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Barnard is turning to a fully remote fall semester

On Friday, August 14, Barnard College made the difficult decision, in parallel with Columbia University, to conduct all undergraduate classes remotely for the Fall semester. The situation in the country and the resulting New York State mandates madean in-person start to the academic year untenable. As New York’s COVID-19 Travel Advisory list grew, it became clear that the state-mandated quarantine — under conditions that Barnard t have the facilities to accommodate — would put an unreasonable burden on many of our students and their families. By shifting to remote learning for the Fall, in coordination with Columbia University, we will create a safer start to the year. As such, there will be no residential housing this fall. 
 

Remote Plan FAQs - updated 9/7

Academics

What will remote classes be like at Barnard this fall?
Faculty and staff have been working diligently throughout the summer to design and implement and transition fully to virtual courses in line with what one might expect out of their Barnard education regardless of format. Part of this preparation included training conducted by Barnard’s Center for Engaged Pedagogy on best practices for remote learning, and nearly all of Barnard’s fall classes have been restructured to enhance remote instruction, including the addition of immersive, seven-week courses.

Furthermore, we have implemented innovative new courses across the curriculum focused on the current moment, asking students to use different disciplinary lenses to interrogate and learn from this time in history. This includes a new course all first-years will take, “Big Problems: Making Sense of 2020,” to ThirdSpace@Barnard, which will guide and connect students where they are — across the country and the world — to local community and civic engagement projects. The Barnard faculty remain steadfast in providing curricula and instruction that not only prepare our students for future studies and careers, but are meaningful and responsive to the pressing questions we currently face.

How will I access my textbooks?

Once you've registered for a course, you'll also see the course syllabus on Course Works. On the syllabus, the professor will usually note where you can find the readings online or if you need to get the text on your own. Most readings will be on a website called Course Works (or Canvas, depending on who you ask). You sign into Course Works using your Columbia Uni log in info. You’ll find both Barnard and Columbia courses on here. Course Works is also where you usually submit assignments or will do weekly discussion posts. Most professors will upload required class readings on Course Works in a PDF format that you can download and print out or read electronically. For other materials, review the library information on Course Materials. 

All students are assigned a personal librarian so If you need any help finding books, definitely reach out. You can also contact the library at library@barnard.edu.

What if I need financial support around remote learning? 
Students should complete the Supplemental Academic Support form if they are experiencing financial hardships related to their education needs.

Will there be any changes to the grading policy? 
We have restored our standard grading policies for this Fall with one exception: the Pass/D/Fail option will follow normal procedures, except that P/D/F courses will not count towards the four-year total of 23 P/D/F credits allowed. We encourage you to discuss whether to P/D/F a course or courses with your advisor. This information can be found on our Academics & Classrooms page. 

Student Services

What services will be available to students remotely?
Barnard College will be fully remote for the Fall 2020 semester, which means that all services will be fully operational in a remote capacity. This includes all academic resources, research centers, health services and student services.

Is Beyond Barnard fully operational? What programming and services are available? - new 8/24
The start of the virtual year at Beyond Barnard will look very similar to the start of the year under any normal circumstances. Our Virtual Opportunities Fair will have more than 50 employers and an equal number of graduate institutions represented (registration is already open to students). 

As usual, the Opportunities Fair will feature opportunities for students to connect with alumnae in small group settings. We'll also have a keynote panel discussion on advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace.

The Beyond Barnard Team does not anticipate any interruption in our regular event series:

• Career Insights: featuring weekly panel discussions on a range of career topics, industries, and other themes
• Topics for fall include: Publishing, Healthcare Administration, Fashion/Beauty, Performing Arts, Law, Mental Health, Education Careers, Advertising, and Data Analytics 
• Mentors-in-Residence: virtual visits with distinguished alumnae on Fridays
• Our semesterly "Career Skills Week" programs (resumes, cover letters, interviews, negotiation, and networking) will also continue as planned.
• Employers continue to conduct virtual on-campus interviews

We will expand the number of internship grants available to students to help facilitate pursuit of otherwise unpaid virtual opportunities. And we continue to encourage students to sign up for Barnard Connect, the fabulous mentoring platform that has more than 700 alumnae mentors.

