Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Academics
Will classes be in person or online this year?
The same instructional delivery strategy will be implemented for Spring 2021 as we had in the fall. All classes will be remote during the start of the semester followed by a phased return of in-person instruction that will begin with hands-on clases and expand to other class types as allowed under public health guidelines and government directives.
In-person instruction will continue to be at reduced density and remote options will remain available for many courses, as labeled in the course schedule.
Students need to pay close attention to the mode of delivery for each course section in which they are registered. Please see this video to determine the mode of delivery for your courses, and this video for how to search for courses in a specific mode of delivery. Students should use this step-by-step guide to navigate their course schedules.
The different modes of course delivery include:
Physical Presence Required. In this course type, students will be required to attend physically for some or all of the class sessions. Each instructor will provide more details on the physical attendance requirements for the class. Social distancing guidelines must be met, so students may have rotating or staggered schedules for physical attendance as determined by the instructor. This spring, a wider range of courses (including some lecture courses and seminars) will have this mode of delivery.
Physical Presence Optional. In this course type, students are never required to physically attend class, but will have the option to do so according to specific instructions provided by the instructor. Students will have the option to attend all or some class sessions in person or to attend all sessions remotely during the class meeting time.
Fully Virtual with Meeting Time. These remote courses will be delivered virtually the entire semester. These courses will not be assigned to a physical classrsoom and will never meet physically. There will be specific class times as listed on your class schedule and, during class time, the students and instructor will interact virtually.
Fully Virtual with No Meeting Time. These asynchronous online courses enable students to access the course material and interact with the instructor and other students at any time. There is no live instruction or class meeting time. Courses typically have weekly requirements with students having the responsibility to pace themseves and complete required assignments.
As needed, the University is fully prepared to transition in response to government directives and public health conditions. All classes will be prepared to move to fully remote instruction temporarily or for the remainder of the semester in the event that becomes necessary.
How can students determine whether their courses have online meeting times?
The brief videos and written guide available here will show you how to determine the mode of delivery for each of your courses. If you have questions or need to make any changes to your schedule, please consult with your academic advisor. You can identify your advisor in your Success Network in www.rowan.edu/rsn or by emailing advise@rowan.edu.
Can you clarify what the different types of courses mean?
What should I expect for my courses labeled “Physical Presence Optional”?
In the Physical Presence Optional course type, students are never required to physically attend class, but will have the option to do so according to specific instructions provided by the instructor. Students will have the option to attend all or some class sessions in person or to attend all sessions remotely during the class meeting time.
For “Physical Presence Optional” sections, do I need to tell my instructor whether I plan to attend physically or virtually? Do I have to choose one or the other for the whole semester?
To facilitate planning for reduced classroom capacity, instructors may ask students their intention to attend the class sessions physically or virtually, but will permit students to change their attendance modality as needed or preferred to best support their learning. To enable class planning, students who indicate that they will physically attend class sessions are expected to do so, unless they inform the instructor that they will attend virtually or will not attend at all at least one day prior to the class session except in cases of emergency.
Will my course schedule change?
What if I have a “Physical Presence Required” course but prefer to learn remotely this semester?
First, check to see if the course may be offered in alternate formats. Speak with your advisor to find out if there is an alternate course, or if you could take this course in a future semester without changing your graduation timeline. If you have a health condition or disability which prevents you from attending in person, please contact the Office of Disability Resources for assistance. Students requiring accommodations for attendance options will be supported. If, however, you don’t qualify for an accommodation, your physical presence is required.
How will I know what to do on the first day of class?
How can students make all of their classes online?
What if I prefer a specific type of class delivery for a specific course?
If a student has an accommodation and needs additional resources, how will they get them this semester?
Students registered with the Office of Disability Resources may experience particular challenges due to remote learning environments, heightened health risks and mental health strain.
If you have an accommodation, we are going to make absolutely sure that your needs are met. As always, the Office of Disability Resources is eager to work with you and your professors. There’s also a new online system for the Office of Disability Resources called AIM, found on the Office of Disability Resources website. Students with accommodations may now distribute copies of accommodation letters to faculty members online, rather than in person as in the past.
