Updated: important message for incoming fall 2020 freshmen
From SNHU President Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc, June 10, 2020
Dear SNHU Innovation Scholarship Students,
Your SNHU family has been thinking of you this spring. I have heard from so many students, family members, faculty, staff, donors, and alumni, wondering what our plan is for the fall, and how we will continue to care for our community.
I write today to let you know that, due to the continued public health threat of COVID-19, SNHU has made the incredibly difficult decision to extend remote learning for all campus students through the fall 2020 semester. I understand that this decision will be met with a range of emotions — from relief to frustration — and I want to share what our team took into consideration.
This decision was not made lightly. The safety and wellbeing of our students, faculty, and staff remains our top priority, and weeks of hard work, research, conversations with public health officials, task force meetings, and scenario planning all went into this decision for the fall. Over the past few months, the SNHU COVID-19 Task Force has tracked the rapidly changing information from local, state, and federal authorities daily to monitor the situation and adjust our plans for the university community.
We have said from the beginning that we would only bring people to campus when it was safe to do so, and unfortunately, we are still facing the lack of a vaccine and limits in the easy availability of testing at this time. Against that backdrop, SNHU leaders explored a number of scenarios to bring students on campus this fall. However, everything we know today from public health experts suggests that bringing together thousands of people in close proximity is inadvisable and could potentially have negative impacts not only on the SNHU community, but on the communities in which we operate.
Our students prize an experience that unites community, fellowship, and togetherness. In looking at how we would need to operate to adhere to public health guidelines and try to keep people safe – closed dining halls, enforced use of face masks, limited residence hall space, constant health and temperature screenings, no activities with large groups, classrooms with desks at least six feet apart, plastic partitions between faculty and students, closed common areas, few campus activities and no social gatherings, to name a few – we were left with an experience very different from the SNHU experience our students know and love. Every expert we consulted affirmed that even with all of those measures, many would likely be infected.
Next Steps
We have made the decision about the fall semester early, to allow extra time for students to plan and for our staff to prepare to deliver a high-quality remote learning experience and robust student life and support opportunities this fall. We will use this time throughout the summer to gather information, strategize, and plan for your remote campus experience.
New Student Inventory (NSI)
The New Student Inventory is an important, mandatory first step in shaping your SNHU academic experience. This year, we have also incorporated questions about what resources and support services would help you succeed in the fall. Completing the NSI confirms your intended program track and helps us to register you for your fall courses. We’ll send an email to your SNHU email address by June 15 with a link to your survey. Log in at my.snhu.edu to access your SNHU email account. Please contact the Office of Admission if you do not know your SNHU email address.
Orientation
As you know, you’ll experience orientation differently than any other class before you. Your 100% virtual experience will allow you to meet fellow Penmen, connect with an orientation leader, and learn about student support services and resources. You’ll get to try out the online learning environment in this fun and comprehensive program, and make contact with a professional staff member who will serve as a coach and guide for you in your first year. The Office of Student Involvement will be in touch in a few weeks with more details.
Residence Life
Given this decision, residence halls on campus will be closed, and there will be no charges for room and board for the fall semester. Student Financial Services is in the process of updating financial aid award letters, which can be viewed on mySNHU. The Office of Residence Life will be in touch with you when we have a reopening date for campus, to share details about the housing selection process. In the meantime, if you indicated you want to live on campus when you applied to SNHU, you are guaranteed to have a space on campus when we reopen. If you have any questions, or if you want to be added to the list of students planning to live on campus, contact Residence Life directly at housingquestions@snhu.edu.
Final Thoughts
We know this is not how you envisioned starting your college career at SNHU, but we are committed to making sure your first semester is as engaging and rewarding as possible. The SNHU task force will continue to monitor public health guidance from local, state, and federal authorities and adjust plans accordingly. If public health guidelines change drastically and it is safe to open facilities, such as the library or campus meeting spaces, SNHU will communicate those updates to the community.
