June 9, 2020

Fall 2020 Residential Plans

Dear Goucher Students,

We are continuing to work hard to build a responsible plan for reopening the campus this fall. As President Devereaux has shared, we are adopting a number of new policies and procedures to promote the safety of our community of students, faculty, and staff.

Over the next couple of days, we will be sending you important updates and some next steps in two broad areas:

  1. Residence Halls
  2. Enrollment

This email focuses on the residence halls. We recognize that the following updates are significant and may affect your decision to return to campus for the 2020-21 academic year, so please read this entire email carefully. You will also be asked to complete some important steps by June 12th. Details are included below.

We want to share a number of new policies that affect housing for the fall, as follows:

  1. All students will be assigned to single occupancy rooms. All rooms (both doubles and singles) will be priced at the lower double-rate, with the exception of those with private baths, which will be charged a special double-room rate (still priced lower than a single rate). All students who previously drew into single rooms, were given accommodations, or were approved for the Welsh, Dulaney, Alcock, and Gallagher apartments will have the option to remain in those spaces and will be charged the double-room or special double-room rate.

  2. Dining. At the outset of the fall semester, to reduce the potential for the community spread of the virus, we will provide a number of pre-packaged meal options that will change daily and can be consumed in the dining hall or in designated locations across campus to promote appropriate physical distancing.

  3. Residents will be required to abide by the COVID-19 Addendum to the 2020-21 Housing & Dining Contract. You can find the revised document here. It lays out a number of steps the College is taking to ensure the safety of our community.

  4. A one-time exception to our current residency requirement will be in place for the 2020-21 academic year. In addition, the geographic perimeter for commuter status has increased from 30 to 50 miles. Again, this change is for the 2020-21 academic year only. Our regular on-campus residency requirement will return for the 2021-22 academic year, and all students who live off-campus due to an exception will participate in the standard room draw process in the spring of 2021.

Next Steps

We need to know your intended plans for the fall semester by June 12th.

  1. Regardless of whether or not you participated in this spring's room draw, please log into The Housing Director to share your intentions for the 2020-21 academic year.

  2. Please review the 2020-21 Housing & Dining Contract and the COVID-19 Addendum to the Housing & Dining Contract

  3. Once in the system, select that application titled "Fall 2020 Housing Plans" from the left hand column.

  4. You will then be asked to select one of the following four options:

    • I plan to live on-campus - you will then be given options to select a residence hall that allows visitation by other Goucher residential students or one that does not.

    • I plan to live within 50 miles of campus and commute/telecommute - you will then be asked whether or not you are living with a parent, legal guardian, or sibling.

    • I plan to live further than 50 miles from campus and telecommute - you will then be asked whether or not you are living with a parent, legal guardian, or sibling.

    • I plan to take a leave of absence/withdraw from Goucher this fall.

Again, this form needs to be completed by June 12th; we plan to redo room draw the week of June 15th. Based upon your response to the above, you will be directed to more specific information such as signing an amended 2020-21 Housing & Dining Contract or verifying the one-year residency exception.

Please feel free to contact the Office of Residential Life (residentiallife@goucher.edu) with any questions or concerns.

We thank you for your continued patience and flexibility during this time.

Best wishes,

Lindy Bobbitt
Director of Residential Life
Goucher College
pronouns: she/her/hers