Hello, welcome back! Going to college during a global pandemic can be pretty scary, but congrats on doing it anyway! As we approach the Fall 2020 semester we are learning more information about just how “remote” our learning is going to be. My biggest piece of advice from one student to another is to remain calm. The awesome staff and faculty at Kent State Geauga and Twinsburg Academic Center are not leaving us unprepared. Things are going to look a little different this semester, but that’s okay! Our learning is still a top priority, but we have to also consider our safety.
I want to talk about a few very important questions that I’m sure are common for most students right now:
First, what is our academic calendar going to look like? Maybe that’s not your exact question, but you definitely want to know when your breaks are!
Kent State University will hold both in person and remote classes through November 20, 2020, there will be no class from Monday, November 23 to Friday, November 30. After that classes will resume via remote instruction only through the end of the semester.
Next, how will I get my academic advising?
Advising is still up and running! You can access this online and scheduling an appointment. After you schedule your appointment you will be contacted by your academic advisor via phone or video chat at the time of your appointment. From here, virtual advising appointments will look the same as they do in person, your advisor will ask what classes you are interested in and suggest what they think would work best for you for the upcoming semester. Any questions you have regarding your schedule will still be addressed in these appointments as well. While the appointment may be virtual, you can still expect to get the same great service that you would in person.
Are Student Accessibility Services available at this time?
Absolutely! You can contact the SAS office via email or by calling 330-888-6314. For those of you who do not know what Student Accessibility Services is, it is meant to create accessible and inclusive experiences for students with all types of disabilities as they learn, live, and work at Kent State University.
What about tutoring?
Tutoring is still available! Kent State Geauga and Twinsburg Acais offering drop-in and scheduled tutoring remotely and in person for select subjects for those who prefer to be in-person. A finalized tutoring schedule will be released mid-August and will be sent to Kent State email addresses with directions on how to schedule a tutoring appointment. Additionally, KSUGTAC is offering something called Academic Workshops via Blackboard Learn. All students will get access to these workshops prior to the start of the semester. The course is called Geauga Academic Workshops and you can view all the workshops and do all the activities in there. The workshops are Time Management, succeeding in the Classroom, Success during COVID-19, Emotional Intelligence, Staying Motivated, Confidence Building, Study Strategies, Test your Best and Get Organized. Some of these workshops will also be available in person and the schedule will be released in August to your Kent State email address. Any interest in individual success coaching can also be scheduled with Brandie Blankenship online.
Whether you are a recent high school graduate, or someone who is just returning to school, Kent State has ensured that remote learning will be both user friendly and manageable. You will not be alone in this! Any questions or concerns you may have can be addressed by our faculty or staff. You can also access Covid-19 related information and updates for Kent State online.