Safely Repopulating Campus

The safety of our students, faculty and staff is paramount. The University is following the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Baker Administration, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to ensure we reopen in a manner that is as safe as possible.

Courses: Similar to the fall, a limited number of courses will be offered fully or partially on-campus during the spring. Academic Affairs has prioritized those courses that are better suited to an in-person experience. For courses that will be taught remotely, extensive training is being offered to faculty throughout the summer months to ensure a high quality remote learning experience.

Classrooms: Classrooms are being reconfigured to ensure that there is plenty of space for six feet of physical distancing. The need for the instructor to have access to a white board and to move around in front of the class will be considered in this configuration. Face coverings will be required for all participants in all classrooms in accordance with the Commonwealth’s requirements. All classes will allow for remote participation for students who are unable to attend. Recordings will be available for students unable to participate at the time of the class meeting.

Residence Halls: At this time, we are projecting residence halls to be open at approximately 43% capacity, which will allow us to reconfigure spaces in a way that reduces the number of students using shared bathrooms. Students who have reserved rooms for the fall semester should have received an e-mail from Residence Life with further details about specific policies and procedures related to COVID-19.

Dining Services: Dining Services will be open with public health compliant safety modifications and will offer individual meals and takeout options.

Face coverings: Everyone on campus is required to wear a face covering on campus, even when outside. 

Campus Health and Safety: The university will adhere to CDC and State guidelines related to cleaning, providing protective barriers, controlling foot traffic flows, and using elevators and stairwells. Requested work adjustments will be reviewed for anyone who falls into a high risk category for complications resulting from contracting COVID19.

Student Community Health Commitment: All students coming to campus are required to sign the FSU Student Community Health Commitment to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on our campus. This agreement emphasizes each student’s role in actively protecting the health and safety of every member of our campus and local communities. 

Things might look a little different when you return to campus, but we're all committed to maintaining our usual safe, healthy, tight-knit community of Rams. 

The Student Development Office has compiled important information for new and returning students to review before Move-In Day and classes begin. Visit the Student COVID-19 Guide for more information and helpful tips.

TESTING

Framingham State has signed a contract with the Broad Institute to do SARS-COV-2 PCR tests over the course of the semester. Broad will provide all the supplies needed, courier service, with a turnaround time of 24-36 hours.

FSU conducts on-boarding testing of all residential students, commuter students who are taking on-campus classes and any employee who is not working remotely. This testing will be required for students and voluntary for employees. Residential students will be tested the day they move in. Thereafter, we will do approximately 500-800 tests/week on Tuesdays from 10-3 throughout the semester.

Testing will be done in the gym. Campus Events will be in charge of the setup. Students will enter through the double doors of the main entrance to the gym. We will have 5 Registration tables staffed by FSU employees and/or students located at least 6 feet apart. Student information will be verified, an order created and label with barcode printed (Broad will provide printers) and given to students. We will have volunteers to direct students where to go. Students will then exit the back of the gym into A Lot where there will be 5 pop-up tents. Each tent will be staffed by an FSU employee who will be wearing PPE. They will observe the student collecting an anterior nares specimen and placing the collection swab in the labeled tube. The tube will then be placed in the collection box to be packed for collection by the courier.

Take a walk-through our COVID19 Testing Site.

Here's a look at someone taking the actual test.

CONTACT TRACING

FSU will be working with the Framingham Health Department to do contact tracing. The FSU Health Center will do case investigation of all students, faculty and staff who test positive, evaluating their symptoms and heath care needs and assisting them into isolation for a minimum of 10 days. For students, first choice is home. If that is not an option, we have 20 Isolation and Quarantine rooms with private bathrooms. Employees will need to isolate at home. If assistance is needed, they will be referred to their local Board of Health.

An FSU Contact Tracing Team is being formed. This team will receive in-person and on-line training on contact tracing. During case investigation, those who have tested positive will be asked about close contacts (anyone who was within 6 feet for >15 min). The names and contact information will be given to our Contact Tracing Team who will reach out to them, evaluate their health status and assist them into quarantine for 14 days since last contact. For students, first choice is home. If this is not an option, they can use one of the Isolation & Quarantine rooms on campus. Any staff who are close contacts will need to quarantine at home. If assistance is needed, they will be referred to their local Board of Health.

On campus students who are in isolation will be monitored by the Heath Center staff. On campus students who are in quarantine will be monitored by the Contact Tracing Team.