As always, you can reach out directly to John Woodruff, director of the Academic Success Center & Disability Resources, at woodruff@rowan.edu, for more information.
What if a student is immunocompromised and unable to attend classes that are still in person?
We will work with students on an individual basis. For classes that can only be offered in-person, we will work with students on a reasonable plan of action.
I’m not familiar with Canvas. How do I access it? How can I learn how to use this tool?
Canvas is the learning management system that will be used for all courses at Rowan. Visit online.rowan.edu, click on “Access Your Courses in Canvas,” and log in with your Rowan Network ID and password. Your courses will be listed in the portal starting as soon as five days prior to the start of the course, though some may appear closer to the first day of class. If you add a course after the semester starts, the new course will appear in your Canvas portal within one to two hours of the change.
If you haven’t already taken it, we also recommend students register for ONL 00100 Rowan Online Immersion course using the Self-Service Banner. It is a non-credit, one-hour overview of how to use Canvas and tips for success in an online course. It is a prerequisite or corequisite for any course labeled Fully Virtual With No Meeting Time (Online), and students who complete it will be prepared for any such courses they take in the future.
How do I know if the laptop I have will meet my needs in my courses?
Visit rowan.edu/laptop. That’s a website that will guide you through evaluating your current technology. There’s also guidance there if you’re considering purchasing a device.
You should also consult with your academic advisor about any recommended technologies suggested for your major. Some online and local vendors may also provide the option to rent a device. Be sure to have a headset and webcam so you can participate in class.
What if I do not have access to a computer for my courses due to affordability issues?
There are a few options. You can plan your financial aid package and/or use a refund to purchase technology. The Financial Aid office can help you. Students with emergency financial needs can apply for the Student Emergency Fund.
Students who are not sure how they can access appropriate technology also can email Dean of Students Kevin Koett at deanofstudents.rowan.edu. The Dean of Students office is located in Suite 210, Chamberlain Student Center.
What if I do not have internet access?
Will computer labs be available to students?
Yes. At this time, University computer labs are expected to be open for student usage. See locations here. Information about printing on campus is here.
Has the timeline of the semester been adjusted?
Will faculty have office hours?
We expect that most faculty members will be available virtually, but please communicate with your professors to determine the best ways to interact with them to get the support you need.
How will advising services be provided?
How will field experience and student teaching work?
That will be determined by the type of activity and where it will happen.
We’re looking very closely at how we can safely provide experiential learning courses on campus. Some will have to be remote at the beginning of the semester. Some will require attendance on a rotating basis to meet social distancing guidelines. Laboratories will have heightened safety protocols. Field courses, such as biology or geology, frequently meet outdoors.
Student teaching will be contingent on the schools. Internships will depend on the site.
What is Rowan doing to protect students and faculty who must meet in person?
As was the case in the fall, extensive protocols are in place for cleaning, social distancing, health screenings and safety requirements regarding personal protective equipment. There is signage around campus directing traffic and reminding everyone to take precautions, especially with regard to wearing masks. We’re also staggering schedules and limiting classroom capacity in order to follow social distancing requirements.
Additionally, testing will increase this spring. We will conduct significantly more testing in our residential and off-campus student population, as well as students who will be on campus in any capacity (attending classes and activities, athletes, etc.), and also employees. We will be testing wastewater in residential housing as well. And residential students will have bi-weekly testing.
When we identify a positive case, we’ll conduct a thorough assessment to find out who that person has been in contact with, including at meetings, labs or activities, as well as the individual’s partners or friends, and any other risk factors that may contribute to the spread of the disease. Close contacts are individuals who are within 6 feet of the positive case for more than 10 minutes.
When a close contact is identified, that person is contacted and a phone investigation is done with that person, as well.
Additionally, we have a robust testing program in place. Residential students, who must have a negative COVID-19 test within 10 days of move-in, will be tested bi-weekly. The asymptomatic testing of students on campus and off campus also will continue in the spring. Additionally, Rowan is beginning wastewater testing for the virus in residence halls.
Altogether, we expect to conduct 50,000 tests among all campus populations this semester.
Will Wilson Hall be open for music students to practice?
Yes.
What are the plans for Commencement this year?
Financial Aid/Finances
Will there be on-campus jobs for students?
