Coronavirus Resources for Georgia Tech Students

Coronavirus Resources for Georgia Tech Students

General Resources

Tech Moving Forward

To learn more about the Georgia Institute of Technology’s response to the novel coronavirus pandemic, click here to visit the Tech Moving Forward page. The Institute is proactively monitoring and assessing the outbreak to protect the health and wellbeing of the Georgia Tech community. This page will be updated with the latest information as it becomes available.

Guidelines for the Reopening of Georgia Tech

The Georgia Institute of Technology has published a guide for safely returning to campus in the Fall. Within the guide, you will find information about campus-based activities, sanitation practices, and other important information about how to return to campus.

Current Operational Status of Georgia Tech

To learn more about the current operation status of the Georgia Institute of Technology, click below. Georgia Tech continuously updates this page with new information about campus operations.

Georgia Tech Campus Resources

To view Georgia Tech’s Student Services and Resources Guide, please click here.

SGA Resources

Student Advocacy

Over the past few weeks, the Georgia Tech Student Government Association has been fiercely advocating for the betterment of the student body. We will continue to do so as the year continues. To learn more about our advocacy efforts or to offer suggestions, please email us at covid19@sga.gatech.edu.

Summer 2020 SGA Town Hall
  • The Georgia Tech Student Government Association hosted a student town hall on Wednesday, July 22nd from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM. The panelists included a few members of SGA leadership, as well as leadership from Georgia Tech International Ambassadors and the Residence Hall Association.
  • We want to use this time to let you know what we’ve been working on in regards to our advocacy efforts, as well as provide answers about the fall and what it will look like. This will also be a time for you to voice concerns so that we can better understand student sentiment. We would love to see you this Wednesday!  As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at sga@gatech.edu.
Fall 2020 FAQs Page

As Georgia Tech prepares to return to on-campus operations for Fall 2020, we know a lot of questions remain unanswered. As part of SGA’s ongoing efforts to advocate for the student body, we have put together a list of questions that the student body wants answered. These questions cover a broad range of topics including academics and registration, health and safety, and student life. Many of these questions were addressed during the SGA Town Hall hosted on July 22, 2020. A full recording of the Town Hall is available on the SGA website. To submit a question to this list, please email the SGA Covid-19 Response Team. To learn more about SGA’s Response to Covid-19, click here. To view our FAQs page, please click here. NOTE: Answers to these questions will be published at the conclusion of the SGA Town Hall scheduled for July 22, 2020 at 6:30 PM.

SGA Updates on Covid-19

The Georgia Tech Student Government Association has provided several emails and social media updates on the status of Coronavirus at the Georgia Institute of Technology. To read these past updates, click here.

COVID-19 Task Force List

In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Georgia Institute of Technology has established several task forces designed to address key issues on campus. Members of the Georgia Tech Student Government Association have been invited to sit on many of these task forces and provide student input on these issues. To see a full list of these task forces and the students that sit on them, please click here.

Physical Health and Safety Resources

Georgia Tech Health and Exposure Alerts

To view the Georgia Tech health and exposure alert page (Confirmed cases, potential exposures, action steps, and general Covid-19 health alerts), click here.