What health services will be available to me remotely for the semester?
Through Feel Well, Do Well @ Barnard, the College will continue to support the mental, emotional and physical well-being of students during these unprecedented times. 

• Primary Care Health Services will be available to all students remotely, including such services as contraceptive refills, consultation for referrals, sessions with a nutritionist, and emergency after hours Clinician on Call. In-person appointments will also be available by appointment.
• Furman Counseling Center services will include individual counseling sessions via telehealth, consultation for outside referrals, virtual groups, and emergency after hours Clinician on Call.
• Well Woman and Barnard's peer educators will continue all programming sessions virtually.

I have questions about the College’s insurance. Where can I find more information? (new 8/18)
Information about the College’s insurance plan can be found on the Primary Care Health Services page, including information about waiving the Annual Student Health Insurance Plan. Note: if you do not waive coverage by August 28, 2020, you will be automatically enrolled in the Barnard College Student Health Insurance Plan and will be charged the applicable premium. Once you are enrolled, the coverage cannot be canceled.

As an international student, are there any additional services available to me?
International students will have the opportunity to be involved in programming at select Columbia University Global Centers around the world. Students should reach out to the Barnard Global Office for assistance.

Will students be able to have work-study jobs, internships or other work opportunities?
Remote opportunities will be available to students. There will be no difference in a student’s ability to access their work-study opportunities remotely and students will have access to internship and internship funding possibilities.

Logistics

Am I able to access campus?
For comprehensive information on accessing campus, visit the Accessing Campus section of this website.

Current room and board charges will be reversed. How will this affect my bill? How will the changes to room and board affect my financial aid award?
Updated bills and financial aid award will be posted to the student account center and financial aid student portal by Friday, August 21. Financial Aid awards will be adjusted to reflect the lower cost of attendance for the Fall semester from the reversal of the current room and board charges.

Has the tuition due date changed? (New 8/15)
The Fall 2020 semester bill was posted to the Student Account Center (SAC) in mid-July. Updated bills reflecting the 10% reduction in comprehensive fee will be posted in the Student Account Center in the next week. The payment deadline has been extended from Friday, August 14 to Friday, August 21. Due dates, other fees, and information about payment plans can be found on the Bursar’s site.

I applied for financial aid to take off campus. I am still eligible for this funding? 
For students who already applied to take financial aid off campus to rent an apartment locally in NY we will still honor that award if you remain eligible. Because the College is now going fully remote for the fall semester and we urge students to stay home, the application - originally open until September 8 - is now closed.

I received pre-arrival quarantine financial support. What do I do with those funds now?
Eligible students should have received the $1,000 to support pre-arrival quarantine. Please use those funds instead to support your academic expenses.

I will be living near campus this fall. Can I have my mail sent there for me to pick up? (New 9/7)
Students will not be able to receive their mail at Barnard or use Mail Services for the Fall semester. Should you have any questions, reach out to Mail Services at mailservices@barnard.edu.

How can we retrieve boxes that were already shipped to Barnard? (new 8/17)
Barnard Mail Services will send back any boxes shipped to campus in anticipation of move-in. This will be at no cost to students or their families. Should you need to follow up directly, they can be reached at mailservices@barnard.edu. If you need the boxes to be shipped to a different address than the one on file, please write Mail Services from a Barnard email address to make that request. 

I received financial support to store my belongings for the summer. Is there additional support I can receive for continued storage?
Students who live within driving distance of New York should plan to retrieve their belongings as arranged directly with their vendor. The College is unable to provide additional storage or delivery support. Students who are not within driving distance and received support for storage this spring/summer will receive an email in the next week outlining additional financial support available for continued storage.

I already ordered my pre-entry test; what should I do with it?
The test is good through January 2022, so we ask that you hold on to it to use for when Barnard resumes residential operations.

