It’s the university’s main priority to provide you a meaningful campus experience in the safest environment possible. We’ve been working with public health officials and medical experts to develop a comprehensive set of guidelines to help protect the health and safety of our community. Here’s what you need to know as you prepare to return to campus as well as what you to expect on campus to help keep UMKC safe for our Roos.
To help keep our campus community healthy, follow these tips and more on the Health and Safety page:
Finally, we recognize that during this unprecedented situation, it is normal to be anxious and want clear answers. If you have any questions about resources or campus policies, please call the UMKC Student Helpline at 816-235-2222.
Academic advisors will still be on campus and can meet with you in person or via Zoom.
Students will be able to take the exam remotely from their own computer, or from a computer lab. All they need to do is send an email from their UMKC email account to testingservices@umkc.edu asking for the instructions.
While school districts' responses to the Covid-19 situation vary, practicums for education majors will follow a similar format as the Fall 2020 semester. Student teaching practicums will begin when the respective school districts return to school the week of January 4. Student teachers will follow the expectations of the respective school site regarding teaching format (virtual, hybrid or in-person). While the majority of these practicums will begin in a virtual or hybrid setting, student teachers should be prepared to move to in-person teaching when and if the respective school district makes this decision. In situations where PK12 students are virtual and cooperating teachers are teaching from the school building, student teachers are expected to attend the practicum in-person and teach from the practicum site. All student teaching placements are already confirmed and students have been contacted.
At this point, Block 2 practicums will begin via Zoom the week of January 18 (during the course time set in Pathway) and practicum students will begin their school-based practicums the week of January 25. The format for Block 2 practicums will mirror that of the respective school district. Practicum students and student teachers are expected to follow the health and safety procedures of practicing teachers. In situations where PK12 students are virtual and cooperating teachers are teaching from the school building, UMKC practicum students are expected to attend the practicum in-person and teach from the practicum site. Specific information about each practicum site will be communicated to Block 2 students prior to the start of the Spring semester.
Students requesting COVID-related academic accommodations should contact Scott Laurent at 816-235-5696 or laurentr@umkc.edu in the Student Disability Services office.
The new semester will begin January 19, as scheduled, but UMKC will conduct face-to-face courses remotely for the first two weeks. Classes will return to their previously scheduled modality on Feb. 1. Exceptions will be made for a small number of classes that require hands-on instruction (such as clinical rotations, music/dance performance) and will still meet in person during that initial two-week period; students enrolled in those classes will be notified directly.
During those first two weeks of the semester, the UMKC campus will remain open, continuing normal operations. This includes research laboratories, UMKC Libraries, food services, Swinney Recreation and all other student services from advising to student wellness to financial aid. Campus residence halls will remain open as well.
We have set a goal to conduct 50% of Spring Semester 2021 courses online and the other 50% in a face-to-face or hybrid format, with an emphasis on providing a larger percentage of lower division and professional program courses face-to-face. Factors such as enrollment, class registration patterns, classroom and faculty availability and public health recommendations will all impact the final breakdown of class assignments.
Students are expected to participate and meaningfully engage in classes, regardless of class format. Faculty require participation and engagement, but cannot require physical presence for face-to-face coursework. Faculty can, however, require attendance in synchronous online coursework. In order to comply with federal regulations associated with eligibility rules for federal financial aid, students not attending/participating in a course during the first three weeks of the term will be administratively dropped from that course.
Barring unanticipated circumstances, your schedule will not change. If you want to make any changes to your schedule, please consult your academic advisor.
Class sizes were determined and classrooms were scheduled to ensure six feet of distance between students in lectures or labs as recommended by physical distancing guidelines.
Please log in to Pathway and check the location of your class to determine if the class is online, hybrid or face-to-face.
We will make every effort to provide accommodations for those in high-risk categories. We will work with you and your instructor to ensure your safety so you can progress in your program. Please contact Scott Laurent in Student Disability Service, at 816-235-5696 or by email at laurentr@umkc.edu to follow up on any concerns you have.
