As the pandemic and all of the regulations that go with it continue, students have had a lot of important questions to be answered. Following a Student Forum that explained some of the current guidelines in more detail, a list of questions that had not yet been answered was compiled. Dean of Students Cassy Bailey and other faculty members have come together to give students the answers they need. The following post answers the most recently asked questions and can be a resource for further inquiries. To pose an anonymous question of your own, visit this link.

Question Set Number Two:

Q)  I’d feel more comfortable living off-campus because of the virus, but I worry I won’t be approved. Then again, I don’t really know what is required to live off-campus.

A) Please check out the Residency Requirement Exemption website: bakeru.edu/rre. Dr. Randy Flowers chairs the committee and would be a great resource to assist you. His email is [email protected]

Q) More spaces to do Zoom classes! Study rooms fill up fast and I live off-campus so I can’t just go back to my room to get on Zoom calls.

A) The University has added computer cameras to computers in the lower level of library (you will need to bring headphones). Mulvane Hall study areas are also great places to drop in for zoom calls.  Each building has some great “nooks and crannies” for private spaces.

Q) So why are athletes required to do temperature checks so early in the morning? Like why can’t we go before our first class to the training room?

A) For efficiency, student-athletes are asked to come in groups during open times for the Sports Medicine staff. Each Sports Medicine staff member sees over 150 students – that is a lot of students and schedules to juggle.  Sadly, the pandemic has created inconveniences for all of us. Thank you for your continued compliance.

Q) Was there any consideration given to giving students an option to take a gap semester or year without losing scholarships because of the pandemic, and if so why was it decided to not offer that option? I would’ve liked the option to take time off school to protect my health, but I would’ve lost my scholarships and wouldn’t have been able to return to Baker to complete my education. It feels like the university forced students who rely on scholarships to come back to school if they wanted to complete their education, while students who are fortunate enough to not need scholarships had the option to take time off for their health.

A) From Jana Parks, Director of Financial Aid: Each student situation is unique, so if a student is considering taking a semester or year off of pursuing their degree for any reason, the student should contact the Financial Aid Office. 

There are numerous scholarships that are awarded, and each has a unique set of requirements.  Most academic scholarships can typically be retained if the student was meeting the academic qualifications upon leaving and they return within one year.  Other scholarships cannot be guaranteed.  For example, participatory and athletic scholarships require a student to meet participation requirements in order to maintain eligibility for the scholarship and would be reevaluated by the scholarship coordinator should the student return (coach for an athletic scholarship, for example).  Limited use or endowed scholarship funds are not always available upon return as well, due to them being limited and earmarked for a specific timeframe and use. 

In any case, all past scholarships will be reconsidered upon return to determine if the scholarships can be reinstated or not for each student by the Financial Aid office.