Operations Status

COVID-19

 

Tennessee State University is closely monitoring the emergence of COVID-19, and consulting with experts at TSU Health Services, the Tennessee Department of Health, the CDC and other partners. The top priority is the safety of the members of the University community, and TSU will make decisions based on public health guidance and current conditions here and elsewhere.

This page will be updated regularly to reflect changes to University operations, academic scheduling, TSU policies, programming or guidance to members of the University community.

UPDATED MARCH 12, 2020

TSU announced significant operational adjustments on March 12, including:

  • We will be moving our classes online. We will not be holding classes on-campus for the foreseeable future, quite possibly through the end of the semester.
  • Online classes will begin Thursday, March 19.
  • Students on-campus and in Nashville/Davidson County are strongly encouraged to return home by this weekend.
  • University officials are also assessing the possibility of cancelling campus events where large crowds are expected.

OPERATION

Academic Instruction

  • Classes will be moved online for the foreseeable future beginning March 16.
  • Faculty will be hearing from deans soon with details about moving classes online.

WORK SCHEDULES

  • University buildings and TSU Health Services will remain open.
  • Staff should continue reporting to work as usual and take the recommended steps to prevent illness.
  • Staff with questions or concerns about their workplaces and the possibility of telecommuting should speak with their supervisors.
  • Staff who are feeling sick should remain at home.

EVENTS & MEETINGS

  • University officials are also assessing the possibility of cancelling campus events where large crowds are expected.   

HEALTHCARE DELIVERY

  • Normal

TRAVEL

  • TSU is suspending all international travel through the end of April  to minimize exposure to the disease as well, and will continue to monitor domestic travel. 

HOUSING  

  • If you live in campus housing, you will be receiving a message from Housing & Residence Life with details about next steps. Please be on the lookout for this email, which contains important information. University Housing will continue to remain open until further notice. However, students that are able to make arrangements to move off campus are encouraged to take those steps.

    All on-campus student programming for the remainder of this semester is currently under review. Some events have already been canceled or postponed and will be communicated to the campus community.

DINING

  • If you currently have a TSU Dining plan, dining services will likely be tapered as we assess current needs based on the number of students remaining on campus that have a dining plan. Some dining changes have occurred since this virus was initially diagnosed.  To date, self-serve items are being served by staff members who are using the maximum recommended protocols by health service agencies and the CDC.  Items that were being washed and reused have been changed to disposal items.  Common areas are being cleaned more frequently with the recommended solutions.  Recognizing this situation is critical, we are modifying service to reduce the possibility of a contagious individual spreading the virus in our dining facilities.