What You Need to Know in Spring 2021

Let’s not call the new semester “Groundhog Day”—not with vaccine distribution progressing nationwide and hopes surging for a return to normalcy. But with classes starting all online like in Fall 2020 and most of the same virus safety precautions still firmly in place, Spring 2021 should feel familiar for students and employees alike.

Safety measures will still be apparent at every turn, as will opportunities to connect with peers through sports and clubs, along with chances to study at the library, zip across campus on an electric bike or scooter, and pick up an expertly prepared meal from the dining halls or a Stamp eatery.

Whether you’ll be living on campus, coming to work or class daily, or visiting occasionally this spring, here’s what to expect:

4 MARYLAND
The campus experience will again focus on preventing the spread of the coronavirus by encouraging 4 Maryland behaviors—wear a face covering, practice physical distancing, washing your hands and staying home if you feel sick—as well as maintaining vigorous cleaning protocols and limiting access to many campus buildings.

Campus health officials have introduced a few changes based on the latest guidance: 

• Following Prince George's County requirements released this month, face coverings must be worn in all public places, outdoors or indoors, regardless of physical distancing. (Residence hall rooms are not considered public.) One exception: Face coverings aren’t required during vigorous outdoor exercise.
• Residential students who test positive, or have been exposed to a close contact who has tested positive, will continue to move to quarantine and isolation housing in Leonardtown or on Fraternity Row. New in Spring 2021, based on new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, these two groups of students must stay 10 days.
• Another carryover requirement is that faculty, staff and students physically coming to campus or living close to campus are required to complete daily symptom monitoring indicating that they are well on the UMD app or return.umd.edu. 

COUNSELING CENTER
The Counseling Service will continue offering short-term individual counseling, group counseling, clinical workshops, urgent visits and referral services in a virtual format. In the fall, it added an easily accessible mental health program for students that will return this semester: Wellness Workshops promote skills on 16 topics rotating throughout each month. Almost every weekday students can drop in without an appointment.

The Counseling Center has also newly partnered with the Stamp Student Union to ensure students can access a private space for virtual counseling sessions, upon request.

The Accessibility and Disability Service is providing services virtually, too. It’s prioritizing preliminary accommodations to new students registering with the office.

COVID-19 TESTING
An expanded testing program will help keep Terps safe this spring:

• Students and employees must submit confirmation of a negative COVID-19 test before returning to campus; for students, the test must be administered within 10 days of arrival on campus. They can’t participate in residence hall check-in until that requirement is met, and they will be asked to sequester for the first two weeks of the semester.
• Students should be retested upon arrival to campus, and students and employees alike must be retested at least every two weeks during the semester. 
• The University Health Center will conduct large-scale testing at the Stamp Student Union throughout the semester. Visit return.umd.edu to see available testing dates and times, schedule an on-campus COVID-19 testing appointment and submit results.

Updated testing statistics are available on the university’s online COVID-19 dashboard. 

DINING SERVICES
Expect a second helping of Fall 2020 in the dining halls this semester, said Bart Hipple, assistant director of Dining Services.

Like last semester, all three dining halls are starting off as carryout-only. Students on dining plans can grab one large box, two smalls and a beverage, fruit and dessert up to three times a day. Dining Services is also expanding its “Purple Zones,” dedicated stations that serve food free of eight major allergens, and its vegan station at 251 North. 

The Diner and South Campus Dining Hall are open 7 a.m.-9.p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on weekends. 251 North is open 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday. A dine-in option will be offered at The Diner and South Campus Dining Hall when circumstances allow. “Terrapin Favorites” specials, a mainstay of campus dining, will debut on Feb. 7. Follow @UMDDining on Twitter to see the daily Favorite. 

The Cambridge Community convenience shop, closed in the fall, is opening this spring at students’ request. Hours are 5 p.m.-midnight weekdays.

At the Stamp, Chick fil-A, Qdoba and Panda Express in the Food Court are open by reservation, as are the Coffee Bar and Union Shop. The Dairy is serving its handcrafted ice cream.

Cafes in academic buildings will open when the university permits, after classes resume in person.

HEALTH CENTER
During the pandemic, the University Health Center (UHC) is offering a variety of ways to deliver care and services:

• In-person scheduled appointments
• In-person acute care
• Telemedicine visits with a UHC provider
• Teletherapy visits with a behavioral health provider
• Limited in-person sexual assault advocacy and therapy appointments
• Teleconsultations for wellness concerns (wellness coaching, stress, sexual health, substance use)
• Virtual meditation sessions 
• Virtual programs and events facilitated by peer educators

Incoming students must complete four online wellness education programs: AlcoholEdu, Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Course, Sexual Assault Prevention Program and COVID-19 Student Training. Access to the training programs opened Jan. 17; they must be completed by Feb. 7. 

LIBRARIES
University Libraries continue to support the teaching, learning and research mission of the university through online and in-person services, including:

• Access to study space in McKeldin Library. A reservation is required.
• Curbside pickup of library materials and technology equipment, including items requested through interlibrary loan 
• Off-campus access to electronic library resources
• Virtual Workspace software, in partnership with the Division of Information Technology
• Personalized help from subject specialist librarians and Special Collections and University Archives librarians
• Virtual GIS lab tools
• Online workshops and events

OFF-CAMPUS 
Prince George’s County, which has been particularly hard-hit by COVID-19, prohibits indoor dining in restaurants, and outdoor dining is limited to 50% capacity through at least Jan. 29, but eateries offering takeout meals and curbside service are doing a brisk business. Retailers must restrict their capacity to 25% too. 