Cleaning and Disinfection Protocols on Campus
  • Georgia Tech’s staff will disinfect door handles, railings, elevator buttons, countertops, and other frequently touched surfaces. They also will increase restroom cleaning, and disinfect desks and tables between classes, especially in high-use buildings
  • Building managers and Facilities Management will adhere to the following measures to limit the spread of Covid-19 and promote a healthy and safe campus:
  • Buildings and labs to reopen as a result of resumption of services and operations will first undergo proper sanitation protocols.
    • All uses of indoor common areas must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Some common areas may be closed if social distancing cannot be maintained while in use.
    • Elevators and bathrooms will have signs posted indicating only one person is permitted at a time. Additionally, bathroom doors will be equipped with occupancy indicators.
    • Bathrooms will be closed to anyone other than cleaners during cleaning times.
    • Cleaning of labs will be performed regularly by research personnel. They will be trained in proper cleaning methods prior to resuming lab operations.
    • Instructions will be posted for proper hygiene and handwashing, according to guidelines from GDPH, CDC, and the Governor’s Covid-19 Task Force.
    • Campus Guidelines with health information and protocols are available for all faculty, staff, and students at health.gatech.edu/campus-guidelines.
    • Other precautions will include installation of signage to encourage best practices regarding personal hygiene and the movement of people through campus spaces, upgraded air filtration systems, workspace modifications, and staggered scheduling for on-campus community members.
  • Setup in offices, classrooms, labs, makerspaces, etc. will be modified to facilitate social distancing and enable cleaning and disinfection protocols.
Health and Safety Precautions at Georgia Tech
  • All members of the Georgia Tech community will be expected to continue to follow basic guidelines from the Georgia Department of Public Health (GDPH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Governor’s Covid-19 Task Force, including:
    • Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
    • Use hand sanitizer in the absence of soap and water.
    • Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
    • Cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or inner elbow.
    • Social distancing (six feet of separation from others) at work:
      • Be respectful of others’ personal space.
      • Assess and adjust workspaces to maximize social distancing, including spacing furniture with six feet of separation.
      • Hold meetings virtually whenever possible.
      • Provide services remotely whenever possible.
      • Do not share phones, desks, offices, computers, or other equipment. In cases where equipment is shared, it should be disinfected before and after each use.
      • Do not gather in groups of more than 10 people when social distancing cannot be maintained.
      • When interacting in open environments (e.g., outdoors, atriums, auditoriums) or in indoor common areas, keep a safe social distance.
      • Limit occupancy in elevators and bathrooms to one person at a time, unless social distancing can be maintained.
      • Do not use a restroom when it is being cleaned.
      • Supervisors should allow employees to take meals outside or in separate locations.
      • Cancel or postpone any events or activities (networking happy hours, lunch-and-learns, etc.) or consider hosting them virtually.
      • Avoid all person-to-person contact, including handshaking.
  • Effective July 15, 2020, University System of Georgia (USG) institutions will require all faculty, staff, students, and visitors to wear appropriate face covering while inside campus facilities/buildings where six feet social distancing may not always be possible. Face covering use will be in addition to and is not a substitute for social distancing. 
  • Signs will be posted at building entrances prohibiting anyone with a fever or symptoms of Covid-19 from entering. Contactless thermometers will be supplied to all buildings as they reopen.
  • To mitigate the spread of Covid-19, Georgia Tech is implementing a wellness check protocol designed to help protect the health and safety of our community. This wellness check will include temperature screenings. All employees are strongly encouraged to administer the Covid-19 Daily Self-Checklist before coming to campus.
  • All employees and students will be asked to complete an online Covid-19 health and safety training prior to arriving on campus and will be encouraged to take a health and safety pledge as part of the training. 

Reporting Covid-19 Cases to Georgia Tech

To report a positive Covid-19 test, click here.

Daily Self-Checklist for Covid-19

To administer the Covid-19 Daily Self Checklist, click here.

Classroom Safety Precautions

  All classrooms are being reviewed and possibly reconfigured to ensure social distancing.  Georgia Tech is also developing special health and safety protocols for classrooms that cannot be configured to ensure social distancing.  Among those protocols are:

  • Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) will ensure that each classroom is provided with a supply of face coverings.  
    • Either plastic lectern barriers or plastic face shields will be available to faculty members to use while lecturing in classrooms. More information will be shared before the semester about how these items can be requested. 
    • Some classes will be transferred to larger spaces to allow social distancing.  

Another goal is to clean and disinfect classrooms twice a day. This will be dependent upon classroom usage and the time available to effectively clean and disinfect. Additional protocols for classroom cleaning will be put in place over the summer.

PPE Operations

Georgia Tech has established a PPE subgroup of the Covid-19 Task Force to focus on the  issue of ensuring a consistent, adequate supply of PPE throughout the Fall 2020 semester. Faculty members in the H. Milton Stewart School of Industrial and Systems Engineering are developing models to determine consumption rates and project future consumption to aid in scheduling purchases.