Where can students go if they have food insecurity?
With a particular focus on addressing issues of food insecurity, The SHOP (Students Helping Other Profs) offers a range of free and confidential support services for students. Students utilizing The SHOP do not need to demonstrate need. But food and personal care items available at the pantry are intended for students who lack the financial means to purchase items on their own. Items available to students in need include nonperishable food, school supplies, toiletries, and hygiene products. The SHOP also connects students with appropriate campus and community resources
Rowan University’s campus is a site for Fresh For All, an initiative spearheaded by Philabundance to bring fruits and vegetables to communities. Students and community members can pick up fresh produce at no cost every Friday from 10-11 a.m. in Parking Lot D on Rowan’s Glassboro campus. In the event of bad weather, please call 856-244-1166 to see if the market will be open. Rowan students and local residents wishing to utilize the market do not need to show identification, but will need to bring their own bags or boxes.
Student Life/Housing
I have questions about on-campus housing. Where can I get more information?
Rowan has taken numerous measures to ensure safety in housing. These include limiting density, social distancing, requiring face coverings in public areas and intensified cleaning throughout residence halls, dining areas and public spaces.
Spring move-in begins the week of Jan. 18 and is by appointment/assignment. Students received detailed information via email.
Students arriving from a high-risk state will receive an email and survey from Kevin S. Koett, interim dean of students. The University will work on individualized plans based on their responses.
The web page for Residential Learning & University Housing can answer most questions. If students wish to change on-campus housing assignments, they must make a request through the office.
How many people are allowed to come with us on move-in day?
Are students allowed to visit other students in other dorms?
Will housing cancellation fees be waived?
Can you explain this semester’s dining options?
At this time, dining will look a little different when you return to campus. It will be offered as takeout only. Students will place all orders through the Grubhub app and pick up at the location when notified that the order is ready.
We've added additional picnic tables to campus and made other arrangements to encourage outdoor dining and social distancing. An outdoor dining tent is available on the Chamberlain Student Center back patio.
Indoor dining options are by appointment at Glassworks. As space permits, indoor dining also is available at Prof's Place.
For all of our great dining options, visit Locations & Hours of Operations | Dining.
Where can students go to study outside of their dorm rooms if they are living on campus? Where can commuters go in between classes?
Students are welcome throughout campus in spaces such as the Student Center (check hours), Campbell Library (check hours), and academic buildings such as Science, Rowan, Engineering, Business, James, Savitz, Bunce, Esby, Robinson, Victoria, etc., using appropriate distancing and safety protocols and following all posted signage.
What will clubs and activities look like this spring?
Campus activities will be a mix of in-person and virtual events, including Rowan After Hours, intramurals and esports. Look for campus events and student organizations on ProfLink.
With strict adherence to CDC guidelines, the fitness center on Victoria Street is open by appointment. The pool in the Rec Center, which opens Jan. 25, also will require an appointment.
- Limited in-person and virtual group fitness classes will be available. You can register through campusrec.rowan.edu
- Virtual intramural esports programs are offered through https://battlefy.com/rowan-intramural-esports
- You can register for individual and 2v2 intramural events on the imleagues page.
- All programs are free of charge.
The Intramural Turf Field will open when weather permits and the Mimosa basketball courts, sand volleyball court and tennis courts are open daily.
How will joining Greek life work?
Full-time undergraduate Rowan University students are typically eligible to join Greek social organizations after completing 12 credit hours (24 for EOF/RISE) and achieving a cumulative 2.5 or higher GPA. Rowan Choice students are not eligible until they fully transfer to Rowan University. Our largest recruitment period traditionally happens in the spring term.
While recruitment events typically happen in person, those opportunities are now very limited and all organizations are required to have their recruitment and membership intake activities approved by the University and their national office. Some organizations have opted not to hold recruitment/membership intake in a virtual setting and are not going to have new members this semester.
For further information, please contact GreekLife@rowan.edu or directly contact the organizations.
I am an active military member. What do I need to know?
Deployed students receive support with enrollment and course completion options. Military students should speak with representatives in the Military Services Office for issues related to training absences, post-deployment quarantining, etc. All services are being offered virtually.
How are athletics affected?