While we cannot anticipate, much less eliminate all risks, a number of residence hall policies and adaptations are planned to support public health and reduce risks. At this time, these include:

• The required use of face coverings in all residence hall public areas.
  
  
• There is a no guest policy in the residence halls to limit the number of people entering each hall. This includes guests who live in other halls.
  
  
• Elevator occupancy limits will be in place. Use of stairwells will be strongly encouraged for residents medically able to use stairs.
  
  
• Social distancing guidelines will be in place, and there will be limitations on gatherings.
  
  
• Certain residence hall lounges and common areas will be closed to allow staff to concentrate sanitation efforts in high touch/traffic areas.
  
  
• A reduction in the number of residents in areas with shared community bathrooms. In these areas most residents will be assigned to rooms without roommates.
  
  
• Security desks will implement a no-touch self-scan process and plexiglass will be placed between SDAs and scanners.
  
  
• Soap dispensers are being added to all community bathrooms.
  
  
• Certain common areas and stairwells will have directional indicators directing foot traffic.
  
  
  
• Residents will be asked to provide emergency travel plans and off-campus treatment and isolation plans in case the halls are required to close or in case of illness or medically recommended self-quarantine.
  
  

• The maximum number of persons allowed to be present in any residence hall bedroom will be limited to the number of occupants plus 1 person. Suites will be limited to the number of occupants plus 2 additional persons.
  
  
• Community bathroom use will be restricted to a designated number of users at any given time and use will be limited to floor members. In some areas schedules will be created to help provide predictable shower access given lower occupancy limits.

Athletic Center

The weight room and main gym will be open for student use. We will be following guidance from the Baker Administration and our own Facilities Department to provide recreational activities and work out options. Additionally, we are investigating offering virtual classes to our student population. There will be new rules and regulations for usage, which will include, but may not be limited to, following the University face covering protocol and additional cleaning protocols. We will continue to provide additional information as it becomes available.

Campus Store

Phone: 508-626-4595
E-mail: bookstore@framingham.edu

The Framingham State Campus Store is currently available for email, phone and online service. Walk-in traffic is available, but limited for capacity reasons. Any in-person communication will require face coverings and social distance. Go to framinghamstore.com to order your course materials now and have them shipped home or held in the store for pick up.

Center for Academic Success & Achievement (CASA)

Phone: 508-626-4509
Email: academicsupport@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Disability/Access Services
Phone: 508-626-4627
Email: disabilityservices@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The Center for Academic Success and Achievement (CASA) will be open Monday-Friday, 8:30 am to 5pm; most appointments will happen by phone or virtually (Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate), unless in-person is necessary. CASA will not be open for walk-in traffic or face-to-face tutoring, and the computer lab will not be available for printing. Students may make remote or in-person appointments with professional staff through phone/email/Starfish; all professional math/writing and subject tutoring will be delivered remotely through Blackboard Collaborate; all Supplemental Instruction will be delivered remotely through Blackboard Collaborate on the course site. Disability/Access Services will continue to provide students with academic accommodations, and documentation confirmation letters will be emailed to all faculty, eliminating the need for students to come to pick up paper letters. For students who are taking face-to-face courses on campus, proctored exams will be offered by appointment to ensure social distancing in the Testing Center.

Dean of Students

Phone: 508-625-4596
Email: deanofstudents@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The Dean of Students office will provide service by appointment only through phone/email/Starfish. Most appointments will happen by phone or virtually (Zoom or Teams), unless in-person is necessary. Walk-in traffic will be accepted but limited for capacity reasons. Any in-person communication will require face coverings and social distance.

Career Services and Employer Relations

Phone: 508-626-4625
Email: careerservices@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Career Services and Employer Relations office will provide service by appointment only through Starfish/phone/email. All appointments will happen virtually (Zoom or Teams). In addition, all Career Events (fairs, workshops, employer showcases, etc.) will occur virtually as well.

CIE/O’Connor Lounge

The O’Connor Lounge will be undergoing a renovation this summer, and potentially early fall. The renovation will include updates to layout, furniture, and design that will add student engagement, meeting, and social space on campus. This renovation will include the Center for Inclusive Excellence (CIE). The hours and access for the O’Connor Lounge and the CIE will depend on the project timeline. We will be sure to update the campus as the project proceeds.

Community Standards

Phone: 508-626-4604
Email: communitystandards@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Community Standards office will provide service by appointment through phone/email. Appointments and conduct hearings will happen virtually (Zoom or Teams) unless not feasible.

