Saint Mary's Newsroom

Cardinals,

Our lens for preparing for your return continues to be in our Lasallian Catholic tradition, which is a compassionate and realistic approach that supports students staying socially connected and mentally healthy — not just free of coronavirus infection. Below are this week’s updates regarding fall return preparations.

Department of Fine and Performing Arts
Per an update from the department chair, the Department of Fine and Performing Arts (art and design, dance, theatre, and music) is moving forward with offerings as planned. However, productions and performances will be held without an audience. Everything will be done for an empty house and recorded for broadcast at a later time.

IHM Seminary
For the 2020-21 academic year, 60 men will be studying at the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Seminary. The university is working with the rector of the seminary to ensure space is available for social distancing. As a result, Saint Thomas More Chapel and the faculty dining room in the Toner Student Center will be reserved from time to time for the seminary.

Residence halls
The university is currently working on social distancing measures in the residence halls. Furniture in some common room spaces has been removed and replaced with study tables and other furniture that maintenance can more easily disinfect. Lockable common spaces (i.e., kitchens, study lounges, chapels, and cardio spaces) will be available to students by reservation only through residence hall staff.

Before heading to the laundry room, visit laundryview.com and search “SAINT MARYS UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA” (no apostrophe) to see if the laundry equipment is in use to ensure social distancing.

Unlike previous years, classes will not be held in Hillside Hall. In buildings which consist of residential and academic spaces, such as Saint Joseph’s and La Salle halls, specific entrances will be allocated for residential students only.

Dining
The Toner Student Center dining room has the capacity to seat a little more than 200 students. We hope to have a capacity number of the newly renovated Cardinal Club within the coming weeks. Within the Toner Student Center, multiple areas are being identified and set aside for eating areas to accommodate additional seating needs. These areas include, but are not limited to, the game room and the gym lobby. Outdoor seating, when weather permits, is also an option.

Job fairs
The on-campus student worker job fair has been canceled. All on-campus job opportunities will be listed in Handshake, our online job posting board. To access, first create an account, click on “jobs,” and begin your search. All available on-campus positions will be updated the first week of August. The Saint Mary’s Career Fair will be held virtually on Wednesday, Oct. 21. The director of Career Services is available via phone and Zoom appointments to assist with any questions you may have.

Public access to campus
Earlier this week, Saint Mary’s notified the Winona community that the walking trails and the Frisbee golf course will be open to the public starting Saturday, Aug. 1. Unfortunately, we will not be offering rental space or community programming on campus for the fall 2020 semester. Please see the press release for more information.

Saint Mary’s has required masks or face coverings in common areas, classrooms, and in-person meetings since early July. As of July 25, per an executive order from Minnesota’s governor, all people in Minnesota are required to wear a face covering in all public indoor spaces and businesses, unless alone. Additionally, workers are required to wear a face covering when working outdoors in situations where social distancing cannot be maintained.

For more information about face coverings and the executive order, please see the Frequently Asked Questions About the Requirement to Wear Face Coverings created by the Minnesota Department of Health.

Washing cloth face coverings

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports cloth face coverings should be washed after each use. It is important to always remove face coverings correctly and wash your hands after handling or touching a used face covering. Face coverings can be washed with your regular laundry using laundry detergent and the warmest appropriate water setting for the cloth used to make the face covering. If using the dryer, use the highest heat setting and leave the mask in the dryer until completely dry. Visit the CDC website for more information.

After students return to campus, the university will strongly discourage any travel outside of Winona. Students must notify the university by completing the travel notification form 24 hours in advance of any personal travel outside of Winona County and overnight travel or travel to high-risk states, with the exception of travel within an hour of campus in the state of Minnesota (like Rochester, Red Wing, and Wabasha). Please review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Considerations for Travel and Data Tracker for high-risk travel assessment.

The Office of Student Affairs will review notifications and may follow up if necessary. The travel notification form is for informational purposes and to help with contract tracing if needed.

Commuter students who are traveling to and from home are not required to submit any notifications.

University-sponsored travel is permitted only as authorized by the provost or senior vice president for finance and operations. The Office of Athletics will submit notification for student-athletes traveling for university-sponsored athletic events.

While I joined Saint Mary’s as dean of the College just a few days ago, I have already heard much about you — Saint Mary’s amazing student body. I look forward to having the opportunity to know you better in the coming months in Winona.

