Orientation & COVID-19 FAQs

⪢ Is orientation still required? (top of page)

Yes, SOAR is still required for new, first-time freshman who are admitted for the summer and/or fall 2020 semester(s). The university and our staff are monitoring the COVID-19 situation and will provide any information to those registered for orientation if plans or programming is adjusted for 2020. For questions concerning summer orientation and COVID-19 precautions, please contact us at nsfp@tntech.edu.

 

⪢ What precautions should I take before my orientation session? (top of page)

Answer these questions before arriving to campus on the day of your registered orientation session:

• Are you or your guest (if a guest is registered–check your latest reservation confirmation to ensure you registered a guest) experiencing a cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat?
• Have you or your guest had a fever in the last 48 hours?

If "Yes" to either of these questions, we ask you to help us protect the health of our campus community by... 

• Staying home and monitoring your health or your guest's if either of you are sick or have recently had close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
• Staying home if you or your guest have tested positive for or are showing symptoms of COVID-19.

Attendees should be familiar with COVID-19 symptoms as provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as provided here -https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html. Additional precautions will be communicated during check-in. 

 

⪢ Am I required to wear a face covering during SOAR? (top of page)

Yes; in accordance with Tennessee Tech's "Return to Tech" guidelines, face coverings will be required for everyone participating in the SOAR program in interior public spaces and outdoors when social distancing is difficult to maintain. You may bring your own, but we will also provide disposable face masks during check-in.

 

⪢ What should I do if I'm not feeling well the day of my SOAR session? (top of page)

Please stay home and contact the Office of New Student & Family Programs at nsfp@tntech.edu. We will follow up with you regarding any next steps or adjustments needed to reschedule your orientation session.

 

⪢ What happens if orientation is canceled due to COVID-19? (top of page)

In the event that orientation and enrollment processes are adjusted based on COVID-19, new students (including those registered for on-campus orientation) will be notified of any changes and the necessary next steps to complete their enrollment process for Summer/Fall 2020. Information on any applicable refunds related to orientation fees will be communicated at that time.

⪢ Will I receive a refund if sessions are canceled? (top of page)

In the event our on-campus orientation sessions are canceled, students who have already registered for a session will be notified of any additional information and next steps, including potential refunds (if applicable).

⪢ Why am I only able to add 1 guest to my SOAR reservation? (top of page)

In the university's response to COVID-19 and to help allow for social distancing during the SOAR program, the university has decided to only allow a maximum of 1 guest per student. If you have previously registered for a session with 2 guests, you will be issued a refund for the additional guest ($36) in addition to any overnight lodging fees ($25) associated with that guest. A member of the Office of New Student & Programs team will contact each student that this applies to in order to adjust their reservation.

 

⪢ Why is overnight lodging on campus no longer available? (top of page)

Due to changes to the SOAR program for this summer, we are no longer able to provide overnight on-campus lodging accommodations. If you were previously registered to stay overnight on campus, a member of the New Student & Family Programs team will contact you regarding a refund for on-campus lodging fees.

If you still need overnight accommodations in the area, we recommend visiting the Cookeville Visitors' Bureau "Stay Here" website for a list of local hotels. 

 

⪢ I had more than 1 guest on my reservation and/or was registered to stay overnight on campus. Will I receive a refund? (top of page)

Yes. If you were previously registered for a SOAR session and had registered more than 1 guest to attend with you, you will be contacted by the Office of New Student & Family Programs to determine which guest to remove from your reservation and to process a any applicable refund(s).

Refunds will be issued back to the credit card the original payment was made on.