Counseling Center

Phone: 508-626-4640
Email: counselingcenter@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
The Counseling Center will provide service by appointment only through phone/email. Most counseling appointments will be conducted virtually (Zoom) or phone, with a limited number conducted in person.

Office of Community Education and English Language Programs

Phone: 508-626-4958 (extension #1, English; extension #2, Portuguese; extension #3, Spanish)

Contact us by email: ESL@framingham.edu

Office Location: The lobby of O'Connor Hall

The English Language Programs are holding Spring Semester 2021 courses primarily online for the safety of students and teachers. Contact our website for information about course registrations or to talk with a staff member. Students may write to us in their native language, as we have the ability to translate. All calls and emails will be responded to within 48 hours. 

Health Center

Phone: 508-626-4900
Email: healthcenter@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Health Center will provide service by appointment only through phone/email. Most appointments will be conducted virtually by TeleHealth (confidential Zoom portal) or by phone. If a physical examination is determined to be necessary, a time will be set for your arrival. You must wear a face covering and adhere to social distancing as much as possible. As always in the event of an emergency on campus dial University Police at 508-626-4911, or if off-campus dial 9-1-1.

Office of International Education Fall Semester Operations

Although the office will be closed for walk-ins throughout the spring semester, our advising and general assistance will continue to be available remotely via Zoom.
For interactions that are unable to be conducted virtually, staff will be available for scheduled meetings on Monday, Wednesday or Friday. Staff will be available to assist you remotely from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday thru Friday. Please contact Jane Decatur, Executive Director, at jdecatur@framingham.edu or Jen Hyde, Assistant Director at jhyde@framingham.edu and we will be happy to assist you!

Library

The Whittemore Library will open its doors with reduced evening and weekend hours in the spring. We will launch a new text and online chat support service. There will be a dedicated space in the Reference area to accommodate students taking their remote classes. Library furniture will be arranged to encourage social distance. Students will be required to have face coverings when in the library.

New Student and Family Programs

Email: orientation@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The New Student and Family Programs office will accept meetings by appointment only through email. Appointments will be taken in person with face coverings and social distancing, if preferred or necessary a phone or virtual (Zoom or Microsoft Teams) appointment will be conducted.

RAMS Resource Center

Phone: 508-626-4596
Email: deanofstudents@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
For students experiencing housing, food, or financial insecurities please contact the Dean of Students office and we will do our best to assist. The Ram’s Den Resource Center will be open by appointment only. Please call or email the Dean of Students Office for an appointment.

Residence Life and Housing (Central Office)

Phone: 508-626-4636
Email: residencelife@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The Residence Life and Housing central office will provide service mostly by appointment through phone/email. Most appointment will be conducted via phone or virtually (Zoom or Microsoft Teams). Limited walk-in traffic will be allowed with face covering and social distancing required, in addition to office capacity restrictions.

Residence Life and Housing (Area/Residence Directors)
Horace Mann/Peirce/West Halls Phone: 508-215-5742
Horace Mann/Peirce/West Halls Email: dcase@framingham.edu

Larned Hall Phone: 508-626-4915
Larned Hall Email: jbarbagallo1@framingham.edu

Linsley/Miles Bibb Hall Phone: 508-626-4922
Linsley/Miles Bibb Hall Email: mdineen@framingham.edu

Towers Hall Phone: 508-626-4982
Towers Hall Email: jhurley@framingham.edu

The Area/Residence Directors will provide service through virtual office hours (posted in halls) and by appointment only through phone/email. Most appointments will be conducted via phone or virtually (Zoom or Microsoft Teams). Limited in-person appointments (one student only) will be allowed based on office size with face covering and social distancing required.

Student Involvement & Leadership Development (SILD)

Phone: 508-626-4615
Email: sild@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Student Involvement and Leadership Development office will provide service by appointment only through phone/email. All appointments will be by phone or virtual (Zoom or Microsoft Teams), unless in-person is necessary at which point an appropriate space will be located that allows social distancing and all participants must wear face coverings. Most events for the spring will be virtual with some small in-person events as well. Student clubs and organizations will hold meetings virtually over Zoom and those with offices will be closed. Any in-person meetings will be done by appointment and an appropriate space will be located with required face coverings and social distancing requirements.

