Last revised April 4, 2020
General
Are you issuing refunds for dining and housing?
Our dining vendor has been able to lower costs based on reduced demand. Therefore, Hiram is creating a refund/credit program for students who meet these criteria: 1) they are on the meal plan and have not been taking meals, and 2) their student account with Hiram is paid in full. We are in the process of designing the pro-rated formulas right now, and will announce them in mid-April.
Our housing costs, however, are fixed at this point, and we have kept our halls open to all who need those facilities. This leaves Hiram with minimal ability to reimburse for costs in this area. We are waiting to see whether or not forthcoming federal relief from the CARES Act could be used for to provide some level of refund/credit. We expect to see parameters about federal aid by mid-April and will provide an update at that time.
In the meantime, we ask that all students pay the final installment on their room and board bills. We will extend payment due date by two weeks, however. This means you may add 14 calendar days to whatever due date in stated on your bill. If you have questions please email the Student Accounts Office at studentaccounts@hiram.edu or call them at 330-569-5354.
Will I receive my remaining College Work Study?
If you were actively engaged in your work-study position before the stay-at-home orders were issued, then you are eligible to continue your position via remote work. Your work-study supervisor should be in touch with you during the first week of April to explain what tasks you will be assigned via a remote work agreement. If you have not heard from your supervisor by April 3rd, please email him/her for instructions.
Is the campus open?
Most of the campus facilities are locked. Employees who are deemed essential to operations or those who have permission to access an office or lab to facilitate remote teaching and learning have been authorized to used their keys to enter. Anyone who comes to the campus under those conditions must take their temperature before leaving the house (and stay put if it is elevated), practice hand hygiene, engage in strict social distancing, and inform campus safety of their intent to access the building.
If you have a question regarding access to a building, please call Campus Safety at 330.469.4119.
Academics
Will there be a pass/fail grading option?
The College has modified some of its academic policies for the spring 2020 semester. For the Spring 12-week and 3-week, students can opt to take courses Pass/No Creditor for standard letter grades. Requests to take the course as P/NC must be made via a Pass-No Credit form prior to 5 p.m. on the last day of the class term,. Students must have faculty advisor approval on the form. Student athletes must also have athletic compliance approval.
Please note that some academic programs (majors and minors) cannot count a course that receives a P grade towards the major requirements due to licensing or other restrictions. Students should discuss with their advisor the ramifications of selecting a course P/NC with their advisor. Key considerations include future major choices, graduate school, financial aid consequences and more.
For additional details, we encourage students to refer to the email sent on April 2, 2020. If you did not receive the email or require additional assistance, please email the registrar.
Are course withdrawal deadlines going to be extended?
We are extending the 12-week withdrawal deadline to the final day of classes—Friday, April 10.
I have no internet access at home. What do I do?
Several internet providers are offering free or discounted service in response to school closures. We encourage you to check with your local providers for specific information.
Will faculty still have office hours?
All faculty have virtual office hours. Please check your syllabus or Moodle site to find out when they are. You can also email your faculty member to ask when the office hours are scheduled or to set an appointment.
How do I register for classes for next year?
You will register for classes by working with your faculty advisor as usual. Advisors are currently meeting virtually with students. If you don’t know the advising hours, please reach out to your advisor to schedule a time to talk. The registration deadlines have been extended to April 6-9. Please check the registrar’s home page or contact the register at registrar@hiram.edu with other questions.
Does the College plan to host a commencement ceremony?
If you have passed all necessary courses and completed all degree requirements, you will receive your degree in May. The commencement ceremony, unfortunately, has been postponed. We know this is sorely disappointing news to our seniors, and we share your disappointment. You deserve to be recognized for all your hard work and accomplishments, and we pledge to do our very best to give you that recognition. At this point, we expect to hold a face-to-face ceremony in Fall 2020 (pending the relaxation of current social distancing mandates). We are also investigating the possibility of a virtual ceremony in May.
Student Life/Residential Education
What support services are available to students?
Our support services remain available to students in a remote capacity. For information about a specific service, visit our Support Services and Resources Page.
When is carryout meal service available?
Students on the meal plan are able to pick up meals at the Dining Hall at times listed on our website.
Can student clubs still meet and offer programming?
Yes. We encourage students to connect and collaborate outside of the remote classroom environment. While we have been asked to observe physical distancing, we can and should continue to socialize virtually. We will be releasing a new programming calendar soon. Please be sure to check back often for details
Where can I find information about campus housing?
Answers to questions related to campus housing can be found here.
Are you offering any financial relief to students for housing?
We know that times are tough for a lot of us right now. Where possible, Hiram is trying to ease the financial difficulties that many of our families are now facing. In that vein, Hiram College has decided to make a change to its student housing deposit policy.
Those who have a housing deposit on file for this year (2019-20) will be able to “roll it over” for their 2020-2021 housing deposit. This eliminates having to find and submit a new deposit for the upcoming fall. The one exception to this change applies to students who have been awarded a Fall Townhouse space and do not currently live in the Townhouses. The deposit for the Townhouse is $250. Therefore, approved students will need to pay the additional amount of $150 either in person at the Student Accounts office or online at www.hiram.edu/housingdeposit.
Returning students who have already paid the housing deposit for next year will receive a credit on their account for the amount of the deposit. Graduating seniors with no balance or charges on their student account will get their deposit back, as has been the case in previous years.
If you have questions, contact Ed Frato-Sweeney (sweeneyea@hiram.edu) or Kelly Johns (johnskm@hiram.edu) in Residential Education.
Alumni and Donor Relations
What are the plans for Alumni Weekend?
Given the uncertainty around making travel arrangements and holding large gatherings in the foreseeable future, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the Hiram Giving Day scheduled for April 30, 2020, Alumni Weekend scheduled in mid-June, and all other alumni events until further notice.
How can I help a current student who has been impacted by COVID-19?
We recently created a Student Resource Fund to help current students weather this crisis. As of this week, we have added the Student Resource Fund as the fifth “area of need” to our Vision 20/20 campaign, which has been extended through December 31, 2020.
You can make a gift here.
Further Questions
Who can I contact with more questions?
Health questions can be directed to Student Health Center at 330-569-5418.
Parents and students seeking additional information should contact the Office of Student Affairs at 330-569-5233.
Hiram College employees with work-related questions, individuals may call Human Resources at 330-569-5109.
Additional information about the coronavirus can be found on the Ohio Department of Health website here.
For general questions, please email info@hiram.edu.
