Meaningful Connections: Activities, Programs, and Gatherings
For more information on BU’s plans to reopen, please visit our Back2BU website.
What sort of on-campus activities will be available this summer?
We’ll have extremely limited on-campus activity for students during the summer of 2020. However, the Dean of Students Office is offering two online discussion programs: Belonging Cafes and Let’s Go There…Together. Both are opportunities for students to build community bonds even though they may not be on campus. Please continue to check the Dean of Students’ Programs page for more information.
Here are some virtual events that Student Activities are hosting this summer:
June 23rd at 6pm est with BU Bhangra Dance Together From Anywhere
June 25th at 6pm ET Stump Trivia on Zoom
June 27th at 7pm ET Art Club hosting Origami and Collaging on Zoom
July 7 at 12pm ET with ASO’s Afrithms dance
July 8th at 8pm ET Comedy show with Liquid Fun and The Callbacks on Zoom
July 11th at 7pm ET Knitting Club Virtual Meeting
What will orientation look like?
Orientation for new students will take place remotely. Students will participate in both asynchronous and live programming, including two days of live sessions and advising. In addition, we will provide other opportunities throughout the summer for students to learn about BU.
I’m a first-year student, how do I create a community and find friends?
We’re working closely with our counterparts in the Undergraduate Programs Working Group to develop programming and outlets through which first-year students can meet and build a community with fellow Terriers. This information will be communicated directly to students during the summer and fall semester.
What will campus activities look like this fall?
When we offer activities and programming on campus this fall, we’ll need to follow public health guidelines, such as social distancing. More information is forthcoming.
I want to hold an event for my student organization. What do I need to know?
Student Activities will issue an official Playbook for holding events during fall 2020 which will take into consideration the latest guidance provided by by state, local, and federal governments. For now, here are some guidelines to give you a sense for what to keep in mind.
For any student organization event this fall,
1. Review seating capacity to meet reductions necessary for proper physical distancing;
2. Adjust seating diagrams to stagger chairs, so that attendees do not sit directly in front of or behind others;
3. Increase the size of aisles to give more space between rows;
4. Block off fixed seats in venues to ensure proper physical distancing;
5. Place signs throughout the venue in obvious locations discouraging handshaking and encouraging washing hands and following physical distancing guidelines;
6. Use meeting spaces that have been adapted to accommodate virtual meetings and gatherings;
7. Line attendees up outside the venue and bring small groups in, one at a time;
8. Consider having a contact list/sign-in sheets for each meeting or event to track attendance, to aid with contact tracing if an attendee later learns they were ill at the time of the event;
9. Consider whether your event is the kind of event at which you should provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to attendees;
10. Give public relations, executive board and other “front-line” people in your organization language to explain why all this is necessary. An example: “We are aware that it takes longer to get inside and be seated, however, we are taking these steps to reduce the risk of infection.”
11. Prepare a plan for turning attendees away if they are unwilling to follow the guidelines;
12. Advise attendees who are ill that they should not attend your event in person.
What if I want to get together with friends or club members at places like the BU Beach, the GSU, or Howard Thurman Center?
No matter where you are, you should follow the public health guidelines in place at the time, including, as appropriate, wearing masks, staying 6 feet apart, and limiting get-togethers to 10 people or less.
What on-campus venues will be open in the fall?
Information regarding plans for opening buildings will become available later in the summer as protocols and guidelines are put in place.
What social distancing measures will the GSU adopt?
Guidelines regarding use of the GSU are scheduled to be released later in June, 2020.
Will there be any athletics? What about club sports?
We are awaiting guidance from the NCAA and relevant athletic conferences about what varsity sports will look like in the fall. Whether and how we open FitRec and conduct club sports will depend on guidance from the state. We will provide more information when we have it.
Will Fitrec be open as usual?
We are awaiting guidance from the state and will provide more information when we have it.
Will work-study opportunities still be available?
Yes. Please stay tuned to the Student Employment website for information on applying for positions this summer.
Will the library be open?
See the University Libraries’ announcement of their phased reopening plans, including the planned opening of Mugar Memorial Library, our main branch, to faculty and students in August.