Fall 2020 at Jacksonville UniversityDetermined to Stay
Jacksonville University is excited to welcome students back to campus for the Fall 2020 semester. In order to keep our community safe and healthy, every member of our campus community must do their part. Living, learning, and working together this fall will require more respect and responsibility from each of us.
This webpage is designed to help you understand your role in maintaining a healthy campus. This information is fluid and subject to change as we learn new information about COVID-19 and adjust to updated guidance. We will update this site and add new announcements as decisions are made.
Welcome Back: A Message from President Cost
[Music]
Hello, and welcome to the campus of Jacksonville University. It's a beautiful August day on your campus, warm and sunny.
We've been working for the last five months to prepare for your arrival to make sure you could come here and study safely. We told you months ago we were 100 percent committed to bringing you here to live and study assuming it was safe to do so. We're now confident it is safe to do so.
We've been working with world-class experts from the Centers for Disease Control, the Mayo Clinic, the Florida Department of Health, and all of our own best people, faculty and staff, to get ready for you.
It's a moment of personal responsibility, shared personal responsibility, the idea being: can we collectively agree?
We will wear masks. Every time you see me on this campus, I'll be wearing a mask.
We're going to wash our hands. We're going to be aggressive about personal hygiene.
And we're going to socially distance.
These are the things that work.
You won't be coming to a campus where we're going to gather a thousand of you at a time. We're going to be very mindful of this in your classrooms, where you dine and gather.
There's a few new things I think it's important for you to know.
The first one is regarding self-health checks, this idea of checking on your own health each day as an investment in the health and well-being of others is critical. Each day before you come to class, we expect for you to check on your own health and especially check on whether or not you feel you have a fever, and stay home if you don't feel well.
We have a brand new Student Health Center on campus on the north side, built specifically to take care of you, and where you can get a COVID-19 test easily.
The next thing I want you to be aware of is new security screening procedures. This is so that everyone who comes onto this campus, we can make sure for your health and safety that they should be on this campus. They'll answer questions, they'll go through other protocols, and know that that's an important next step for your well-being.
The third thing I think is important for you to know is we've made upgrades all across this campus that positively impact your life.
We've upgraded the technology in the classroom significantly, even from just a few months ago. We've upgraded wireless network work. Outdoor areas have been enhanced; they're much more friendly to the way you want to live.
There's signage on the campus now that'll make it easier for you to keep your distance. The dining facilities have been upgraded, and a lot more outdoor dining is going to be going on.
And know that we've made significant investment in your safety and health in the areas of cleaning and sanitizing, over and over, classrooms, dining facilities, bathrooms, etc.
So we've taken a number of these steps together in combination with world-class experts, and we need you to stay connected to us. We're going to be continuing to communicate with you. You stay in touch with us.
www.ju.edu, and, if you have questions, careteam@ju.edu.
Please stay safe and healthy. See you on campus soon.
What does fall look like for you?
Get an overview of what you can expect this fall.
How to Stay on Campus
What You Need to Do
- Wear a face covering in all indoor spaces, except your own residential rooms.
- Wash your hands frequently.
- Stay 6 feet away from anyone you do not share a living space with.
- Check your health daily and stay home if you’re sick.
- Meet virtually as much as possible. No large gatherings, and no parties.
- Avoid crowded places or places where social distancing is not being observed. If you leave campus, wear a mask while you are out, and maintain 6 feet of space away from anyone you don't live with.
- Disinfect your personal space regularly.
- If you have been exposed to COVID-19, or if you have chosen to get tested somewhere off campus, let us know.
What We're Doing
- Fall semester started Aug. 17 and ends Nov. 24 for traditional undergraduate students.
- Graduate and professional studies students have updated academic calendars, as well.
- Face coverings are required in all indoor spaces and any time 6 feet of distance cannot be maintained.
- Facilities team is cleaning & disinfecting more frequently.
- Campus Safety and Security are conducting temperature checks and asking health screening questions before allowing visitors on campus.
- Many faculty and staff are on campus in staggered or adjusted schedules to minimize traffic on campus.
If You Feel Sick
- Stay home.
- Call your health provider.
- Students: Call the Student Health Center.
- Faculty and Staff: Call your healthcare provider.
- Report positive test results:
All students, faculty, and staff should perform daily self-checks and watch for COVID symptoms.
Browse the Plan by Subject
Updates & Changes
The information on this site was last updated on Friday, September 18.
How did we come up with this plan? The Planning Process
The health and safety of every member of our campus remains at the forefront of every decision the University makes. The information found here reflects months worth of collaborative discussions with senior leaders, consultation with outside experts, evaluation of best practices across higher education, and careful consideration of the overall JU experience. These important discussions are ongoing and fluid, as is the COVID-19 public health crisis and global response.
The policies on this website have been developed by a broad committee including senior leadership and faculty experts based on a close review of published guidelines and recommendations produced by the CDC, OSHA, WHO, ACHA, and the FDOH, in addition to outside consultation with our legal counsel, Public Health experts from Mayo Clinic’s Infectious Disease Unit, and the Duval County Department of Health.
The task force that developed this plan continues to meet weekly to review the latest developments so that we can adapt swiftly to the changes in our environment. This website will be updated regularly to reflect any adjustments to the plan.