If I have other questions, who do I contact?
If you have additional questions, please contact fall2020@barnard.edu

For the Fall semester:

On Friday, August 14, 2020 Barnard College announced that it will conduct all undergraduate classes remotely for the Fall Semester. As such, there will be no residential housing offered this fall.

For the Spring semester:

Barnard College will announce plans for the Spring semester later this fall. If the campus opens for the Spring semester, students who live on campus will be asked to maintain physical distancing and understand their shared responsibility around hygiene and safety.

• It is likely that all students will be assigned to single-occupancy rooms in the residence halls.
• Students will have assigned bathrooms, with reduced density in corridors with shared bathrooms. Bathrooms will be cleaned with increased frequency.
• Residence hall spaces and bathrooms will be set aside for student isolation as needed for in-residence students. Isolating students will have access to 24-hour clinicians-on-call and receive meal deliveries.
• Students will be expected to adhere to guidelines around travel off campus. Students who reside off campus may come onto campus for their in-person classes and to participate in the on-campus experience.

These students will be invited to live on campus:

• Eligible juniors (Fall 2018 first-year students who participated in the Spring 2020 lottery)
• Eligible seniors (Fall 2017 first-year students who participated in the Spring 2020 lottery)

These students may apply to live on campus, though housing is not guaranteed:

• Incoming transfers entering as juniors
• Students in leadership roles
• Students with extenuating circumstances (e.g., situations that make online learning nearly impossible, students who have academic work that is best conducted on campus in the Spring, and international students with time zone concerns).
• Some first-years and sophomores may also be eligible for on-campus Spring housing depending on capacity and public health measures.

For the Summer semester:

• Students who register for summer courses can apply to live on campus.
• Room and board will be charged. Students who are financial aid recipients may be able to receive financial assistance for summer housing.

Barnard’s New Student Orientation Program (NSOP) will welcome all incoming first-year and transfer students to the Barnard community with virtual activities. It’s Barnard’s way of introducing students to the many resources available to them at both the College and at Columbia and offers many programs to connect you with our community! Feel free to reach out to orientation@barnard.edu with any questions.

Official NSOP programming begins on August 31.

There will be no increase in the semester bill rates for the 2020-2021 academic year over what was charged in 2019-2020. As a result of the college going fully remote for the Fall semester, room and board charges will be reversed and there will be a 10% reduction in the comprehensive fee for all students.

• The reconfiguration of the 2020-21 Academic Calendar provides students the flexibility to take their required courses over three semesters (Fall, Spring, and Summer) at the cost of two semesters.  
• The College’s billing practices will remain consistent with a two-semester billing cycle. Students are expected to enroll full-time and will be charged for the Fall and Spring semesters at full-time tuition rates.
• The Fall 2020 semester bill was posted to the Student Account Center (SAC) in mid-July. Updated bills and financial aid awards will be posted to the student account center and financial aid student portal by Friday, August 21. Financial Aid awards will be adjusted to reflect the lower cost of attendance for the Fall semester from the reversal of the current room and board charges.
• Due dates, other fees, and information about payment plans can be found on the Bursar’s site.
• Students who register in the Summer semester can apply to live on campus. Room and board will be charged. Students who are financial aid recipients may be able to receive financial assistance for summer housing.

Important Updates:

• The adjustments to the 2020-21 Academic Calendar will not impact students’ financial aid or student loans.
• Students receiving need-based Barnard Grant Aid are expected to contribute toward their college expenses from summer student income and a portion of student assets. In response to the impact of COVID-19, the College will replace the typical expected summer earnings contribution for students who receive grant aid with a one-time Summer Work Exemption Grant for 2020-2021. This grant is to recognize that many students may not be able to work over the summer to earn funds to contribute to their cost of attendance. All students eligible for grant aid will have this Summer Work Exemption Grant included in their financial aid package.
• Students who are financial aid recipients may be able to receive financial assistance for summer housing.

Visit Financial Aid and the Bursar for additional information.

The Ivy League has announced intercollegiate athletic plans and there will be no competition in Fall semester.