Coronavirus Frequently Asked Questions

Impact at UNF

• Have any cases of coronavirus been reported at UNF?

  Because most of our university operations have been remote, most confirmed cases of COVID-19 among members of the community do not present a risk to other members of the UNF community. However, in an abundance of caution, this is an evolving situation and new positive cases will be posted as the University is notified. Student, employee and patient confidentiality laws prohibit the disclosure of identities of the individuals. Please note that any individual who has tested positive will be self-isolated, and anyone believed to be at risk for exposure will be contacted and asked to self-quarantine.

   

  Notification: 7/2/20   - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 6/30/20 - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 6/29/20 - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 6/26/20 - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 6/24/20 - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 6/24/20 - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 6/22/20 - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 6/19/20 - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 6/16/20 - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 5/27/20 - Student (lives off-campus)

  Notification: 4/23/20 - Student (lives off-campus)
  Notification: 4/13/20 - Employee, Controller's Office
  Notification: 4/6/20 - Employee, University Development & Alumni Engagement
  Notification: 4/1/20 - Employee, College of Arts & Science
  Notification: 3/27/20 - Employee, University of North Florida
  Notification: 3/25/20 - Employee, University of North Florida
  
  
  

   

• What is the status of summer sessions?

  All UNF Summer Sessions (A, B, and C) will be conducted remotely in adherence to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's social distancing protocols and guidance from the State University System of Florida. Students should contact their academic advisors with questions about building their summer schedules.

• Will Dining Services continue?
  Dining Services will continue with limited services during the period of remote instruction. View dining locations and hours via the webpage.
• Can I get a refund for my Dining Services meal membership plan?

  UNF has implemented a Dining Refund Plan for all students who have paid or have been assessed dining charges for the spring semester and no longer utilized these services. For the majority of meal memberships, refunds include both the unused portions prorated as of March 23rd and the remaining balance of dining dollars. 

• What are the available Carpenter Library resources and services?
  View Carpenter Library updates.
• What are the current hours of operation for campus facilities?
  Hours of operation are found on the Special Hours webpage.
• Will campus tours for prospective students be held?
  Tours are temporarily postponed for prospective students.
• Are events still taking place on campus?
  No events are currently taking place on campus.
• Are athletic events still taking place?
  All UNF Athletics’ home and away competitions have been suspended.
• What is the status of summer camps at UNF?

  All summer camps at UNF have been cancelled through July 31. Camps beyond this date are subject to cancellation per guidelines related to COVID-19. Updated information to be provided.

   

   

Safety & Self-Quarantine Requirements

• Who is allowed on campus?
  Only approved faculty and staff, contractors and vendors are allowed on campus at this time.
• What are the CDC guidelines and procedures for those allowed on campus?
  Those who are approved to be on campus are required to follow CDC guidelines, which includes wearing a face covering, minimizing the number of surfaces you touch, maintaining a 6 foot distance from others, and washing hands frequently or using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Are face masks required to be worn on campus?
  Yes. To protect the health and safety of the Osprey community, all faculty, staff, students and anyone else on UNF’s campus must wear a mask in all indoor and outdoor areas at all times. Employees working alone in their offices and students who are alone in a room are the only exceptions at this time.
  
  
• What are the university's self-quarantine guidelines?

  Members of the campus community who are currently experiencing symptoms, have been tested for COVID-19, have recently traveled, taken a cruise or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 need to self-isolate and avoid contact with others during a period of 14 days, even if you have no symptoms of illness, and submit the appropriate Self-Reporting Form via Human Resources or Student Health Services.
  
  

  More information can be found on the Human Resources page.

• How do students report to the university if they need to self-quarantine?
  If you need to self-quarantine, call UNF Student Health Services at (904) 620-2900 immediately so that we can make sure you are healthy and safe. All students who are self-quarantining need to fill out UNF's online Self-Reporting Form.
• How do faculty and staff report to the university if they need to self-quarantine?
  If you need to self-quarantine, please contact your direct supervisor and then Human Resources at (904) 620-2903 immediately so that we can make sure you are healthy and safe. All employees who are self-quarantining need to fill out UNF’s online Self-Reporting Form. You should work with your direct supervisor to discuss what options are available for performing your job duties remotely.
• What disinfection procedures are taking place at campus facilities?
  Crews are cleaning daily common areas including building entrances, corridors, restrooms and other essential spaces that remain active. The university's on-campus operational restrictions have resulted in a reduction of the amount of facilities staff available to provide the usual cleaning and sanitation services in campus department suites and buildings. For these reasons and for continued health and safety of the campus, all employees not designated as on-campus essential must continue to work remotely until further notice.

