Frequently Asked Questions 

As long as your site is still operating, you should report as previously assigned. If you have further questions, contact your academic advisor.  

Your instructor is reaching out to you to provide specifics regarding your course requirements and learning format.

Members of the campus community are strongly encouraged to read the guidance provided by the CDC regarding preventive steps you can take to avoid the Coronavirus and the spread of respiratory diseases. 

The CDC guidance recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission. This recommendation is an effort to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others. Cloth face coverings fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.

The cloth face coverings recommended are not surgical masks or N-95 respirators. Those are critical supplies that must continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, as recommended by current CDC guidance.

You should call ahead to your healthcare professional and follow the CDC guidance.

If you are an employee of the University, you should also reference the Human Resources FAQs for proper guidance regarding call-procedures and protocols for your department and reporting time away from work in accordance with university policy. 

All University-related, non-essential domestic travel and all international travel is suspended through July 31, 2020. Essential university-related travel requires written pre-approval of the president or appropriate vice president.

While no decision has been made regarding faculty/staff travel in the fall, you should be aware that public health concerns driven by COVID-19 could continue to affect air travel and activities deemed non-essential.

In accordance with guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health, all persons returning from a  CDC Travel Notice 3  nation should remain at home and self-quarantine for 14 days from the date of departure, avoid congregate settings, limit public activities and practice social distancing.

If you are returning to the United States in this circumstance, the University asks that you not return to campus during the self-quarantine period.  It is imperative that when you reach your final destination, that you contact your local health department. Your health department will advise you on steps you can to take to protect your health and the health of your community.  

If you are an employee, you should contact Human Resources at 309-438-8311 immediately to provide documentation of the self-quarantine/isolation and to discuss potential options for work from home and/or benefit usage. More information can be found by reading the Human Resources FAQs.

Please visit the Research website and the FAQs regarding Impacts to Research Activities.

The University is abiding by the Governor's Stay at Home Order. Only essential personnel should be on campus for work purposes. All camps, conferences, events, and activities held on the Illinois State University campus or sponsored by Illinois State scheduled through July 31, 2020 have been postponed or cancelled.

For any questions or concerns with anything related to technology, contact the Technology Support Center at ITHelp.IllinoisState.edu or by calling (309) 438-4357.

For more information on dining, please visit Dining.IllinoisState.edu/coronavirus-faqs/.

Due to COVID-19, Illinois State University has adjusted the policy for adding the Pass/No Pass option for the Spring 2020 semester. After the Spring 2020 semester, the Pass/No Pass policy will revert back to the catalog policy. View the Spring 2020 Pass/No Pass Grade FAQs.

The University understands that during a National or State emergency members of the National Guard and/or Reserves may be called to active duty. The Veterans and Military Services office is the main point of contact to help students and faculty understand the options available to address activation. You can contact the office by emailing Veterans@IllinoisState.edu.

If you are a staff or faculty member and you are activated please contact Human Resources at 309-438-8311 and ask to speak to your Benefit Counselor.

Most Illinois State University buildings have stations at the main entrances for use. The sanitizer is 70% alcohol-based, which is the recommendation by the CDC.

The safety and well-being of our campus community and guests is of top priority. The cleaning enhancements at this time include:

• Sanitizing and disinfecting high touch surface areas, such as wiping off desk tops and work stations, cleaning flat surfaces in offices, including key boards, door knobs, elevators buttons, hand rails, counter tops at all front desks, light switches, entry glass, and door push plates. Restrooms and public spaces are still being cleaned and disinfected at least daily, often more.
• The frequency of cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting these surfaces was increased to at least daily
• Disinfectants that we are utilizing on campus are on the EPA-approved list of cleaners
• Social distancing is being explained and encouraged for our teams working on campus

Yes. Visit the Barnes and Noble book return webpage to begin the book return process. Enter your order number, found on your receipt and email. This will generate a pre-paid UPS label that will allow you to ship the book to the Barnes & Noble Illinois State Bookstore at no cost. The label needs to be printed before the May 9 rental return deadline and can only be printed once. Once the book is received, the return will be completed in the bookstore rental system.

If you have any questions or are unable to locate your order number, please email sm246@bncollege.com and the bookstore will get that information for you.

All advisors have moved to virtual advising. Your advisor should be able to meet with you during this time. At this time, registration dates and times have not changed.

