Coronavirus FAQs

2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) is a newly identified coronavirus that is causing an outbreak of pneumonia illness. It was first identified in December 2019 in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and has since spread to multiple other countries, including the United States.

The virus is thought to spread mainly from person-to-person. Between people who are in close contact with one another (within about 6 feet) or through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Read more from the CDC.

Symptoms* may appear 2-14 days after exposure and may be flu-like, ranging from mild to serious, and include:

• -Fever
• -Cough
• -Shortness of breathing

Person-to-person spread is occurring, although it’s unclear exactly how it is transmitted and how easily the virus spreads between people.

Recommendations for people with respiratory symptoms:

• -If you have symptoms of fever, cough, and/or difficulty breathing and in the last 14 days:
• -You traveled to/through China.
• -You traveled to any of the countries with a CDC Level 3 Travel Warning.
• -You had close contact with someone who has laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 within 14 days of symptom onset.

*The situation around the COVID-19 pandemic is ever-evolving. We recommend always deferring to the lastest CDC updates which can be found at cdc.gov/coronavirus.

There is no vaccine to prevent this virus, and the CDC advises that the best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to COVID-19.

Here are everyday actions to help prevent the spread of all respiratory viruses:

• -Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• -Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• -Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• -Stay home when you are sick.
• -Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• -Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces
• -Consider alternatives to shaking hands.
• -Unless you are sick with cough, sneezing, and fever, it is not advised to wear a mask.

The CDC recommends:

• -Stay home except to get medical care
• -Separate yourself from other people and animals in your home
• -Call ahead before visiting your doctor
• -Wear a facemask if you are sick
• -Cover your coughs and sneezes
• -Clean your hands often
• -Avoid sharing personal household items
• -Clean all “high-touch” surfaces every day
• -Monitor your symptoms

As of March 25, 2020, Chowan University has become a virtual university, completing the remainder of the spring 2020 semester in an online learning setting. At this time, the University is not closing campus operations, but taking the necessary precautions to protect the campus community. Many offices and resources have or may move to remote assistance.

At this time, the University anticipates opening as normal in August. 

Academic advisors are available via email. If you do not know the name and/or email address of your advisor, contact The Registrar at registrar@chowan.edu or the Academic Advising Coordinator, Dr. Mollie Madden, at maddem@chowan.edu. If you do not receive a response from your academic advisor within 24 hours, please email cuprovost@chowan.edu or moored@chowan.edu.

The Chowan IT department is committed to providing you support for online instruction during these trying times. We have instituted a temporary phone number you can call for issues with Blackboard or password resets. That phone number is 252-398-6495 and is to be used during normal business hours 8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday. IT staff will constantly monitor this number and should be available to answer your questions. If the call volume gets too high you will be placed in a queue until someone is available. You can always break out of the queue to leave a message. Make sure you leave a good contact number so we can get your issue resolved.

After normal working hours and during the weekend we would like you to utilize email for support. The TEMPORARY email address for support is support@chowan.edu. That email address will be monitored but response time will depend on staff availability and access to a computer. Once again we need you to include all information and a good number to contact you to make sure your service request is handled correctly. If you need a password reset, it is imperative we have you on the phone when that is done or you will be locked out of email.

Password resets can be accomplished by going to reset.chowan.edu.

The Learning Center is available online.  To schedule an appointment, please click on the link provided and follow the instructions sent in your Chowan email on March 24th.  

Students may contact peer tutors for academic assistance through video chat. The schedule and details were sent by Dr. Ballew via Chowan email and lists times when tutors will be regularly available for contact by email through Google Hangouts. They will also be available by special appointment

The library building is closed, but the library is not!  We are still ready to help you--wherever you are.

IF YOU NEED COMPUTERS? The lab in McSweeney is OPEN! NEED BOOKS? Library staff will pull them for you and deliver to the door when you walk up. Email library@chowan.edu with your list.

Library Resources for you - https://libguides.chowan.edu/home

The library staff is monitoring library@chowan.edu and 252-398-6212.

Monday- Thursday: 8 AM- 9 PM
Friday: 8 AM - 4 PM
Saturday: 1 PM- 4 PM
Sunday: 2 PM - 9 PM

If appointments are needed for more detailed assistance, we will send you an email invitation to meet in Google Hangouts.

Writing Center Assistance is available online.  To schedule an appointment, please click on the link provided and follow the instructions sent in your Chowan email on March 24th.  https://tinyurl.com/qs5r43y

3.17.20 | Conference Carolinas has made the difficult decision to cancel its spring championships and the remainder of its athletics competitions through the end of the 2019-20 academic year.

