The BYU campus has changed drastically due to the spread of COVID-19 throughout the country and the world. Find out how the campus is functioning, what’s open, what’s closed and what’s new.
Today’s campus updates:
Conferences and camps
A Y News email sent this morning stated that 'due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, all BYU-sponsored spring and summer camps, conferences, workshops and all similar activities through Aug. 13, 2020, will be canceled. This includes Aspen Grove family and youth camps. If you need information about refunds and rescheduling for 2021, please see the website where you registered for these programs.'
COVID-19 cases
BYU announced its first confirmed case of COVID-19 on March 23. As of April 13, there are 15 confirmed cases.
The university has added a self-reporting tool to the COVID-19 page on its website, and is asking members of the campus community to self-report if they have tested positive or are waiting for test results. They can self-report here.
Beyond that, BYU is not confirming or dispelling reports of COVID-19 exposure in the campus community, only reporting a number of cases.
Devotionals and forums
Today's Unforum has been canceled.
FSY conferences
According to a news release by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 'Due to the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences scheduled to be held in the U.S. and Canada in 2020 have been postponed until 2021. Stakes invited to attend FSY conferences in 2020 will now attend in 2021.'
For more information go to the Church newsroom website.
Spring and summer terms
An announcement that was updated this morning from University Communications stated 'in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19, all spring and summer term 2020 classes will be offered only via remote instruction. In all other ways, spring and summer terms will proceed according to the previously established schedule.'
Information that is still in place:
Adobe Creative Cloud
Adobe has temporarily made Creative Cloud available for all students. Any BYU student can access adobe.byu.edu and use their BYU Net ID to set up an account.
Bowling and Games Center
The Bowling and Games Center is closed until further notice.
Buildings
According to BYU’s website, most buildings on campus are now closed, except to those with key-card access.
The following buildings are open on a reduced schedule to BYU students and employees only:
- HBLL (Mon-Sat, 7:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.)
- JFSB and HFAC (Mon-Fri, 7:45 a.m. to 6 p.m.)
- TNRB (Mon-Fri, 7:45 a.m. to 9 p.m.)
- Cannon Center
The website states that all buildings will be closed on Sundays except to ecclesiastical leaders who will be provided with updated building assignments and other information from their ecclesiastical leadership lines.
BYU Laundry
BYU laundry is still open to the public and operating under the following hours:
Front counter: Monday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Closed Tuesday’s from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.)
Alterations: Monday-Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
BYU Sports
All BYU athletic events have been canceled.
All single game tickets will be automatically refunded.
Mens volleyball season ticket holders will be contacted by email regarding a refund for the final home match of the season.
Gymnastics season ticket holders will be refunded for the final match of the season.
Baseball season ticket holders will be refunded for the whole season.
For questions or concerns contact byutickets@byu.edu.
BYU Store
The BYU Store is open, but operating on new hours: Monday-Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. It's closed on Saturdays until further notice.
Distribution services are closed until further notice.
University Pack n’ Ship is open Monday-Friday from 12 p.m to 5 p.m.
Wells Fargo is closed until further notice.
Campus employees
A Y News email sent out on April 8 gave the following directions for working on campus:
“The Center for Disease Control recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where physical distance is difficult to maintain. BYU’s Incident Management Team is incorporating this recommendation as a third line of defense for BYU employees.
BYU employees should:
1. Work from home if at all possible.
2. Observe physical distancing when essential tasks must be performed at the workplace.
3. Wear face coverings for essential tasks at the workplace in situations where physical distance is difficult to maintain.”
Campus Floral
This service is open to the public Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The Cannon Commons
“The Cannon Commons will be open for students with meal plans and will provide boxed meals for pick up,” according to an email from University Communications sent out to students.
Commencements and Convocations
The university has canceled all gatherings for this year’s commencements and convocations, but individual colleges can stream their convocation.
Cougareat
The following are closed for the rest of the semester:
- Milk and Cookies
- Cougar Cafe
- Wendy’s
- Taco Bell
- Choices
- Subway
Still open, Monday-Friday:
- Cougar Express 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
- Chick-Fil-A 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Aloha Plate 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Papa John’s: open this week from 12 to 5 p.m.
“Dining is doing our best to offer a variety of food resources to the campus community,” said Joe Tiapson, assistant director of BYU Dining Services. “Recognizing that we have only had 2 areas open for the last couple weeks, we are opening an additional operation, Papa John’s, in order to provide additional variety to the food options. We are monitoring the situation daily and working hand in hand with the Utah County Health Department.”
The Cougareat will be closed on Saturdays until further notice.
Open restaurants in the Cougareat are only available through “walk-thru” service. People can order through a speaker and then wait in the designated area to pick up their food.
The David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
An email was sent out to Kennedy Center students saying, “Until further notice, the Kennedy Advisement Center and student lounge in 273 HRCB will be closed.”
The email said that they will still be advising students through phone calls and Zoom.
The Kennedy Center will not be streaming their convocation.
