Housing and dining refunds

Housing and dining refunds for students who recently moved out of the residence halls will be processed by the end of April, if not sooner. Students who have credits on their accounts will have checks mailed to their permanent address on record in PAWS.

As of this spring, the Cashier’s Office no longer processes refunds by electronic funds transfer. It is currently processing checks two times per week while maintaining social distancing between employees.

Room reimbursements will be issued for the period from March 23 to May 16 for most students living in residence halls, regardless of the day they move out.

Students who lived in Kenilworth and have since vacated were being billed monthly. They will not be billed in April and May, and they will receive a credit for the period from March 23 to March 31.

Please note that any balances owed to the university will be deducted from housing and dining refunds before checks are issued. University Housing is sending additional information to students with residence hall contracts. You can also visit the University Housing COVID-19 site to contact staff with a question.

Segregated Fees

Many students have asked about refunds for Spring 2020 segregated fees, noting that they are not on campus to take advantage of the services those fees provide.

Segregated fees provide funding for a wide range of services, including Norris Health Center, University Counseling Services, University Recreation and other student engagement services, including Student Involvement, the Women’s Resource Center, Military and Veterans Resource Center, the Center for Inclusive Excellence and the LGBTQ+ Resource Center. These services are still operating, although they may look a little different right now. For example, University Recreation is offering online fitness classes and recreation clinics . University Counseling is offering telehealth-based counseling.

Many of the units mentioned in the preceding paragraph, along with the Graduate Student Resource Network and UWM Student Association, are collaborating on a virtual student union, which is a Canvas course where Panthers can connect and build community through discussions, one-on-one conversations and social media. Students will be invited to join the Canvas course next week via their UWM email account.

Segregated fees also pay for maintaining buildings, such as the UWM Student Union, the Klotsche Center and related utility costs. These buildings and services have costs that can’t quickly be reduced, such as heat, maintenance and professional staff. And, we want to make sure that the buildings and services are available when students return to campus. For this reason, UW System has determined no UW campus will refund segregated fees for the spring semester.

It’s too soon for us to say whether the COVID-19 situation will continue beyond spring semester or what its total financial impact will be. While some units are seeing savings with providing online services, others are facing a loss of non-seg fee revenue from things like locker fees, dining and space rentals, which also help support their budgets. And, after years of state budget cuts, UWM has little in reserve to cover these losses.

As we look ahead, campus leaders are working with the UWM Student Association to determine adjustments to future segregated fees. If you are concerned about these fees, we encourage you to contact your SA representatives so that your voice will be heard.

Course illness policy

We wanted to let you know of guidance given to faculty and instructional staff on absences due to illness for the rest of this semester.

We have asked faculty and instructional staff not to require students to provide excuses from health care professionals when missing class or assignments due to illness. We understand that health care systems are becoming overburdened and may not be able to provide excuses.

We also have asked instructors to be flexible with students whose families have been affected by COVID-19.  We recognize that you may be managing care for relatives who are ill or otherwise need your support, and that you may be dealing with other complications related to the pandemic.

We ask that you keep your instructors informed about your circumstances and let them know if you need help or accommodations. We’re all in this together, and we want to support you.

Grading and credit/no credit

On Monday, we shared with you a new emergency grading accommodation for undergraduates.

All enrolled students will receive a letter grade in each enrolled Spring 2020 course by the grade deadline of May 21. Students will have until July 3 to designate courses to be graded on a credit/no credit basis or to keep the grade they received.

The earlier email you received with information on the policy wrongly referred to it as an “Emergency Interim Pass/Fail Grading Policy.” It is not a pass/fail policy, but an option to take a class for credit/no credit. We apologize for any confusion.

Please consult with your academic advisor with questions about this policy and procedures.

Grad student accommodations

Similarly, we have new interim policies affecting graduate students.

Grading

The Emergency Graduate Grading Accommodation Policy expands the credit/no credit option for graduate students. This will apply to eligible courses with letter grades and to courses with satisfactory/unsatisfactory grades. Schools and colleges will identify courses that are ineligible for credit/no credit grading by April 14. Students will be assigned a letter or satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade in each course by the grading deadline of May 21. Graduate students may elect to change a spring 2020 course to credit/no credit on or before July 3. For more details, see the policy posted here.

Time Clock

The Emergency Time Clock Accommodation for Graduate Students extends the timeline to complete doctoral and master’s degrees by one year for students who entered their programs before or in the Spring 2020 semester. The COVID-19 emergency also will be regarded as an extenuating circumstance for all current doctoral students to request up to a one-year extension of the deadline to complete the preliminary examination. For more details on the policy, click here.