Today, I have a brief update on work that has been done to assign classrooms for your courses this fall. Classroom assignments have been prioritized based on the following criteria:

1. Maintain as many face-to-face classes as possible overall.
2. Assign highest priority to first-year classes to aid new students in the transition to college, including building rapport with faculty, staff, and their peers.
3. Assign next priority to classes with content requiring space, equipment, or software that cannot be replicated easily elsewhere (science labs, computer stations, studio space, performance space).

Your professors will be in touch with you soon to share more detailed information about what you can expect when you arrive for classes. In general, all room changes will appear on your schedule on the student portal within minutes of them being made; room change updates in CAMS is a process that will take several days. I encourage you to check your schedule on the portal in the days leading up to the start of classes.

My thanks to each of you for your patience, resilience, and Saint Mary’s spirit.

How will the mask mandate be enforced?
Anyone not complying with the mask mandate will be asked to leave. The only way we can get through this pandemic safely is if everyone follows these guidelines.

Will choir still happen?
The Department of Fine and Performing Arts is moving forward with all offerings as planned. Productions and performances will still be held but without an audience. Everything will be done for an empty house and recorded for broadcast at a later time.

How will meal pick-ups in the cafeteria be handled?
Students will be able to get a takeout container and fill it with whatever they’d like. Only Chartwells staff will handle the food and packaging (except for drinks). It’s not prepackaged, so students have an opportunity to choose their desired meal.

Will student temperatures be monitored before entering classrooms?
At this point, we do not plan to monitor student temperatures before entering classrooms. But we will continue to remind students (and all employees) to stay home, isolate, and get tested if they have a fever or any COVID-19 symptoms.

Why is the university not requiring COVID-19 testing when this disease takes an asymptomatic form? If the university is willing to test student-athletes for COVID-19, why is the rest of the university not being held to the same standard?
We are asking everyone to quarantine at home for 14 days prior to arriving on campus. If students comply, they should arrive on campus virus free. COVID-19 tests are also available on campus to students at the Wellness Center (in collaboration with Mayo Clinic). There is an added danger to athletes who cannot be wearing masks and must be in close contact during practices and competitions; in testing them, we are also complying with NCAA guidelines. But testing isn’t limited to only athletes. We are committed to the safety of all of our students. Other student sub groups might be mandatorily tested such as resident assistants, orientation leaders, etc.

Why aren’t the majority of classes online? Is it really smart to be bringing everyone back in the midst of a pandemic?
Saint Mary’s closely monitors local, state, and national guidance in making all decisions. This fall will look very differently at Saint Mary’s with classes and other high-traffic areas socially distanced, everyone in masks, and most major gatherings either canceled or virtual. Should guidelines change, we will also be ready to switch to online learning quickly. We also know there is great benefit academically and socially to in-person learning. We are committed to creating the safest situation we can at this time, but we’ll need everyone’s partnership. Students (as well as all employees) who have underlying health concerns are encouraged to complete an accommodations request.

What happens if the Alverna Center (quarantine facility) fills up?
We are very fortunate to have the Alverna Center available to us, as not every school has this luxury. We are planning to use over 30 rooms of this facility, all of which will be fully equipped to meet the needs of the students. If this building is full, we have contingency plans to quarantine students in their own sleeping rooms, wings of buildings, or an entire building. Students will also be encouraged to go home if they become sick and are able to do so. Food service is prepared to deliver meals to students no matter where they are quarantined … in the Alverna Center or their residence hall.

What costs are students responsible for during quarantine?
There will be no additional costs. This is part of the room and board charge.

If the campus closes, where do out-of-state students go temporarily?
The campus will never fully close. The residence halls may close, but academics will continue in an online format. If this occurs, all students will be encouraged to travel home. Students would be asked to leave within a certain timeframe, but we would work with students on a case-by-case basis knowing it will be more difficult for some students to arrange travel.

How will students pack up to leave in case of school closure?
If we close for the remainder of the year, students would be encouraged to move all items home or find a storage locker in the Winona area. As students move in this fall, we are encouraging them to only bring what is truly needed this semester, just in case we do need to close the residence halls and students return home.

Since outside guests are not allowed on campus this fall, what are we supposed to do with guest passes in the new Chartwells meal plans?
If you have a friend who is a commuter guest, they could utilize your two guest passes. Or you could treat your professor.

Have an additional question or concern? Fill out the form and let us know.

Parking permit registration for the upcoming 2020-21 school year opens Saturday, Aug. 1. Parking permits can be purchased through the student portal.

When your window opens to register, it will remain open. Please be aware that off-campus students who drive to campus will need a permit to avoid being ticketed and towed. Your permit allows you to park in your assigned color lot only.

