New details concerning the summer semester for Barnard College have been released, according to two emails sent to students earlier today.

On Tuesday afternoon, Provost Linda Bell emailed Barnard students to share details about the upcoming summer semester, which was created in an attempt to alleviate academic stress caused by online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The full text of Provost Bell’s email can be found at the bottom of the article.

The upcoming semester will take place in two parts, Summer A and Summer B. Summer A classes will run from May 3 to June 18, and Summer B classes will run from June 28 to August 16. Students who have taken less than 45 total credits and have paid the equivalent of full tuition during the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters are invited to take summer courses at no additional cost.

Provost Bell also shared that pre-registration for the summer semester will occur from March 8 to March 12, and the final registration period will run from May 3 through May 14. Beginning February 22, Barnard courses for the summer semester will appear in the Directory of Classes.

In a departure from the past, classes taken at Barnard or Columbia during the upcoming summer semester will not count toward the College’s maximum of 16 credits of summer courses, nor will they count towards the maximum of 60 external credits that Barnard students may count towards their degree. Instead, credits taken at Barnard or Columbia this summer will count as institutional credits and will display on the student transcripts in the same manner as fall and spring semester grades. 

The email stipulated that because of these changes in policy, all students taking Summer 2021 classes are expected to take them through Barnard or Columbia. Exceptions may be considered only for those who were enrolled full-time at the College during fall 2020 and Spring 2021.

Seniors who take classes during the summer semester will still be able to participate in the April Commencement Ceremonies. Seniors who complete their coursework in summer A will receive their degrees in June 2021, and seniors who complete their coursework in summer B will receive their degrees in October 2021.

Another email sent shortly afterward from Dean Leslie Grinage provided more information on housing for the summer semester. The full text of this email is included below.

The College hopes to be able to accommodate every student that applies for housing, but if it is unable to, it will prioritize students enrolled in 3 or more credits at Barnard or Columbia, students participating in SRI, and students who are working at an on-campus or local job or internship. If students with extenuating circumstances that may necessitate Barnard housing are not granted summer housing at first, they will be able to further discuss their situation with administrators.

There will be housing available in the interim period between the spring term and the summer term, but students will be expected to vacate housing between the end of the summer term and the start of the fall term. If they choose not to leave campus housing, they will incur a cost.

On-campus housing for each of the summer blocks will cost $2700. Students who received financial aid during the 2020-2021 academic year will be able to receive financial assistance for summer housing if they are enrolled in 3 or more credits. Participants in SRI who do not qualify for the aforementioned financial assistance will receive housing subsidies. 

The application for summer housing will become available from March 15 through March 29 at 11:59 p.m. 

The email indicated that more information about a summer meal plan and student services would become available soon. Students who received financial aid during the past academic year who will be living on campus will also be eligible for financial assistance towards the meal plan.

The College plans to continue with its current COVID-19 protocols, including comprehensive testing and contact tracing. Students moving into campus for the summer will be required to quarantine; quarantine lengths may differ according to the laws concerning the places from which the students traveled. Students living off-campus during the summer will also be required to participate in testing and contact tracing if they wish to access campus. 

The email also shared a list of key dates for the summer semester, including move-in and move-out dates. Students will be required to move out of their residence within 24 hours of their last final exam.

Email from Provost Bell, 2:02 pm EST:

Dear Barnard Students,

I hope that the spring semester is progressing smoothly for each of you and that you and your families are well.

I write to update you on important information regarding summer courses, the academic calendar, and other matters of summer class planning that will be useful as you finalize your arrangements for summer.

***

Summer Calendar

The summer semester runs from May 3 to August 16. Summer A courses begin on May 3 and end on June 18. Summer B courses begin on June 28 and end on August 16. The full academic calendar can be found here.

The summer presents an opportunity for all students who have earned fewer than 45 credits for the academic year to register for additional courses. For students who paid the equivalent of full-tuition for both Fall and Spring semesters, these courses may be taken at no additional cost (except for any supplementary course fees). Students who do not meet this criteria should review costs and other requirements here.