As with any illness, employees who are ill should follow normal call-in procedures and protocols for their department and report time away from work in accordance with University policy. If you believe you have been exposed to coronavirus, you should follow this additional guidance from the CDC.

Accommodations for students who cannot return home will be addressed on a case-by-case basis by University Housing Services.

Individuals will be allowed in the building from May 6-8, May 12, and May 15. For those wishing to clean out your locker, please sign-up for a specific 10-minute time slot.

Once your locker is cleaned out, you will have the option to return your lock to the Welcome Desk or if you choose to keep/renew your locker at a later date you may leave it on your current locker.

If you don’t feel like you need your belongings at this time and choose to not clean out your locker, that is not a problem. Campus Recreation will not be cleaning out any lockers for the foreseeable future, and you will receive multiple emails from our team if we get to that point.

In order to ensure the safety of all people coming into the building, we ask that you wear a mask when you are inside the facility.

As with any illness, employees who are ill should stay home and, if warranted, seek medical attention. Employees should follow normal call-in procedures and protocols for their department and report time away from work in accordance with University policy. If you believe you have been exposed to coronavirus, you should follow this additional guidance from the CDC.

Individuals who become ill, regardless of whether the individual is assigned to work onsite or to work remotely, may be eligible for FMLA in accordance with Policy 3.1.12. Individuals with questions or who need assistance should contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 and request to speak with their Benefits Counselor.

If you test positive or presumptive positive for Covid-19, Illinois State University is requesting/requiring that you follow CDC guidelines and self-quarantine for the recommended period of time. You should contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 and request to speak to your Benefits Counselor for an approved leave of absence. Employees who are working remotely should evaluate whether they can continue those duties. Effective April 1st, a leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) may also be available. Employees requesting a leave should follow normal call-in procedures and protocols for their department until such time as they receive notice that they have been approved for a leave.

If you have symptoms similar to those experienced under Covid-19, you should contact your treating physician for direction. Once you have spoken to your physician, please contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 and request to speak to your Benefits Counselor to discuss your options for an approved leave of absence. Employees who are working remotely should evaluate whether they can continue those duties. Effective April 1st, a leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) may also be available. Employees requesting a leave should follow normal call-in procedures and protocols for their department until such time as they receive notice that they have been approved for a leave.

If someone in your household tests positive or presumptive positive for Covid-19, you should contact your treating physician for direction. Once you have spoken to your physician, please contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 and request to speak to your Benefits Counselor to discuss your options for an approved leave of absence, either for your own care or for the care of your family member. Employees who are working remotely should evaluate whether they can continue those duties. Effective April 1st, a leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) may also be available. Employees requesting a leave should follow normal call-in procedures and protocols for their department until such time as they receive notice that they have been approved for a leave.

If you have been contacted and advised that you are a non-household close contact, you should follow the direction of the contacting entity (generally a physician or the McLean County Health Department) regarding your next steps. Once you have that information, please contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 and request to speak to your Benefits Counselor to discuss your options for an approved leave of absence, if necessary. Employees who are working remotely should evaluate whether they can continue those duties. Effective April 1st, a leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) may also be available. Employees requesting a leave should follow normal call-in procedures and protocols for their department until such time as they receive notice that they have been approved for a leave.

To protect the health and safety of our employees and students, employees who have been directed to self-quarantine will not be permitted to return to campus until the directed period of self-quarantine has passed. Employees who have been directed to self-quarantine should contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 and request to speak with their Benefits Counselor.

Illinois State University has taken extraordinary steps to limit the number of individuals on campus. Individuals should only be on campus if their position has been deemed onsite essential. The cleaning enhancements currently include:

• Sanitizing and disinfecting high touch surface areas, such as wiping off desktops and workstations, cleaning flat surfaces in offices, including keyboards, doorknobs, elevators buttons, handrails, counter tops at all front desks, light switches, entry glass, and door push plates. The frequency of cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting these surfaces was increased to at least daily. Restrooms and public spaces are still being cleaned and disinfected at least daily, often more.
• Disinfectants that we are utilizing on campus are on the EPA-approved list of cleaners
• Social distancing is being explained and encouraged for our teams working on campus

If the University learns of a presumptive positive or positive case and determines that the individual was within the workspace during the period of time in which they were contagious, the University will follow all CDC guidelines on cleaning, sanitizing and, if appropriate, limiting access to the area. Any communications with staff will be handled in accordance with directions from the Illinois Department of Public Health or the McLean County Health Department.

