November 2020 Newsletter

COVID-19 Information from Purdue

Although we are continuing to keep families updates with information sent to the Purdue community, for the most up-to-date information and FAQ's please visit the Protect Purdue website, and the Purdue COVID-19 Dashboard.

Video Message from President Daniels

President Mitch Daniels urges faculty, staff and students to recommit to the Protect Purdue Pledge and reminds them that when they honor the pledge, they are not just taking care of themselves. They are also taking care of others, especially as the Purdue community looks forward to upcoming campus events and a return home for the holidays. View message here.

CARES Act Funding Available

Under the CARES Act, Congress established the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF). This fund provides emergency financial aid grants to cover student expenses related to the disruption of campus operations due to COVID-19. The application provides an opportunity for you to recover related expenses for such items as food, housing, course materials, technology, health care, and child care. Please see the application for additional details.

To make this “CARES Act” funding available to Purdue students, we have established a CARES Act Emergency Funding application, which can be accessed at purdue.scholarshipuniverse.com. Once you log in to ScholarshipUniverse with your Purdue Career Account credentials, you can search for the CARES Act Emergency Funding application in the search bar at the top of the site.

If you have questions, please contact the Division of Financial Aid at 765-494-5050 or facontact@purdue.edu.

Staff step into new Academic Case Manager roles to support Purdue students in quarantine, isolation

The chain of events that led to Purdue sophomore Michael DeHaven needing to quarantine began with a "popping" sound and some slight pain in his right ear.

DeHaven, who is studying to become a nurse, contacted the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH) in mid-September because he suspected he had an ear infection. PUSH staff instructed DeHaven to notify the Protect Purdue Health Center (PPHC) of his symptoms, which he did. PPHC staff then instructed DeHaven to be tested for COVID-19 and not to leave his room, except to visit PUSH. Read more.

Purdue approves addition of Reading Day to fall calendar

Purdue University approved establishing Wednesday, Nov. 4, as an optional Reading Day, giving instructors and students the chance for a brief respite from classes, and supporting the recommendation the University Senate passed during its meeting Monday (Oct. 19). Senators also approved extension of the deadlines for students to withdraw from a course or to switch from receiving a letter grade to pass/not pass for fall courses. Read more here.

Removal of Outdoor Tents Underway

Outdoor dining, study and department-requested tents are being removed due to dropping temperatures and decreased use. All dining and study tents will be removed by the end of October, and tents requested by departments will be removed no later than the end of November. 

Information on indoor study spaces is available from Purdue Libraries. For information on indoor dining locations, visit the Purdue Dining and Culinary website.

How to Get Tested

Return-to-campus COVID-19 student testing planned for spring 2021

Purdue is making plans for return-to-campus COVID-19 testing for spring 2021, in a manner similar to the pre-arrival residential student testing conducted before the start of the fall 2020 semester. Specific details about available testing options, a timeline for testing and how students can be cleared for campus by the Protect Purdue Health Center will be shared by Nov. 15, 2020. Students planning to experience the spring 2021 semester in-person will be required to complete this process. 

Featured Stories   

The Office of the Provost has collaborated with the College of Liberal Arts, Student Life and other campus units to create a website that lists online election resources and campus events designed to facilitate and support conversations and discussions about the upcoming election.

Instructors are encouraged to share these resources and Zoom events with students as Nov. 3, Election Day, approaches and in the days following. The goal is to provide an opportunity to discuss and reflect on the election process and the results.

The virtual events are free and open to all students, faculty and staff.

University Residences

Contracts for Spring 2021

Students not currently living in University Residences who want to move into University Residences for the 2021 Spring Semester may sign a spring semester housing contract.

If your student is interested in a spring housing contract, they should not delay as space is limited and available on a first come first serve basis.

The deadline to make changes or cancel a spring housing contract is November 24, 2020 at 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time.

Winter Break Housing

Student interested in staying over Winter Break (December 21, 12:00pm – January 11, 8:00am) may register for winter break housing in the housing portal:

• Students living in traditional University Residences Halls will be charged $500 to stay over break.  Unfortunately, we are unable to prorate this fee.
• Students living in University Residences Boiler Apartments, Hilltop Apartments and Purdue Village Apartments should register to stay over Winter Break Housing but WILL NOT be billed, as this fee is already included in their rates.
• An optional meal plan is available for an additional $450. This meal plan includes 13 meals per week and $25 Dining Dollars per week. 
• The deadline to sign up for Winter Break Housing is December 14, 2020 and no refunds will be offered after November 24, 2020. 
• Winter Break Housing fees will be assess to the student’s MyPurdue in January, 2021 after Winter Break.

Additional Information may be found on the Winter Break Housing page.