Rowan's winter athletics season has been cancelled, as have plans to play last semester's fall sports this spring. This decision was made after careful consideration of NCAA safety, competition and travel protocols.
The sports teams impacted are men's and women's cross country, field hockey, football, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's swimming and diving, men's and women's indoor track & field and volleyball.
A decision about the status of competition for the Profs' spring teams — baseball, women's lacrosse, softball, and men's and women's outdoor track & field — will be made in the near future.
For more on athletics, visit www.rowanathletics.com.
Will the Campbell Library or Chamberlain Student Center be open?
Yes! Campbell Library and the Chamberlain Student Center both are open this spring.
Campbell Library is open to Rowan students, faculty and staff with Rowan ID. Spring hours begin Jan. 24. Contactless pickup services are also available and online access is available 24/7. For more information, visit the library’s site.
This semester, the student center will be open 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. As with every building on campus, visitors must wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines, and gatherings will be restricted to current regulations.
Essential services at the student center include food, laundry and mail services. Indoor dining is limited to Prof's Place and the climate-controlled tent located on the patio.
Where can I find information about internships and jobs?
The Office of Career Advancement (OCA) encourages students to schedule appointments through the Rowan Success Network or call 856-256-4456. Alumni should call 856-256-4456 for a virtual appointment. The OCA also offers a variety of virtual career workshops. To access a list of workshops, please click here: Summer Career Workshops. Please email us at careers@rowan.edu.
Students also many find employment or internship opportunities through the Office of Career Advancement's PROFS JOBS.
Employees
I’m an employee. Where can I find information about returning to Rowan?
Health & Wellness
What should I do if I feel sick?
Students should contact The Wellness Center for guidance. Call 856-256-4333 before coming in. The center is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. Testing is conducted twice a day, Monday through Friday, at Hollybush Mansion.
Students who opt to see their own physician or obtain testing off campus should also notify The Wellness Center, so we can track cases and conduct contact tracing, if necessary.
How will classrooms, common areas and bathrooms be cleaned and sanitized?
Classrooms and public spaces are being cleaned and sanitized multiple times per day. Rowan’s Facilities team installed plexiglass where necessary as well as sanitizer stations, wipes and spray. These products will be available so when a student leaves or enters a room they can wipe down their space. And, of course, students, faculty and staff are encouraged to wash their hands often throughout the day.
What do I need to know about masks?
Rowan will issue all students a washable cloth mask, but we request that students bring extras. In common areas such as lobbies, classrooms and public spaces in residence halls, students, faculty and staff must wear a mask. Residential students will not be asked to wear a mask in their private room.
Please use this mask-usage guideline for additional information.
Where and when can we get Rowan masks?
What do I need to know about testing for the virus?
The following requirements are in effect for all students who will participate in in-person activities on Rowan’s campuses this spring:
Any student who will be on campus in any capacity—either as a residential student, in a class that meets in person, an athletics practice or in other in-person activity—is required to provide a negative COVID-19 test result within 10 days before their first day on campus.
Students will be offered a free, University-provided test through LabCorp. Students received detailed information via their Rowan email about ordering the at-home, self-collected nasal swab test from Pixel by LabCorp.
Once test results are available, students will be required to upload the information to Rowan’s Medcat site. Students will be able to view results on the secure, online HIPAA-compliant portal where the kit was requested.
Students will not be permitted to live on campus or engage in in-person activities until a COVID-19 test demonstrating a negative result has been reported to the University via the Medcat site.
Following CDC and state guidelines, students that have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 90 days (since Oct. 15, 2020) will not be required to be tested. Those students likely will continue to have positive results even if they have recovered and are asymptomatic. However, if they were not tested by the Wellness Center, they must submit proof of their positive results through Medcat. Students should continue to monitor their Rowan email for additional information as the semester begins.
Students who had a positive test before Oct. 15, 2020 will need a new test demonstrating they are negative before coming to campus this spring.
Rowan will continue to offer asymptomatic COVID-19 testing to students on a weekly basis.
Health surveillance for residential students: All residential students will be scheduled for COVID-19 testing on a bi-weekly basis. Students will be notified of time slots for testing prior to move-in.
