorough, regular cleaning regimen in this building that will help prevent disease transmission.

Consequently, students who have chosen to remain on campus will need to pack their belongings and move to a newly designated campus location in the coming week. Residence Life will share additional details via email.

While the University will be unable to offer the full range of amenities during this period, we hope you appreciate that these altered living conditions are being instituted in the interest of protecting you, your health, and the overall health of the Husson community. In addition, these changes will ensure that you and Husson University are compliant with all local and state regulations. 

The coronavirus is affecting the lives of Americans in a variety of unanticipated and heartbreaking ways. While we prefer not to have to institute actions like these, our commitment to your safety compels us to do everything we can to ensure your good health.

Sincerely,

Pamela Kropp-Anderson
Dean of Student Life

March 13, 2020  5:45 PM Update

Yesterday, we provided you with an update about the steps Husson University is taking to address the coronavirus. We shared that Husson University leaders are closely monitoring all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), State of Maine and public health advisories. Out of an abundance of caution, Husson University has decided to extend spring break for our students.

Today, I want you to know that the decision has been made to move the majority of physical classes to an online or teleconference modality starting March 23. Online courses will be available through Canvas. Teleconferencing will be available through Zoom at https://zoom.us/.

The exception to this will be previously posted online courses. All 15-week online classes will continue as planned and remain on the original schedule. Additionally, if you are enrolled in an upcoming online I-7-2 seven-week course, your instruction begins this Monday, March 16, in accordance with our academic calendar. Students in clinical or internship placements scheduled for this coming week can continue, if the host sites are allowing it.

We will make exceptions for the experiential aspects of graduate and professional programs that cannot be moved online. In these cases, we will incorporate best practices around social distancing and advanced personal hygiene as students’ access simulation and laboratory facilities in order to complete course requirements. We recognize that campus residency may be required for these programmatic adjustments for clinicals, practicums and other programmatic features.  Academic program leaders will share information about class scheduling next week.

The one-week extension of student spring break will not affect when the spring 2020 semester ends. Additional information will be forthcoming about the summer and fall, pre-registration and registration process. Academic advising will be available remotely to support you.

Anyone who has already been approved to stay in campus housing can gain access immediately. For students who have not received prior approval, and wish to retrieve belongings or move out, the residence halls will be open beginning at 8 a.m. on Sunday, March 15. Please note that this is the first day available to move out and not the only day. Information about check out will be sent to you next week. We want to make sure you have the time you need to make appropriate arrangements. Rebates of appropriate room and board fees will be adjusted for institutional financial aid and refunded to student accounts.

If you have personal or academic circumstances, which require continued residence on campus, you will need to complete the Campus Stay Form, located on your MyHousing Portal. Please note that there is a review process associated with this request. If you are approved, there are additional campus housing policies during this period that you will continue to need to observe. You will receive notification about the status of your request by email. Please email reslife@husson.edu if you have any questions.

Protecting the health of students, faculty, staff, campus visitors and the surrounding community is our first priority. Online and Zoom teleconference capabilities are highly effective ways to continue to deliver quality educational experiences. The University is currently evaluating all campus activities and programming to address social distancing and additional cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting procedures. 

Thank you for your cooperation and support. Husson University is doing everything it can to help make sure your health, safety and academic experiences are protected as we all work together to successfully complete the spring semester. 

Sincerely,

Robert A. Clark, Ph.D., CFA
Husson University President

March 12, 2020 Update
Husson University has closely monitored coronavirus developments. With one confirmed case of coronavirus in the state of Maine, Husson University has been working on contingency plans to address the situation as it unfolds.

Our decisions are guided by the following factors:

• First, we need to protect the health of our campus community. This includes the health of students, faculty, staff, campus visitors and the surrounding community. 

• Second, if you recognize health symptoms that need medical attention, please consult with your health care provider. Also, in support of our healthy community, please do not return to campus until your physician clears you to do so. Each of you have a personal responsibility in this regard. 

• Third, the quality and continuity of education. While some courses easily lend themselves to online learning, others require students to engage in experiential activities. Ensuring that every student can participate in experiences is an integral part of a Husson education. 

We recognize that each higher educational institution must chart its own course. Given the best information currently available, and out of an abundance of caution, Husson University has decided to extend spring break by one week. While we will continue to monitor developments and communication accordingly, our current plan is to resume classes on March 23, rather than March 16, as originally planned. The exception will be the timeline for online seven-week courses. If you are enrolled in an I-7-2 course, your instruction begins on March 16, in accordance with our academic calendar. 

This one-week delay will allow your University to react more thoughtfully to events as they unfold. Additional time will also allow us to gather more information and make the best decision possible. In addition, the extra time will help us ensure that all the necessary educational support is available to students and faculty, should we need to transition to an online or hybrid educational modality for the remaining seven weeks of the semester. 

If your travel plans cannot accommodate this change, please reach out to the Office of Student Life as soon as possible to discuss alternatives. The University will make provisions for anyone who has to return to campus as early as March 16. 

In the event that you traveled over spring break to a location that the CDC has identified as an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of COVID-19, the University reserves the right to ask you to self-quarantine to protect the health of our community. Husson University is also considering the disposition of community gatherings at the Gracie Theatre, Commencement, athletic competitions, and other events that require travel. Additional communications will be forthcoming about these events in the days to come.

During the next week, we encourage you to review the COVID-19 guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.  There is some valuable information on this website that you can use to stay up to date on the latest issues.

I hope that all of you can appreciate the many challenges associated with protecting the health of our entire Husson University community. We ask for your patience during these challenging times. We want to assure you that everyone here at Husson is working on your behalf with two goals in mind: Continuing to provide you with a high-quality education, and doing so in the safest manner possible. We will keep you apprised of the latest developments that might affect you, as the situation continues to develop. Look for updates on the University’s website.  Your cooperation during this period is very much appreciated.

Sincerely, 

Robert A. Clark, Ph.D., CFA
Husson University President

Please check back here for the latest information.