The University follows CDC and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) guidance at all times and particularly during the current pandemic for all U.S. workers and employers as it pertains to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). The University provides PPE to all employees as required based upon the work that they are performing in the position to which they are assigned.

Given this new language, beginning Friday, May 1st, all onsite essential faculty, staff and student employees should be wearing face coverings at all times while on university property when maintaining a six-foot social distance is not possible. Face coverings will be required at all times in university dining facilities and retail establishments. Individually owned face coverings may be worn. For employees with uniforms, dress codes or other employment-specific requirements, face coverings should be plain, without text or pictures, except for ISU branded materials, or patterned (e.g. chevron, paisley, checkered, etc.), provided the pattern itself is not comprised of images or pictures other than those specifically permitted. The coverings must be kept in a clean condition, may not be contrary to other requirements of the work assignment and cannot pose a safety hazard.

Currently, the University has a limited supply of face coverings but is working to obtain a number sufficient to provide all faculty, staff and students one reusable cloth face covering. If an onsite essential faculty member, staff member or student employee does not possess a personal face covering that they wish to wear and that is consistent, as applicable, with the University standard outlined above, they should work with their supervisor to obtain a University-provided face covering.

All employees should remember that, regardless of the work performed or the area of work, it is always a good practice to:

• Frequently wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. When soap and running water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand rub with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands that are visibly soiled.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Practice social distancing of 6 feet per person to the greatest extent possible.

Employees who believe they have a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (OEOA) at (309) 438-3383 or by email at EqualOpportunity@IllinoisState.edu to discuss your eligibility for an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The University has taken several steps to limit the risk of exposure to our faculty, staff and students. Onsite essential employees are generally needed to work onsite when assigned to do so. Onsite essential employees who are not sick but who wish to take time off to stay at home are expected to follow existing departmental policy by requesting time off from their supervisor. Approval will be at the supervisor's discretion in order to meet operational needs.

Employees who feel they qualify for an applicable leave during this time, should contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 and request to speak to their Benefits Counselor.

The University has taken several steps to limit the risk of exposure to our faculty, staff and students. Employees who are not sick are expected to follow existing departmental policy by requesting time off from their supervisor. Approval will be at the supervisor's discretion in order to meet operational needs.

Employees who feel they qualify for an applicable leave during this time, should contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 and request to speak to their Benefits Counselor.

Employees who believe they have a disability which prevents them from reporting to work as directed and would like to request a reasonable accommodation should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (OEOA) at (309) 438-3383 or by email at EqualOpportunity@IllinoisState.edu to discuss your eligibility for an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

If you are unable to report to work because of the lack of childcare, you should notify your supervisor of the need for absence following your department's normal call-in procedures and report time away for work in accordance with University policy. Employees will need to use available vacation, comp time, or personal days (faculty associates only) for these absences through March 31st. Beginning April 1st, you may be eligible for additional leave options under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Employees should visit the FMLA/Medical leave page of the Human Resources website or contact us at (309) 438-8311 and ask to speak with their Benefits Counselor for additional information regarding this leave.

No, your status remains the same unless your leave expires or ends during the Stay at Home directive. Employees who are currently on an approved leave of absence should continue to use benefit time during this period. Employees on an unpaid leave of absence will remain in that status during this period. Employees on an approved medical leave or FMLA leave will be required to follow all ordinary procedures prior to resuming work.

Employees who are off work due to required self-quarantine guidance will not be required to provide a release to return to work. Employees who are off work on approved leave for reasons other than self-quarantine will need to provide a release to work in accordance with the University's Return to Work procedures.

In accordance with the Governor's Stay at Home directive, only onsite essential personnel are permitted to work from campus. All other employees are required to work remotely under the direction of their department.

All graduate assistants should be working remotely, unless their position has been designated as onsite essential personnel.

There may be limited opportunities for both onsite essential work and remote work for student employees. Students should contact their supervisors to determine the need and availability for them to continue working. Separately, students who reside in the residence halls must follow University Housing protocols for requesting to stay on campus. No employees should be working on campus unless they have been designated by the University as on-campus essential.