Testing Operations
  • Georgia Tech will provide testing to the community through two major efforts: testing of asymptomatic students, faculty, and staff, and testing of symptomatic students.
  • Students with Covid-19 symptoms: Rapid testing will be available through Stamps Health Services.
  • Faculty and staff with Covid-19 symptoms: Staff and faculty should seek tests through their primary care physicians,Georgia Department of Public Health testing facilities, or through Georgia Tech’s Molecular Evolution Core Lab.
  • Students, faculty, and staff with NO symptoms: Georgia Tech’s Molecular Evolution Core Lab will provide testing to the community in the following cases: 
    • An asymptomatic person who thinks they may have been exposed to a positive case. 
    • An asymptomatic person in a vulnerable population, or who is a caretaker of or lives with a person within a vulnerable population. 
    • An asymptomatic person who is a frontline employee. 
    • Specific groups with unique needs (e.g., athletic teams).
    • Random groups of students, faculty, and staff (e.g. classes, offices, residence halls) to assess the rate of infection at the community level. 
State of Georgia Covid-19 Hotline

Hotline: (844) 442-2681

The State of Georgia has a new COVID-19 hotline. If you believe that you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to the novel coronavirus, please contact your primary care doctor, an urgent care clinic, or your local federally qualified healthcare center. Please do not show up unannounced at an emergency room or healthcare facility.

General Covid-19 Information

The State of Georgia has a new COVID-19 hotline. If you believe that you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been e

  • Covid-19 is the illness that a person infected with the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) can develop.
  • There is currently no vaccine for the coronavirus.
  • The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. 
  • It is possible for people who are infected to infect others before they show symptoms (pre-symptomatic) or without ever showing any symptoms (asymptomatic).
  • The virus is thought to spread primarily between people in close contact (within six feet of one another).
  • Good hygiene and social distancing are the current best practices to avoid exposure.

Stamps Health Operations
Summer 2020

Stamps Health Services is offering in-person appointments and telemedicine.

  • Hours of Operation:
    • Mon. – Wed. | 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Fall 2020

Stamps Health Services is offering in-person appointments and telemedicine.

  • In-person and virtual appointments will be available to students.
  • Stamps Health Services will provide a separate treatment and waiting space for patients having symptoms associated with Covid-19 and use telemedicine when appropriate. Appointment schedules will be adjusted to limit the number of people in waiting areas, and all front-facing service areas will have plexiglass installed to promote social distancing.

Mental Health Resources

General Mental Health Resources
Changes to Mental Health Services for Fall 2020
  • CARE Center
    • All staff will be able to continue to serve students in their current physical space, both in person and virtually. Georgia Tech CARE is switching to primarily virtual interactions and waiting rooms will have a two person limit. All staff and clients will wear masks, and in-person appointments will be staggered to reduce the number of students present in the center at one time. Plexiglass will be installed around the reception desk.
  • Counseling Center
    • The Counseling Center is following guidance from the CDC and the Georgia Department of Public Health to limit personal contact to reduce the risk of infection. Additional guidance is available on the Counseling Center’s website.
    • The Georgia Tech Counseling Center is currently offering Telehealth sessions to in-state students who are currently enrolled. Group counseling services will resume in the Fall and will be available in an online format. Students may access those services by contacting Georgia Tech CARE.
    • Clients will be offered the option of face-to-face counseling appointments that ensure social distancing, or they will be offered a telehealth appointment. Those who choose a face-to-face appointment will be required to wear masks and asked to maintain a 6-foot distance from others.
    • All in-person appointments will be staggered to reduce the number of students present in the center at one time. We will manage the number of students in the waiting room to ensure social distancing. Counseling Center workshops and outreach presentations will be hosted in sufficiently large spaces or virtually, depending on the specific needs of the requesting campus partner.
  • VOICE Services
    • VOICE will continue providing 24/7 confidential services to those affected by sexual harassment, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and/or stalking.
    • If you need immediate support, call GTPD at 404.894.2500 and ask for the on-call VOICE Advocate. You do not need to make a police report and you only need to provide a phone number in order to reach an Advocate.
    • For non-urgent needs, VOICE Advocates are available for phone, virtual, or face-to-face meetings, and emergency accompaniments. To schedule an appointment, call Amanda Planchard at 404.385.4451 or Jennifer Gagen at 404.385.4464. Leave a message, and the Advocate will call you back promptly within business hours.

How to Get Help from Georgia Tech
  • Students that believe that they need to see someone in the Counseling Center or in Stamps Psychiatry Clinic are asked to visit CARE first to help point them in the right direction.  CARE provides quick assessments to help students schedule appointments with the Counseling Center or Stamps Psychiatry Clinic.
  • Students who have already been seen by someone in the Counseling Center or in Stamps Psychiatry before the Fall 2019 semester and don’t need to visit CARE.

