In an email Tuesday afternoon, Lamar R. Hylton, vice president for student affairs and Jill Jenkins, executive director for residence services provided details for students living on campus next school year.

The email outlines the following measures the university is taking to safely reopen campus and mitigate any risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic:

• The university will follow CDC guidelines on cleaning protocols for residence halls, including pod-style bathrooms and shared spaces.

• There will be a staggered move-in schedule to prevent large amounts of people moving in at the same time. This schedule will be outlined by June 15.

• Undergraduate Student Government (USG) and Kent Interhall Council (KIC) are developing community standards that align with the Flashes Safe Seven Principles. Residence Services will adopt these standards and students will be expected to follow them. These standards will include physical distancing, wearing face coverings when outside of your room and staying home when you are not feeling well.

• In addition to adopting the community standards, the university will have modified residence hall policies to support the COVID-19 era, which will include adjusted visitation policies to limit room occupancy to students assigned to the room only.

• The dining halls will also look different. University Dining Services will follow the guidelines set forth by the State of Ohio. Service delivery will involve a mix of to-go and spaced in-hall dining options. More information can be found in the month ahead on Kent State’s Dining Services website. 

• If a student is probable or confirmed as being sick with COVID, they will not be permitted to stay in their room. Instead, they will be expected to go home or temporarily relocate until they are safe to return.

• In support of the university’s academic calendar for the fall semester and to reduce travel, the university encourages students to move home for the holiday break by Saturday, November 21, 2020 and return to campus when the halls reopen in January. Students will receive information for the process in early November. The process will be so that students notify residence services of their departure for tracking purposes. If students follow the process, they will be eligible for a prorated room/dining credit for the unused contract dates for the fall semester. The credit will be applied to the student’s account.

Students who wish to have their housing contract cancelled can notify residence services at [email protected] by 5 p.m. on June 9 to have their housing prepayment refunded.

Students who do not know their room assignment will receive that information by end of day on June 12.

Contact Troy Pierson at [email protected].