Saint Mary's Newsroom

This October, we are working to become mentally healthier as mental health is the foundation to physical health. That is why we will be hosting a virtual walk in order to raise mental health awareness. The event begins Friday, Oct. 23, at 6 a.m. and ends Sunday, Oct. 25, at 8 p.m.

Grab your family, social distance with your friends, and join the fun from wherever you are. Complete this virtual “2-mile” race at your own pace, place, and time.

Upon registration you will get a OneTeam T-shirt to signify no one has to fight their battles alone. We are in this fight together and we are OneTeam. All proceeds from the event will benefit the mental health initiative, The Green Bandana Project, on Saint Mary’s Winona Campus.

You can learn more about the project here. We will be accepting donations and 100% of the proceeds will support building awareness of mental health resources on campus.

Save the date and mark your calendars now. Registration will be available soon. If you have any questions, please contact Justine Schultz at jxschu16@smumn.edu. 

Not happy with your midterm grades? Sign up for tutoring at smumn.joinknack.com. Sign in with your SMUMN student account.

If you have any questions about working with these tutors, please email Joe Dulak. If you experience any technical difficulties with Knack, please email support@joinknack.com.

Need help with writing papers? Contact the Saint Mary’s Writing Center.

Dear Cardinals,

Thank you again for all you are doing to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines. I realize this is a challenging time, but I encourage you to keep it up and try not to “catch” COVID-19 fatigue. Tomorrow, Oct. 9, from 2 to 4 p.m., in recognition of successfully completing six weeks of on-ground classes in Winona, we’re planning a congratulatory celebration. Come to the plaza for a free ice cream treat.

I have also been impressed with the more than 70 programs offered to students through Campus Ministry; Recreation, Involvement, and Student Engagement (R.I.S.E.); Residence Life; and student organizations. I appreciate the creativity it takes to organize and implement these events, and I thank you.

We’ve had a number of COVID-19 successes this year. We’ve proven that quarantining slows the spread, how mask wearing and social distancing can help reduce the number of positive cases, and how refraining from having guests in the residence halls is making a positive impact. As difficult as it is, try to reduce the number of individuals you are in contact with, encourage your peers to adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines, and continue to care for each other.

We are in this together and will celebrate again in November, once we have successfully obtained our goal. We are Cardinal strong!

Tim Gossen, Ed.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs

Reminders related to COVID-19:

• If you have questions or concerns, email covid@smumn.edu, call 507-457-1614, or complete the COVID-19 feedback form.
• Thank you for filling out the COVID-19 gathering form. The programs have been impressive. Continue to submit your requests.
• Toner Student Center 14 has been reserved for commuter students so they are able to have a space to go between classes.
• By the end of the month, we will publish more information on how to prepare for departure on Nov. 24.
• Students living in the residence halls should watch for communication from staff regarding the cleaning process for the air purifiers.
• Feel free to use credit and debit cards as well as well as flex dollars at the Market.

Be mindful when on and off campus
Last weekend, the Winona police alerted us that they were called out to at least six student house parties. They are concerned the number of parties they are seeing is on the rise. Please be aware that the city of Winona has directed the police to start handing out tickets rather than warnings, when appropriate, to individuals attending these parties. As the city of Winona has reached the 1,000 mark for positive COVID-19 cases, we need to be ever more mindful of our responsibilities both on and off campus.

Sharing news via bulletin boards on campus
Bulletin boards are a major means of communication on campus. As a reminder, before hanging up any materials, please consult the posting policy on page 44 in the Student Handbook, where you will find guidelines about where you can hang materials as well as who needs to review prior to posting. Failure to abide by these instructions will result in removal.

Wi-Fi and other IT issues
Contact the HelpDesk at helpdesk@smumn.edu or 507-457-7800.

In a continuous improvement effort and to better focus on students, a new schedule will go into effect spring semester 2021. The new schedule provides less class overlap and more flexibility and will improve registration and reduce overall scheduling conflicts.

In the new schedule , 50- and 75-minute slots run all five weekdays with aligned start times. In this new configuration, the now daily common hour is extended by a half hour — from 11:50 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. — to allow for additional mid-day meeting options. Mass will continue to be offered daily; the time has moved to 12:30 p.m.

Additionally, there will be six or seven time slots per day, compared to our current five time slots, which will provide students with more flexibility and options in choosing courses.

Because classes are now scheduled until 4:20 p.m., music and theatre rehearsals and other extracurricular events will be shifted accordingly. Athletes will be advised to avoid classes that will conflict with practices. Classes in the new 4:20 p.m. time slot must also have sections offered in the morning. A few select science labs have been identified as exceptions to the plan.

We look forward to implementing this new schedule. Advisers and Student Success Center and First Generation Initiative staff are prepared to assist with questions before spring registration next month.

Psy.D. students Quincy Guinadi, Milo Due, and Chris Staebell will be speaking to youth on aspects of mental health in a series called Youth Move MN. Sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Human Services, Youth Move National, and the Minnesota Association of Children’s Mental Health, the series will feature a guest speaker each Monday from Oct. 12 through Nov. 23 from 6 to 7 p.m. via Zoom on social justice and mental health topics.

In order to build better systems, we have to understand how they work. Through this guest speaker series, youth ages 12-22 will learn from local experts what mental health is, how social injustices impact it, and how they can take action to build a better world.

Register and learn more at youthmove-mn.org/speakers.

Monday, Oct. 12: What is Mental Health? A Roundtable Discussion
with Milo Due, doctoral student in counseling psychology

Monday, Oct. 19: Caring for Self and Others When the World is on Fire
with Milo Due, doctoral student in counseling psychology

Monday, Oct. 26: Trauma 101
with Chris Staebell, doctoral student in counseling psychology

Monday, Nov. 2: Social Justice and Historical Trauma: The Role of Youth
with Brandon Jones, psychotherapist, professor, and consultant

Monday, Nov. 9: Policing and Mental Health
with Renee Jenson, formerly of the Barbara Schneider Foundation

Monday, Nov. 16: Do They Look the Same? Global and Cultural Perspectives on Mental Health
with Quincy Guinadi, doctoral student in counseling psychology

Monday, Nov. 23: Change to Chill: Mental Health Resources
with Muna Musse, student advocate

As with our return to campus in August, all students are strongly encouraged to quarantine at home for 14 days prior to their arrival on campus in spring. We found this to be a necessary step in our return to campus to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Domestic students returning from high-risks areas are expected to quarantine for 14 days, preferably from home. International students returning from high-risk locations, both nationally and internationally, will be required to quarantine prior to the semester. If staying in the U.S., they are to follow the guidance for domestic students regarding quarantine. The Alverna Center may be an alternative place to quarantine.