While we would all prefer to welcome our students and faculty members back to campus this fall, we have always prioritized the safety and well-being of the SNHU community and we want students to be able to experience the SNHU they know and love.
I know this news will be met with mixed emotions - disappointment from all of the students who were excited to start campus life, relief from the students who may be immunocompromised and worried what a living on campus might mean for their health, and grief or sadness for the thousands of students who call SNHU “home.” Please know that we are feeling all of these emotions alongside you on this journey and look forward to the day we can all come together as one community when it is safe to do so.
With Penmen Pride,
Paul
Dr. Paul J. LeBlanc
University President and CEO
Southern New Hampshire University
Please contact your admission counselor or the Office of First-Year Admission if you would like to speak to an admission representative directly:
admission@snhu.edu
603.645.9611
Why is SNHU continuing with remote learning while other schools in the state and region are planning to open? Why is SNHU making this decision so early?
Due to the continued public health threat of COVID-19, the lack of a vaccine, limited availability of community-wide testing and accurate contact tracing, and concerns around providing the campus-based experiences our students know and expect, SNHU has made the incredibly difficult decision to extend remote learning for all campus students through the fall 2020 semester.
This decision was not made lightly -- weeks of hard work, research, conversations with public health officials, task force meetings, and scenario planning all went into this decision to continue with remote learning for the fall 2020 semester.
SNHU leaders explored a number of scenarios to bring students back to campus this fall, however, everything we know today from public health experts suggests bringing together thousands of people in close proximity is inadvisable and could potentially have negative impacts not only on the SNHU community, but on the communities in which we operate. Furthermore, looking at ways in which universities would have to operate to try and keep people safe -closed dining halls, enforced use of face masks, limited residence hall space, constant health and temperature screenings, no activities with large groups, classrooms with desks six feet apart, and closed common areas, to name a few -- these do not sound like the campus-based academic, athletic, residence life, and student involvement experiences that our students, faculty, and staff know and expect on the SNHU campus.
While we would all prefer to welcome our students and faculty members back to campus this fall, the health and safety of the SNHU community will always be our top priority, and we have always said we would only bring back students when it was safe to do so according to local and federal health experts.
SNHU made this decision early for students to plan logistically and financially for the upcoming term and to allow extra time for faculty and staff to prepare to deliver a high-quality remote learning experience this fall.
What if the virus changes dramatically over the summer; would SNHU consider reversing its decision and open?
SNHU will continue to monitor guidance from authorities and adjust response plans accordingly.
Is first-year tuition still covered for Innovation Scholarship recipients?
Yes. As announced earlier this spring, the University is offering a one-time “Innovation Scholarship” to all incoming campus freshmen which will cover 100% of first-year tuition while they take their courses online.
Will I still be charged various fees, including a Student Activity Fee and Wellness Fee?
Although the fall semester will be remote, student services and engagement opportunities will still be available to all students. The Wellness Center’s services will still be available to students and as such, the $25 Wellness Fee will still be charged. While clubs and engagement opportunities will still be offered and encouraged, we have decided to eliminate the Student Activity Fee for the fall semester since the in-person events and experiences won’t be offered. The SNHU team is working hard to ensure students still have access to support services, virtual student activities, and other ways to connect with the SNHU community in a meaningful way.
What is SNHU doing to support students during the remote learning experience?
We know that this spring was challenging for everyone as the SNHU community and indeed our entire country dealt with the impact and ripple effects of this pandemic on so many aspects of our lives. Our goal remains to ensure that SNHU students have the highest quality educational experience, and we are investing significant time and resources throughout the summer to plan for remote instruction, including increased training for faculty to ensure consistency and quality, expanded access to student support services, and reduced tuition to match the cost of SNHU online courses. SNHU faculty and staff are here to support students in remote learning for the duration of this unique, challenging, and unprecedented time, and we will be communicating about resources and updates with students throughout the summer and throughout the fall semester.