Dear Students,

We care about you and sympathize with the unprecedented changes you are facing during this COVID crisis. The way you will engage in learning, the parameters of Governor Evers’ Safer at Home order and campus life are all distinctly different compared to just a few weeks ago.

We also know that those who had campus jobs and have not been able to continue in those jobs are struggling to pay bills. I am pleased to announce that we are going to provide a one-time COVID 19 leave payment to provide some assistance to UWM’s student workers. UWM is providing the funding for these payments. Here are the details:

• The payment will be $200 ($100/week for two weeks).
• The payment will be effective for the April A payroll, which begins on Sunday, March 29, ends on Saturday, April 11 and pays on Thursday, April 23.
• We will pay all active student hourly appointments who have logged hours in HRS on or since February 1, 2020.
• Each student employee will be paid $200 for the April A pay period. For those student workers who have logged hours during the April A pay period, they will receive this payment in addition to their logged hours during the same pay period.

This will be a one-time action to help UWM student employees who have not been able to continue in their jobs.

The pandemic has caused unprecedented and unexpected changes to our operating budgets. UWM is not unique in this regard. The majority of colleges and universities – both in Wisconsin and nationwide – are facing the same circumstances. For those reasons, we will be ending all student hourly appointments in the coming weeks, with exceptions provided for those units in which student employees are helping to provide ongoing services. You have already heard or will hear from your supervisor on whether your appointment is ending. We view this as a relatively short-term circumstance while the virus is forcing most people to stay home. It is our sincere hope that when isolation requirements are lifted, and the UWM campus is again a lively place for instruction, research and community engagement, student employees will return to campus jobs.

In addition, we continue to work on and share information about additional financial resources available to students. These include:

• Financial assistance from the Student Emergency Grant Fund, administered by the Dean of Students Office, to help with expenses for distance learning, food, housing or moving expenses and emergency travel
• Groceries from the UWM Food Center and Pantry
• Short-term, interest-free personal loans from the UW Credit Union

To learn more about how to access these resources, please see here.
In addition, we continue to advocate to our federal elected officials for student assistance, and are asking faculty, staff, alumni and other UWM supporters to donate to the Student Emergency Fund and UWM Food Center and Pantry.

I realize this is a stressful time due to the rapid pace of change and significant amount of uncertainty. It is our sincere hope that the news of additional compensation provides some comfort and assistance. We are here to support you in your ongoing academic and personal success, especially as you gear up to resume courses next week. I wish you good health and will continue to share additional updates as developments occur.

Best regards,

Chancellor Mark A. Mone

Dear Students,

Over these past few weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak, each day has brought new changes. Today is no exception. I have a promising update about UWM Commencement for the class of 2020, news about how Gov. Tony Evers’ executive decision impacts UWM, and a brief update on our advocacy efforts to receive aid.

Postponement – NOT Cancelation – of Commencement

In my March 20 update messages, I shared the unfortunate news that our May 17 in-person commencement would be canceled. What I didn’t spotlight enough then are the efforts underway to plan for alternative ceremonies. We are actively seeking future dates to hold in-person commencements for our Class of 2020. While we do not yet have dates determined, we are looking at the possibilities of adding ceremonies in October or November or expanding our Dec. 20 ceremonies. Availability of the UWM Panther Arena, whose scheduling is controlled by the Wisconsin Center District, will be a factor in the dates we ultimately select. For May, we are asking UWM schools and colleges to consider what limited, interim and virtual recognition within academic units would entail. Please note that eligible graduates will still graduate on time; there is no postponement of graduation (just the ceremonies).

State Safer at Home Order

Today, Gov. Tony Evers directed the Department of Health Services to issue a Safer at Home order that prohibits all nonessential travel, with some exceptions. The order goes into effect at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25 and remains in effect until April 24. Please know that the City of Milwaukee Health Department has also issued a Stay at Home order. UWM is subject to both the state and city orders.

Both orders allow UWM and other educational institutions to continue to operate for the purposes of alternative/online learning, critical research, and essential functions as determined by the institution. At UWM, deans and division heads have authority to determine what functions are essential and need to be performed onsite at UWM, whether full-time, part-time, or periodically. These decisions also may change from week to week. We will be working to provide deans and division heads more guidance on how to make these important decisions consistent with the letter and spirit of the orders.