Note that this response does not apply to Graduate Assistants. Graduate Assistants were expected to return to work the week of March 15 and may be assigned to perform work onsite or remotely, as determined necessary by the department.

Generally speaking, extra help employees are not permitted to perform their job duties from a remote location. Your supervisor will advise if you are to continue working during this time in either an onsite essential role or from an off-campus location.

If you are a full or part-time faculty, staff member or graduate assistant (hourly or stipend), you will continue to be paid during the Governor's Stay at Home directive, regardless of whether you are working onsite or working remotely. You should complete your timesheet based upon your regular schedule; your department will let you know of any exceptions to this requirement. If you are unable to record your time, your supervisor will report the time on your behalf. As a reminder, VPN access is not necessary to complete time reporting.

If you are a Civil Service Extra Help, substitute teacher, or any other temporary employee, you will continue to receive pay during the Governor's Stay at Home Directive only if you are assigned and performing work duties during the stay at home period. You should complete your timesheet as you normally would to reflect these work hours.

If you are a student worker, your pay will continue during the Governor's Stay at Home directive. Time reporting should be completed as follows:

• If you are working your current student appointment, either remotely or onsite, you should complete your timesheet as you normally would to reflect these work hours.
• If you are not working your current student appointment, but your appointment is still active and you were scheduled for spring semester work, your supervisor will load time based upon your anticipated schedule for the rest of the Spring semester (for these purposes, defined as May 15, 2020) or through the end of your student appointment, whichever is sooner.
• Questions regarding reported hours should be addressed with your direct supervisor.

In-person pick-up of paychecks is suspended until the stay at home directive is lifted. Paychecks will be mailed on payment date via the United States Postal Service (USPS) to the employee's mailing address on file. Illinois State University encourages and recommends employees enroll in direct deposit. View instructions for enrolling in direct deposit.

The fact that you have traveled, in and of itself, is not cause for concern. The University will follow all travel guidelines issued by the CDC and you, as an employee, should do the same. Employees who have recently travelled should contact Human Resources at (309) 438-8311 and request to speak to their Benefits Counselor.

The University has restricted all international travel and all non-essential domestic travel. Although the University cannot restrict your personal travel, you are encouraged to review all CDC travel recommendations before making any final decisions regarding your personal travel as international and, in some cases, domestic restrictions have been implemented.

No, you are not required to still take this time but, if you cancel your scheduled vacation or sick time, you will be expected to either work onsite or work remotely, as assigned by your department, during the scheduled time that would have otherwise been vacation/sick time. Although we understand that individuals may not want to take time away from work during this period, the maximum amount of vacation that can be accrued will not be adjusted.

You can suggest that the employee go home (in the case of onsite essential employees) or seek medical treatment, but you should not mandate that the employee discontinue working. If the employee chooses to either go home (in the case of onsite essential employees) or discontinue working (in the case of remote work), they should report time away from work in accordance with University policy.

The absence of an employee from work should be handled the same as any other absence, following your normal procedures when an employee fails to appear for work.

Employees assigned to work remotely are expected to be available during their normal working hours and complete work as assigned. If you have an employee who is not available or is not completing assignments, you should contact the appropriate Employment Consultant for assistance.

Absolutely. The University has a Germs are Everywhere campaign that can be used for this purpose.

Supervisors should not compel a student to return to work. However, as the University is open for business, some exceptions might exist for students to work remotely.

Note that this response does not apply to Graduate Assistants. Graduate Assistants were expected to return to work the week of March 15 and may be assigned to perform work onsite or to work remotely, as determined necessary by the department.

The residence halls and university-owned apartments closed for the summer on May 9. If you have an extreme need to remain on campus during the summer, please contact us at housing@IllinoisState.edu.

We will attempt to forward any mail that we receive over the summer, but operations will be limited due to reduced staffing. If we are unable to forward, we will return to the sender. We recommend that you update your permanent address on My.IllinoisState.edu to ensure your mail and packages are sent to your preferred location.

The University will apply adjustments to your student account by April 15 for the period of March 15 – May 9. We realize final payments are due on April 10 and will make every effort to apply adjustments prior to that date, if possible. Please check your student account closer to that date and prior to making a payment. You will see a reduction on your student account via My.IllinoisState.edu regardless of when you collected your belongings for move out. If you were approved to stay on campus during the closure, you will not receive a reduction to your account.

