Campus this Fall

Although this Fall will be different, we will continue to provide our students with the high-quality educational experiences they value at Ball State. Our faculty and students are learning partners, no matter the challenges we face.

Read Our Return to Campus Plan

Adjusting Academics

We will deliver courses, through all majors and programs, ranging from on-campus interactions with modified seating, to hybrid personalized instruction with alternate activities and attendance rotations, to online courses. Your schedule may include a mix of these for the Fall semester. We are taking these measures so that you can receive the premier education you expect and deserve while we protect everyone in our campus community.

Read the Return to Campus Plan for Students (see Section III).

More specific information about the academic calendar will continue to be communicated. For now, please note the following key components from the Return to Campus Plan for Students (Section III).

  1. All classes will commence on August 24, as scheduled, with on-campus instruction being conducted consistent with prevailing guidance from federal, state, and local public health officials. To achieve this objective, the University will schedule more class sessions in the evenings and perhaps on weekends, if necessary. It is also anticipated that courses with large enrollments may be divided into smaller sections or taught online.
  2. Faculty will prepare all courses with sufficient flexibility and adaptability to enable them to transition effectively during the semester to online instruction and back to on-campus instruction based on conditions on our campus and in our community.
  3. Faculty will front-load those learning activities that are best facilitated by face-to-face instruction so that those activities are completed before the Thanksgiving break. After the Thanksgiving break, all remaining instruction, as well as all final projects and exams, will be completed online. The rationale for this approach is to avoid having students travel home to various parts of the country for Thanksgiving and then return to campus for only a few weeks at around the same time when public health experts have advised of a potential increase in COVID-19 cases as temperatures begin cooling for winter.
  4. The University will cancel the two-day Fall break and will schedule class sessions on Labor Day. The rationale for these changes to the academic calendar is to enable our students to have 13 weeks of on-campus instruction before the Thanksgiving break.
  5. The University will offer more online courses to accommodate faculty and students who may be in higher-risk populations.
  6. These plans are subject to modification should changes be necessary to respond to the evolving public health crisis.

 In July 2020, the University Libraries reopened, with some adjustments to operations. More details are available in the University Libraries COVID-19 Operations Plan.

Students will receive more information from their course instructors about the nature of their specific courses and expectations. Students will be expected to wear face masks during in-person class sessions, with some exceptions (See Section VII in the Return to Campus Plan for the full University Face Mask Policy).

Questions?

If you have questions or concerns about your schedule, we encourage you to consult your advisor. You can look up your advisor by following step-by-step instructions on the Academic Advising website.

Find your advisor.

Campus Activities

In addition to academics, co-curricular activities should promote a sense of belonging and social integration. Our plans will provide you with a robust array of opportunities that reflect the importance of these activities to student development.

We encourage you to meet virtually whenever possible. If you must meet in person, you should observe health and safety protocols.

Student Life Plan
Recreation Services Plan

Cardinals Care Pledge

Consistent with the Beneficence Pledge, guided by our enduring values, and grounded in more than 100 years of history, Ball State University is committed to social responsibility. We view social responsibility as our collective and individual obligation to behave and act in ways that are in the best interest of others in our communities and our society.

Take the Pledge

Residence Halls

We know how important the residential experience is to you and your success as a college student. We remain committed to doing everything we can to provide an excellent housing experience. We are making important adjustments to the residence halls to help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19. The plan was created, and is aligned with guidance from government agencies, public health officials, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

We have enhanced safety procedures, which include frequent cleaning and sanitizing. We are promoting our social responsibility to help keep each other safe by practicing good hygiene.

Housing & Residence Life Plan
Housing FAQs

Dining

We are committed to creating a safe environment for you on campus. Ball State is taking several steps to advance the health and safety of students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors. We are committed to providing you with an exemplary dining experience.

Our plans align with guidance from the National Association of College & University Food Services Organization, government agencies, state and local health officials, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Dining Plan
More Info

Face Masks and Other Safety Measures

Wearing a mask demonstrates your commitment to Ball State’s enduring value of social responsibility. Social responsibility calls for us to care for ourselves and for our fellow Cardinals. Since July 1, we have required that all people on campus—including faculty, staff, students, and visitors—wear face masks inside buildings, including classrooms, with limited exceptions. In outdoor settings, we require face masks if physically distancing is difficult.

To serve our neighbors, we are working closely with community partners, including local government officials and businesses, to promote safety measures such as physical distancing and the use of face masks.

Health and Safety Resources

Testing and Tracing

Public health experts have uniformly advised that testing is a critical component of a plan to stem the spread of COVID-19. We are implementing a plan to make testing readily available to you. As a result of a service agreement with Indiana University Health, the University’s Student Health Center is equipped to provide health services, including screening and testing for COVID-19 to currently enrolled students. As part of this plan, we require anyone who tests positive to self-isolate for an appropriate period of time, and we will conduct contact tracing consistent with the procedures established by the Indiana State Department of Health.

Testing Protocols
Testing Sites