Course Availability and Registration Process

Pre-registration for both Summer A and Summer B classes begins on March 8 and ends on March 12. The final registration period for summer session courses run from May 3 through May 14. Any questions regarding summer course registration should be directed to the Office of the Registrar and guidelines for summer registration can be found here.

Barnard summer courses will appear in the Directory of Classes beginning the week of February 22, 2021. Please note that courses will not be visible in Student Planning until March 1.

Although faculty advisors will be available to assist your planning as needed, your advisors will not be required to activate the “Grant Permission to Register” function in order for you to register for summer courses.  Please reach out to your advisor or Class Dean as needed.

College Policies and Rules Regarding Summer Course Credit

Given the unique circumstances of the Academic Year 2020-21 calendar, summer credits will be treated somewhat differently this year:

Credits taken at Barnard or through eligible Columbia programs during summer 2021 will be excluded from the College’s stated maximum of 16 summer credits, as well as from the College’s overall maximum of 60 external credits that Barnard students are allowed to count towards the Barnard degree.

Credits taken at Barnard or through eligible Columbia programs in summer 2021 will count as institutional (not transfer) credit and will count towards a student’s Barnard GPA.

Courses and grades taken at Barnard or through eligible Columbia programs will display on the student’s transcript as they do for fall and spring semesters.

Because of the added third semester this academic year, it is expected that all summer 2021 coursework will be taken either at Barnard or through eligible Columbia Programs. Exceptions to this policy will be considered only for students who were enrolled full-time at Barnard in both fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters. Summer credit options outside of Barnard and eligible Columbia programs at domestic institutions must be pre-approved by the Class Dean. More information can be found here.

Information for Seniors Regarding Summer Cousework and Commencement

All seniors are welcome to continue their coursework in Summer A and Summer B, as long as they remain below 45 credits for the year, and all seniors taking courses in Summer A or B will be allowed to participate in the April Commencement ceremonies.  

Degrees will not officially be conferred until all Barnard and Columbia coursework is complete. June 2021 will be the official degree conferral date for seniors who complete their coursework in Summer A. October 2021 will be the official degree conferral date for seniors who complete their coursework in Summer B.

***  

We are looking forward to the new elements of this coming summer term and as always, to our usual summer campus activities that include the Summer Research Institute (SRI), Pre-College Programs, Athena BUILD Circles, and a wide range of unique internship opportunities through Beyond Barnard.  

Dean Grinage will be sending additional information about campus life this summer, including information about housing, on-campus dining options, and a range of services for students. Please pay close attention to the details, as a summer semester is new to us all.

Wishing you all a productive end to this busy spring semester, and with hope for a fulfilling summer ahead.

My very best,

Provost Linda A. Bell

Email from Dean Gringage, 3:16 pm EST:

Dear Students,

I hope you are all doing well. We just had another snowy day here in New York, and we are sending good wishes to those of you elsewhere who have been more severely impacted by winter weather, particularly in Texas. I am writing to provide further information as you begin to make summer plans and considerations for the Summer semester. Provost Bell’s message earlier today outlined information on summer course availability and the registration process, as well as other academic considerations; you can refer to the Registrar’s website and the alert website for more information. Please read this email in its entirety for more information about the residential living and student services available to you this summer.

On-campus Housing

We are pleased to be able to offer on-campus housing, though somewhat limited, for the Summer term. All students are eligible to apply to live on campus for the Summer A and B blocks. We hope to be able to accommodate all requests for housing, but if demand exceeds availability, prioritization will be given in the following order:

• Students enrolled in 3 or more credits in Barnard or Columbia courses, and for the applicable Summer term
• Students participating in SRI
• Students working an on-campus or local job or internship
• Other

We recognize that a small number of students may have extenuating circumstances that may necessitate living on campus for the Summer term. If we are unable to accommodate all housing requests, we will contact any students who applied and did not receive an assignment to further discuss their circumstances.