Students in 100% online degree programs will be charged the Online Course Fee, the Information Technology Fee and the Library Fee. Students in traditional degree programs will be charged the traditional ancillary fees. The assessment of the fees is based on your academic program (online degree or traditional degree), not how the class is delivered or whether or not you can attend in person. More information about fees can be found here.
Residents who have not traveled internationally will be required to provide negative test results. Additional details about this process will be provided to residents closer to return. Tests will not be accepted if they are from more than three days prior to moving into Residential Life. On-campus testing options are being explored, but details are not yet available. Students who traveled internationally during semester break will be required to quarantine for 14 days from their return to Kansas City and prior to moving into Residential Life. Newly arriving international students will complete that quarantine in designated residence hall spaces.
Yes, campus dining will continue to operate and will focus on the residential student experience. Check out the most up to date information on the dining services website. Please note:
There will not be a refund because the residence halls and dining services are remaining operational.
Due to limited usage during fall break on-campus dining options will not be open during the winter break. If a resident has limited resources to access food, they will find information available from Harvesters.
Residents can contact Residential Life by phone (816-235-8840) or email (housing@umkc.edu) with any additional questions.
Both UMKC Career Services and Bloch Career Services will maintain normal business hours Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. through a combination of virtual and on-campus availability.
Career coaching is available outside of normal operations upon request. The office staff will rotate between working remotely and in person. One-on-one career coaching appointments are available via telephone or Zoom and can be scheduled through Handshake (login with SSO). Plexiglass has been placed at the front desk to serve as a protective barrier, six-feet social distancing and face masks will be required, hand sanitizer will be available and enhanced cleaning of commonly used items and spaces will be observed.
Most events, workshops and programs will be held virtually; and for those held on campus, six-feet social distancing and face masks will be required. Career fairs will be held virtually and student pre-registration will be required. A full schedule of programming and fairs, additional information and resources, and event registration is available on Handshake.
For more information, contact Tess Surprenant, surprenantt@umkc.edu.
Conservatory leadership is currently planning for safe and engaging classes and performances. Modifications to ensure social distancing will vary based on the course (e.g., individual lessons vs. ensemble). Please contact your program director or the Conservatory for information about specific courses.
Yes, the Kansas City Public Health Department has a list of options during the week.
Yes, federally funded work studies will be working on campus via social distancing.
Yes, you will still be offered scholarships if the COVID-19 disrupts performances or events tied to a specific award. In many cases, the Academic Unit will find alternative technology methods like Zoom to allow for these types of interactions.
The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our staff is ready and available to assist in several formats. If you have general questions or follow up, check out our Contact page; our staff may be able to help you, or set up an online or in-person appointment.
Main Line: 816-235-1154
Email: finaid@umkc.edu
Online appointments will be held via Zoom meetings. In person meeting space is limited to ensure appropriate space for social distancing. Plexiglas has been installed to serve as protective barrier and hand sanitizer will be readily available. If you make an in-person appointmentm, please note that face masks will be required and be sure to maintain appropriate social distancing.
We also know many students simply need to drop off forms or documents for our office to review. If you are on campus, you can use the drop box located outside of our office. We highly encourage students to submit documents using the new Secure Document Uploader tool in Pathway (which should be available for students who have already been admitted to UMKC and have set up their UMKC accounts).
To access the tool:
A confirmation email will be sent once your document has been received.
Please contact the Financial Aid Office directly at 816-235-1154 or at finaid@umkc.edu if you have any questions.
Due to unprecedented budget cuts as the result of COVID, some academic units have had to reduce the number of graduate assistantships they offer. Please contact your department for more information.
There will be a virtual celebration December 19. There are more details about the festivities.