There is also a Department of Administration request for UWM and other universities/colleges to provide housing space for COVID-19 emergency operations. We are permitted under both the state and city orders to continue moving students out of University Housing. The safety of our students, families and staff is our top priority, and we have carefully orchestrated our move-out process to align with social distancing standards and other healthy practices. Further details are available in the modules below this message.

UWM and UW System Advocacy Efforts to Receive Aid

Yesterday, I joined UW System President Ray Cross in asking Congress to include emergency funding for UWM and other UW System schools in the economic relief legislation it is considering in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In my letters to U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Ron Johnson, I emphasized the important role UWM has in our community as an institution committed to our access and research mission. Details on our specific requests are included in President Cross’ letter to both senators.

We are in a period when great patience, empathy and understanding are of the highest value. None of us has a playbook for the pandemic that is wreaking havoc on our daily lives. What I can assure you of is that everything we do is grounded by our guiding values and the maxim of what is best for our students, faculty, staff and UWM during these extraordinary times.

Additional important updates on campus operations and services are found below.

Best regards,
Mark A. Mone
Chancellor
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Low-cost computers for students

Students who need a computer when classes resume online or through alternative delivery on Monday have an opportunity to purchase one at low cost from UWM Surplus, which has a limited number of used Apple and Dell laptops and desktops for sale. The computers are available only for UWM students and cost between $20 to $50.

• Students must pay cash.
  Dell devices have Linux installed and the student may install Windows by going to this website.
• Interested students should contact UWM Surplus manager Andrew Avery-Johnson at  averyjoh@uwm.edu or 414-659-1391. He is available weekdays from 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. You will also schedule an appointment to pick up the computer.

Computers must be picked up at the University Services and Research Building, north of North 1st Street and West Capitol Drive.

At the scheduled pick-up time, Avery-Johnson will meet the student buyer outside the “Surplus Door” entrance at the University Services and Research Building.

Social distancing measures will be in place. A computer will be set down outside the entrance and the student can then pick it up.

Students can also contact the Dean of Students Office if they do not have access to technology and need support.

All events canceled through May 31

All university-sponsored events are canceled through May 31 in response to city and state orders limiting public gatherings during the coronavirus health emergency. This includes all events for the rest of the spring semester, other than those that have been moved online or are being held by alternate means.

• Staff are asked to update event calendars by doing the following:
  Add the word “CANCELED” in all caps before the name of the event in the title field.
• Add the sentence “THIS EVENT HAS BEEN CANCELED” in all caps as the first line of the event description.

A select list of major events that have been canceled, as well as other now-virtual events, can be found here.

Moving out of residence halls

The health and safety of students and their families, as well the rest of the UWM community, are top priorities as students move out of residence halls this week. Move-outs are being scheduled to space them out and maintain social-distancing protocols. You can find details about this in the emails University Housing sent to residents on Friday, March 20, and on this website. Residents who are concerned about travel can ask University Housing staff to pack their belongings and have them stored.

Items left at Klotsche Center

For the safety of the campus community, the Klotsche Center is currently closed until further notice. As a result, no access is permitted for retrieving items from lockers. UWM will provide information on the steps and timeline for retrieving items once it is determined that it is safe to reopen Klotsche.

Online voter registration extended

The deadline to register online to vote in the Wisconsin presidential preference primary has been extended to March 30.

You must be registered to vote to request an absentee ballot. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is April 2, though the Wisconsin Elections Commission is urging anyone planning to vote to request one be mailed to them as soon as possible at the My Vote Wisconsin website. As of Tuesday, the Elections Commission said it was working to reinstate online registration.

Dear Students, 

We understand the challenges and sacrifices you are facing during these extraordinary and unprecedented times. The spread of COVID-19 has compelled us to make difficult choices that put the safety of our students, their families, our employees and our communities first. This was not the semester anyone expected. 

At the same time, we are dedicated to helping our students progress. We are especially committed to assisting students meet the requirements for graduation this semester through alternative means of course delivery. As a reminder to all students, there will be no further in-person instruction this semester. Alternative delivery of instruction begins March 30. 

In-Person Commencement and Honors Ceremonies Canceled
Given the circumstances facing our university, our communities, the nation and the world, we have decided we cannot hold our in-person graduation ceremonies on May 17, nor Honors Commencement on May 11. These decisions are consistent with Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers’ executive order barring mass gatherings.   

We know how profoundly disappointing this is for those graduating, as well as your families, supporters and friends. These decisions are not made lightly, but with the best interests of our campus community and our students’ families and loved ones in mind, especially since many people would make travel plans to attend. We appreciate your understanding of this difficult decision. 