Rowan also will monitor wastewater regularly and will review samples collected from residential housing as appropriate based on public health recommendations and campus-specific circumstances. Wastewater testing is not individualized and requires follow-up if viral load is detected in a target population. Students will be required to participate in further testing if data from wastewater testing demonstrates a need for follow up in order to help prevent the spread of the virus.
Will there be plexiglass installed in classrooms between students and instructors?
What do I need to know about Rowan’s daily health screenings?
The University has instituted a Daily Screening application to collect baseline information on wellness. Students and employees using Rowan networks are prompted to fill out a brief survey upon logging on each day.
What will happen if a student tests positive for the virus?
Our plans are flexible and designed to accommodate a variety of needs based upon individual circumstances. When a student tests positive, we will connect with the student to gather important information related to isolation and/or treatment protocol.
Some students may elect to return home to see their family physician and get support from loved ones. Some will only need monitoring and their living arrangement may not require a change. Others may need to relocate to Triad for a period of time.
Triad, a 218-bed hall on the main campus, has been designated for quarantining. Arrangements have been made with Rowan’s dining vendor to provide food to anyone in isolation. Further, Rowan provides medical services, student services and virtual instruction to students in self-isolation.
As is always the case in emergent medical situations, Rowan will notify individuals that students list as emergency contacts if they become seriously ill. Cases will be handled individually and with the utmost respect for students’ wishes.
If a positive case is identified and the affected student attended a classroom within three days prior to onset of symptoms, the students and professor will be notified that they were in a classroom with a known positive case, but present guidance does not call for further action.
If students have life circumstances that prevent them from completing their coursework, they should communicate with their professors and Dean of Students Kevin Koett, deanofstudents@rowan.edu. The University will work with the students to support them in their academic work until they can resume normal activities.
I’m afraid I might catch this virus. How can I deal with this fear?
Fear is a legitimate reaction — it helps us pay attention to a potential threat. It’s important to balance that fear so it doesn’t become overwhelming. Be mindful of your media consumption and seek credible sources of information. Connect with people in your life that you trust and love.
You can also visit The Wellness Center online to find resources or to make an appointment. The center offers therapy and support groups, workshops, pet therapy and “Chill and Chat” sessions.How will the University community know when there’s been a confirmed case on campus?
In public health, we must protect the public while also protecting confidentiality.
After we learn about a confirmed case, we do an immediate investigation with that individual. We conduct a thorough assessment to find out who that person has been in contact with, including at meetings, labs or activities, as well as the individual’s partners or friends, and any other risk factors that may contribute to the spread of the disease. Close contacts are individuals who are within 6 feet of the positive case for more than 10 minutes.
When a close contact is identified, that person is contacted and a phone investigation is done with that person, as well.
If a student has attended a class, the professor is notified that the student will be out due to isolation or quarantine -- the faculty member will not get specific information regarding an infection. If the professor is considered a close contact, the instructor is notified as such and given information and guidance on what to do.
If, after the investigation with the contact, there's a risk we cannot quantify or we are uncertain if others may be exposed, we will make a broader notification including the time and specific location where it may have occurred. But that will not be a regular occurrence.
Will out-of-state students be quarantined when they move onto campus? How about students who travel out-of-state on the weekends?
What should I do if a person I live with recently traveled to a quarantine state? Do I need to quarantine?
Living with a household member who has been quarantined due to travel but who has no known exposure does not mean the rest of the household must be quarantined as well. Anyone instructed to be quarantined within a house should isolate themselves from other members of the family, wear a mask when in contact with other family members and limit travel throughout the house. Ideally, the quarantined person would have access to a dedicated bathroom.
Visitors to Rowan
Will there be tours and visits to campus this Spring?
Admissions is offering limited on-campus tours. We are also developing a self-guided tour on Spotify and students may watch a virtual tour on YouTube or sign up for Virtual Events throughout the semester.
May students bring guests into residence halls?
Glassboro Neighbors
How will the University enforce its standards and public health orders?
Rowan developed an Acknowledgment of Responsibility that students must complete after receiving educational materials related to COVID-19. Compliance expectations have been included in the Student Code of Conduct.
We care about our students and we want them to be successful. We are also committed to holding students accountable. If students don’t comply with those standards, they may be asked to leave the Rowan community.
