Editor’s note: Kansas State’s campuses will be closed for in-person classes for the foreseeable future and there will be a week delay before those classes are resumed in a revised, online format. In the meantime, the Collegian will continue to update this form as students and community members submit questions about the current state of affairs at the university.
“The university is really trying to be proactive,” student body president Jansen Penny, senior in industrial engineering, said. “It’s important we do our due diligence with social distancing.”
K-State Alerts: In-person classes suspended March 16-20 to mitigate spread of COVID-19. Details at https://t.co/uzlytPJhhh
— K-State (@KState) March 12, 2020
K-State Alerts: In-person classes suspended March 16-20 to mitigate spread of COVID-19. Details at https://t.co/uzlytPJhhh
— K-State (@KState) March 12, 2020
Will academic deadlines scheduled for March 15 to March 22 still be required?
Decisions about predetermined academic deadlines are at the discretion of each instructor and department.
“Students should watch for communications from instructors for any specific changes to the syllabus and deadlines,” university public information office Michelle Geering said in an emailed statement. “Details on how to accommodate learning that typically takes place in laboratories and other in-person situations is still in process. Students should watch for information from instructors in these situations.”
Why is it important for students to stay away from campus if they can?
Like other universities across the United States, K-State decided to practice social distancing to protect the health of the student body.
“Social distancing has proven to slow the spread of a disease,” Geering said. “While inconvenient, it is the right thing to do for the greater good of our communities.”
Will on-campus services like Recreational Services and the K-State Student Union still be open to the student body?
Geering stressed that campus is open, but “some services may be limited or reduced.”
The K-State Student Union will be open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, but will close on the weekends. Some dining options will still be available. Passport processing services will not be available.
UPDATE: The REC COMPLEX & POOL, OPEN normal break hours TODAY.
Fri. Mar 13: Complex hours are 5:30am-6pm, Pool hours are 11:30am-2:30pm.
All facilities will be CLOSED, Sat. Mar 14-Sun. Mar 29.
TENTATIVELY will re-open on Mon. Mar 30.
Complete details, https://t.co/Zd6qtjiBVU— K-State Rec Services (@KStateRec) March 12, 2020
The Rec will close on Saturday, March 14 and will not reopen until Monday, March 30. It is possible the closure will continue past the planned date.
The Beach Museum will also be closing until March 30.
How will students with limited access to internet be able to learn in an online-only platform?
Union computer stations will be open to use for students who do not have access to Wi-Fi in their homes. People are advised to sanitize the equipment by wiping down the keyboards and mouses before using them.
Penny also said students will have access to K-State Libraries.
For students needing accommodations otherwise, students should reach out to the Student Access Center.
How long could the suspension of in-person instruction last?
Geering said there isn’t a timeline for how long the university will suspend in-person classes.
“Best case scenario is that we resume classes in-person as normal on March 30,” Penny said.