Eligible graduates should apply for graduation in the normal manner at https://uwm.edu/secu/com_cer/. Students who fulfill the requirements will still earn their degree and receive their diploma. The lack of an in-person ceremony does not change your significant accomplishment, and you deserve to celebrate that. We are exploring other ways to honor our graduates and will communicate when those plans are known. 

Refunds of Housing Fees and Updates on Tuition and Other Fees 
In response to the COVID-19 public health crisis and its impacts to UWM students and families, UWM will refund the prorated charges for housing and dining for the remainder of the spring semester for students who vacate their on-campus student housing (and do not receive a COVID Accommodation to remain on-campus).  

Prorated reimbursements will exclude the period of the originally scheduled spring break and shall be issued by the close of the spring academic semester, though efforts are being made to expedite the refund process. Crediting these funds toward future semesters in lieu of a refund is not an option because of rules related to the awarding of federal financial aid. There is a team working on other fee issues, and we will share updates as they become available. 

We also have extended the Spring 2020 payment deadline. UWM will not assess late payment fees or interest charges from March 20 to June 2. We are committed to working with our students and families to the best of our ability through these challenging times. Students who cannot make payments on time are encouraged to contact the Bursar’s office at bursar@uwm.edu.  

University Housing to Close
We are closing University Housing with the exception of those individuals who do not have other options. All residents will receive a separate email from University Housing with details later today explaining how and when they can retrieve their belongings. 

We know how invested you are in your futures, and what a disruption has been placed on your lives and on your learning. Your continued patience and understanding are most appreciated. 

Additional important updates on campus operations and services are found below. 

Best regards, 

Mark A. Mone, PhD
Chancellor 

Online or alternative delivery of instruction

As a reminder, UWM classes will be taught online or through an alternate mode of instruction following the extended break period, starting Monday, March 30 through the end of the semester. This allows you to continue your academic progress during the pandemic while promoting the health and safety of our campus community.  

Faculty and staff are using the extended spring break period to prepare for the transition. If they haven’t done so already, your instructors will be reaching out shortly with more details.  

Don’t forget that you can also reach your academic advisors by phone or email.  

Campus access

While academic buildings are locked for the rest of the semester, we understand that many graduate and undergraduate students may still need to access facilities for research, lab work or other activities related to their education. Please contact the faculty and staff you work with for details on building access.  

Students who need to access buildings to retrieve personal belongings should contact the dean of their school or college to coordinate. UWM Police will not be letting students into buildings. 

Libraries closing

While libraries at all three UWM campuses are closed, you can continue to access online databases, articles and e-books. Many publishers are also providing free, online access to their content during the coronavirus pandemic. Reference support is still available online.  

For students who need computer access, Campus Technology Services is developing a program to distribute about 200 repurposed laptops to students at no or little cost. Plans are also in the works to provide access to equipment such as cameras, audio recorders, special calculators and tripods. More information will be provided when available.  

UWM food pantry

The UWM Food Center and Pantry hopes to receive a delivery from their food bank partner, Feeding America, in time for the pantry’s next scheduled distribution on Thursday, March 26. About 200 bags of food totaling more than 2,000 pounds were handed out yesterday. Visit the food pantry’s website for more information. 

Campus practices regarding COVID-19 infections

The City of Milwaukee Health Department notified the University of one case of COVID-19 in a UWM employee early this week. Local health departments are following state and federal public health guidelines related to contact investigations. With the majority of students and employees not on campus individuals should follow the information related to COVID-19 of their local community and local health department.  

Student and employee health matters are confidential, and while UWM may have a count of employees taking COVID-19 leave, they may be doing so for reasons other than illness, such as child care.

Dear Students,

I write with the latest developments on the COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on UWM students and operations. We have made several decisions to promote your health and safety and to help limit the spread of the virus.

UWM will extend its delivery of online or alternative delivery of instruction starting Monday, March 30 to the end of the spring semester. Yesterday, Governor Evers issued an emergency order that allows universities to continue instruction and operations but prohibits gatherings of 10 or more people in a single room or enclosed space. For this reason, online and alternative modes of delivery are ideal ways for you to continue and complete your academic progress this semester. We realize the change to alternate instruction delivery will impact students who have been living in our residence halls. Those students will be contacted by University Housing with additional details.