Decreasing building alarms
A Y News email sent out on April 8 said:
“Due to updated building hours and closures on campus, the amount of alarms requiring a police response has increased significantly. University Police is asking for help in decreasing unnecessary campus building alarms, so campus officers are available to quickly respond to priority calls. Here’s how you can help:
- If a locked door needs to be propped open for a legitimate reason, please notify BYU dispatch at 801-422-2222 before opening it. This applies to all exterior building doors, as well as many interior doors.
- If you need ongoing access to a building, make arrangements through the building’s alarm coordinator to gain card access. If you are unsure who your alarm coordinator is in your specific building, please contact the BYU operators at 801-422-4636 for more information.”
Dining Establishments
BYU Food-To-Go offers grocery pickup.
The Cannon Center, Legends Grille, the Cougareat and all Creamery locations will remain open, according to an email sent by BYU. However, all other dining locations will be closed for the semester.
The Jamba Juice in the Wilkinson Center is open on Monday through Fridays from 10 a.m to 6 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m to 4 p.m., but the Jamba Juice at the Student Athlete Building is closed.
According to BYU’s website “Counter ordering, payment and pickup, and point-of-service ordering will restart April 2 in accordance with revised public health orders. Customers may now order inside at the Creamery on Ninth. The Cougareat is working to open new options as possible.”
Dispute Resolution Processes for COVID-19 Housing Disputes
According to the BYU website, “BYU student tenants and BYU landlords can begin the COVID-19 housing dispute resolution process by requesting mediation.
Per the BYU Student-Landlord contract, non-BYU students may request mediation with BYU landlords, but all participation is voluntary. Non-BYU students may use the formal legal system to address COVID-19 housing issues if the other party refuses mediation. 2019-2020 BYU Student-Landlord Rental Agreement.
All COVID-19 housing cases will begin in a teleconference mediation session via Zoom with a trained neutral third-party mediator, a petitioner (a student-tenant or landlord), and a respondent (landlord or student-tenant). Mediators do not act as judges but, rather, process advocates who help guide parties through a healthy negotiation of issues. Each mediation session will last a maximum of 90 minutes.
If parties do not reach a resolution during the mediation session, either party may request arbitration. The Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution will use well-trained third-party arbitrators from the legal community to arbitrate individual cases.”
Enterprise CarShare
Enterprise CarShare is unavailable until further notice.
College of Family, Home and Social Sciences
Departments and faculty are making determinations on a case-by-case basis regarding practical and lab-based requirements including things like licensing and accreditation.
There has been no final decision regarding convocation, although a delayed convocation is being considered.
Final examinations
“In preparing finals for W2020 faculty may choose to employ standard examination modes, adapted to remote delivery. They might also approach final exams in novel ways and are authorized to do so,” according to BYU’s website.
Gatherings
University Communications sent out an email on March 31 that said: “BYU currently prohibits gatherings of any size in conjunction with the state of Utah’s Stay Safe, Stay Home directive.”
The email continues, “Maintaining physical distance is so important right now. If there is not a necessary need to be together, don’t associate with people outside of your residence. Stay home, stay safe.”
Grading
In an email to students, Academic Vice President Shane Reese addresses decisions to fairly evaluate final grades.
“At the end of this semester only, faculty will submit a letter grade for each course as per the standard grade submission protocol. After the grades are submitted by faculty, students can choose to keep the standard grade given or move to a pass/fail for each specific course.
Pass and Fail grades will not affect GPA. A ‘Pass’ will count as a passing grade and a completed academic credit. For this semester only, a ‘Fail’ will not adversely affect GPA and no credit will be given for that course,” according to the email.
For more information and frequently asked questions visit Grading Adjustments for Winter 2020.
International Cinema
According to the International Cinema’s website “all in-person screenings have been cancelled for Winter 2020 in response to the COVID-19 virus.”
An email sent to students said “We are currently working with film distributors to acquire permission to stream films through hummedia, the BYU Humanities Department’s content streaming platform.”
The Ira A. Fulton College of Engineering
The Engineering Building, Clyde Building, Crabtree Technology Building, Snell Building and Engineering Research Laboratory are only accessible through key card access. According to the college’s communications manager Jordyn Watts, Dean Michael Jensen is strongly encouraging all classes, including those with lab work and research done primarily on campus, to move online.
The Library
The Harold B. Lee Library is open Monday-Saturday from 7:45 a.m. to 8 p.m. to students and employees only. Individuals will be asked to show their BYU ID when entering the library.
Services are limited. All service points are and patrons will be referred to virtual platforms such as email and chat. The library hopes to eliminate as much face-to-face interaction as possible.
Equipment at the Media Center is currently unavailable for checkout, and the production rooms are also unavailable.
The Family History Center and family study room are closed.
The library is also offering special resources for faculty as they adjust to teaching remotely. According to the library’s website, group study rooms will no longer be available to students; instead, professors can use them for online class instruction.
Lost and Found
BYU’s Lost and Found will be open 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. in the Wilkinson Student Center.
Missionary deferment
According to BYU’s website, “The COVID-19 pandemic has altered routines and interrupted plans, at least temporarily, including your missionary service. With recent adjustments made by the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, you have received encouragement to counsel with parents, priesthood leaders, and the Lord. As you do so, your immediate and future plans may change, which may determine when you enroll, or re-enroll, at Brigham Young University.”