Students leaving Purdue University at the end of the 2020 Fall Semester

Students will need to complete a Contract Release Form. These forms will need to be submitted at student's earliest convenience and preferably no later than December 4, 2020.

Room/Residences Changes for 2021 Spring Semester

Is your student interested in a room change within their current residence for the 2021 Spring Semester?

• Deadline to submit completed current residence room change request form – Thursday, November 5, 2020.
• Notification of room change request – On or about November 6, 2020, students will be notified of the status of their current residence room change request at their Purdue email address.  If a room change request is approved, students will be notified of the procedure to follow for moving to their new room assignment.

Is your student interested in transferring to another residence for the 2021 Spring Semester?

• Beginning Monday, November 2, 2020 - Interhall transfer requests effective for the 2021 Spring Semester will be accepted online in the housing portal.
• Deadline to submit completed Interhall Transfer Request form – Monday, November 9, 2020.
• Notification of Interhall transfer request – On or about November 16, 2020 at your student's Purdue email address.  If their request to transfer is approved, they will be notified of the procedure to follow for checking out of their current residence and moving into their new residence assignment.

Meal Plan Changes

• Meal plan changes effective for the 2021 Spring Semester may be submitted beginning Monday, January 4, 2021 at noon.  Meal plan changes should be made in the housing contract portal.
• The deadline to submit a request to lower the number of meal swipes is Sunday, January 10, 2021 at 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time
• Students may increase the number of meal swipes at any time.
• Current residents of Hawkins Hall or Hilltop Apartments who currently have a room-only plan may also add a meal plan.

Contracting for 2021-2022 Academic Year

Contract Renewal is a phased process – based upon where the resident currently lives and their current University classification. With the exception of November 3, 2020, each phase becomes active at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time and remains active until the end of the contract renewal process, which is February 28, 2021, at 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time.

For the 2021-2022 academic year:

• Aspire and Salisbury Campus Apartments will no longer be master leased through University Residences for the upcoming academic year. Students living in these locations will receive an email regarding being in a displaced status for contract renewal.
• Several rooms in various halls will be unavailable for returners due to changes in Learning Community usage, gender reconfiguration, or other repurposing. These residents and all Honor College and Residences spaces will be displaced. Current residents in these rooms will have priority as a displaced resident for choosing a different space.

 

2021-2022 Contract Renewal Phase Dates

1. Specials are students who left University Residences for Industrial Co-op, Study Abroad, called to Military Duty, or for a medical reason and plan to return to University Residences for the 2021-2022 Academic Year.  For the 2021-2022 Academic Year specials will also include those students who had signed a 2020-2021 academic year housing contract but cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2. HACs are students with approved housing accommodations.

3. A displaced resident is one whose room will not be available during the contract period. Most rooms become unavailable due to requirements for Honors College, Learning/Living Communities, or a change in space management. 

4. New spring semester residents are all students, regardless of classification, who have a signed housing contract for the spring semester online

• Current Honors College residents who want to live in one of the designated returning Honors College spaces will be required to have a roommate from Honors College. 
• Your student will have the opportunity to request a roommate in Contract Renewal – after the “Return to Your Same Room” phase. Very Important! If your student's roommate request is accepted, your student will also need to assign their accepted roommate request to a space with you beginning with the start date of your students current University classification phase date (see priority phase dates above).
• If your student wants to request a new incoming beginner freshman to University Residences for the 2021-2022 Academic Year, their friend must have already started a housing contract in the new student housing contract portal for the 2021-2022 Academic Year. The new student housing contract portal will open around January 15, 2021 at noon Eastern Time.  (Note: Your student will not be able to request a current student presently living off campus or an incoming Transfer student for their roommate as these students will be required to place their name on a waiting list to sign a housing contract – if space is available after May 5, 2021.)   
• Your student may make changes to or cancel their signed housing contract at any time during the Contract Renewal process. Contract Renewal closes February 28, 2021, at 11:55 p.m. Eastern Time, at which time all signed contracts in the system become legally binding. Beginning February 28, 2021, at 11:56 p.m. your student's signed contract for the 2021-2022 Academic Year may only be cancelled if they will NOT be attending Purdue University during the 2021-2022 Academic Year contract term.
• As a displaced resident, students will have opportunity to select an available space in Contract Renewal on November 16, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. unless they are a senior or junior, in which they will be eligible to select a different space beginning November 11, 2020 or November 13, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. respectively.

Dates

November 24, Face-to-face instruction ends

November 25-28, Thanksgiving Vacation

November 30, Remote instruction (through end of semester)

December 5, Classes end

December 7-12, Final Exams

December 12, Semester Ends

January 19, Spring Semester Begins