Counseling Center Workshops

The Georgia Tech Counseling Center has workshops on various topics available now online. To access them, click here.

International Student Mental Health Resources

Click here to access this resource.

Black Student Mental Health Resources

Click here to access this resource.

Queer, Trans, Black, Indigenous, and POC Mental Health Resources at Tech

Click here to access this resource.

Emergency Hotlines
  • GA COVID-19 Emotional Support hotline: 866-399-8938
  • Other emergency hotlines:
  • Campus Police: 404-894-2500
  • Office of the Vice President and Dean of Students: 404-894-6367
  • Victim-Survivor Advocate: 404-385-4464/4451
  • Georgia Crisis and Access Line: 1-800-715-4225
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
  • Trevor Lifeline: 866-488-7386
  • CrisisChat.org

Academic Resources

Academic Operation Updates

Updates for academic operations this fall can be found here.

Fall 2020 Information
Makerspace Operations

Georgia Tech makerspaces will begin accommodating undergraduate students working on design and class projects in the fall. Makerspaces will use virtual queuing and online scheduling when possible and designate waiting areas for high-volume machines. Space managers will oversee lab and hand tool cleaning, ensuring that disinfecting processes are in place, that tools are cleaned after every use, and that all common areas are cleaned.

Career Center Operations

The career center will have a mix of both in-person and virtual operations. Career advising will be done virtually in one-on-one or group sessions. Limited in-person meetings will follow social distancing requirements. Existing online career and well-being resources will continue to be offered and enhanced for remote use.

Career Fair

The annual Fall All-Majors career fair, employer information sessions, and on-campus interviews will be held virtually. Spring and Summer 2020 graduates will be invited to participate in the Fall 2020 virtual career fair.

Course Modes
  • Course Modes will be as follows:
    • Residential spread (RESD): Courses/sections that are residential with social distancing measures in place in the classroom. This is the traditional format that we are treating as the desired option. Because of the limited supply of rooms with adequate capacity to accommodate social distancing, priority for in-person delivery will go to: (a) lab classes, group project classes, senior design classes, and other classes that require interaction with physical projects and equipment in most or all class sessions (b) small discussion classes.
    • Hybrid hands-on (HYBR): Courses/sections will offer lectures via remote delivery and bring students to campus for hands-on, studios and lab activities with social distancing measures in place.
    • Hybrid touch points (HYBR): Courses/sections will offer lectures in an online format and will bring students to the classroom several times during the semester for meaningful in-person experiences.
    • Hybrid split (HYBR): Courses/sections will offer lectures both in class and through broadcast recordings using classroom technology but will also bring smaller groups of students to the classroom on a predetermined basis with social distancing measures in place.
    • Remote (ASYN and SYNC): Courses/sections that are completely remote and delivered online (e.g., OMSCS courses).
  • Students can access course mode designations in OSCAR.

Academic Calendar

The fall calendar has changed, but students will have the same number of contact days with instructors. To reduce travel, we will cancel the two-day Fall Break currently scheduled for Oct. 5-6 and end fall instruction by Thanksgiving.

Reading days and final assessments will be administered in a hybrid format, and the calendar will be modified as such:

  • August 17: First day of classes
  • September 7: Labor Day holiday
  • November 23-24: Final instructional days (no new material or scheduling of any other assessments)
  • November 25-29: Thanksgiving holiday
  • November 30-December 8: Reading days and final assessments
  • December 9-10 or 11-12: Commencement  

Registration

To help students make decisions about their fall class schedule, Phase II registration will open earlier than previously announced, and will run Aug. 1 – 21 at registrar.gatech.edu/registration. Current students who wish to make changes to their schedules can do so during Phase II registration.

Any student attending FASET through July 31 will also be able to make changes once Phase II begins. New first-year or transfer students who are attending the final August 10 FASET Orientation session should plan on registering as part of that session.

Please send any registration questions to comments@registrar.gatech.edu.

Spring 2020 & Summer 2020 Commencement

Georgia Tech recognized its Spring 2020 graduates with an online celebration on Friday, May 1, and an in-person ceremony will be held on campus later this year.

A separate in-person ceremony will be held for Summer 2020 graduates later this year.