As a result of the COVID-19 response plans, in-person student organization activities and events are modified. We are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our UMKC community. We are providing guidance and resources to help student organizations build community and a sense of belonging while still observing all relevant guidelines. All events must be submitted via the RooGroups event form a minimum of one week prior to the event.
Each event request will be reviewed and must comply with the university’s Roos Re-Imagine event policies. Check out the event policy[PDF] and event best practices[PDF] for more information. Room capacity and availability will be limited and restricted due to physical distancing and sanitization requirements. Please review the guidelines and best practices to evaluate the best format for hosting your student organization event/meeting: in-person, virtual or a hybrid model (both in-person and virtual).
Detailed information regarding Student Organization event planning is available online.
Stay calm. Do not walk into a hospital or clinic; call first so you don’t unnecessarily put others at risk. If you have any concerns about exposure, please contact the UMKC Student Health and Wellness Center at 816-235-6133 or the Kansas City Health Department at 816-513-6008.
Student Health and Wellness
Counseling Services
Students, faculty and staff are reminded to utilize the free Sanvello app available to anyone with a UMKC email address and which can be downloaded from your cell phone. For additional updates and coping resources to deal with the stress associated with COVID–19 please visit the Counseling Services website.
We will make every reasonable effort to provide accommodations for those in high-risk categories. We will do our best to work with you and our faculty to make sure you are safe and can move forward in your program. Please contact Student Disability Services, Scott Laurent at 816-235-5696 or by email at laurentr@umkc.edu.we will work with students on a case-by-case basis.
Campus Facilities Management follows all CDC guidelines for cleaning and uses a hospital-grade disinfectant that is approved by the EPA as effective against COVID-19 and many other viruses.
UMKC will offer classes in multiple formats in the spring semester – face-to-face, hybrid/blended, and online – providing our international students with options to meet the requirements set by the U.S. government to remain in the U.S. and continue studying. We recommend that international students review their current spring enrollment with their academic advisor to be sure they are taking the right course options to remain in compliance with the rule.
Yes, international students outside the United States may take as many online courses as they wish.
International students are not eligible to apply for CARES Act funding, but they may apply for the COVID Emergency Fund created through 2020 donations.
UMKC does not have funding available to cover the costs of the mandatory international student insurance, but assistance may be available in the COVID Emergency Fund. The cost of the mandatory health insurance is negotiated by the UM System annually to ensure the best rates possible for premiums that also meet visa requirements.
Wearing face coverings or masks is required inside all areas of public accommodation. This means UMKC will require this of students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campus, including our classrooms.
The Kansas City emergency order was enacted to keep all of us safe as COVID-19 cases continue to spread here and nationwide. It is something we all must do to respect our own health and the health of each other.
Kansas City has a Frequently Asked Questions page about the newest emergency order, including more about the face-covering requirement. The order also reinforces other guidelines that our university has been following since the pandemic began:
We will continue to review this new order as well as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for our campus, and will keep you updated with the newest information
At this time, travel is not allowed (any mode) for any outside conferences or meetings. Please check back with the Office of Student Involvement for more information as these policies may change as the semester begins.
At this time the Greek life houses will be open with recommended social distancing guidelines in place.
UMKC has a variety of online courses and courses with online components. They are: (1) Online Asynchronous, (2) Online Synchronous, (3), Online-Campus, (4) Blended and (5) Video. The distinctions between these types of online courses is available here.
No, asynchronous online courses do not/cannot require meeting at a specific time. Deadlines for course assignments, exams, etc. are available in the course syllabus or on the course’s Canvas site.
Yes, just as faculty have office hours and may offer additional opportunities for engagement in face-to-face courses, faculty may schedule additional virtual, optional opportunities.
If you are having difficulty attending the additional sessions and still have questions, be sure to reach out to your instructors directly. Check your course syllabus for the preferred method of contact.
Yes, instructors have the expertise and discretion to determine course requirements, assigned readings, videos, etc. For each credit hour, students should expect to dedicate approximately 4 hours per week of work, which will include varying distributions of class lectures, discussions, readings, self-study, supplemental instruction, etc. For a 3-hour course, students should plan to dedicate on-average 12 hours of time dedicated to the course each week.
