For the 2020–21 academic year, Kenyon College will offer a mix of in-person and remote instruction, welcoming every student to campus for at least one semester. First-years, sophomores and new transfer students will be in residence for the fall semester; we hope to be able to invite all students to campus for the spring, but if conditions do not improve we will invite juniors and seniors. We will reserve space on campus both semesters for international students, regardless of class year, and for other students with exceptional circumstances.
By reducing the number of students on campus at a given time, we gain added flexibility to maintain physical distance — a key component of any plan to minimize the risk of virus transmission. This design also allows us to preserve in-person instruction for courses best delivered that way, which we know Kenyon students and faculty value. Academic departments are adjusting their course schedules to optimize offerings for each cohort of students based on when they will be studying on campus and when they will be at a distance. This model also allows international students to remain on campus for both semesters and during winter break, supporting them to the greatest degree possible in light of proposed regulations of the U.S. Immigration and Custom Enforcement.
We understand that some students and faculty will be unable, or prefer not, to return to campus even with added precautions. In offering a selection of courses online each term, students may opt to study remotely for the year and continue to make progress toward their degree (international students should consult with the Center for Global Engagement on how this will affect their visa status). Currently the College requires eight semesters of full-time enrollment (1.50 units or more) to fulfill graduation requirements. Students enrolled in 2020-21 who meet all other collegiate and departmental graduation requirements in seven semesters may petition for an exception to this rule.
Faculty are adjusting their course schedules to optimize offerings for each cohort of students based on when they will be studying on campus and when they will be doing so remotely. Because faculty will have the option to teach remotely, and nearly half of students will be studying remotely in the fall, departments will have to adjust some aspects of the course schedule. An updated course list, including courses available for remote learning, will be available on July 25, 2020.
Faculty advisors will contact first-year students to complete registration for the fall by Aug. 17, 2020. Students will make any necessary adjustments to their programs of study during the standard drop/add period over the first week of classes (Aug. 31–Sept. 7) as well as an initial drop/add period for sophomores, juniors and seniors to be held Aug. 17–25.
Students learning remotely or on campus can continue to order textbooks from the Kenyon College Bookstore. Check www.shopkenyon.com for updates regarding your course materials; books are added daily as faculty finalize their syllabi (the outlines for their courses) for fall.
The bookstore will offer free shipping on textbooks to any U.S. destination via UPS; please allow 2–3 days for delivery. Textbooks may be returned for a full refund if received back at the bookstore by Sept. 21, 2020. International shipping is available for a modest shipping fee; delivery times may vary. Email bookstore@kenyon.edu for additional information regarding international shipping.
For students who will be in residence this fall: As a traditional "rush" period at the bookstore makes it difficult to responsibly maintain physical distancing, the bookstore is instead offering a pickup service for course materials. Order your books through www.shopkenyon.com and choose in-store pickup when checking out. Bookstore employees will package your order and notify you when it is ready to pick up. Pickup will take place at the bookstore's outdoor basement doors adjacent to the student package pickup room. To receive a refund on textbooks ordered through in-store pickup, return the materials by Sept. 14, 2020. (You also may consider having your books delivered to your home address prior to the start of classes; please allow enough time for delivery before you depart for campus.)
Some courses will have materials supplied via Kenyon’s Moodle learning management system. These materials will be charged to your student account at a later date. These “Inclusive Access” course materials will cost far less than if purchased individually from a source other than Kenyon. You may choose to opt out of these materials during a two-week free trial period and purchase them on your own if you wish, please consult your professor before doing so. Courses with these materials include BIOL 116, CHEM 121, ECON 343, GERM 111, PHIL 201, PHYS 108, PSYC 221 and SPAN 111.
If you have questions, please email bookstore@kenyon.edu.
We recognize the complexities of participating in music ensembles, theater rehearsals and dance, film and art courses in an era where physical distancing is necessary for safety and well-being, and when some students may be participating remotely. Faculty in the Departments of Music, Art, and Dance, Drama and Film have been working thoughtfully on plans for fall, including ways to responsibly maintain physical distancing during classes and rehearsals, disinfect equipment and surfaces that are shared, reconfigure ensembles into smaller groups, and reorganize performances to accommodate more solo pieces.
Hands-on experiments are critical for student development in the sciences. The faculty of the natural sciences division recognize that the health and safety of the people working in our laboratories is of paramount importance. Hence, they are developing protocols for responsible work, including lowering the student density in the laboratories, making preparatory videos and strategic modifications in lab procedures to eliminate close contacts in the instructional process, and developing processes for the disinfection of shared equipment and instrumentation.
Departments are responsible for setting senior capstone exercise requirements and calendars. Because seniors will not be in residence in the fall semester, many departments will have to adjust their senior capstone calendars. Departments will be notifying majors in coming weeks about whether and how they have changed their senior capstone exercise and the calendar for their completion.
If a student needs technological assistance accessing remote learning, the College will work with students individually to address obstacles to their access to computer hardware and/or internet access. Please visit this student resources page for additional information and contacts.
A number of library and research resources are available to students who are learning and researching remotely. Please visit this page for the latest. Additional questions about library services may be answered here or by emailing reference@kenyon.edu.
Students who are currently receiving academic accommodations are encouraged to contact the director of student accessibility and support services at salvae@kenyon.edu or 740-427-5453 to discuss academic accommodations for remote learning.
Kenyon has made the difficult decision to suspend all off-campus study for fall 2020 as well as the Kenyon-Exeter program for 2020–21. The College will not award credit for off-campus study programs in fall 2020, including programs facilitated through external partners. We know this news is disappointing to students who had planned for these experiences, and we share in that disappointment. However, global public health challenges make most meaningful exchanges impossible to conduct safely this fall. Uncertainty around international travel — including visa restrictions, flight limitations, border closures, mandatory quarantines, and continued warnings from the Department of State and the Centers for Disease Control against international travel — have further informed our decision.
At this time, Kenyon is not planning to cancel its off-campus study programs for spring 2021. However, please know that these plans may change, and programs may be canceled, in the event of a resurgence of COVID-19. Given this uncertainty, we do not recommend making any non-refundable deposits or program commitments that come with financial ramifications. If you are considering studying off campus in spring 2021, please also know that the pandemic will present many limits, including likely restrictions on travel outside of your program city, the probability of a quarantine on arrival, and the inability to visit theaters, festivals, restaurants, or other common features of off-campus study. Historical site visits may be replaced by online lectures, homestays replaced by single apartments, and so on. Please also know that if a program begins in person but later moves its courses online, Kenyon will accept the academic credit. Kenyon will not give credit for programs that begin online. Students with questions should email the Center for Global Engagement: cge@kenyon.edu.
If you would like to defer your application for off-campus study to spring 2021, please email cge@kenyon.edu.
We recognize that students choose Kenyon for the intensive learning experience the College offers. We aim to retain as much of that experience as possible in the coming year. Over the coming weeks, adjustments may be made to course schedules and classroom layouts in order to meet safe distancing guidelines across a full schedule of courses. Some spaces not typically used as classrooms may be equipped for instructional use. Students, employees, and anyone visiting our classrooms, laboratories and studios will be expected to wear a face covering and keep a safe, 6-foot distance from others.
In the event that a student in residence needs to self-quarantine or move to isolation housing, the Dean of Students will work with students to notify faculty in order to minimize course disruption as much as possible.