Research Operations

Before a faculty member or lab director agrees to host an undergraduate researcher, they will need to assess whether the student’s research requires resources that are only available on campus. If so, they must consider the experience level of the student researcher and develop a detailed plan for the fall semester that accounts for anticipated low researcher density in campus laboratories and guidelines for the use of PPE, social distancing, testing, and contact tracing. Undergraduate researchers must receive Covid-19-specific safety and hygiene training before beginning work.

If working directly in the labs is not possible, faculty are encouraged to offer undergraduate students remote work for research credit or pay. This could include literature reviews, data analysis, coding, writing reports, ideation sessions, or other remote work. Students should also be able to participate in lab meetings remotely.

Deferring Enrollment

Deposited first-year and transfer students may request a deferment (gap year) for up to one year after their original term of admission (e.g. Fall 2020 may request to move to Fall 2021). Students requesting a deferment for mandatory military service or required religious service may request a two year deferment. The deadline to request a deferral has been extended to August 3.

If the deferment is granted, the $250 enrollment deposit will be moved to the new entry term. The admission office will notify Financial Aid and Housing of the term change. Financial Aid is reassessed yearly, so students must reapply by the appropriate deadlines to be considered for aid in any future year. More information about deferment is available at admission.gatech.edu/first-year/defer-enrollment-gap-year.

Parking and Transportation Resources

Summer 2020 Transit Operations
  • Parking and Transportation is offering limited routes, including a circulation route of campus and a shuttle route for residential students.
  • Starting Wednesday, April 1, 2020 the following bus routes will temporarily suspend service: Red, Blue, Green, Emory, Midnight Rambler, Tech Square, NARA/TEP.
  • The following routes will continue to operate under reduced schedules: Gold/Tech Trolley route (operates Monday through Friday only), Grocery route (operates Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday)
Fall 2020 Transit Operations
  • During the fall, routes and service frequencies will be adjusted to accommodate social distancing impacts on bus capacity.
  • Primary routes, like Gold and Blue Routes, will have increased service frequencies. The Red Route, Midnight Rambler, and weekend Gold Route services will not operate during the fall semester; those resources will be refocused on increasing service on primary routes.
  • The GT/Emory shuttle will resume August 3, 2020. The Blue, Green, and Tech Square/Clough Routes will resume service by August 17, 2020. Detailed routes and schedules for fall semester will be posted on the Parking and Transportation Services website in July.
  • Fall guidelines for riding campus transit: 
    • Avoid riding the bus or Stingerette if you are sick.
    • Face masks are expected of all riders. Riders without a mask may request a disposable mask from the driver.
    • Boarding and exiting will take place through the back door whenever possible. 
    • Seating guidelines will be in place for social distancing.
    • Standing will not be allowed on the bus. If no seats are available, passengers will need to wait for the next bus. 
    • Riders are encouraged to limit conversations on board.
  • All passenger vans used for paratransit and nighttime service will be deep cleaned at the start of every shift. Disinfecting cleaning supplies will be kept in each vehicle and frequently touched areas will be cleaned throughout the day. Drivers and passengers will be expected to wear masks while in the vans.
Summer 2020 Stingerette Operations
  • Beginning Wednesday, April 1, Stingerette will operate on a modified schedule from 6:00 p.m. until midnight seven nights a week. Reserve rides at stingerette.com or via the Stingerette mobile app.
  • As a safety precaution, PTS has increased measures to disinfect all transit vehicles multiple times daily. Please continue to follow the CDC’s recommendations to protect yourself and the well-being of the community.
Fall 2020 Stingerette Operations

Stingerette service is currently limited to one rider at a time to allow for social distancing. Starting August 1, Stingerette service will be available daily from 9:30 p.m. to 4:45 a.m. Due to the change in Stingerette hours, the following fixed route changes will be in effect starting August 17, 2020:

  • Gold Route service will start at 5:07 a.m. Monday ­– Friday to accommodate early morning MARTA trips.
  • Green Route service will be extended to 9:30 p.m. Monday – Friday to help accommodate evening ridership.
  • Blue Route service will be extended to midnight Monday – Friday to help accommodate evening ridership.
Purchasing Permits
  • Parking permit registration has been rescheduled for June 2020 to allow all customers a chance to renew or purchase their permits.
    • Permit Renewals: June 1-10, 2020
    • Wait List Awards: June 12-17, 2020
    • General Permit Sales: June 19-July 10, 2020
  • For more information, click here.