Priority registration begins:

• Graduate students and seniors: Saturday, Aug. 1
• Juniors: Saturday, Aug. 8
• Sophomores: Saturday, Aug. 15
• First-Years: Saturday, Aug. 22

Parking permits are $60 dollars for students who live on campus and $40 for students who live off campus and commute to class.

The parking permit registration portal will close Tuesday, Sept. 8. Parking enforcement begins on the first day of class.

For further questions, thoroughly review the parking website, email winsafety@smumn.edu or call Campus Safety at 507-457-1703.

How will professors handle office hours?
Professors will continue to have office hours. But for student and faculty safety, faculty are encouraged to meet with students virtually.

Will shared department spaces and study spaces be available for use?
Yes, but shared spaces will have posted occupancy limits.

I’m concerned about the lack of internship opportunities. Is there anything Saint Mary’s is doing to help?
Career services will continue to work with students and will strive to find students these opportunities. We are highly aware that some companies are no longer interested in allowing interns because of COVID-19, but we also know there are other ways for students to still achieve hands-on learning experiences, even if virtual.

What are spring 2021 plans for study abroad?
Because of the unpredictability of this virus, no decision has been made regarding spring 2021. We will continue to monitor the situation and inform students as soon as a decision has been made.

Will students coming from high-risk states be expected to self-isolate before returning to campus?
Domestic students returning from high-risk areas will be encouraged to quarantine for 14 days, preferably from home. The Alverna Center may be an alternative place for them to do so. All students — regardless of where they are coming from — will be strongly encouraged to quarantine at home for 14 days prior to arrival on campus.

Are there any specific plans for commuter students?
Commuter students will be asked to observe social distancing and guidelines within their off-campus apartments. They will still have access to spaces on campus such as the library and other facilities.

Will student teachers be allowed to stay on campus after Thanksgiving break if needed?
Yes, student teachers will be allowed to be on campus as long as they are student teaching in person.

Have an additional question or concern? Fill out the form and let us know.

Dear Cardinals,

It is hard to believe that fall is right around the corner! The campus hasn’t been the same without you, and we are so excited to welcome you back soon. I hope you continue to be healthy and well.

Classrooms and academics
Many of you have had questions about what classrooms will look like in the fall, so I am pleased to share examples of how they have been rearranged to allow for social distancing. I realize you will have a number of questions about how your classes will function in areas such as labs, performance areas, art studios, etc., and hope to have photos to share in the next issue. Please know we are diligently working with faculty on what academic plans look like. The latest information about academics can be found on the Steadfast and Resilient webpage.

Family Weekend and travel
After much reflection and dialog — and in following safety guidelines — we have decided to cancel Family Weekend this fall. Although we have always enjoyed welcoming friends and extended families onto our campus, we have to limit external visitors to campus at this time. Fall also includes exciting gatherings like high school homecomings, but for the safety of our community, we are encouraging you to remain on campus as much as possible throughout the semester. If you choose to travel outside of Winona, you are asked to fill out this form so we can track this data.

Signs you’ll see on campus
When you return to campus in August, you will see a number of new signs, strategically posted for your safety. We ask you to follow these guidelines. Here are a few examples of what you will see.

Move-in weekend
As we plan for move-in weekend, here are a few highlights:

• Early arrivals will be contacted by coaches, advisers, or moderators.
• First-year and transfer students are scheduled to move in on Thursday, Aug. 20.
• Returning students are scheduled to move in on Friday, Aug. 21, through Sunday, Aug. 23.
• You will be assigned a specific time slot of two hours to move in between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
• We respectfully ask you bring no more than two guests and no guests under age 10.
• Saint Mary’s and the City of Winona both require the wearing of masks.
• We encourage you to ship items to the university prior to your arrival. If you write your room number on the box, we will have maintenance move the items to your room so they are there upon arrival.
• Social distancing protocols will be in place for all buildings. Some hallways, for example, will be one-way only, and only a few students will be moving in at one time.
• Additional directions will be sent prior to your arrival from the Office of Residence Life.

Commit to keeping yourself and our community safe
A successful fall 2020 will require commitment from all of us. To help define this commitment and create a spirit of shared responsibility and unity, we are asking all Saint Mary’s students, faculty, and staff to sign this pledge. Please take a moment to read it carefully and reflect upon how you can play a role in keeping our campus safe for you, your classmates, and your teachers this academic year.

Although this fall may look and feel a little different, we are committed to providing you with a wonderful student experience. Continue to check the Steadfast and Resilient webpage. New information is continuously being added.

Together, we will find solutions to make your fall successful.

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