Marquette to use ‘remote learning’ for rest of spring semester, postpone commencement

Dear Marquette community:

As we start our first full week of remote learning and working, we want to thank you for your continued patience as we move the university forward amid this unprecedented set of circumstances.

Given changing guidance from the State of Wisconsin and the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, we are announcing several major decisions, made after thoughtful input from university leaders and public health experts. We understand these may be difficult to read, and may cause sadness, anxiety and even anger. Please know that every decision we are making is to ensure the health, safety and well being of our campus community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Marquette University announces the following:

Remote learning extension
Remote learning is extended through May 10, the end of the spring semester. This includes final exams, which will be taken online or through a remote learning method determined by instructors. Deans of colleges where students are engaged in hands-on clinical experiences will be in touch with students to discuss next steps. A remote learning website has been created as a resource for students.

Summer Studies
Registration for all summer sessions is open. We do not yet know whether Marquette will be open for on-campus summer instruction, but today 200 sections of undergraduate and graduate classes are available fully online, and more will be added. As of now, the summer calendar remains as listed on the academic calendar.

Fall registration and fall housing deadlines
Fall registration will begin April 6 for all undergraduate and graduate students. Students will receive new registration times by March 25. The fall university housing deadline will also be delayed; students will receive more information in the coming weeks.

Room and board credits

• Students who are spring residence hall residents will receive a 50% credit to their Bursar account, which can be used for future tuition, room and board. Some exclusions apply; those students will be contacted separately. For those students who stayed in our residence halls after Spring Break, the credit will be prorated based on length of time living in the residence halls.
• The remaining meal balance for Loyalty 50 plans will be credited to students’ Bursar accounts. Individuals who would like to keep their plan active or donate their remaining meals to students facing food insecurity should email [email protected] by March 27.
• Students who have an Anytime Meal Plan will receive a 50% credit to their Bursar account. Individuals who would like to keep their Anytime Meal Plan active should email [email protected] by March 27.
• The goal is to have room and board credits processed by April 3.
• At the request of some of our Marquette parents, families may gift a portion or all of their room and board credit to support Marquette’s Bridge to the Future Fund to assist students experiencing unexpected financial need. Families who wish to support Marquette in this way can contact Missy Egelhoff at [email protected] or (414) 288-6774 by March 27. Gifts, regardless of size, will help Marquette ensure our students have the resources they need during this challenging time.

Retrieval of students’ items from residence halls
The Office of Residence Life will email students who had been living in the residence halls with specific instructions regarding a process to retrieve belongings, beginning March 25. The process will be managed to ensure social distancing best practices are followed and to limit the number of students moving out at any one time. If students are unable to come to campus in person, ORL has options to have their belongings packed and stored, at additional cost. If a shelter-in-place order from a state or local government is issued that affects Marquette, that may change the timing of when students may return to campus to retrieve their belongings. This is a fluid situation and we appreciate your flexibility and patience.

A very limited number of students who do not have anywhere else to finish their remote studies will be allowed to remain in the residence halls.

Remote work
Remote work continues for faculty and staff. The university will continue to monitor the situation and follow guidance from state and local authorities.

Events guidance
All events held on the Marquette University campus are canceled through May 10.  

Commencement
We have made the very difficult but necessary decision to postpone Marquette’s 139^th Commencement ceremonies, including college-specific ceremonies. We know this is just the latest in a series of changes our campus community – and especially our graduating seniors – have had to face. As parents ourselves, we have experienced firsthand that Commencement is the culmination of years of hard work for our graduates and their families. To give this special occasion the pomp and circumstance it deserves, we want to celebrate Commencement together, in person, and in a safe and meaningful way. A team from across the university is working on options, including the likelihood of postponing the in-person celebration until August, and will be gathering feedback from spring 2020 graduates. We promise to be in touch with our spring 2020 graduates soon to share more details. With Commencement delayed, students who meet their graduation requirements will still have a graduation date of May 2020 on their diplomas. The university intends to mail diplomas by early June.

Parking refunds

• Students: All students with commuter parking permits will receive a refund for 50% of the semester parking expense. Students with 24-hour parking permits must email the Parking Office by March 27 if they wish to cancel their parking permit and retrieve their car from campus by April 1 to receive a 50% refund. If students cancel their permits and remove their cars after April 1, the refund will be prorated.
• Faculty and staff: The university will suspend collection of parking fees for those who pay to park in a campus parking structure or surface lot for the month of April, which will be reflected in April pay periods. The university will continue to assess parking as the situation evolves.

In an effort to answer questions as quickly as possible, we have developed an extensive Frequently Asked Questions page on Marquette’s coronavirus website. Questions not addressed via the FAQs can be asked via this form or by calling Marquette Central at (414) 288-4000.

Please continue to support one another in the spirit of cura personalis. Rev. Jim Voiss, S.J., vice president for mission and ministry, said it best in this video message: “Our challenge is to model our mission of excellence, faith, leadership and the spirit of service we embody at Marquette – even during these difficult times.” We are being tested as never before, and we’re grateful for everything you’re doing every day. Marquette University is better because of you. Know that each of us is praying daily for our entire Marquette family.

Dr. Michael R. Lovell
President