Dear Hampton University Students:
As all of us are aware, we are living in unprecedented times. Our nation is witnessing widespread peaceful protests, which I applaud, in response to the senseless killing of Mr. George Floyd and other victims of police brutality. The number of COVID-19 cases worldwide is over 5 million with over 300,000 deaths. In the U. S. alone, there are over 2 million cases with over 116,000 deaths. The pandemic has caused our nation’s economy to lose approximately $350-$400 billion per month since mid-March. We, at Hampton University, are not immune to the impact of this current state of affairs. Yet, we are c0ntinuing to move forward with the best interests of our students, faculty, and staff in mind.
In addition to my written communiques, you have heard from: Mr. Martin Miles about funding from the CARES Act; Mrs. Doretha Spells who sent the $100 checks to every on-campus student to assist you with travel to campus and the $905.00 and $500.00 to the students who were eligible to receive Title IV funds from the CARES Act; and Dr. Barbara Inman concerning the dates that on-campus students could return to the residence halls to secure their personal belongings. My understanding is that the return went well. Dr. Inman will also send to you on June 17, 2020 the details of our plan entitled, Pirates on Course: Fall 2020 Reopening Plan. As promised, I am now writing to update you on Hampton University’s plans for the upcoming academic year.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been actively evaluating the impact that the virus will have on our institution as it relates to health and safety, academics, and finances. The three working groups that I appointed: the Infectious Disease and Prevention Working Group, chaired by Dr. Barbara L. Inman; the Financial Stabilization Task Force, chaired by Mrs. Doretha J. Spells; and the Transformational Revitalization Task Force, chaired by Dr. JoAnn W. Haysbert, have collected and assessed all information available to date to determine the best and safest way for Hampton to move forward.
We miss our students greatly and would like you to have as •normal” of a college experience as possible. With the above in mind, we believe that it is in the best interest of the Hampton University community to offer our students a full campus experience in the fall. To mitigate the potential of coronavirus exposure, the semester will begin earlier and end earlier. The new start date for fall classes 2020 will be August 10, 2020 and the end date will be November 20, 2020. Our newest Hamptonians will begin checking into the residence halls on August 5, 2020 and continuing students will begin checking into the residence halls on August 7, 2020. A predetermined day and time will be emailed to you. Beginning and ending the semester earlier will allow students to return home prior to the peak of the flu season.
Of course, welcoming our students back in the fall requires that a new set of health and safety precautions be implemented. As a result, the Infectious Disease and Prevention Working Group has developed a reopening plan. Listed below are a few examples from the plan, which is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Virginia Department of Health, and the University’s efforts to keep everyone as safe and healthy as possible.
- All students, faculty, staff, and administrators must be tested.
- Face coverings must be worn in public places and outdoors.
- Physical distancing of 6 feet from others should be maintained as much as possible.
- Temperature screenings will be utilized frequently.
- Contact tracing will be utilized where possible.
- There will be routine cleaning of all buildings, facilities and public restrooms on campus.
- There will be twice a day cleaning of high touched surfaces, such as elevator buttons, light switches, hand rails, door knobs, and counter surfaces.
- There will be after-hour electrostatic cleaning of large common areas such as the dining room, student center, Holland Hall, chapel, and the library.
- There will be an elimination of buffet style, self-serve foods, and beverage stations.
- There will be disinfecting wipes and hand sanitizer in all classrooms.
- Flu shots will be strongly suggested (free of charge if your insurance will not pay for them.)
The above items are merely an overview. As mentioned, the Pirates on Course: Fall 2020 Reopening Plan will provide specifics. Finally, on this matter, when you return you should monitor your health and be aware of the most common signs of COVID-19. These signs are fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, fatigue, and loss of sense of smell and taste. You should also be careful of your contact with off-campus associates.
The Transformational Revitalization Task Force has determined best practices for continuing academic and extracurricular activities when students return. These practices include guidelines for maximum class sizes, classroom sealing distance, and instructional strategies. In addition, the task force outlined dining hall seating, as well as athletics events seating and residence hall occupancy guidelines that seek to reduce the number of students in campus facilities at the same time.
As students and members of the Hampton University family, you are also responsible for helping to reduce the potential impact of the virus on campus. To do this, you must adhere to all preventive measures, guidelines, and procedures put in place by the University as well as follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Virginia Department of Health regulations. Working together, we can keep our campus healthy and safe.
Unfortunately, situations related to COVID-19 continue to change daily. As a result, we must be extremely flexible with our planning. Decisions that we make today may not be feasible tomorrow. Therefore, I ask that you be understanding of any changes that are made to the University’s current and future plans for the upcoming academic year. If such changes must be made, I will communicate them to you.
In closing, I want to remind you that our current priorities are the health and safety of the Hampton University community as well as the continuation of the Hampton Experience. Each decision that we make is made with you in mind as we continue our legacy as THE Standard of Excellence. Stay safe. Stay strong. Stay positive!
With all good wishes,
William R. Harvey
President