Fall 2020 Class Types

• What is Remote Instruction (RI)?
  Remote Instruction (RI) is the term the University adopted to identify instruction that was planned to include face-to-face instruction, but will now be taught online due to COVID-19. RI courses often use the scheduled meeting times on the course schedule for learning activities via Zoom, but may also drop the scheduled meeting times and operate asynchronously. Your instructor will communicate at the start of the term about how each course will operate.
• Is there an additional fee for Remote Instruction?
  No. The DL (distance learning) fee is only assessed for courses that were planned to be delivered in this modality prior to COVID-19. Courses that were switched to RI due to COVID-19 are not assessed the fee. The DL fee is used to support the additional costs of tools and services which are attributable to the development and delivery of distance learning.
• What is a Hybrid course?

  Hybrid courses provide a mixture of in person and online learning activities. UNF normally defines a Hybrid course as one in which at least 50 percent, and not more than 79 percent of the direct instruction of the course, is delivered using some form of technology where the student and instructor are separated by time or space. 

   

  During COVID-19, we have extended the definition of Hybrid to include any course that has some combination of campus meetings and online synchronous or asynchronous meetings to better capture the many alternative forms of instruction being used and to communicate to students what to expect as they register for classes.

• What are the differences between Hybrid, Remote Instruction, and Distance Learning courses?

  This table will help students understand how various course types will operate as they review their course schedule.

   

  	Remote Instruction Courses	Distance Learning Courses	Hybrid Courses
  The location for the class will be listed as:	REMOTE	ONLINE	ONLINE or REMOTE AND in a classroom (e.g. 0002/1017)
  The expectation is:	The instructor may hold class during the listed days and times, so you need to be available to attend class during the days and times listed on your schedule.	You will be able to access the class material at any time, but you will still need to make sure you are meeting listed deadlines for the class.	Part of the course will be delivered face-to-face on UNF's main campus.
  When scheduling, you should be aware that:	You will not be able to schedule classes that have time conflicts.	Distance Learning classes will be conducted fully online, and they will not have any days or times listed.	You will not be able to schedule classes that have time conflicts with REMOTE, ONLINE, or Face-to-Face meeting sessions.

Housing

• Will the residence halls remain open?

  Residence halls have some restrictions. All residential students need to relocate to your permanent place of residence or off-campus. For those students who have nowhere else to go, UNF will work with each of you on housing arrangements.

• How can I retrieve my personal belongings from the residential halls?

  The Department of Housing and Residence Life is working with students to retrieve personal belongings by appointments only. Contact the Department of Housing and Residence Life by email at housing@unf.edu for further information. 

• Can I get a refund for my housing?

  UNF has implemented a Student Refund Plan for all students who have paid or have been assessed housing charges for the Spring 2020 semester and vacated campus housing. Residence hall costs were prorated through March 23, 2020 for all of these students, with the exception of The Flats at UNF. 

Travel Restrictions

• What travel restrictions are in place for students, faculty and staff?

  UNF-associated international and domestic travel by faculty and staff is canceled until further notice. Any exceptions must be approved by a Vice President. International university travel by UNF students for Summer 2020, including but not limited to faculty-led and third-party study abroad programs, exchange programs, conferences and field work, is canceled.
  
  

  UNF discourages any personal travel, both international and domestic, at this time due to the continuing spread of COVID-19. If you do make personal travel plans, in an abundance of caution, you should research and follow the CDC guidelines for domestic or international travel. You may be subjected to a 14-day isolation period after returning from personal travel and not be allowed to report to campus, depending on the circumstances of your travel and the risk level of potential exposure to the COVID-19 virus while traveling. You should disclose and discuss your personal travel plans with your immediate supervisor if you are in regular contact with other University community constituents.
  
  

• What is the status of the university's study abroad programs?

  All study abroad programs for Spring and Summer 2020 have been canceled. The International Center will work with students and faculty leaders on repatriation and program cancellations.

   

  In recognition of potential financial hardship caused by travel cancellations; students are asked to report specific financial losses directly associated with their study abroad program to the International Center at intlctr@unf.edu. In the subject line, please include "COVID-19 Financial Impact_LAST NAME."

   

  Please note: The deadline to submit a financial loss claim is June 1, 2020. An email with supporting documentation must be submitted to intlctr@unf.edu by June 1, 2020 for requests to be processed.

    

• When and how can students come to campus?

  Update 5/1/20: Students who do not live on campus should not come to campus until further guidance is communicated.

