Coronavirus Preparedness and Updates

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, Coppin State University must reschedule the May 22, 2020 Commencement Ceremony. We share your disappointment, and we are committed to recognizing your outstanding accomplishments. However, given the volatility of COVID-19, we are not yet able to announce the rescheduled date. Graduates will be contacted as soon as a date is confirmed.

Spring graduates, who have fulfilled all the academic and university requirements, will receive their diplomas in the mail 8-10 weeks after the end of the Spring Semester. Please contact your academic advisor if you should have any questions.

Look for more information to come soon.

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Greetings Coppin Residents,

You may have questions regarding the closing of campus residential facilities due to the COVID-19 crisis, and steps you should take to secure your items from your room. Please read the information below.

WHAT ARE THE MOVE-OUT DATES AND TIMES

The move-out dates are March 23, 2020 to April 5, 2020, from 7:30am to 7:30pm.

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR A MOVE-OUT TIME:

To ensure that families reduce any risk, we ask students to sign up for a time retrieve their belongings by visiting 2020 Spring Move-Out Sign Up link. Please complete all necessary information to ensure we are in compliance with the CDC Guidelines. Please DO NOT report to campus without an appointment.

FEELING ILL, NEED ADDITIONAL TIME, INTERNATIONAL

For those who are not feeling well, we ask that those students and their guardians stay home and continue to follow the CDC guidelines. If you cannot travel to campus, please complete the Emergency/Alternative Housing Form. In addition, any student who with an extenuating circumstance that will restrict relocation should also complete the form. Please note that the University bares no responsibility for items that maybe damaged during this period or any period thereafter.

HOW LONG DO I HAVE TO PACK MY ITEMS?

Each family will be given 2hrs within their appointment time. If your appointment is at 3pm you will have until 5pm.

CAN I COME TO CAMPUS WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT?

No. To ensure the health and safety of our Coppin students we ask that no one come to campus without an appointment.

IF I’M LATE TO AN APPOINTMENT?

If you have an appointment set for 3pm and arrive at 4pm your appointment window still closes at 5pm as we have to make this process fair for each family. However, if you miss your appointment time, please email the Housing Office and we will work with you to schedule another time.

HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE ALLOWED TO HELP ME MOVE?

Per the CDC guidelines regarding social distancing we are only allowing 2 people to help you move. Please note that these helpers should not have tested positive, should not have traveled to hot spots, been around anyone who was sick in the last 14 days, and should be symptom free.

WHAT TO DO WHEN I ARRIVE ON CAMPUS FOR MY APPOINTMENT?

When you arrive to campus, you can pick up a key envelope from the front desk and head to your room. If you are currently on campus due to extended spring break, you can get a key envelope from the front desk your perspective building. (Please note, if there are no key envelopes are available, place your key in the suggestion box anyway). Pack your belongings, once you leave the building, you will not be able to return. After you have moved all of your belongings from your room your keys should be dropped in the suggestion box located at each front desk.

CAN I COME TO CAMPUS EARLY?

For the safety and well-being of our students, we cannot approve any early arrivals. All students must make an appointment through the online system.

CAN MY ROOMMATE GET MY BELONGINGS FOR ME?

No. This is to ensure that personal items are safeguarded. Additionally, roommates cannot move out together as that would violate the social distancing recommendation by the CDC.

DOES THE BUILDING HAVE SANITIZER?

Hand sanitizers are located at the elevators of each building.

We are deeply saddened to see our eagles leave their nest earlier than expected, but if you have any addition questions, please send an email to the Office of Housing or the Office of Residence Life. Please take care and please be safe.

Thank you.

Dr. Michael Freeman, Vice President

Mr. Kendrell Edwards, Interim Director of Housing

Mr. Kevin Pertee, Director of Residence Life

Dear Coppin Campus Community:

After numerous discussions and consideration of special circumstances, proclamations from the Governor’s office, and the decision by the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents, the USM has decided to end on-campus delivery of classes for the remainder of the semester for all institutions.

I would like to clarify Coppin State University’s status in this quickly evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis. We are committed to continuing operations, and we will offer remote delivery of classes, for the remainder of the semester. This means:

1. When spring break ends and classes resume on March 23, instruction will be completely online – no classes will be offered face-to-face, including labs. Academic leadership and faculty are working to ensure that students and faculty are prepared to facilitate this online course instruction. For now, the library and the computer lab in the library will remain available for students to use. This space will allow for the appropriate social distancing to ensure the health and safety of all users.
2. As an institution, our employees have moved to teleworking, wherever possible. Campus work in areas that cannot be completed via telework, such as campus safety, facilities management, lab managers, and health services will need to continue, on campus. Individuals who are on campus have been instructed regarding social distancing and that they should stay home should they experience any symptoms of the COVID-19 virus or are otherwise ill.
3. Due to these recent developments, the Coppin State University campus will close campus residential facilities, for the remainder of the semester, to ensure student safety and well-being, during this time. We recognize that, among our student population, there are residential students for whom campus may be the only option. Further information regarding those students, as well as a system for scheduling appointments for students to retrieve their belongings, will be available through the Office of Housing, by noon on Friday, March 20, 2020. Appointments will be scheduled in a way that allows for adequate social distancing to ensure health and safety for all involved.
4. Campus services will be available but, like everything else, they will be adjusted to fit our changing circumstances and our reduced campus population.
5. We have made the very difficult decision to cancel commencement, which had been scheduled for May 20, 2020. University officials are working to determine what alternative method of celebration might be available, and further details will be provided.