Originally Conference Carolinas desired to keep open the possibility of returning to athletics competition and host its spring championships in April, but it has been determined that this is no longer viable due to the continued evolution of the COVID-19 public health threat.

"All involved in Conference Carolinas have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to see if there was any way that we could continue athletics competition this academic year, but we believe it is not in our best interest for numerous reasons," Commissioner Chris Colvin said. "Once again, we understand the ramifications of what this means for our student-athletes, coaches and administrators. However, the growing scale of the pandemic coupled with the NCAA's recent decision to grant an additional season of eligibility to spring sports student-athletes changes the dynamic for our member institutions and student-athletes."

Last week, the NCAA made the decision to cancel all of its remaining winter and spring championships.  

The safety and well-being of Conference Carolinas student-athletes, coaches, administrators and fans are always of the utmost importance. Conference Carolinas will continue to monitor all of the important and relevant information on the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Commencement 2020 originally scheduled for May 9th has been postponed until December 19, 2020.  The December 19th Commencement will honor candidates for graduation from December 2019, May 2020, July 2020, and December 2020. However, on May 9th, the University will hold a virtual celebration for those who were slated to receive their diploma that day. 

May 9th Livestream links: 

YouTube
Facebook
Twitch
 

After much consideration, Chowan University will not resume face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester. All classes will continue online in a virtual university setting. All materials for online classes will be provided by the instructors. Campus offices remain open for you to seek assistance in person, virtually, and via phone.

Students residing on campus may stay in residence halls through the rest of the term with the understanding that the University’s response level could indicate further restrictions to campus life should COVID-19 directly affect our campus. We are doing everything possible to prevent this from happening.

If you are at home and would like to retrieve your belongings, please contact residence life directly at 252-398-6237 or reslife@chowan.edu. There are necessary protocols that you must follow prior to returning to campus.

You are reminded to practice the directives issued by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in avoiding being exposed to this virus (practice social distancing (at least 6 feet away), wash your hands constantly, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect daily).

In order to prioritize the health and safety of all of our campus residents and staff, while also maintaining social distancing guidelines, students who are not currently on campus will be required to follow the outlined process for Residence Life end of the year checkout. If there are extenuating circumstances prohibiting you from checking out by this date, you should contact residence life directly at 252-398-6237 or reslife@chowan.edu.

Thomas Dining Hall is providing take-out service to students, faculty, and staff.  Patrons will be able to go to the dining hall, get their meal and then leave the facility.  Meals in Thomas Dining Hall will be served as scheduled.  Murfs will remain closed.

Out of an abundance of caution and following the executive order from North Carolina Governor, Roy Cooper, beginning at 3 pm March 23rd, the Jenkins Center will be closed until further notice.

University Offices are open during normal business hours.

The Business Office staff will be mainly working from home during the COVID-19 event operating with a skeleton staff in the Office.  Our professionals will provide support as usual, albeit virtually. Our office number (252) 398-6290 is monitored and our staff available as needed during normal business hours (8:30 AM - 5 PM)

Self-Service is available 24/7 on MyCU.

Chowan University is currently open to serve students, both on and off campus.  Academic instruction will be provided via online instruction for the remainder of the spring semester.  Residence halls remain open at this time for students that wish to reside on-campus. Those wishing to reside on-campus must register with the Residence Life Office (252- 398-6237) to coordinate your return.  The dining hall is operational and is serving meals daily in a “take-out” fashion as ordered by the Governor of NC. While no decision has been made at this time, the University anticipates applying credits to the student account at the conclusion of the spring semester for those students who chose not to return to campus and take advantage of their meals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Given that reactions of the federal and state governments and higher education institutions continues to be a fluid and evolving, all of the above information is subject to change.  We will continue to monitor government and industry resources and try to make the best accommodations for our students, faculty, staff, University community, and local community.

This information will be updated as more information becomes availiable.

The Financial Aid staff will be mainly working from home during the COVID-19 event operating with a skeleton staff in the Office.  Our professionals will provide support as usual, albeit virtually. Our office number (252) 398-6535 is monitored and our staff available as needed during normal business hours (8:30 AM - 5 PM)

Self-Service is available 24/7 on NetPartner.

 Our plan is as follows:

• If students are on or near campus and want to return their books, they can do so in the Business Office at their convenience as long as the books are returned on or before, Friday, May 8th, 2020 or they can simply leave the books in their Residence room.
• For students who have left their books in their rooms, we will be coordinating with Residence Life to retrieve those books shortly and check them in along with the bullet above.
• Students with books missing at this point will be contacted and a shipping label provided to return their books to the University through Follett to ensure retrieval before the due date.