Yes, your instructor is responsible for determining the optimal set of expectations and homework to assist your learning.
Student questions during live sessions can assist in understanding the content. If you are unable to attend live sessions and have questions after reviewing the content, be sure reach out to your instructor as noted in the syllabus.
UMKC Tutoring is available online via Zoom supporting a variety of classes including math, biology, chemistry, criminal justice, environmental science, physics, Spanish and French. Students can make appointments through Connect (Starfish) 7 days per week or by emailing umkctutoring@umkc.edu. Virtual drop-in hours are also available Monday-Friday 11 a.m.- 3 p.m.; and Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday 7-9 p.m. A complete list of courses supported by UMKC Tutoring will be available soon online.
Writing Studio consultants will be available to assist students with papers and presentations 7 days per week to video conference via Zoom. In addition, students can submit papers by email. Students can make virtual appointments using Connect (Starfish) or by emailing writingstudio@umkc.edu. In addition, students can drop-in via Zoom during the following hours: Monday 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.; Friday 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; and Saturday-Sunday 1-5 p.m.
Supplemental Instruction, or SI, is available in many of the most challenging courses at UMKC. This fall, SI will be offered in three ways: in-person, hybrid (both in-person and online), and online. For in-person, or face to face, sessions, space will be limited to ensure appropriate distancing and masks will be required. For students unable to attend in person, either due to space limitations or per their preference, the in-person session will be offered at the same time online. For some courses, particularly online courses, sessions will be offered only online. Check out the complete list of sessions and times.
RooUp Seminars are brief video seminars on topics relevant for student success such as creating a study plan, note-taking, and success in an online course. RooUp Seminars are accessible to students 24/7 via the RooUp Seminar Canvas page. Instructions for accessing the Canvas page can be found online.
Check out this A-Z list of student services at UMKC and what they're offering virtually and in-person this year.
Contact Eric Gormly, assistant director of Veteran Student Support Services (VSSS), at gormlyea@umkc.edu with the projected dates of activation, Student ID number and signed orders if you have them. VSSS will work with the Dean of Students office to notify your professors of your absences. It is your responsibility to let VSSS and your professors know when you have returned, and talk through options on returning to class.
We’ve received confirmation from our VA representative in St. Louis, as well as our liaison with the State Approving Agency, that all of the programs offered at UMKC are approved for delivery through an online modality. All benefit payments (including the Monthly Housing Allowance under the Post-9/11 GI Bill) will remain unchanged for the remainder of the term.
The VA has extended their exception for residential/online courses through the upcoming summer semester. If you enroll in a summer course that would have been classroom based but is now being taught online the VA still considers this course as residential and it will not impact your monthly housing allowance.
Please contact the Information Services Technology Support Center, techsupportcenter@umkc.edu, 816-235-2000.
The University of Missouri system is working to help secure the resources students need. For more information on resources for internet access, check out this page.
In order to better provide resources to those not on campus or using personal laptops we are introducing Roo Labs Online! This is a new service that will enable students to remotely access physical Windows lab computers from anywhere and from most computing devices. Students will have access to all standard and specialized software currently installed in the computer labs.
You can find more information about Roo Labs Online here.
All university-related non-essential international and domestic travel is suspended until further notice. This includes travel connected to university activities or programs for all faculty, staff and students, whether that travel is funded by the university, an external grant, or any other sources. Requests to engage in essential travel must be approved by deans, vice chancellors or vice provosts and may require quarantine and/or negative COVID test results prior to returning to campus.
Ride KC is currently fare-free for all, so you don't have to have your student ID with you. Ride KC has taken several safety measures on their buses, including requiring masks and social distancing. Learn more about the changes Ride KC has made for COVID-19.
Yes, parking rates remain unchanged.
