FAQs
On this page, we hope to answer all your questions, but if you find we’ve missed something, reach out to us at COVID19-info@cbu.edu and we will provide you with additional information.
Is the CBU campus open?
Yes, the CBU campus is open. All faculty, staff, students, and those who need to conduct business with the University are allowed to visit campus without any prior approval. The campus entrance on Central Avenue is open as are both East Parkway entrances. Please note, the Residential Student gate on East Parkway will continue to be available only to residential students and members of the Student Development and Campus Life team.
All persons entering campus (via any of the Central or East Parkway campus gates) will continue to be required to (a) wear face masks at all times while on campus and (b) present the results of the daily CBU COVID CHECK health assessment (which can be found online at www.cbu.edu/coronavirus) or be given a paper version of the health assessment. They may also be required to submit to random touchless temperature checks upon entering the campus.
What do the entrance and exit signs around campus mean?
To promote greater social distancing, CBU community members should follow the directional signage in all buildings. This includes designated entrances and exits for buildings and offices, posted signs regarding traffic flow within areas such as the Business Office, Alfonso Cafeteria or Library, and arrows on floors or walls indicating directions for hallway foot traffic. You can review a map of all entrances and exits below or pick up a print copy at public locations around campus. PDF MAP OF ENTRANCES/EXITS
Where can I study on campus?
Our traditional study spaces such as Plough Library and the Swashbuckler Lounge remain open but will have reduced capacity to allow for social distancing. Students needing places to study or take online courses are invited to use traditional and computer classrooms in Buckman Hall when they are not in use for scheduled classes. Adhere to all campus COVID-19 guidelines. Use headphones if you’re using audio. No eating or group socializing is allowed.
To determine if a room might be available, please consult the “View Room Usage” tool on the Events Management website. (Note: the appearance of availability on the room usage tool will not guarantee that the room is vacant.)
How do I get my books and supplies?
Students are strongly encouraged to place online orders through CBU’s online bookstore. Online book orders can be picked up in the campus store or curbside pick-up options may be available with prior arrangement. Students studying in a fully remote manner can work with the CBU Bookstore directly to have materials sent via mail or prepared for pick-up. Contact the CBU bookstore at 0478mgr@follett.com or (901) 321-3574.
I live on campus; how can I get a food delivery or have my parents drop something off?
All visitors/delivery personnel must enter through the Maurelian gate (student residential parking lot) and check in at the guard booth. This gate is the entrance that is directly north of the main access E. Parkway Gate. Once at the guard booth, visitors/delivery service personnel will be required to immediately utilize a face mask, complete the CBU COVID-19 Health Assessment and submit to a touchless temperature check. If the individual(s) do not have a face mask, one will be supplied to them at that location.
After being cleared by the guard staff, occupants of the vehicle will be directed to park in the designated waiting area that is marked by orange parking cones, and the visitors/delivery service personnel will be responsible for contacting the student via cell phone. It will be the responsibility of the student to promptly meet the visitor/delivery service at the designated waiting area. Students will be required to wear a mask and maintain social distancing guidelines.
Do we still have an attendance policy?
CBU’s attendance policies remain in effect for the 2020-21 academic year. However, faculty are expected to exercise lenience for students whose attendance or class participation is disrupted due to COVID-19 related exigencies including but not limited to illness, exposure, or technological disruptions due to quarantine displacement. Moreover, diversity of online and hybrid course designs this year may complicate normal attendance-taking methods. In those courses, especially, faculty should lay out clear expectations for class participation and must document student absenteeism or failure to participate in milestone events in the course. Faculty are strongly encouraged to maintain good attendance records in Bannerweb, and use the Academic Alert process for absenteeism and for students who exhibit a pattern of failing to respond to course prompts.
Will faculty hold office hours?
For the 2020-21 academic year, virtual office hours will be the norm and should be conducted via Webex whenever possible. Faculty should provide students with reliable contact information and regular times when they are able to respond to students promptly. This information should be outlined in detail within course syllabi and should be reiterated to students on a regular basis. Meetings with students should be conducted virtually unless course requirements, disability accommodations, or the academic needs of a student dictate otherwise. Weekly availability should be consistent with university stipulated office hour requirements: 10 hours for full-time faculty; 1-3 hours for adjunct faculty (recommended unless otherwise defined by program-specific guidelines).
What is CBU doing to ensure that classrooms are safe?
CBU has taken multiple measures to ensure a safe learning environment for our students and faculty. Our classrooms will receive daily deep cleaning, and each room is capped at a maximum capacity for physical/social distancing. Directional signage is in place to manage traffic in and out of buildings and classrooms as well. Masks are required both inside campus facilities and outside on campus property. Classrooms have been supplied with hand sanitizer and cleaning products for anyone who would like to use them. If supplies need to be restocked, faculty or students should contact the Dean’s office in each school or email covid19-info@cbu.edu with the classroom information.
Are masks required in classrooms?
Students, faculty, staff, and all campus visitors are required to wear protective face masks in all public spaces on campus including, but not limited to, classrooms, offices, lounges, reception areas, hallways, study areas, dining facilities, athletic facilities, and public outdoor spaces. Students may be dismissed from class for not wearing masks, and it is not the faculty member’s responsibility to provide masks to students. (Disposable masks will be made available to students in designated spaces around campus). In the event that a student refuses to leave a class for not wearing a mask, class activities should be suspended, and the faculty member is to contact Campus Safety at (901) 321-3550 for immediate assistance.
CDC recommends that people wear masks that have two or more layers of washable, breathable fabric; completely cover your nose and mouth; and fit snugly against the sides of your face without gaps. Do not wear masks that are made of fabric that makes it hard to breathe (for example, vinyl) or masks that have exhalation valves or vents which allow virus particles to escape. (N95 masks are widely considered by experts to be the most effective mask available, but public health agencies have widely recommended that N95s largely remain reserved for those who work in healthcare and for those in more at-risk populations.) CDC MASK GUIDELINES
Is CBU offering COVID-19 testing to faculty and staff?
As part of our coronavirus mitigation practices, our CBU Compact requires that faculty and staff will participate in COVID-19 testing as requested. Employees must stay home if they are sick or have been in close contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. All employees should consult with their healthcare provider to determine if they should obtain a COVID-19 test at a local testing facility. They should also contact their supervisor and Human Resources who will advise them on any quarantine requirements or if a negative COVID-19 test result will be required before returning to campus.
Beginning August 31, 2020 and continuing throughout the academic year, CBU will initiative weekly random testing. If you are randomly selected, you will receive a phone call and an email from Human Resources with specific instructions. The minimally invasive, self-administered testing will be done on campus at the Health Services modular building located between the Thomas Center and Rozier Hall during regular business hours.
If faculty and staff are working entirely remotely and not coming to campus at all, they will not be randomly selected for testing. Supervisors are responsible for registering all exclusively remote faculty and staff with Human Resources.
Can I reserve a room for an event?
In order to practice safe social distancing and other safety guidelines provided by public health authorities, we will be severely limiting our in-person events. While we have some larger rooms available that would allow for safe social distancing of small to medium-sized groups (such as the University Theater, Montesi Executive Center, Spain Auditorium), we will be prioritizing academic and other essential uses for these spaces. If you would like you discuss your space needs, please contact the Office of Events Management at events@cbu.edu, allowing for ample time for events to be reviewed by University administration.