SAU shifts spring
commencement
Southern Arkansas University has postponed its spring commencement ceremonies and combined them with summer graduation activities in August.
The Magnolia campus also is closing its campus residence halls and SAU-operated apartments Monday in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Students will receive pro-rated credit toward fall SAU expenses, or if they do not return, refunds.
Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for Aug. 7 and Aug. 8, according to a university announcement.
Eligible students will still graduate this spring but can attend the August ceremony, if they desire.
Colleges and universities across Arkansas and the world have been canceling or postponing spring and even summer commencement exercises in attempts to curb the spread of coronavirus infections.
Batesville college
planning refunds
Lyon College in Batesville will refund its students for housing and meal plans unused because the college asked students to leave campus earlier this spring to curb the spread of the coronavirus.
On April 17, students will receive prorated refunds for the time not spent on campus, a college news release states.
Arkansas Tech University in Russellville and other schools have made similar decisions after sending students home, while some schools are deliberating whether to do so.
HSU working on
grading options
Students and professors will work together to decide on grading options for spring courses at Henderson State University, the school in Arkadelphia announced.
Professors will contact students to go over options that include having a course count as credit or no credit rather than awarding a letter grade. Other universities have moved to expand this option for students as a response to the changes caused by the coronavirus outbreak, including the shift to online-only instruction.
Other options to be considered at Henderson State include assigning letter grades as would be done typically, or doing so except for students with "extenuating" or personal circumstances.
Students unable to complete the semester because of a "lack of access to remote instruction" or because they fall ill with covid-19 have been told to contact their instructors about grade options based on work already completed.
SundayMonday on 04/05/2020