Residential students both on and off campus are receiving personal visits from our Dean of Students to remind them of our expectations. We’re also working closely with Glassboro and Gloucester County law enforcement officials.
What is the expectation for students living off-campus?
How is the University handling fraternities and sororities?
How should neighbors handle violations and how will the University follow up?
Large gatherings without face coverings and social distancing can lead to outbreaks and shut down campuses. If you see such risky activity, we ask our neighbors and campus community to alert Rowan University’s Department of Public Safety at 856-256-4922.
Students who aren’t following public health orders will be asked to disperse. Continued violations could lead to summonses issued against attendees, residents and even landlords. Students may face additional consequences as described in the Student Code of Conduct.
How often are students tested and how many will have to test positive before the campus is closed down?
We expect to conduct nearly 50,000 COVID-19 tests among members of the Rowan community during the spring semester. That includes symptomatic and asymptomatic testing, as well as wastewater testing in our residential facilities. Residential students will have bi-weekly tests throughout the semester.
We’re using a number of metrics to help us make the best decisions for our community: positivity rates, the number of cases at Rowan and the surrounding counties, the number of outbreaks and whether they’re related, area ICU capacity and ER visits.
Will you send sick students home or contain them in the sick dorm? What resources will the University provide for students who test positive for the virus?
Our plans are flexible and designed to accommodate a variety of needs based upon individual circumstances. When a student tests positive, we will connect with the student to gather important information related to isolation and/or treatment protocol.
Some students may elect to return home to see their family physician and get support from loved ones. Some will only need monitoring and their living arrangement may not require a change. Others may need to relocate to Triad for a period of time.
Triad, a 218-bed hall on the main campus, has been designated for quarantining. Arrangements have been made with Rowan’s dining vendor to provide food to anyone in isolation. Further, Rowan provides medical services, student services and virtual instruction to students in self-isolation.
How will the University report information about infections, including about testing and tracing?
We’re reporting the number of confirmed cases we’ve identified here.
After we learn about a confirmed case, we do an immediate investigation with that individual. We conduct a thorough assessment to find out who that person has been in contact with, including at meetings, labs or activities, as well as the individual’s partners or friends, and any other risk factors that may contribute to the spread of the disease. Close contacts are individuals who are within 6 feet of the positive case for more than 10 minutes.
When a close contact is identified, that person is contacted and a phone investigation is done with that person, as well.
If, after the investigation with the contact, there's a risk we cannot quantify or we are uncertain if others may be exposed, we will make a broader notification including the time and specific location where it may have occurred. But that will not be a regular occurrence.
Will Glassboro High School students be able to attend their Rowan classes?
Other Questions & Answers
How will students receive their Rowan IDs?
The RowanCard Office is working to print cards now. Students can submit their own photos electronically. Cards can be picked up or mailed to you directly. If you haven’t received a card by the time you arrive on campus, you can schedule an appointment to visit the RowanCard Office in the Student Center.
In the meantime your RowanCard number can be found by logging into myrowancard.rowan.edu or by downloading the Rowan Mobile app and selecting the RowanCard option within the app.
Your full 16-digit RowanCard number is needed to purchase your books with RowanBucks at Barnes & Noble. You may also log into the GrubHub app and add your RowanCard as a payment method for use with your meal plan at on-campus dining locations. Your spring meal plan will be available starting Jan. 24.
For questions, email rowancard@rowan.edu.
What about parking passes?
Parking permits for the Glassboro campus became available on Dec. 21, 2020. Permits must be ordered online at rowan.thepermitstore.com.
The office is currently closed to walk-ins, but you may contact the office by phone or email for assistance. Appointments can be scheduled if we are unable to assist you over the phone or through email.
Employee permits have been extended for one year. Employee permits that expired Aug. 31, 2020 are extended to Aug. 31, 2021.
For more information, visit Rowan’s parking website or call the Parking Office at 856-256-4575 or email parking@rowan.edu.Will there still be a shuttle to and from the Camden campus?
Yes. The shuttle will begin operating on Monday, Jan. 25. All riders must follow safety protocols. For more information and updates, visit the Rowan Shuttle website.