To Our Students Coming to Case Western Reserve from Outside the United States:
We look forward to welcoming you this August, and want to update you on the university’s planning for the fall semester.
Yesterday the university sent guidance regarding fall plans to all undergraduates and their parents. Earlier that day our office communicated with international students about the federal government’s Monday announcement relating to temporary exemptions and the Fall 2020 semester; as we noted in that message, the temporary exemption issue is extremely fluid, and we will post updates on our website.
Today we want to provide information regarding students’ arrival plans.
First, we recognize that challenges in securing visas means that many of you face profound uncertainty as to whether you will be able to get to campus in time for the Aug. 24 start of classes. While we very much hope you are able to be in Cleveland physically, we also want to remind you that the university has committed to a dual-delivery model of instruction and we expect that you will be able to continue much of your coursework remotely even if you are out of the country.
Second, the information provided today is current as of this writing. State, national and global conditions continue to change—often in rapid and dramatic ways. When such developments directly affect any of the guidance we provide today, we will update you as quickly as possible. We wish that this information could be considered definitive and final, but unfortunately little is during these difficult times.
One factor that has stayed remarkably consistent over the past several months involves the length of COVID-19-related quarantines. In situations where the possibility of exposure to the coronavirus exists, infectious disease experts call for a 14-day period where individuals remain alone indoors, taking their temperature twice daily and monitoring for such symptoms as coughing, difficulty breathing, or sore throat. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) full symptom list can be found here.
The CDC continues to direct those entering the country from abroad to observe a 14-day quarantine, and Case Western Reserve will follow that practice.
Below are details of its implementation based on student status. You will see recommended arrival dates based on the commencement of activities specific to different sets of students. That said, if visa challenges prevent you from arriving in Cleveland by those dates—but in time for the first day of classes—in most cases you will be able to participate in those classes remotely while in quarantine and begin attending in person once the 14 days have passed.
In all instances where you may have questions, please contact international@case.edu.
New Undergraduate Students Traveling from Outside the United States
Given that new undergraduate move-in days are August 17-19, we have scheduled arrival days for August 3-5. During the time in between those dates, students will live in individual rooms (that include individual bathrooms) and have meals delivered daily to their doors.
We ask that new undergraduate students from outside the U.S. provide details of their flights and register for temporary housing using this form. We will provide additional information regarding travel from the airport to campus later this month.
Returning Undergraduate Students Traveling from Outside the United States and Living in University Residence Halls
Returning students will be able to move into residence halls August 22-23, and so should plan to arrive August 7-8. During the time in between those dates, students will live in individual rooms (that include individual bathrooms). If on the campus dining plan, they will have meals delivered daily to their doors; if not on a plan, the university will work with students to determine options based on individual circumstances.
We ask that undergraduate students from outside the U.S. provide details of their flights and register for temporary housing using this form.
All Other Students (Undergraduate, Graduate, and Professional) Traveling from Outside of the United States
All Case Western Reserve students who are traveling from outside of the country should plan on arriving at least 14 days before classes begin (on or before August 10) and quarantining in their respective living spaces.
We ask that these students complete this form with details regarding their arrival dates and quarantine arrangements.
Information for All Students Traveling from Outside of the United States
In a typical year, students’ arrival on campus in August marks the beginning of a time of significant social interaction—whether through first-year student orientation or returning students’ reunions with friends, staff and faculty. We realize that beginning your time on campus with 14 days of quarantine is an experience directly opposite of what you would want. At the same time, we hope that you can appreciate that such measures are critical in our efforts to reduce COVID-19 transmission risks across the campus community.
While we appreciate that online engagement with others cannot substitute for in-person activities, we do want to emphasize our commitment to provide programming for quarantined students for the duration of those two weeks. Staff from our office and others across campus—including student affairs and student success—will be developing those offerings over the next month. We will reach out to you directly as part of those planning, and look forward to sharing ideas in the coming weeks.
For now, we hope this information is helpful for your initial preparations. Again, if you have questions please contact us at international@case.edu. We look forward to seeing you later this summer.
Marielena Maggio
Director of International Student Services