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FAQs - Miscellaneous

Will the in-person Commencement ceremonies in May be live streamed?

Yes, the ceremonies will be live streamed for those who cannot or choose not to attend in person. We also post the recordings of the ceremonies to YouTube so they can be watched later as well. Watch your email for more details on the ceremony, tickets and everything else regarding commencement.

Where can I find information about current COVID-19 activity on campus?

Winthrop's COVID-19 dashboard keeps track of the number of student, faculty and staff cases and is updated every Tuesday morning. 

What if I forget my mask but need to come on campus or enter a campus building?

Members of the Winthrop community must get into the habit of always having a mask or face covering close at hand anytime they are away from their office/residence hall room or simply navigating around campus. A single disposable mask may be obtained from the following campus locations as a last resort if someone needs a mask while they are on campus or in a campus building: Dacus Library, Campus Center, West Center, Dinkins, Coliseum, Thomson (at the registers), and front desks in the residence halls.

Why is tuition not discounted if we have to go online for part or all of the semester?

Regarding tuition, students in online courses pay the same as students in face-to-face or hybrid courses because the costs for delivering those courses, while different, are comparable (some online courses are even more expensive actually). First, please remember tuition covers so much more than the actual classroom work. Student services, counseling services, tutoring and more--all those services in place to help students succeed--are equally available to all students. Second, there are a number of additional costs the university accrues when offering an online course, costs that are not part of a normal, face-to-face classroom experience. Here are just a few of those examples: faculty training and instructional design support for online content development and online course delivery; online tools, software, programs necessary to deliver an online course; and technical support for students and faculty alike provided by Computing & Information Technology as well as Winthrop's Office of Online Learning.

Why are students losing out on funding that they received in previous years, such as the S.C. Need Based Grant and the FSEOG?

State and Federal need-based grant funding cannot be guaranteed year-to-year as there is limited funding provided to us by the state and federal governments to award everyone who is potentially eligible. Both need-based grants are based on information submitted through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process. We have a November 1st priority deadline for filing the FAFSA to be considered as these particular funds are awarded on a “first-come, first-serve” basis, but the reality is students need to apply as close as possible to October 1, which is the first date the FAFSA can be submitted annually. Per federal regulations, students with the highest need as determined by FAFSA, receive priority consideration for FSEOG. S.C. Grant has several state regulations, including completing at least 24 credit hours in the prior academic year. Priority is given to Pell-eligible students who have attempted less than four years of college and/or 120 credit hours.

How will events be held on campus?

Campus event guidelines have been modified to assist with planning and executing in-person events and meetings as safely as possible.  Please follow the restrictions within these guidelines while planning events and meetings on campus.  For more information pertaining to virtual and in-person events, please visit the University Events resources webpage