These directives are consistent with USM guidance and further information regarding the USM decision can be found at https://www.usmd.edu/newsroom/news/2004.

As we continue to monitor developments of coronavirus (COVID-19) across the state, our first priority is to protect the safety and wellness of our entire Coppin State University community of students, faculty, and staff. We have been actively coordinating with our colleagues, with other USM institutions, the Chancellor’s Office, and the Governor’s Office, and we’re prepared to adapt our protocols, quickly, as circumstances change. We understand that these measures may cause disruptions, but we strongly believe that actions taken now will have the greatest chance of decreasing risk and the spread of the virus.

Lastly, we are navigating a period of historic challenge, and rapid change. I thank you all for your patience and flexibility in adapting to this rapidly evolving situation. I understand this is a stressful time for everyone. Know that your health and safety are our top priority.

Sincerely,

Mickey L. Burnim, Ph.D.
Interim President

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Dear Campus Community:

As we continue to monitor the details regarding COVID-19, it has become clear that further steps must be taken in order to preserve the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff, to the extent that we are able. To this end, and as of March 13, 2020, all Coppin State University Athletics competition and practices will be suspended for the remainder of the spring seasons. This decision is also in line with a recent decision soon to be announced by the Mideastern Athletic Conference. The safety of our student-athletes must be prioritized, and it is a necessary decision as we face the harsh reality and threat that the COVID-19 pandemic poses.

While the campus remains open, at this time, we previously announced that the university will deliver all courses, online, beginning March 23, and at least until April 6, 2020. The suspension of all athletic competition and practice will provide student-athletes the opportunity to return to their families, during this time.

We will remain diligent as we move forward with planning and preparation related to COVID-19 and will provide any additional updates and details, as they become available. We ask that you continue to monitor the CSU website at www.coppin.edu/coronavirus.

Sincerely,

Mickey L. Burnim, Ph.D.
Interim President

Dear Campus Community,

We have been monitoring the details regarding the coronavirus outbreak, closely, and we continue to align our recommendations based on guidelines from the University System of Maryland, Governor Larry Hogan, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Following the lead of Governor Hogan, all university-related, professional travel, whether domestic or international, must be canceled, until further notice. All faculty and staff with planned travel should consult with your manager or supervisor in order to arrange for cancelations.

Students should prepare to be away from the campus at least until April 6, 2020. Further information regarding a return date will be communicated through the CSU website.

In addition, we are advising all faculty, staff, and students to refrain from personal travel outside of a 75-mile radius. If you do travel, you will be subject to a 14-day self-quarantine before being allowed to return to campus. The 14-day quarantine would commence, upon your return from travel. Additional information regarding student, faculty, and staff travel is available on the CSU website, and further information and updates related to travel will be made available in the coming weeks.

All students reporting to any required clinical, practicum, and/or field experience: should not have traveled to a level 2 or level 3 country or location, domestically or internationally, including travel beyond the 75-mile radius; should have had no close contact with any person with confirmed disease or one who is under observation for COVID19; and should be symptom-free.

In an effort to give students as much time as possible to prepare, effective immediately, students who are not approved to remain in the residence halls and have no further course obligations on campus, should prepare to depart, immediately. Commuter students who have no further mid-term obligations, should not return to campus earlier than April 6, or as indicated on the website. Those who remain on campus are advised to maintain social-distancing of at least six feet from another person. Realizing that this may impact the mid-term testing environments, faculty are being asked to facilitate classroom accommodations in order to achieve the necessary social-distancing that is being advised.

Beginning March 23, 2020, all course instruction will be delivered electronically. Faculty will follow-up with all students with further guidance regarding course instruction, during that time. At this time, other university operations will continue, and faculty and staff should report to campus, as usual, until further notice.

A communication regarding a stress test of the Blackboard technology was distributed, via email, yesterday. All faculty and students are expected to participate in that stress test which will be done tomorrow, March 11, 2020, from 4:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m. This is necessary so that campus-wide, electronic course instruction can begin on March 23, 2020, and remain in effect, as long as needed.

Also, effective immediately, all internal campus events/activities scheduled to commence between today and April 10, 2020, are canceled. We realize that this may have an extreme impact on those who were planning to host or participate in upcoming campus events, but this is a necessary precaution in order to ensure the health and safety of those on our campus.

Additionally, all facilities that are open to the external community, including the fitness center and the pool/aquatics area, will be closed to external visitors and to the campus community, effective immediately.

We will continue to update you with additional and more detailed information as it becomes available. You should check the CSU website, regularly, for updates.

Thank you.

Mickey L. Burnim, Ph.D.
Interim President

Dear Coppin Students,

As university planning regarding COVID-19 continues, we are working to ensure that you are provided with necessary and timely information, as it becomes available to us. Yesterday, you were sent a message regarding upcoming student travel, during Spring Break. This is an update to that previous message.

Planned Travel/Residence Halls
We are encouraging students who are scheduled to travel by air, domestically or internationally, to consider changing your plans/postponing that travel, until further notice. If you live in the residence halls, you can apply to remain in the residence halls, during Spring Break. The deadline for submitting your request to remain has been extended to Thursday, March 12, 2020.

Dining Services
Dining services will be provided in the dining hall, during Spring Break. As of Monday, March 9, 2020, all dining will be carryout-only. This will continue from March 9, throughout Spring Break, and until further notice.

Download the President's Letter

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Download the President's Letter