Should students have further questions, they should contact the Business Office or email hawkflightbooks@chowan.edu. 

The on-campus bookstore is closed.  You can still shop online at shopchowan.com. 

Effective Tuesday, March 24, the following academic buildings are closed to individuals who do not have a key:

Marks Hall
Horner Building
Green Hall
Reed Hall and Annex
Camp Hall
Daniel Hall
Whitaker Library - Please see the Library update above.
McSweeney Hall - Access to one lab will be provided to students from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The lab includes Macs.

The Admissions Office will remain open during normal business hours, but we encourage families to visit at a time when we can offer a full campus-visit experience. We understand this is a challenging time for individuals and communities across the world. Having said that, we are open for business and are here to support you in any way we can. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at 252-398-6230 or enroll@chowan.edu. Our office is working to develop opportunities for prospective students and their families to connect with the Chowan community, and we will share more details as they become available. We appreciate your flexibility as we prioritize the health of our campus community. 

During these challenging times, we want to ensure that all qualified applicants have the opportunity to be considered for admission. In response to SAT and ACT testing sites closing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chowan University will waive test requirements for Fall 2020 admission consideration beginning Wednesday, March 18, 2020.  This means students are encouraged to submit test scores if they have them, but applications without test scores will be considered for admission. This is effective immediately and available to domestic and international students. Students must remember NCAA has its own guidelines for student-athletes to which they must adhere. 

Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic and the state of North Carolina under a "stay at home" order, the originally scheduled May 16th open house known as CU Visit Day, will be delivered in a virtual format on May 20th.

We are offering individual, virtual campus tours. To register, please contact your admissions counselor or email admissions@chowan.edu.

President Peterson shared with the Board of Trustees in a virtual meeting on April 30th that the University intends to safely resume in-person teaching and residential life for the fall 2020 semester. Along with the senior team, he has been working through various scenarios to resume on-campus operations this fall. The plans are contingent upon the situation surrounding the pandemic and guidance from Governor Cooper and, state and local health officials.  

On April 23rd North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper extended the state’s stay at home order through May 8th and introduced his plans for a three-phase lifting of restrictions based on virus trends.  The University will continue to operate as it has since the stay-at-home order took effect in March with faculty and staff working primarily remotely and classes delivered online. For staff currently performing duties remotely, the University plans to follow state recommendations and announce a plan to strategically phase employees return to campus to ensure the health and safety of the entire campus community. Summer courses, as they have been historically, will be delivered through online instruction. 

The overall theme across all sectors throughout the pandemic has been uncertainty and transformation.  As a primarily residential campus, Chowan students have adapted to a new way of learning and engaging with peers, most, including faculty, citing that they are eager to return to campus. The University recognizes that while the plan is to resume classes in person, it will be under a “new normal.” The top priority of the University is and will remain, the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. 

“As we have throughout this ever-changing situation, we will keep you informed on procedures and decisions as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic” reassured Dr. Peterson.  The administration is planning and preparing to ensure a safe return for students, employees, and visitors.  The University will provide additional return-to-campus information updates as soon as possible. 

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, signed into law on March 27, 2020 provides funding and flexibilities for higher education institutions to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the CARES Act, colleges and universities received funding through the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). The first portion of funding requires institutions to provide emergency cash payments to students for expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to the Coronavirus pandemic.  This includes, but is not limited to food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care.  The Department of Education identifies eligible students to receive funds as those who completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or were eligible to complete a FAFSA for the 2019-2020 academic school year.

Under the guidelines and suggestions outlined by the Department of Education to get HEERF funds to students as quickly as possible with consideration of financial need, Chowan University has elected to base the student cash distribution amounts on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) which is a reflection of financial need.  The lower the EFC resulting from your FAFSA, the higher the financial need.

To ensure a comprehensive and fair approach, Chowan developed a matrix (see below) based upon the total student cash payment amount allocated by the government ($1,307,163), the total number of eligible students (1,024), and each student’s respective EFC.  Students who were actively enrolled at the conclusion of the first spring break date (Sunday, March 15, 2020) were deemed eligible students.

These funds may be used as you deem appropriate to cover costs you incurred associated with the disruption of educational services created by the Coronavirus pandemic.  Eligible students were notified of the emergency relief funding via their Chowan University email on Monday, May 11, 2020 and paper checks were mailed between Wednesday, May 13, 2020 and Monday, May 18, 2020.  To date, Chowan University has expensed $1,307,163.12 in emergency cash payments to eligible students.