Murray, Ky.–Murray State University welcomes students back to the Murray campus this week alongside the implementation of numerous health and safety measures as part of its Racer Restart plan.
This week marks Great Beginnings, a Murray State tradition that includes activities for new students as they move into their new home on campus and begin their college journey. To best protect the health of students, faculty and staff, student residence hall move-in appointments have been staggered through a new scheduling system. The University has offered a significant number of private rooms as available to accommodate students if desired.
Families were greeted by University housing staff as they helped students move in, including resident advisors (RAs) and residential college heads. Each session followed health recommendations set by federal and state authorities, as well as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, each RA will meet with students to share key health and safety tips as they navigate life at Murray State.
“We’re so excited to be here on campus and get our son moved in,” said Racer mom Stacey Albertson while helping her son and freshman nursing major, Cade, of Salem, Illinois, move into J.H. Richmond Residence Hall. “We’ve been to campus a few times now but it’s great to see everything come alive to start the year off right.”
The University’s Racer Restart plan, which can be viewed in its entirety at murraystate.edu/racerrestart, is guiding the institution while adhering to all state, federal and CDC guidelines.
As part of the initiative, Murray State has established guidelines for the campus community with a careful and thoughtful approach. The 12 Racer Safe and Healthy Guidelines range from social distancing, utilizing Murray State’s on-site Health Services, making good choices and use of personal protective equipment such as a required face covering or mask, among other important health and safety measures.
New proactive health measures on campus include Racer Safe and Healthy signage, the installation of plexiglass shields and hand sanitizing stations, as well as disinfecting wipes for all classrooms and instructional spaces, among other measures. The University has provided a Racer Safe and Healthy kit to each student, faculty and staff member. These kits contain cloth face masks, hand sanitizer, disinfecting wipes, a digital thermometer and a hang tag that can be attached to any bag with contact information for Murray State Health Services.
Additional safety precautions include new outdoor seating and a climate-controlled modular dining room established beside Winslow Dining Hall. Racer Dining has also added order-ahead options through GrubHub and removed self-service dining. Additionally, RacerCard introduced a newly-redesigned ID that allows students to make transactions with limited touch points.
As announced earlier this summer, the University is offering a combination of mainly in-person instruction, as well as hybrid (a mixture of in-person and online delivery) and online instruction while maintaining a modified traditional on-campus experience for students.
Registration for the fall 2020 semester remains open; individuals can learn more, apply for admission and plan an in-person or virtual campus tour today at admissions.murraystate.edu.
Additionally, the Murray State Office of Student Financial Services has staff available to assist students who may be encountering financial difficulties. Students are encouraged to fill out the University’s general scholarship application as well as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. For more information, contact the office at 270-809-2546 or msu.sfa@murraystate.edu.
The University is also offering virtual and in-person Racer One Stop sessions, along with a self-service online option. Racer One Stop provides important information about student accounts, financial aid, scholarships, tuition, bill payments, registration and other key areas. On-site admissions for this fall are available at the in-person One Stop, with waived standard application fees. Learn more at murraystate.edu/onestop.
A partnership with Primary Care Medical Center/Village MD provides on-campus Health Services to students Monday through Friday with on-site physicians, nurses and staff, along with after-hours access.