The county has also limited indoor gatherings to one person per 200 square feet or a maximum of 10 people, whichever is lower. Outdoor gatherings are limited to one person per 200 square feet or a maximum of 25 people, whichever is lower. This includes parades, festivals, parties and family gatherings.

RECREATION AND WELLNESS (RECWELL)
RecWell offers plenty of options for fitness and fun this semester across campus. Reservations are required, and patrons are expected to maintain social distancing. RecWell staff, meanwhile, are cleaning all high-contact surfaces every two hours, and disinfectant and hand sanitizer are available throughout its facilities.

• The Eppley Recreation Center, Ritchie Coliseum and Reckord Armory (for shooting baskets) are all open daily beginning today; hours will be expanded two weeks into the semester. 
• The School of Public Health Building fitness center and weight room, Severn Building fitness center, RecWell Bike Shop and Adventure Program rental desk will be open on weekdays, some with expanded hours starting Feb. 8.
• In-person group fitness classes, club sports and intramural sports all begin Feb. 8 and also require reservations. Virtual options are also available. 
• New this year: The Body Pump equipment rental program allows students to borrow a weight set for use in Les Mills virtual classes available online and from RecWell instructors. For those looking to put in miles rather than pump iron, the new Couch to 5K/10K program starts today.

RESIDENT LIFE
The Department of Resident Life anticipates welcoming 4,042 students this semester, including more than 600 new residents, all in single rooms. To remain “de-densified” and keep students housed in single rooms, Resident Life opened two residence halls that were closed in the fall, Chestertown and Cecil, and filled rooms that were vacant in the fall semester. 

New residents started moving in on Thursday, and returning students followed, starting on Saturday, all by appointment.

Residents are expected to limit in-person interactions for the first two weeks of the semester. They’re encouraged to have socially distanced conversations using face coverings in shared spaces on their assigned floor. Resident Life will offer in-person activities once it’s safe to do so.

Many virtual engagement opportunities will be available for students to get to know one another, including Winter Welcome festivities, RA floor meetings, the Study Buddy Program and the new Wednesday Night Fun programming series featuring grocery bingo, Grow Your Own Sprouts, trivia and more.

STAMP STUDENT UNION
The Adele H. Stamp Student Union doesn’t require guests to place a reservation before visiting this semester. 

Campus members can enter by swiping in with a valid University ID at any entrance. The general public is asked to come in via the main entrance facing Campus Drive. 

This week’s hours for Food Court restaurants, the Coffee Bar, Dairy, Qdoba, the Union Shop and University Book Center are posted at stamp.umd.edu/reopen.

TECHNOLOGY FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING
With at least 75% of learning and instruction having a virtual component, the university offers a slate of resources to support faculty and students this spring: 

• The Teaching and Learning Transformation Center and the Academic Technology and Innovation teams offer workshops and consultations to help faculty to redesign their courses and make the best use of ELMS-Canvas, Zoom, Panopto and Clickers to enhance student engagement and to promote an accessible and inclusive learning environment.
• One-Button Studio is a simplified recording studio that gives users the ability to create a high-quality video recording without previous experience. 
• UMD App is a hub for updated campus information, downloadable in Google Play or in the Apple store.
• Other teaching and learning technologies supported by the Division of Information Technology are available.

Find more information at KeepTeaching.umd.edu and KeepLearning.umd.edu.

TRANSPORTATION AND PARKING
Little has changed from last semester when it comes to getting around College Park or arriving at your destination, said Cara Fleck Plewinski ’07, assistant director of marketing and communications for the Department of Transportation Services (DOTS).

• While acres of empty parking spaces when you visit might be enticing, normal parking regulations and enforcement remain in effect.
• Bus routes are the same as last semester, expanded NiteRide and Paratransit options remain in effect and the same mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines apply. 
• Spring parking permits are on sale for students; options are available for students frequently coming to campus, or just a few times over the semester. Even if it’s once a week for more than four hours, a student commuter permit could be cheaper than feeding the meter or purchasing daily permit packs, which include five, $12 single-use passes, Plewisnki said.
• Bikeshare and e-scooter rentals through Veo are available again this semester, and if it’s anything like last year, ridership will surprisingly be up from pre-pandemic levels when there were far more people on campus. Data revealed 30% more Veo trips in October 2020 than the same month in 2019. Among the possible reasons: More Veo bikes and e-scooters are now available to meet demand, public transit ridership is down, and there are fewer options for fun these days, said Marta Woldu, DOTS acting assistant director for sustainable transportation. “Bikes and e-scooters are a fun way to get around, get fresh air, step away from the screen, and socially distance,” she said.

VACCINATIONS
UMD officials will provide an equitable vaccine distribution process to students, faculty and staff that follows state and county guidelines. While there is currently no vaccine on campus, a vaccination schedule will be released once delivery of supplies from the state is scheduled.