PTS Contact and Hours

The PTS office will be closed until further notice. The PTS Customer Service team will be available to assist customers via email at info.parking@parking.gatech.edu during normal business hours (7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday). Parking account management is available 24/7 at driverseat.gatech.edu.

Housing Resources

Housing Office Information
  • Phone: 404-894-2470 (Mon-Fri 8AM-5PM)
  • Website: housing.gatech.edu
  • Move-out FAQs here
  • Email: information@housing.gatech.edu
  • Hours:
    • Assignments Office
      • Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
      • Saturday – Sunday: Closed
    • Area Offices
      • Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
      • Saturday – Sunday: Closed
RHA (Residence Hall Association)
Living Learning Communities

The programming available through Living Learning Communities (LLC) will be heavily dependent on social distancing guidelines. Hygiene and health guidelines for housing and common spaces will follow those for residence halls in general. Guidelines for LLC classrooms will follow those for classrooms at large.

An essential characteristic of the LLC experience is the mixture of residential student living and shared academic experiences. LLC-specific courses will be modified for either virtual or small group, in-person delivery to preserve the quality of faculty-student interactions that are essential to the LLC experience.

Emergency/Temporary Housing Arrangements

Georgia Tech offers temporary housing to students who become unexpectedly displaced or put under financial stress. If you are in need of housing assistance, complete the Crisis Housing Petition or for more information, contact Steve Fazenbaker, steve.fazenbaker@gatech.edu.

Sororities and Fraternities

At this time, the SGA does not know about independent houses’ plans. Please refer to your respective chapter’s leadership for more information. To view a directory of each chapter, click here. 

Dining Resources

Summer 2020 Operations
  • Dining Services continues to offer remote meal delivery for students who remain in on-campus housing. All eat-in dining facilities remain closed through the summer.
  • Hours of Operation (Effective June 1, 2020)
    • North Avenue Dining Hall (Pick-up and Delivery)
      • Monday – Friday: 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM
      • Saturday – Sunday: Closed
    • Wing Zone (Delivery Only)
      • Monday – Friday: 4:00 PM to 1:00 AM
      • Saturday: 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM
      • Sunday: 11:00 AM to 1:00 AM
  • Delivery Locations:
    • Woodruff Residence Hall South
    • Graduate Living Center (GLC)
    • Student Center Lobby

Fall 2020 Operations
  • Plans for fall include eliminating all salad bars, buffets, and soup stations, and providing grab-and-go options at all dining halls. Food will be prepackaged in single-serving containers, and dining hall staff will serve all food that is not prepackaged. Standalone market stands, food carts, and food trucks will be increased to encourage social distancing. All staff will wear appropriate PPE for food service and cleanliness, as outlined by CDC guidelines.
  • Contactless/tap credit card terminals will be installed at all point-of-sale locations, and card readers will be disinfected frequently. Plexiglass shields will be installed at all point-of-sale locations to ensure social distancing.
  • All dining operations will temporarily shut down after meal shifts for more thorough cleaning, and each facility will be disinfected overnight.
  • Seating capacity in the North Avenue and Brittain dining halls, West Village, and the food court in the Campus Center Exhibition Hall will be reduced.

Hours of Operation

To view hours of operation for GT Dining services, click here.

Klemis Kitchen

The Students’ Temporary Assistance and Resources (STAR) program and Klemis Kitchen are open and available to support students during this time. For Klemis Kitchen or for general questions about where to find help, please reach out to steve.fazenbaker@gatech.edu.

Fall Food Truck Operations

Food truck options will more than double for the fall semester and a finalized list and schedule will be available via dining.gatech.edu later this month. Food trucks will accept dining dollars and buzzcard funds. As an equivalent measure, instead of accepting meal swipes, additional dining dollars will be provided on plans that include meal swipes to increase food truck accessibility to students.

Student Center Resources

Summer 2020 Student Center Operations

The Student Center remains accessible to current residential students, faculty, and staff with an active BuzzCard. Only the common areas of the Student Center are available. All meeting rooms, dining areas, and offices remain closed through the summer.