For information on how deferment for missionaries has changed, visit BYU’s website.
Museums
The Museum of Art, Monte L. Bean Museum and other similar venues used for gatherings will be closed until further notice according to BYU’s website.
Outdoor areas
According to an executive summary of BYU building access and security, the following list are outdoor areas prohibited for any use:
• BYU North Stadium Fields (northeast corner of University Ave and 2230 North)
• Cougar Field (southwest corner of University Pkwy and 900 East)
• Haws Field (southeast corner of University Ave and 1060 North (directly west of the Indoor
Practice Facility))
• Helaman Recreation Area (southeast corner of University Pkwy and Canyon Road (tied to the
Track and Field Complex))
• Intramural Recreation Area (northwest corner of University Pkwy and University Ave (directly
west of the LaVell Edwards Stadium parking lot))
• LaVell Edwards Stadium (northeast corner of University Pkwy and Canyon Road)
• Miller Park (southwest corner of University Pkwy and Campus Drive)
• Richards Building Fields (north of Student Athlete Building; southwest corner of Canyon Road
and Cougar Blvd (1230 N))
• Outdoor Tennis Courts (northeast corner of 150 East and 800 North)
Parking
Students can park in any Y or G lots without a paid parking pass, but A lots and specialty stalls will still be monitored as normal.
Recreation and fitness facilities
All recreation and fitness facilities on campus are closed. This includes the gyms, pool, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, indoor track and racquetball courts.
For any other questions contact rwc@byu.edu.
Research and Writing Center
The Research and Writing Center will continue to offer virtual help via Zoom or email appointments. Visit their website for details.
Sanvello
Everyone has free access to Sanvello premium during COVID-19. Sanvello is a mental health support app that is meant to help with stress and anxiety.
School of Communications
According to an email sent to students in the School of Communications, “The School of Communications main office will remain open for the rest of the semester. School leadership and office staff will be in the office and available, during regular office operating hours.”
The BRMB is closed except for those with key-card access.
Sick and vacation reporting for COVID-19
A Y News email sent out on April 3 said “To better understand how COVID-19 is impacting our BYU workforce, when reporting sick and vacation leave, the university is asking employees to report leave taken due to COVID-19 separately from vacation and sick leave taken for other reasons. Both sick leave and vacation can be used for any COVID-19-related leave and would include time off for self-quarantine, COVID-19 illness, caring for a family member with COVID-19 or caring for children who are doing school at home due to COVID-19.”
For additional questions, contact Karmen Diaz at karmen_diaz@byu.edu.
Shuttles
The free campus shuttles are still running on their regular schedules.
Student Health Center
The Student Health Center is still open to treat students. Its hours are Monday–Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Visit BYU’s Health Center website for more information.
If you have a respiratory illness or suspect you have COVID-19, please call 801-310-0438 before coming to the clinic.
Study Abroad and Performing Tours
All study abroad programs and performing tours that were scheduled for spring and summer terms have been canceled.
Testing Center
The Testing Center is closed until further notice.
Textbook sell back period
In an email sent out on April 8, the university said, “The BYU Store has eliminated the limited sell back period and will allow you to sell back your books at any time. You can also sell back your books to Amazon or other retailers. If you rented a textbook, you’ll receive an email and a pre-paid shipping label from the BYU Store. Drop the books in a box and return them to the BYU Store by May 31. Any rented books that aren’t returned by the deadline will be billed to your financial account.”
UTA
Beginning April 5 UTA will be temporarily reducing service.
UVX- Busses will run every 15 minutes instead of every six minutes.
FrontRunner- Trains will run every 60 minutes instead of every 30 minutes.
For more information visit the UTA website.
Virtual workshops
BYU’s Counseling and Psychological Services is offering a virtual workshop on April 16 from noon to 1 p.m. to help students stay mentally healthy:
Keep 6 Feet Away From me! Staying socially connected in a socially isolated world
“This will be a panel of students and therapists who will discuss the challenges of staying connected while physically distant. They’ll answer questions and provide tips for how to build relationships from a distance,” according to an email sent out by the university.
The Wall
The Wall is closed until further notice.
Webfest
“Webfest for winter semester has been rescheduled with an online-only format,” according to BYU’s Web Community website. For the agenda and Zoom link visit the website.
Wilkinson Student Center
The Wilkinson Student will maintain its regular hours, but specific offices within the building may be closed.
Withdraw deadline
The withdraw deadline was extended by one week. The new deadline was March 24.
Women’s Conference
Women’s conference will not be held on BYU campus, but will be virtually streamed on May 1 from 10 to noon. For more information visit the BYU Women's Conference website.
Women’s Services & Resources
Women’s Services & Resources sent out an email on March 18 stating that their office in the Wilkinson Student Center is closed until further notice. The email also stated that WSR Director Dixie Sevison is available during normal business hours at dixie_sevison@byu.edu or 801-422-4455 for anyone in need of immediate assistance.