Student Services Center (SSC)

Office of Financial Aid
Phone: 508-626-4534
Email: financialaid@framingham.edu

Office of Student Accounts
Phone: 508-626-4514
Email: studentaccounts@framingham.edu

Office of the University Registrar
Phone: 508-626-4545
Email: registrarsoffice@framingham.eu
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

The Student Services Center (SSC) will continue to be open virtually from 8:30 Am – 5:00 PM. The SSC will be closed to walk-in traffic but staff members will be available to assist you over the phone or by email. If you would like a specific day and time to discuss your situation, students will be able to schedule phone or virtual appointments with each office. In-person appointments for Financial Aid and Student Accounts will be available. Students coming in for an in-person appointment should come by themselves unless permission is given in advance to bring a family member. The Registrar’s Office will meet with students virtually (Zoom or Microsoft Teams).

Veteran Services

Phone: 508-626-4632
Email: veterans@framingham.edu
Hours: Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The Veteran Services office and Center will provide service by appointment only through phone/email. All appointments will be by phone or virtual (Zoom or Microsoft Teams), unless is in-person is necessary. All in-person meetings will require face coverings and social distancing.

Remote and Onsite IT Support – Availability and Hours of Operation

(As of September 2nd, 2020)

How to Contact Us

Remember that even though you may be working, teaching or learning remotely you are not alone. If you need assistance from Information Technology Services (ITS) at Framingham State University, contact us at any time by calling 508 215-5906, or sending an E-mail to it@framingham.edu.

You may be able to obtain information you need right away, or be able to resolve an issue yourself more quickly, by going to https://myit.framingham.edu self-service portal and accessing the “search for answers” feature. Otherwise, you may also use the IT self-service portal to report an incident or submit a request. Doing so may expedite how quickly it gets assigned to the person within ITS who has the ability to act on it (based on how the system is setup).

Availability of Remote Support

ITS personnel are available to provide the personalized support you may need remotely via telephone, E-mail, or video conferencing as follows (except holidays):

• Monday thru Thursday from 8:00 am EST until 9:00 pm EST
• Friday from 8:00 am EST until 5:00 pm EST
• Saturday from 9:00 am EST until 5:00 pm EST
• Sunday from 1:00 pm EST until 10:00 pm EST

Availability of On Campus Support

The presence of ITS personnel on campus during the COVID-19 pandemic will continue to be maintained at levels commensurate with the demand for onsite IT services and support within the constraints of federal, state, local and University health and safety guidelines designed to mitigate the risk of the virus spreading on campus and throughout surrounding communities. In order to maintain the balance between providing the best possible service and support we can, while adhering to physical distancing and occupancy limits, ITS will be providing all support that requires any face-to-face interactions on campus by appointment only by contacting us using the information provided above.

Drop-in by Appointment

Sometimes a face-to-face meeting, a visit to the IT Service desk, or times when someone from IT needs to come to your area is required. ITS personnel continue to be available for these situations, just as they normally would be. However, these “drop-ins” are scheduled in advance and by appointment only; Monday through Friday sometime between 8:00 am EST and 4:00 pm EST.

Drop-off and Pick-up by Appointment

For situations requiring help with the setup, troubleshooting or repair of your laptop computer, you can drop it off and pick it up at the IT Service Desk in the Technology Resource Center located on the Lower Mezzanine of the Whittemore Library by appointment only: Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am EST until 4:00 pm EST.

General Computer Labs and Access to Software Remotely

All of the software available in the Hemenway General Computer Lab is now available in the cloud for students to access remotely at any time from a web browser. The software hosting service is called “Apporto” which is a virtual desktop environment that provides access to software such as SPSS, Access, Minitab, and more, on a virtual PC interface without having to download the software to your computer. Similar to what you experience in the general labs, 70 users (students and faculty too) may access each hosted application at any one time.

To access the service, login at https://framingham.apporto.com/ using your Framingham State University username and password. If you do not see a software application, direct your questions to IT@framingham.edu. To learn more, view these additional resources.

If you still need to use one of the computers and/or printers in the Hemenway lab Monday thru Friday from 8:00 am until 4:00 pm EST. There are also computers available to use in the Whittemore Library and McCarthy Student Center.

Below are links to a variety of different signage with COVID-19 related health and safety information that can be downloaded and printed to use in offices on campus. The CDC also offers a variety of downloadable signage and social media assets which can be found here.

Daily Self-Health Check

Tips for Good Hygiene

Social Distancing

Guidance on Cloth Face Coverings

Face Coverings Requirement - Building

Face Coverings Requirement - Classroom/Laboratory

Face Coverings Requirement - Office

Face Coverings Requirement - Service Desk

Face Coverings Requirement - Outside