Students

• Important student guidance and resources for remote learning

  UNF instruction is now remote. No instruction will be in person. For courses involving experiential learning, such as internships, clinicals, etc., contact your professor or department to explore options. Most remote instruction, including live sessions, will take place on Zoom and/or Canvas.

   

  For courses that conduct remote learning through alternate/additional online applications (beyond Zoom and Canvas), professors will reach out directly to those students via Canvas or e-mail for instructions. Contact your professors directly through either Canvas or via e-mail for specific questions regarding coursework.

   

  In the event that you have difficulty with access to technology for any reason, contact the Library information desk at (904) 620-2615 or ask@unf.libanswers.com and/or contact your professors to make alternative arrangements. The Library is offering services remotely. Visit the Library webpage for more information. If you need technology support (internet access, hardware, access to software, etc.) contact the ITS Help Desk by phone at (904) 620-HELP (4357), by email at helpdesk@unf.edu, or by visiting the Help Desk webpage.

   

  Academic support such as tutoring and Supplemental Instruction, as well as academic advising services will continue through Zoom, email and phone. Visit the Undergraduate Studies webpage for more information. Graduate students should visit the Graduate Studies webpage for answers to key questions.

   

• Who should I contact about my study abroad scholarships and financial aid due to program cancellation?
  If you have questions about how the cancellation of your study abroad program impacts your scholarships, awards or federal financial aid, contact Will Hunter in Financial Aid at (904) 620-2409 or FinAidEmergMgmt@unf.edu
• What counseling resources are available for students?

  The Counseling Center coronavirus resource page includes resources for dealing with anxiety or concerns.

• How I can get more information related to the CARES Act funding?
  Information can be found on the CARES Act Student Emergency Aid Funding page.
• How do I return my textbook rentals?

  You can ship rentals back to the store via a free FedEx return label. You can generate a free return shipping label on the bookstore website at unfbookstore.com in your account.

   

  To sign into your account, click the Sign In link on the top right side of the page. Enter the email address you provided at the register when you rented. Note: Even if you rented in the store, an account was created using the email you provided at the register. If you don't know your password, you can click Forgot Password link for a temporary password to be emailed to you. Once you've signed in, click the link "Rentals". You will be navigated to the Rentals page in your account. On Rentals page, scroll down the page to see the books you rented. Click the link "Return All Rentals by Mail". You can also click the button "Return by Mail". Both open a pop up to select your rentals to ship back. Follow the steps to generate and print the return label and packing slip. This option is available until your rental due date.

Faculty and Staff

• Important faculty guidance and resources for remote learning

  UNF instruction is now remote. No instruction will be in person. Students collaborating on group projects have been advised to do so using virtual means and should not meet in person. All live instruction, including Zoom lectures and Canvas online chats, must adhere to existing class schedule times.

   

  If conducting remote learning through other online applications, beyond Zoom and Canvas, please ensure that all students have the ability to access. Students have been encouraged to contact the Library information desk to gain access to additional technology but may need to work with you to make alternative arrangements.

   

  If you need technology support (internet access, hardware, access to software, etc.) contact the ITS Help Desk by phone at 620-HELP (4357), by email at helpdesk@unf.edu, or by visiting the Help Desk webpage.

• What other resources are available for faculty to ensure academic continuity?
  Faculty resources for academic continuity are available through the Center for Instruction and Research Technology.
• Should UNF employees continue to report to work?
  The University has transitioned to temporary remote work until further notice.
• What employee resources are available for faculty and staff?

  A Human Resources webpage has been created specifically for employee concerns.

• How can I track my time and costs related to COVID-19?
  View the detailed information on the Human Resources page.

Coronavirus Information

• What UNF staff comprise the COVID-19 task force?

  The COVID-19 task force members include: Scott Bennett, Eric Bruder, Joann Campbell, Dan Endicott, Bob Greenlaw, Carrie Guth, Marianne Jaffee, Curt Lox, Frank Mackesy, Dan Moon, Lee Moon, Doreen Perez, Simon Rhodes, Vince Smyth and Justin Sorrell.
  
  
  

• What are the CDC social distancing guidelines?
  Social distancing, also called “physical distancing,” means keeping space between yourself and other people outside of your home. To practice social or physical distancing:
  

  • Stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people
  • Do not gather in groups
  • Stay out of crowded places and avoid mass gatherings 

  More information can be found on the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/social-distancing.html

• How can I stay up-to-date on this situation?

  UNF continues to monitor and provide updates via email and online at www.unf.edu/coronavirus. Helpful resources or more information about the coronavirus, prevention, symptoms and travel advisories can be found at:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • CDC Coronavirus Travelers Health Information
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • U.S. Department of State