Ready for you at TU: Keeping students safe when they move back to campus

By Kyle Hobstetter on July 20, 2020

This story is part of a series on how different departments at Towson University have worked over the summer to keep operations running and prepare campus for the Return to TU.

One of the Towson University’s Office of Housing and Residence Life’s core values is Safety and Security. 

With students getting ready to come back to campus for the fall academic term, Housing and Residence Life (HRL) is taking every precaution to make sure students feel safe during this time of uncertainty. 

It started back in March, when Towson University went to a complete virtual learning modality for the remainder of spring term. That meant HRL had to find a way to completely move students out of the residence halls while also conforming to Gov. Larry Hogan’s travel restrictions.

With over 6,000 students living on campus last year, HRL was able to form a plan of scheduling and social distancing to help all but just over 600 students get moved out. Then they worked with local moving companies to help the remaining students receive their belongings.

But after getting students out for the extended summer, Kelly Hoover, associate vice president of Student Affairs and her team at HRL are now working to welcome them back in the fall.

“It’s felt like we’ve had to rebuild our entire department from scratch in a matter of a couple of months,” Hoover says. “I’ve worked in student housing for 20 years. I’ve dealt with floods, small fires and some other tragic incidents. But this is a different kind of crisis management because it’s lasted so long. We’ve constantly been in re-evaluation and decision-making mode.

“It really has required us to rethink every system that we have in place. We had to rerun room selection, because we had to densify and reduce the number of bed space we have.” 

In a normal academic year, Towson University would have over 6,000 students living on campus. But in order to adhere to physical distancing guidelines, TU has had to cut that number to around  4,000.

“One of the things we’ve consistently heard from many of our students is their excitement to return to campus,” said Vernon J. Hurte, Vice President of Student Affairs. “In our planning, we have continued to prioritize heath and safety while also preparing to provide a great residential experience for our students.”

Read More: Towson University's Return to TU protocols 

HRL is also closing several residence halls for the academic year. Prettyman, Scarborough and Richmond Hall will not be in operation because of the buildings’ use of communal bathrooms. According to Hoover, when the HRL staff was configuring the new housing landscape, one of the decisions made was there were no more than two people sharing a bathroom. 

Another policy that will be implemented is that guests will not be allowed into the residence halls. While Hoover understands there may be frustration with that change, she hopes students know the decision wasn’t made hastily.

“We feel like we need to do what we can to limit opportunities for exposure in this environment because so much of this is uncontrolled and unpredictable,” Hoover says.

HRL is also working with the Office of Campus Life to completely revamp this year’s move-in process, along with Welcome to TU, the university's official kickoff to the academic year. 

Instead of a single weekend, move-in will now take place over 10 days from August 13-23. Students will have to schedule the date and time they will move in, and they will have a two-hour window to complete their move-in assignment.

Students will be limited to two helpers for the move-in experience, and there will be no university sponsored move-in crew.

There will also be a central location for registration and key pick-up for all buildings. Before heading to their residence halls, students will have to go to Lot 5 near SECU Arena, and complete the move-in registration through a drive-through process.  

In order to encourage physical distancing, the following safety measures will be in place: 

• Roommates/apartment mates will not be able to sign up for the same time block
• No more than 8 students may sign up for a time block per building
• Elevator usage will be limited based on elevator size
• Directional signage will be posted to indicate traffic flow within buildings
• Doors will be designated as specific entry and exit points
• Hand sanitizer will be available in building lobbies
• All residence hall front desks will be equipped with plexiglass.

The schedule of events for Welcome to TU has been modified, as well. HRL has its first community-building experience planned out — students may decorate their own masks at several designated, outdoor stations that follow social distancing protocols.  

The HRL staff is ready to get the academic term under way. They are especially excited to welcome a freshmen class that had a challenging end to their senior year of high school. 

“I know that new students are eager and excited to start their college journey, this group of first-year students particularly,” Hoover says. “They lost out on their senior year, so I think they are looking for something positive to be a part of. So, we’re excited to hopefully be able to provide that for them.” 

As the academic year continues, HRL will continue to work on keeping students safe and following all safety protocols provided by Towson University and the State of Maryland.

This includes having virtual meetings with their resident advisors, masks being required in all parts of the residence halls except in private rooms, and security at the front desk to ensure visitor protocols are being followed.

HRL is also prepared if a student tests positive for COVID-19. Those students will be allowed to isolate in Tower C in the Glen Complex. HRL will then partner with the Towson University Health Center and Environmental Health and Safety Office to make sure those students are properly cared for.

With so many changes happening around campus (and the world in general), Hoover has leaned on her staff. She says that while things are constantly evolving, her team has adjusted and worked through each change that comes their way. 

“I’m really proud of where we are with regards to our preparations,” Hoover says. “I feel like we’ve been really challenging one another to be thorough and to this think through every implication of the decisions that we’re making.

“Comparing ourselves to other institutions I feel like we’re ahead of the game. And I’m proud of our staff for that.” 

For more information move-in protocols, visit the fall 2020 move-in information page, or follow Housing and Residence Life on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.