For further questions, please contact Student Accounts at stuaccts@Illinoisstate.edu

No. Current guidance from SEVP and DOS allows for temporarily engaging in online instruction. For this reason, your visa status will not be impacted.

No. Current guidance from SEVP allows for temporarily engaging in online instruction from within the United States and abroad. For this reason, your visa status will not be impacted.

You should make ISSS aware of your travel plans by submitting a Travel Notification Form.

If you choose to leave, you should refer to the COVID-19 Country Specific Information through the U.S. Department of State and the CDC COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Country for updates specific to your home country prior to traveling. You should also contact the airline or travel company to confirm you can still travel.

You should notify ISSS of your travel by submitting a Travel Notification Form. As the situation evolves, ISSS continues to receive new guidance from SEVP and DOS. Any student who submits a Travel Notification Form will be contacted by ISSS with further details regarding how their SEVIS record will be updated and what steps to take when returning to the U.S. in order to avoid possible issues at the border.

Travel Signatures: If you will require a travel signature in order to return, you can submit a Travel Signature Form. Please note that all ISSS staff are working remotely due to the COVID 19 pandemic and this may delay the travel signature process by several days.

Visa Renewals: All U.S. Embassies and Consulates have temporarily suspended routine non-immigrant visa services as of March 20, 2020. If you need to renew your visa in order to return to the U.S., you should continue to monitor the Department of State’s travel.state.gov website for updates and visit the website of your nearest U.S. embassy for the most up-to-date information.

Prior to Returning: It is crucial that you continue to review the information found at the websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of State, and the World Health Organization (WHO) for the most up-to-date information regarding travel bans/restrictions or mandatory quarantine procedures.

You should also review the Travel Section of the ISSS website to make sure you have all the necessary documentation for re-entry and continue to read any emails sent from your ISSS Advisor or InternationalStudents@IllinoisState.edu.

All ISSS staff are currently working remotely. You can reach your ISSS Advisor by sending an email to internationalstudents@illinoisstate.edu or calling (309) 438-1931. We also encourage you to visit the International Student and Scholar Services website for more information regarding immigration, employment, travel, and more.

Until further notice, all ISSS walk-ins will be by appointment only. These appointments will be conducted via Zoom Meeting or telephone. If you would like to speak with your ISSS advisor, please submit an Appointment Request. Your ISSS advisor will send you an appointment confirmation via email within 1-2 business days.

More information about Zoom Meeting is listed below:

• How to Join a Zoom Meeting
• Overview of Zoom

All ISSS staff are currently working remotely. As a result, documents cannot be picked up in Fell Hall and must be mailed. If you submit an ISSS request, document shipping instructions will be provided via email once the request has been processed.

Students who work on campus should contact their supervisors to determine the need for their return to their position. 

During the weeks following the extended spring break, you will be limited to 20 hours per week of on-campus employment.

Yes. It is expected that all students are present in the U.S. in order to apply for OPT.

If you have already indicated to University Housing Services that you need to remain on-campus, you may continue to remain in your residence until the end of the spring semester. You will receive communication from University Housing Services with additional instructions and necessary information.

The deadline to submit an enrollment deposit has been moved to June 1. All admitted students must submit an enrollment deposit to secure their spot in the freshman class.

The Office of Admissions has cancelled all visits through July 31. You can sign up for a future visit at IllinoisState.edu/Visit/Virtual.

The Office of Admissions will work with applicants to ensure a decision in a timely manner. While official transcripts are required, we will temporarily allow students to submit unofficial transcripts for their admission decision.

You may email your unofficial transcript to Admissions@IllinoisState.edu. Once admitted, an official final transcript will still be needed in order to finalize you admission.

Transfer Registration and Orientation Days for students beginning in the summer or fall 2020 terms will be moved online. Students registered for these dates will be contacted by their academic advisor regarding the format of the advising appointment—these students will still be able to register for classes. Admitted transfer students can register for this event at My.IllinoisState.edu.

You may schedule a Virtual Admissions Counselor Appointment online.

The Illinois State University campus remains open to the public. However, the University is following the Governor’s stay-at-home order as well as guidance from the CDC and state and local health officials. At this time, buildings are closed on campus, but visitors are welcome to visit outdoor areas such as the University Quad while following state guidelines.

