Hundreds of students are already back on campus as UR readies for the start of fall semester classes on August 26. As many students return to campus for the first time since March, here are some updates on how some campus services will operate this semester.
Goergen Athletic Center (GAC)
Now’s probably a good time for students to develop an in-house workout routine, or consider running outdoors (with a mask). The GAC will be closed for as long as gyms are mandated to remain closed by the state. If and when gyms are allowed to open, UR’s COVID-19 guiding principles state “occupancies of gyms or athletic spaces should be limited to 1 team for outdoor practices and ½ the team for indoor practices.”
University Counseling Center (UCC)
UCC is continuing all services via Zoom. “All students can schedule initial assessments, meet via Zoom with a therapist, and together develop a treatment plan that best fits their unique needs,” said UCC director Brigid Cahill. Treatment plans can include working within UCC through individual or group teletherapy, but can also include referrals to other UR offices or longer-term off-campus therapists.
Cahill also said that UCC has expanded its group therapy program to cater to different subsets of our campus. Some groups are focused on “anxiety, depression, and general distress,” while others are focused on identities like LGBTQ+ and students of color. There are also groups centered around “self-understanding and improving relationships” for graduate and undergraduate students.
“We will also continue to offer drop-in groups as needed,” Cahill said, “such as the Our Healing Breath groups for students of color to process their experiences with trauma and systemic racism or the drop-in groups for students in quarantine to connect with others.”
Round-the-clock mental health emergency services will continue — students can call 585-275-3113 to speak to a therapist over the phone or set up an emergency Zoom appointment.
“We just ask everyone to call first to make the appointment rather than walking in,” Cahill said. “We still have several UCC staff onsite each day, but most will be working remotely to provide care and keep the number of individuals in the UHS building lower.”
Dining
Students can now use Grubhub to order from Danforth to pick-up at the dining hall’s entrance nearest Hillside, or order Hillside food, with pickup outside the main entrance. Students can also use swipes through Grubhub at Danforth, Douglass, and the Pit.
OptiKale, the Cave at Eastman theater, and the Faculty Club are all closing this semester, according to Dining Services Director Cam Schauf. Grab & Go will now be open until 3 p.m., an hour later than before. Douglass will open 30 minutes earlier for each meal.
To maintain social distancing in the dining halls, there will be stickers on the floor with directions for entrances and lines. To accommodate for reduced seating, Feldman Ballroom and Hirst Lounge will serve as dining spaces. Sanitized wipes will be available for use on tables and shared equipment. Students can swipe their own ID cards — and Danforth and Douglass now only accept swipes, declining, and URos.
Buildings Reopenings
At the time of this article’s publication, UR has announced the reopenings of the following buildings:
- All buildings on the Eastman School of Music campus
- Bausch & Lomb
- Computer Studies Building
- Dewey Hall
- Frederick Douglass Commons
- Gavett Hall
- Goergen Hall
- Harkness Hall
- Hopeman Hall
- Hutchison Hall
- Hylan Hall
- Interfaith Chapel
- Lattimore Hall
- Lechase Hall
- Meliora Hall
- Morey Hall
- Rettner Hall
- Rush Rhees Library
- Schlegel Hall
- Strong Auditorium
- Taylor Hall
- Todd Union
- Wallis Hall
- Wegmans Hall
- Wilmot Hall
- Wilson Commons