Fall 2020 Student Center Operations
  • Services and operations will be modified for the next two years during the renovation of the Student Center. In the temporary spaces:
    • Every other piece of furniture will be blocked off, distributed to other appropriate facilities on campus, or moved into storage locations to create space for social distancing.
    • Increased signage and ground markers will promote social distancing and help manage lines.
    • Plexiglass will be installed at all front-facing service areas, and all points of sale will use contactless/tap technology.
    • All staff will wear appropriate PPE while in the facility and maintain social distancing.
    • Staff will be cross trained as extra attendants to monitor patrons and help with cleaning efforts. We will also implement intermittent cleaning throughout the day, between meetings, and after events. 
    • Facilities will be disinfected each night. 
    • All Student Center-planned events will have an online component. A reservation system will be deployed for event attendance to promote social distancing.
    • Touchless temperature checks will be performed at entry to Student Center-planned events. 
    • Revised capacities for the event spaces have been developed for all spaces in the Student Center portfolio.

Campus Center Updates

Full details on the project are available at studentcenter.gatech.edu/campus-center.

Campus Center Renovation Fee

The Campus Center renovation project was approved by the students and the financing plan is contingent upon this fee. The fee begins in the fall because the first buildings in the project can be used by students.

Construction remains on track, and Georgia Tech expects to open the café, the pavilion, and the exhibition hall open for Fall 2020. In the event of delays beyond the first day of classes in the fall, we will not charge the fee for Fall 2020.

Full details on the project are available at studentcenter.gatech.edu/campus-center.

Financial Resources

Financial Impacts on Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech has identified $55 million in immediate financial impacts as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. That includes lost revenue for on-campus summer programs, fees for campus services that were refunded to students who can no longer access those services, and more.

Coronavirus Relief Act

Georgia Tech received around $10.4 million in federal funds from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) which further split the funds into two funds with distinct purposes. The first $5.2 million was allocated directly to students in the Spring dependent on their eligibility for the Pell grant and other financial aid factors. The second $5.2 million was allocated to departments who directly engage students, such as Dining, Housing, CRC, as well as Transportation, and due to the refunding of fees in the Spring the CARES act went to making up for that unexpected deficit – a detailed break down of the institutional CARES act funding can be found here.

International Student Resources

General Resources

For a full list of resources for international students, please click here.

Visas

Georgia Tech is actively working with students who have concerns regarding their student visas. The Office of International Education (OIE) has been helping students get their visas extended, as these are considered extenuating circumstances.

Library Operations

Summer 2020
  • Library Buildings: Price-Gilbert Library and Crosland Tower are closed until further notice. Details on the library’s reopening plan will be released at a later date.
  • Clough Commons: Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons is closed except for essential staff with BuzzCard access. It will remain closed until further notice.
  • Course Reserves: The Library evaluated physical course reserves and purchased frequently used materials in an electronic format, as available, to facilitate access remotely. Instructors should contact their subject expert regarding the availability of course reserves materials.
  • Gadget Lending: Gadget circulation is suspended.
  • Laptop Lending: The Library has a limited quantity of laptops available for long-term loan for students in need. Students can contact customersupport@library.gatech.edu to request a laptop.
  • Archives: The Archives Reading Room is closed. In the case of an emergency, requests may be made by contacting the Archives; however, the material may not be available.  Archives staff are also available to answer questions and provide virtual research consultations.
  • Returns: No returns are being processed at this time. Contact customersupport@library.gatech.edu for a renewal. If the item is not renewable, we are not assessing penalties at this time. You will be notified when returns resume.

Fall 2020
  • Georgia Tech has several academic buildings with spaces designated for our community to gather, including Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons; Crosland Tower; Price Gilbert Memorial Library; the atriums of West Architecture, Klaus Computing, IBB, and Scheller; and others.
  • During the fall semester, these buildings will be open to the Georgia Tech community following state and USG guidelines. Public areas, study spaces, reading rooms, collaboration and rehearsal rooms, recording studios, and group study spaces will be reviewed on an individual basis to determine capacity and whether social distancing can be achieved. Some small rooms or spaces may be limited to individual study.

Campus Recreation Center Operations

Summer 2020 Operations

The Campus Recreation Center will be closed for the entirety of the Summer.