Please contact the Office of Admissions at Admissions@IllinoisState.edu or (309) 438-8488, and we can discuss the options that are best for your situation.

Your application for admission is valid for three consecutive terms, but your admission status does not carry over. For example, if you applied for the Fall 2020 term, you can update your application to Spring 2021 or Summer 2021, and you would not need to reapply. However, you would still need to submit any new documentation for review and evaluation. Contact the Office of Admissions to start this process.

If you wanted to delay entry for anything more than two consecutive semesters, you would need to submit a new application for admission along with any new documentation. A student originally admitted for Fall 2020, if hoping to delay to Fall 2021, would need to submit a new application for admission and be reevaluated for admission for Fall 2021.

Be sure to discuss deferring your application with an admissions counselor as doing so may affect admission to your academic program and scholarship opportunities.

During June and July 2020, Preview will take place virtually. Students will learn more about campus, get their questions answered, and register for fall classes. Admitted freshmen should still sign up for Preview at My.IllinoisState.edu.

Yes, Illinois State University will continue to award academic credit for Advanced Placement Programs as determined in the University Catalog.

For pass/no pass grades, Illinois State University will accept "pass" for credit. If a transcript shows P/S/CR (depending on the transcript key), Illinois State will award transfer credit as being a course that has a C or better. A course that has been passed is eligible for meeting general education, major, and prerequisite requirements.

Contact the Office of the Registrar at Registrar@IllinoisState.edu for additioanl questions.

SHS will remain open for the normal hours Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Please call SHS at (309) 438-2778 for all needs as we are screening everyone who needs an appointment before they come to the office.

Web booking is not currently available so that all appointments can be screened by a nurse for symptoms before coming in for an office visit.

Students are being offered the option of having their visit a televisit, if no physical exam is required in an attempt to decrease exposure. Televisit appointments at this time may be via a telephone call or video conferencing.

Nurses are still available by phone for questions and concerns and making arrangements to get refills of prescriptions.

Please call SHS at (309) 438-2778 for any appointment.

Pharmacy will remain open (Monday-Friday 8 a.m.–Noon and 1–4:30 p.m., Closed Noon–1 p.m.) with limited staff to facilitate picking up prescriptions or transferring prescriptions to home pharmacy if student is no longer in the area.

Medical Records is available to transfer records if needed.

Initial Consultation appointments: SCS is now offering telementalhealth Initial Consultation appointments to all currently enrolled Illinois State students. Students will need to have access to the internet with sufficient bandwidth to run Zoom videoconferencing. Contact us at (309) 438-3655 to schedule an appointment.

SCS is now offering telementalhealth Initial Consultation appointments to all currently enrolled Illinois students. Students will need to have access to the internet with sufficient bandwidth to run Zoom videoconferencing. Contact us at (309) 438-3655 to schedule an appointment.

SCS will continue to offer telemental health services through the summer to eligible students (Students are eligible for counseling services if they were enrolled in Spring semester and are enrolled for fall classes).

We will not be able to provide group therapy services this summer but hope to offer group in the fall.

You can call us at (309) 438-3655.

In lieu of the commencement ceremonies originally scheduled for May 8 and 9, Illinois State produced pre-recorded, online ceremonies. These include remarks by President Dietz and other Illinois State officials, as well as the conferral of degrees and symbolic tassel move.

The online ceremonies are now available so that they may be viewed when convenient for you and your families and shared with those who are unable to celebrate with you in person.

Many of you have already received a commencement package, including a diploma cover, commencement program books, a commemorative tassel, and an alumni keychain. These packages were sent via UPS to the address you provided for the mailing of your diploma post-graduation. If you did not receive your package, please contact GraduationServices@IllinoisState.edu.

We also invite our spring and summer 2020 graduates back to campus to participate in person in the winter commencement ceremonies scheduled for December 11 and 12, 2020. If you are able to participate, please complete a Winter 2020 Commencement Registration Form and view ceremony dates and times.

The winter 2020 commencement ceremony schedule is now available at GraduationServices.IllinoisState.edu.

The Winter 2020 Commencement Registration Form is currently available at GraduationServices.IllinoisState.edu, and will be available through early October 2020.

You may elect to wear your regalia (cap and gown) for photo opportunities, or for winter commencement ceremonies to which you are also invited to take part in. However, if you have unopened commencement regalia that you do not intend to use, you may return it for reimbursement.

