March 19, 2020

Dear Students,

As you learned on Tuesday, Furman has extended remote learning through the remainder of the semester, including final exams.  Additionally, May Experience has been canceled. We are therefore asking our students to be moved out of housing by April 5. We share in the disappointment around these decisions, and we want to make your move out from campus as smooth as possible.

Returning to campus to retrieve your personal items

• Students may return to campus to move out now through Sunday, April 5.  Check-out will occur daily between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
• Students unable to move out by April 5, for any reason, may request an extension by completing the “Move-out Extension Request Form” in the “Applications” dropdown menu in the Housing Self-Service Portal.
• Please coordinate your move-out date with your roommate(s) so you and your families are not all moving out at the same time.
• If you or your family are not feeling well or you are experiencing symptoms such as fever, a cough and shortness of breath, please do not return to campus at this time. See extension request instructions above.
• Students will utilize Express Check-out, which means you return your room/apartment key(s) to the key box located outside of the Housing and Residence Life office (located at North Village J).
• Please do your best to remove all belongings, dispose of any trash, and clean your room/apartment as best you can.
• To allow for social distancing as advised by the CDC, students may only bring two additional individuals with them to campus to assist with the move.
• It is strongly recommended that you not stay in campus housing overnight.  Please explore options for staying in hotels if an overnight stay is necessary. However, if you are coming from a long distance and have no other option off campus, please exercise Furman’s commitment to social distancing while here and make every effort to minimize your time on campus.
• Additional check-out information can be located in your Housing Self-Service Portal under the “Messages” and “Information” banners.  If you have any additional housing-related questions, please emailHousingandResidenceLife@furman.edu.

Room, board and study away refunds

• Students will receive a prorated reimbursement for room, meal plans, and other incidental charges. Refunds and credits will be calculated for individual students. We will communicate the details of the process, including a schedule and instructions for electronic deposits, tomorrow.

 Course materials and textbooks

• Barnes & Noble at Furman is offering free shipping for any customers needing school supplies, textbooks, and merchandise.  The team is available to assist via phone, email, and via the website: https://furman.bncollege.com.  $0 for Ground Shipping will be displayed at check out.
• To return your Rental Textbooks, students will be provided a shipping label to the email registered at time of rental. Students will be able to print out their FREE label, and ship their rental books back via UPS.  A free UPS label may be printed out by this semester’s rental due date, May 6, 2020.

 Mail and packages

• P2X is beginning the process of shipping all mail and packages that have been received to your home address.  You should stop having packages shipped to campus.  If you have a monthly recurring shipment, please make arrangements to cancel or redirect.

Internet access off campus

• Reliable internet access is important for remote instruction, which begins next week.  Several service providers are offering special discounts to families and individuals who are not currently connected in their homes.  For example, Spectrum is offering 60 days of free access for remote education.  Call 844.579.3743 for more details.

Mental health services available to me while away from campus

• Furman’s Counseling Center is currently available by phone (864.294.3031) to assist you with exploring the options for mental health resources outlined in the FAQs at www.furman.edu/covid-19.  Information is also available on the Counseling Center website.

Please continue to monitor your email and check www.furman.edu/covid-19 for regular updates.

Again, thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we work through this difficult situation. We realize that COVID-19 is an immense challenge for the Furman community and families. We are doing everything we can to protect your safety and provide the best educational experience and support under these circumstances.

Please be safe and take care of one another.

Office of Student Life