Fall 2020 Operations
  • Increased mindfulness of social distancing and the importance of PPE and sanitation are at the forefront of all planning for Fall 2020:  
    • Initially, the Fitness Floor, Racquetball and Squash Courts, Competition Pool, and 4th Floor areas will be open. 
    • The entire facility will be disinfected each night. 
    • A reservation system will be used to help control demand and minimize gathering outside the facility. CRC members and currently enrolled students can visit mycrc.gatech.edu to sign up for reservation slots as we get closer to opening in the fall. 
    • Only current CRC members and currently enrolled students may use the CRC during the initial phase. No guests will be permitted. 
    • Every other piece of fitness equipment will be closed off, distributed to other facilities on campus, or moved into storage to create space. 
    • Increased signage and ground markers will promote social distancing and help manage lines. 
    • Plexiglass will be installed at all front-facing service areas, and all points of sale will use contactless/tap technology. 
    • Temperature checks will be required to enter the facility, and anyone with a temperature over 100.4º F will not be granted access. 
    • The number of patrons will be limited in all areas of the CRC. 
    • Group workouts and team sporting activities will be restricted. 
    • Locker rooms will only be used as restroom facilities; participants should come dressed to work out or swim. No showers will be allowed.
    • All CRC staff will wear appropriate PPE and eliminate interactions that do not adhere to social distancing practices.  
    • Staff will be trained to work as extra fitness floor attendants to monitor patrons and help with cleaning efforts. 
    • Hand sanitizer will be provided throughout the facility. 
    • Masks will be strongly encouraged in all communal spaces in the CRC. 
    • All CRC events will have an online component. A reservation system will be deployed for event attendance to promote social distancing. Touchless temperature checks will be performed at entry.

Fall 2020 Hours

Hours of operation will be from 6am to  8am, 11am to  2pm, and 4:30pm to 8:30pm Monday through Friday, with cleaning closures each day. On Saturday, the CRC will be open from 9 am to 1 pm and then closed for cleaning and disinfecting until Monday morning.

Buzzcard Center Operations

Fall 2020 Changes to the Buzzcard Center

In-person appointments are available on a limited basis daily for buzzcard pickup. Students can contact the Buzzcard Center about new or replacement Buzzcards by visiting buzzcard.gatech.edu/contact.

Ability to Upload a Picture for your Buzzcard

Buzzard photo submission is now virtual! Apply for a Buzzcard by visiting buzzcard.gatech.edu.

Hours
  • Monday – Friday: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM for scheduled card pick-up by appointment only.
  • Saturday – Sunday: Closed
  • The Buzzcard Center will continue to respond to support requests at support@buzzcard.gatech.edu or call us at (404) 894-2899 (Buzz).

Georgia Tech Bookstore Operations

Fall 2020 Changes to the GT Bookstore

The GT Bookstore will remain open this fall with limited in-store capacity, rigorous cleaning practicing, among other measures to keep customers safe. For shipping and online orders, the bookstore will continue to prioritize course material for both physical and digital materials.

Hours
  • Monday – Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
  • Saturday – Sunday: Closed
Hours of Starbucks at the Georgia Tech Bookstore
  • Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 2:00 pM
  • Saturday – Sunday: Closed

Event Operations

Campus Events

Hours of operation will be from 6am to  8am, 11am to  2pm, and 4

  • Campus event spaces will operate with reduced occupancy and social distancing practices. All campus visitors and attendees at campus events will be expected to follow Georgia Tech health and safety guidelines. Event attendance will be limited to comply with social distancing guidelines, and all event sponsors will be required to produce health and safety plans as part of the event approval process.
  • To plan and conduct safe and effective on-campus events and outreach-related events, units will coordinate with:
    • Institute Communications (Special Events Team)
    • Office of Emergency Management
    • Stamps Health Services
    • Facilities Management
    • Campus Services

Student Organization Events
  • Student organizations are encouraged to preemptively move events, activities, and meetings online whenever possible. If those activities cannot readily be moved online, student leaders are encouraged to use strict social distancing guidelines to revise the event plan, postpone it, or cancel the event.
  • Center for Student Engagement staff are available for consultation as student organizations revise their plans and event strategies for the fall.

Ferst Center for the Arts
  • The Ferst Center will reopen for campus and rental events, with a reduced capacity to account for social distancing, according to current guidelines from the GDPH, CDC, and the governor’s Covid-19 Task Force. Digital ticketing will be used for all events to allow more effective communication with audiences before and (if necessary) after the event. This will also prevent any physical contact between ticketholders and ushers/box office staff.