To initiate the process of returning unopened commencement regalia for reimbursement, please complete the Regalia Return Form. Upon receipt of your completed form, instructions for return will be provided by email.

Yes, online ordering of the Illinois State University cap and gown through Jostens, Inc. will be available at Commencement.IllinoisState.edu in July and remain open through mid-fall 2020.

If you have earned a Latin honors designation (Summa Cum Laude, Magna Cum Laude, or Cum Laude), the Office of the University Registrar will mail your honor cord to you.

Cords and stoles provided by Registered Student Organizations, Athletics, and campus departments are managed individually by those organizations. Please reach out to your contact within that specific organization.

In the face of unprecedented events, all of the recognition ceremonies are finding new ways to celebrate.

Students can still register for their respective “ceremony” and receive a combination of the following: a commemorative video with encouragement from students and elders in their communities, a photo/video collage of 2020 graduates, public recognition on the Diversity Advocacy website, social media acknowledgement, and a future mailing of their stole and commemorative gift. View additional registration information.

If you complete the requirements for a degree at the end of the spring or summer semester, you will be considered a graduate at that time. Diplomas will be mailed to graduates when all degree requirements are met, usually 8–12 weeks following the completion of requirements.

For the spring housing and dining credits, you will see a credit for the amount that you were originally charged for and then new charges for the prorated amount that you are now being charged for the semester. Excess Flex dollars for the spring semester will be included in the calculation of the prorated amount of your meal contract. Any excess flex dollars from the fall meal contract will be credited to the student account as a credit called ‘Flex Dollar Credit’ by the end of the spring term.

While it is advised you make a payment toward your account, we understand your concern. If a credit is not applied to your account prior to the April 10 due date and you choose not to make a payment, the University will not charge a late fee or place a registration block due to late payments during this period of time.

For students living in the residence halls or on-campus apartments (including Cardinal Court and Fell/School Street Apartments):

• We anticipate that credits will be posted prior to the April 10 payment due date.
• When the spring credits are applied, your payment plan will recalculate with a new amount due for April 10 and May 8. The flex dollar credit amount for your fall rollover flex dollars will be credited toward your May 8 payment amount.

For students living off-campus with off-campus meal plans:

• If you are a student who no longer wishes to keep your off-campus meal plan, go to the Housing & Dining portal to cancel your Spring 2020 meal plan between April 1 – April 7.
• If you cancel by April 7, the University will credit your student account prior to April 24, 2020 for the period of March 15 – May 9. Fall 2019 rollover flex dollars will be credited by the end of the spring term. The credit will be applied directly to your student account. If you have a remaining balance on your student account at the time of the credit, the prorated amount will automatically be applied to that balance. If your credit exceeds your remaining balance, the difference will be refunded to you.
• If you cancel after April 7, the credit will be applied to your student account at the end of the spring term.

The credit was applied to your student account, which reduced your balance with the University. Refunds are based on what your account balance was when the charges were adjusted.

If you have a credit balance after the adjustments are made to your account, it will be automatically refunded to you.

If you have a valid eRefund account (direct deposit) setup at the time your refund is processed, you will receive an automated email informing you of your direct deposit.

If you do not have a valid eRefund account, you will receive an email from Student Accounts with instructions on how to have your refund check mailed to you.

You will be refunded $12 per credit hour, which will be applied to your student account. As an example, a student billed for 15 credit hours in the spring will receive $180.

Yes. The University will credit your student account by mid-May. The credit will be applied directly to your student account. If you have a remaining balance on your student account at the time of the credit, the credited amount will automatically be applied to that balance. If your credit exceeds your remaining balance, the difference will be refunded to you.

Please note: If your mandatory student fee charges were paid by a third party or by certain financial aid items, you will receive a credit to your fees and corresponding reduction to your waiver, third party credit, or financial aid.

For students who have a parking permit, a parking refund for the period of March 16 through May 15 will be applied to your student account. The amount of the refund will depend upon the type of permit purchased.

Yes. The University will credit your student account by mid-May. The credit will be applied directly to your student account. If you have a remaining balance on your student account at the time of the credit, the prorated amount will automatically be applied to that balance. If your credit exceeds your remaining balance, the difference will be refunded to you.