LEBANON, Tenn. (WTVF) — Cumberland University administrators have always planned on students returning to campus for classes in some capacity this Fall, but now they have an extra incentive.
The U.S. State Department announced this week, any international student that doesn't have on-campus classes this fall, will be forced to return to their home country. Under the advisory, students with classes on campus are allowed to stay.
Cumberland's President, Dr. Paul Stumb can't bear the thought of their international students being forced to leave.
"The diversity and the different perspectives they bring to our campus is so valuable for the rest of us," said Stumb.
Fifteen percent of the entire student body at Cumberland is made up of international students, including their Student Body President. "She’s a lovely, very talented, bright young lady. And she, obviously, like a lot of others, is concerned about the implications of this recent decision," said Stumb.
Under Cumberland's reopening plan, every student will spend half of their classes in person and half online. That will allow in-person attendance to be staggered. All faculty, staff and students will also have to check-in before they go into a building, and report their body temperature daily on a school smartphone app.
But even Dr. Stumb admits, his regulations end the second students are off-campus.
"They’re going to do what college kids do," Stumb joked.
That's why, Cumberland community members will also have to sign what the university is calling a social contract, promising to abide by social distancing and hygiene measures.
The hope is that if students can remain on campus, international students can legally stay too. "They have hurdles they have to clear that the rest of us don’t," said Stumb.
At least, that's the plan for now.
Stumb says, if international students are forced to return to their home countries, he will allow them to finish up their coursework online.