Additionally, there are students who may be involved in other campus summer programs, not detailed in this letter, that usually require housing. Students should be in touch with those program managers for further information about residency requirements and options for this summer.

Interim Housing Periods between the Spring and Summer blocks

Interim housing between the spring term and summer blocks will be available. More information is detailed on the alert website and on the housing application. It is our expectation that all students vacate campus at the conclusion of the Summer B exam period, to allow the residence halls to be prepared for the start of the Fall semester. If a student is permitted to remain in housing between the end of Summer B and the start of the Fall semester, they will incur a cost.

Housing Charges, Financial Assistance and Billing

Students will be charged $2700 for each of the Summer blocks A and B for on-campus summer housing. Students who received financial aid during the 2020-2021 fall and spring semesters can receive financial assistance for summer housing (note: for on-campus housing only) if they will be enrolled in 3 or more credits for each summer block they receive on-campus housing. Specific details available on the alert website. Students who are participating in SRI and are not receiving financial assistance as noted above, will receive a subsidy for housing. More information about this is on the alert website as well.

Students will be notified of Summer billing dates and payment deadlines in the next few weeks.

Housing Application

The application for summer housing will be available on Monday March 15 and remain open until the application deadline of Monday, March 29 at 11:59 p.m.  More information about Summer housing can be found on the Residential Life website and the alert website.

Dining and Student Services

We expect to offer dining options, including a summer meal plan. As information becomes available about these options, we will add it to the website. Students who received financial aid during the 2020-2021 fall and spring semesters and who will be living on campus over the summer can also receive financial assistance towards a meal plan. In addition, most student services that are available during the regular academic year will remain available throughout the summer term, including but not limited to Primary Care and Furman Counseling, and accommodations through CARDS. We will share information about student life and other programmatic offerings as we get closer to the summer.

Health and Safety

The health and safety of our community remains our highest priority — and preventing the spread of COVID-19 necessitates strict adherence to public health protocols. Residential operations on campus this summer will continue to require the full participation, cooperation, and a commitment to following the College’s health protocols outlined in our Feel Well, Do Well: Health and Safety Plan. The College will continue its comprehensive COVID-19 testing and contract tracing program. Students moving onto campus for the first time will be tested immediately upon arrival and will be required to quarantine either until their results come back or until they complete a required travel-related quarantine, which applies to travel from both international locations and locations on the New York State restricted states quarantine list. As we get closer to the summer, we will provide more details about testing frequency and summer protocols.

Students who reside off-campus will continue to be able to access campus daily but will be required to follow the College’s health and safety guidelines, including participation in the College’s testing program.

Summer Term Key Dates

Finally, as the Spring semester moves along, here are some overall key dates to keep in mind for students who are planning on taking summer coursework.

• March 8-12: Early registration for Summer A and B courses
• March 29: Deadline to submit the Housing Application for summer
• April 24: Move-out for Spring residents not staying in housing for the Summer
• May 1- May 2: Summer A Move-in
• May 3: First day of classes for Summer courses
• May 3-14: Final Registration period for summer courses
• June 18: Summer A Move-out  
• June 27: Summer B Move-in
• June 28: First day of class for Summer B
• August 11-16: Summer B Final Exams
• August 14-16: Summer B Move-out

*All students in residence will be required to move out of the residence halls within 24 hours of their last scheduled final exam

*Additional move-in/out information for students participating in SRI but not taking Summer A and/or B courses will be provided separately.

The last 12 months, and this entire academic year, have required us all to adapt. We appreciate your continued commitment and flexibility as we make decisions that are best for the overall success of the Barnard community. We are excited to be able to provide you with new summer options given this unprecedented past year and we will continue to provide additional details about this summer and the upcoming fall semester as they become available. In the meantime, I offer best wishes for the remainder of the spring semester and the upcoming spring break. I encourage you to continue to read the website, as well as the Barnard 411 newsletter for further updates.

Sincerely,

Leslie Grinage

Dean of the College

Image via Bwog Archives.