A Message from the President

 

March 19, 2020

BSU Extends Remote Classes for Remainder of Spring Semester

In response to the guidance this evening from the University System of Maryland, additional decisions have been made regarding the remaining spring semester for Bowie State University. Please see the following link for the Chancellor's statement.

The following actions are planned for Bowie State University:

Academics

  • Remote instruction of all classes will begin on Monday, March 23 as previously planned, and extend through the end of the spring 2020 semester. Faculty have shown extraordinary dedication to assuring that they continue to achieve the learning objectives for each course even though the delivery method is changing.
  • Students should plan to log into Blackboard at their regularly scheduled class time.
  • Additional information on the extended plan for remote instruction will come from the Office of the Provost no later than Sunday at 2 p.m.

Commencement

  • We’ve made the difficult decision to cancel the May commencement ceremony as we focus on protecting the health and safety of our students and their families.
  • We know how hard our students have worked to reach this milestone so we will engage with student leaders to discuss alternative options to celebrate our graduates. We will share those plans at a later date.

Residential Move-out

  • All students will be asked to leave the residence halls, but consideration will be given to those who have special circumstances.
  • Residential students will be allowed to return to campus to retrieve their belongings beginning Wednesday, March 25.
  • The Office of Residence Life will provide students with details of plans for scheduled move-out appointments to enable social distancing practices to be observed.

Refunds of Room and Board

  • As students begin distance learning and move out of the residence halls, the university is preparing plans for prorated refunds of room and board and some other fees. Details will be provided in the near future.

Telework

  • Employees who have begun to telework should continue in that status until further notice. Essential employees will continue to provide the necessary services to maintain critical operations and functions.

These are difficult times for us all as we face daily uncertainty surrounding the spread of COVID-19. I want to commend our faculty and staff for their flexibility and continuing dedication to meeting the needs of our students. The situation remains fluid, so please continue to monitor email and our Coronavirus Updates page for new information and guidance to navigate these changing times.