As part of our commitment to delivering the highest quality remote learning experience, we need students’ input. We have designed a survey to gather feedback from students on what resources and support services would help them succeed in remote learning. Faculty and staff will use the responses in planning for the fall semester. Students will receive a link to this survey by email on June 10, and it will be open until June 19.
Will there be any options to visit to campus for 1-on-1 meetings or instruction with Faculty members? Tutoring services?
Due to public health recommendations, SNHU will continue all student services virtually for the fall semester. We will continue to monitor guidance over the summer and adjust response plans accordingly. If the situation changes drastically and it is safe to open facilities for student use, we will communicate updates to the SNHU community.
I am studying under the Post 9/11 G.I. Bill. What does this mean for my benefits?
Emergency legislation was passed in March to allow the VA to continue paying the full Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) if classes that were conducted on campus were moved to remote instruction due to a declaration of national emergency. Student Veterans will continue to receive their GI Bill benefits under S. 3503, which President Trump signed into law March 21, and will continue receiving the same MHA payments they received for resident training until Dec. 21, or until the school resumes in-person classes.
What if Athletics/NCAA/NE-10 are still moving forward? Will athletes still be able to live on campus and compete?
We are continuing to monitor guidance from the NCAA and will share more information as it becomes available.
Can I come to campus to use the wi-fi for group meetings or instruction?
Due to public health recommendations, SNHU will continue all student services virtually for the fall semester. We will continue to monitor guidance over the summer and adjust response plans accordingly. If the situation changes drastically and it is safe to open facilities for student use, we will communicate updates to the SNHU community.
A number of companies are offering free or low-cost wireless and broadband services for students during the ongoing epidemic. Visit our "Student Resources" page for additional information. If you need additional support, please contact Student Affairs or reach out to CAREteam@snhu.edu.
Will any other services on campus be open — library, athletic facilities, health center, advising or diversity offices, etc?
Due to public health recommendations, SNHU will continue all student support services virtually for the fall semester. We will continue to monitor guidance over the summer and adjust response plans accordingly. If the situation changes drastically and it is safe to open facilities for student use, we will communicate updates to the SNHU community.
I haven’t been able to sign up for housing yet. When will I be able to do that?
Thank you for your patience as we determine the best time to run the housing selection process for returning students. Once we have a clear timeline about campus reopening, we will be in touch with you to share more details about the timing of the selection process. For now, rest assured that your groups and room/apartment/suite preferences will remain as is until we run the room selection process. As always, if you have questions please reach out to Residence Life directly at housingquestions@snhu.edu.
What does this mean for my work-study job?
We anticipate that there will be a limited number of fully remote work-study positions available for qualifying students who have been awarded work-study funding. All candidates are required to submit a resume (and possibly a cover letter) when applying. The Career and Professional Development Center is available to assist with resume writing and best practices for applying to a job; students can email careerdevelopment@snhu.edu for assistance. The federal work-study coordinator will email all work-study eligible students in July with more information about how to apply, and a link to job postings.
I’m an international student; what does this mean for me?
Accepted international students starting in fall 2020 have two options: start your program remotely and join us on campus later; or defer your start to a future semester. New or incoming international students should contact your admission counselor or international@snhu.edu.
I don’t have reliable wi-fi at home or a working computer. Will SNHU help offset these costs or are there any programs to help students in need during this time?
A number of companies are offering free or low-cost wireless and broadband services for students during the ongoing epidemic. Visit our "Student Resources" page for additional information. If you need additional support, please contact Student Affairs or reach out to CAREteam@snhu.edu.
I don’t have safe housing for the Fall. Will SNHU have any exceptions if students want to live on campus this fall?
At SNHU, the safety and wellbeing of our students is our top priority. We are currently assessing the possibility of providing housing to a small number of students who do not have a safe place to live. If you have housing questions please contact: housingquestions@snhu.edu.
Does this announcement extend the campus events ban?
Yes, SNHU is extending its policy for campus-based events. No internal or external events will be hosted on campus through the 2020 fall semester.