Saint Mary's Newsroom
Campus ConnectionAn update from the president to alumni and parents
New Canvas website completed
The Learning Management Systems (LMS) Task Force is excited to announce the publishing of a public facing Canvas webpage. Completed in collaboration with the marketing and web development teams, this new page is a resource for students about accessing Canvas. The page covers what Canvas is, why Saint Mary’s adopted it, how to log in, and more.
New AXIS issue now published
The AXIS: Journal of Lasallian Higher Education has just published its latest issue at axis.smumn.edu. You are invited to view the table of contents and review articles and items of interest. Printed copies of the latest issue are also available for purchase. To purchase bound printed copies of any issue of AXIS, visit the on-demand print service lulu.com.
Spring semester safety protocols
Quarantining before arrival
We are strongly recommending that you (all students) “soft” quarantine at home for 10 days prior to arriving on campus. Please limit your contacts. Do not visit bars or restaurants and do not attend any social gatherings with more than two families or 10 people in the 10 days prior to moving back to campus.
Classes
The university will re-open with classes on-ground and in-person on Monday, Jan. 25.
Quarantining after arriving
From the time you arrive on campus through Wednesday, Feb. 3, you (our Winona Campus students) will be asked to continue “soft” quarantining. This means you may leave your residence halls to attend classes and Mass, study in the library or other designated spaces, eat in the dining hall, and work out. Otherwise, you should remain in your residence halls. Student-athletes may participate in practices and strength and conditioning activities as scheduled by their coaches. Students are not permitted to visit other residence halls, and commuter students and outside guests are not permitted in the residence halls at any time.
Clubs and organizations may meet, but virtual meetings are encouraged. Activities and events with small numbers of participants may occur, but the COVID-19 approval form must be completed and approved for any such activities.
These steps will help us keep transmissions low at the start of the semester and keep our learning in person. We appreciate your help in keeping our campus and the wider community safe during this critical period.
Open facilities
- Lounges will be open in the residence halls.
- Workout spaces in the residence halls will be open.
- The gym and the library will be open, but masks will be required in both facilities.
Curfew
The university will set a campus curfew from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Students must be in their residence halls during those hours.
COVID-19 testing
A mandatory COVID-19 testing event will be scheduled five to seven days after students arrive on campus. All students, with the exception of student-athletes who are being tested regularly as a result of practices or competitions and those who can prove they have tested positive within the last 90 days, must be tested at this event. More information will be forthcoming. Moving forward, the university will undertake a weekly surveillance testing of 10% of the student body each week through February 2021. This testing is possible as a result of the university’s new partnership with Hy-Vee, which is generously providing this testing at no cost to the university nor its students.
COVIDaware MN app
All students are strongly encouraged to download and activate COVIDaware MN. COVIDaware MN uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to notify you if you have been exposed to COVID-19, so you can reduce the risk of infection for your friends, family, and neighbors, and help Minnesota and the university slow the spread. This tool will be a significant resource for the university to quickly identify close contacts of students who test positive for COVID-19 and get those close contacts into quarantine more quickly, thereby helping to slow the spread of COVID-19 on campus.
Reminder to wash hands, wear masks, and social distance
Handwashing, mask wearing, and social distancing remain vital tools to help mitigate against the spread of COVID-19. We especially want to remind you to stay 6 feet away from one another and to keep your “pods” or “families” small.
10-day check in
We will evaluate and assess our COVID-19 status after the first 10 days of classes and communicate additional information thereafter.
We’re excited for spring semester
Students,
We hope you are enjoying Winter Break and getting some much-needed rest and relaxation. The university has been working hard to prepare for spring semester, and we are looking forward to welcoming you back to campus soon.
As with your return for fall semester, we need everyone to do their part in keeping our community safe and healthy while we work to slow the spread of COVID-19. Diligence in washing hands, wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and making smart choices will be more important than ever.
Continue to check your inbox for COVID-19 updates which will be released in Wednesday’s newsletter and as needed. We continue to update smumn.edu/covid19 with new information as it develops. If you have any questions or concerns, email covid@smumn.edu.
Thank you for your efforts in keeping one another healthy. Let’s make this a great semester.
Forward together at Saint Mary’s.
Tim Gossen, Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs
Move-in details announced
We’re excited for your return campus and for the beginning of the second semester!
Move-in day is Sunday, Jan. 24. Each student will be assigned a specific time slot to return to campus, based on residence hall and the first letter of your last name. Check your email for your specific time slot.
If you need assistance moving in, you are permitted one person, over the age of 16, to help you. They must leave campus immediately after you are done moving in. Please make sure everyone wears a mask and remains socially distanced while moving in.
In order to allow everyone to move in safely, please follow the date and time slot you have been assigned. If you need to request a special time or date accommodation, email Niki Peterson, director of Residence Life, at reslife@smumn.edu.
If you are feeling ill, do not return to campus. We can work with you to arrange other accommodations.
Meal plan changes due Feb. 5
Meal plans for returning residential students were rolled over from the fall semester. If you wish to change your meal plan for the spring semester, please complete the residential meal plan change form.
Meal plans for new students, who are entering their first semester at Saint Mary’s, were defaulted to the 19-meal plan. If you would like to upgrade your meal plan to the All Access plan, please complete the new residential meal plan change form.
Commuter students who wish to have a meal plan for spring must complete the commuter meal plan request form.
All changes to meal plans must be made by 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 5.
For more information regarding the meal plan options, visit: Residential Plans or Commuter Plans.
Contact the Office of Student Affairs with any questions at studentlife@smumn.edu or 507-457-1640.
COVID-19 updates to be shared Wednesdays
To better communicate the COVID-19 news and updates you need to know, read your Wednesday CommUNITY newsletters. Moving forward, regular news and updates will be shared on Mondays and Thursdays, and Wednesdays will be designated solely for COVID-19 topics. As news changes rapidly, we’ll keep you informed about the latest information about Saint Mary’s policies and procedures, event announcements, and safety protocols.
Virtual memorial service planned for Father Nienaber
The Saint Mary’s community is invited to a virtual memorial service honoring the memory of Father Paul Nienaber, S.J., on Saturday, Jan. 16, from 10 to 11 a.m. This will be a space to gather together, share memories, and honor a friend, colleague, and longtime professor of physics. Please join this event on Zoom.
Start-of-semester bookstore hours announced
The Rev. James P. Burns, IVD, Ph.D.
President
Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
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