Oakwood University Announces Plans to Open Its Doors in August 2020 (6311 hits)
Oakwood University will open its doors to our new and returning students on August 1, 2020. We have just completed our Spring 2020 semester, notwithstanding the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. We wish to thank our administrators, faculty, staff, and students for demonstrating such resiliency in the face of a global crisis during this Spring Semester.
Currently, we are actively making plans to welcome our student body back to campus in August by launching the school year with the graduation of approximately 357 seniors. Given our Healthy Campus commitment, our plans to open are subject to the health and safety advisories of the State of Alabama and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the event that state and federal agencies recommend continued closure, Oakwood University will fully deliver our Fall 2020 curriculum in the online format until our students can safely return to campus.
To guarantee that your residential arrangements are in place for the Fall 2020 semester, please complete your registration and select your courses. For new students, orientation will begin on August 5, 2020, and we look to see you at New Student Orientation 2020. If you have any questions about enrollment at Oakwood University, please call the Office of Mission, Enrollment, and Retention Services at 256-726-7356.
On March 27, 2020, the United States Congress approved the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Of the $2 trillion stimulus package, about $14 billion was allocated to institutions of higher education. The most significant portion of that funding allocation provides that $12.56 billion will be distributed to institutions using a formula based on student enrollment.
The administrative team, with support from staff in the Office of Grants and Contracts, applied for the CARES Act funding. We are happy to report that on April 28, Oakwood University was notified that it was awarded the first portion of the CARES Act, totaling $786,875. The funds will be disbursed to eligible students who were enrolled for Spring Semester 2020 (prior to March 13, 2020) in an academic program that was not 100% online.
Oakwood University will be awarding grants ranging from $100 to $3,500 (average anticipated award is $500) to students from all levels of the university – undergraduate, graduate, LEAP, and the Dietetic Internship Program. It is estimated that approximately 1200 students may receive a grant.
Oakwood University is committed to supporting students whose lives have been disrupted by COVID-19. Federal guidelines require that students with the greatest financial need will be considered first. It is anticipated that the Oakwood University (OU/FED) CARES ACT application portal will open on May 15, 2020, and will remain open for 30 days. Additional information will be provided at that time.