We have also, as of noon today on all three campuses, begun strictly limiting most onsite, non-essential operations. This includes closing most offices and services that are open to walk-in traffic and having staff provide services remotely as they can do so. Please note that our campuses are not closed. Indeed, some employees will continue to provide critical in-person services, such as caring for students living in our residence halls, providing core IT and networking services to campus, providing library services, continuing payroll operations and providing security for those accessing campus.

There will be impact on student employees, many of whom are unable to perform their duties remotely. Student employees are a valuable part of our workforce, and as operational planning is solidified, supervisors will be in contact with employees as to their status. We discussed with UW System whether it would be possible to pay student hourly employees per their normal schedules even if they cannot work remotely or to extend COVID-19 leave to student employees who are not ordinarily eligible for paid leave. Unfortunately, given state rules and the financial exigencies created by this situation, we cannot pay our student hourly employees who are not working, and COVID-19 leave will only be provided to employees who otherwise receive paid leave benefits. We are exploring alternative student hourly employment opportunities and will share more information as this develops.

Changes for UWM facilities and services include the following:

At noon today, academic buildings were locked and for the remainder of the semester are accessible only to individuals with key or other access to unlock the building. We understand many graduate and undergraduate students are actively involved in research activities that take place in our facilities; the faculty and research staff you work with will contact you to discuss additional details. If there are special needs for unlocking a building after that time, individuals should contact UWM Police at 414-229-4627. Those individuals will need to have appropriate employment permissions to enter the building and those employees should be prepared to show a University ID.

The library locations on all three campuses, which have internet access, will remain open to students as previously announced. Due to the Governor’s order, UWM staff will be monitoring admission (so please bring your student ID card) and distancing to ensure we are following the gathering protocol mentioned above. At the Golda Meir Library, only the Daniel M. Soref Learning Commons in the first-floor west wing of the will be open. Library staff will gladly retrieve items from the general collection, the Music Library, the Curriculum Collection, and Media & Reserves, as requested. Access to online databases, articles, and e-books also continues uninterrupted. The American Geographical Society Library, Archives, and Special Collections are closed at this time. Hours for all libraries, including those on our 2-year campuses, can be found here.

The Klotsche Center will be closed starting today. This will include all athletics practice and training areas as well.

The Norris Health Center will continue in-person medical services and the dispensary will also be open. All students must call in advance, (414) 229-4716, for any services, as this is a rapidly evolving situation. Patients scheduled for routine appointments will be contacted to reschedule.

University Counseling Services will not be open for in-person services starting Wednesday March 18. Clients that have upcoming scheduled visits will be contacted for alternative options. Phone lines, 414 229-4133, will remain open during regular business hours. For mental health crises, during regular weekday business hours, please call 414-229-4133 for a crisis consultation. For after hours-crisis assistance, please use these resources.

Effective immediately, Survivor Support and Victim Advocacy services will be closed for in-person services. Students may call 414-229-4582 or email victimadvocacy@uwm.edu for assistance.

The Children’s Learning Center will close at the end of the day on Thursday, March 19.

The Union, Lubar, NWQ, and Pavilion parking garages will be closed since staffing is needed to keep them open.

Residence halls will remain open for students approved to stay including those who are not able to return home or have other reasons for remaining on campus. Thus, very limited services in the residence halls will remain available. As stated above, in light of the decision to move to alternative instruction delivery, all residents will receive communication from University Housing on other details.

The Student Union has been closed, effective at noon today.

We have learned that the City of Milwaukee Health Department has confirmed one case of COVID-19 in a UWM employee. Given the wide reach across communities, we expect to have more cases confirmed in the coming days. Due to respect of the privacy of such employees we will not be identifying them. This is not a time to panic, but a time to stay true to our guiding values to be a caring, compassionate and collegial community.

Please continue to follow recommended public health guidelines, which include:

• • Clean your hands often
  • Maintain 6 feet of separation from others
  • Stay home if you’re sick
  • Cover coughs and sneezes
  • If you are an older person, stay home and away from other people
  • Avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people
  • Avoid unnecessary travel

Additional updates and resources can be found at the UWM Information on the Coronavirus website. I encourage you to check this often as UWM is updating it frequently.

I realize this is a stressful time due to frequent changes and uncertainty, and it is not what any of us were expecting for this semester. We are working to address your concerns as quickly as possible. Your ongoing success and progress to graduation are fundamental to your futures, and we know that interruption of that progress is disorienting. We are doing all that we can to continue your academic progress as smoothly as possible under these unexpected circumstances, although we understand that some academic experiences may be altered due to the pandemic. I wish you good health and please know we will share additional updates as further developments occur.

Best regards,
Chancellor Mark A. Mone