Saint Mary's Newsroom / Campus Notes

Connect with us LIVE

Wishing you could come to the Hendrickson Center Computer Labs during your registration time? We do too. Have no fear as you can still join us LIVE in a Zoom meeting (but this time it is BYOD – bring your own donut!) Jump on the call anytime during your registration window, and not only will Student Success and First Generation Initiative advisers be available to help you, but also your peer advisers.

Join the Zoom meeting

What to know before you join

When you first join, we will welcome you in and provide general information and guidance as you register. If you experience any issues with registration or have any specific questions, we will pop you in a virtual breakout room from that same meeting to have a quieter space to help you troubleshoot. Have a more individualized or confidential question? Just let us know and we can do a 1-on-1 in a breakout room.

We can’t wait to see you!

REMINDER: Check your student portal to see your specific registration date and time. Registration opens according to Central Standard Time. Not sure what time that means for you? Check this out.

Every semester, Cardinal Central uploads video tutorials to Blackboard to familiarize students with new registration features. As you prepare for registration next week, take time to review this handy tutorial.

In light of ongoing recommendations from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to limit the spread of COVID-19 and its impact on our community, the university will continue to offer all graduate and bachelor’s completion courses online through summer term 1, May 4-June 28, and will cancel or postpone all events currently scheduled through May 31.

New and continuing students were notified of their course options earlier this week, and program directors will continue to work with students to determine a course plan that helps achieve their goals. With a long history of helping students excel in online, blended, and on-campus programs, Saint Mary’s remains confident in our ability to continue to serve our adult learners.

The delivery of courses beginning after June 28 will be assessed in early May and will be informed by further recommendations from state and federal officials.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility, and for your continued support of Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

You may not be on campus right now, but the Student Success Center is here to support you. Whether in need of tutoring in a specific subject area or struggling with the transition to remote learning, there are a variety of support services still available.

Friday, April 3, is the last day to sign-up for a tutor. Don’t delay.

Email a peer learning assistant for support as you manage classes online:

• Claire Patterson – cepatt16@smumn.edu
• Mariah Bell – mxbell16@smumn.edu
• Edgar Medina-Ortiz – exmedi16@smumn.edu
• Danielle Harris – drharr17@smumn.edu
• Brookelyn Lewis – bllewi18@smumn.edu

Starting Monday, April 6, the Office of Recreation, Involvement, and Student Engagement (R.I.S.E.) will be providing daily virtual programming opportunities for students. Each day will have something different ranging from movies to virtual concerts, to activities to enhance your well being. Email RISE@smumn.edu if you have any ideas for virtual programs.

Don’t forget we also have an in-home workout guide and links to things like free yoga classes and Planet Fitness’ free daily virtual workouts available at studentactivities.smumn.edu.

Movie Mondays

Join your Cardinal classmates in a virtual movie night and chat every Monday at 8 p.m. If you have any movie ideas, email RISE@smumn.edu. We will kick off Movie Mondays on Monday, April 6, with Disney’s “The Princess and the Frog.”

How to Join the Netflix Party

• You must have a subscription to Netflix in order to join.
• For the full experience, join on a laptop or PC to better sync with the Netflix Party.
• Download the chrome extension.
• Join via the link on studentactivities.smumn.edu.
• Please be sure to read over the chat rules below.

Chat rules:

• Be polite. No bullying.
• No inappropriate language.
• Do not post links in the chat.
• Show respect for everyone.
• No spamming.

Talk About It Tuesday

Enjoy weekly roundtable talks, hosted by Saint Mary’s staff members on a number of topics. Our first topic will be Mental Health and Coping During the Quarantine hosted by Naz Zerka, one of our mental health counselors from the Wellness Center, at 4 p.m. via Zoom. The Zoom link can be found at studentactivities.smumn.edu.

Also: Verizon “Pay it Forward Live” Concert series at 7 p.m. on the @Verizon Twitter account and Yahoo Entertainment.

Well-being Wednesday

R.I.S.E. is working with multiple campus partners to come up with something special every Wednesday related to student well-being.

We will be kicking off Wellness Wednesday next Wednesday, April 8, with a Zoom group workout hosted by Saint Mary’s very own strength and conditioning coach, Matt Sagar. The Zoom link will be on studentactivities.smumn.edu, and the workout will start at 4 p.m.

Thursday Tours

Every Thursday we will provide a number of virtual tours of famous locations around the world and also some video hikes and tours of places around Winona you’ll be able to check out yourselves when you return to campus. Links to the tours will be updated every Thursday on studentactivities.smumn.edu, so check back weekly for updates.

Also: Verizon “Pay it Forward Live” Concert series at 7 p.m. on the @Verizon Twitter account and Yahoo Entertainment.

And: Weekly free video series “Learn that Thing” on Degy Entertainment’s Facebook page. This week they will be hosting “How to Salsa with Salsa Fiesta” at 2 p.m. CT. Future sessions include:

• April 9: How to Juggle
• April 16: Learn the DJ
• April 23: Vocal Lesson
• April 30: Learn to Play Cello

Friday Night Live

Friday Night Live! is Degy Entertainments Free Friday night concert series hosted by DJ Jeff and MC Ari. Watch on Degy Entertainment’s Facebook page.

Student Senate continues to meet via Zoom at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. Below you’ll find Student Senate meeting minutes from the March 31 meeting:

• March 31 Student Senate meeting minutes

Reminder: Executive Board petitions are due by noon Monday, April 6, to Stephany Beck at sxbeck16@smumn.edu. Executive Board elections will be held on Wednesday, April 8.

Saint Mary’s University is surveying students about their health behaviors, risks, attitudes, and access to resources.

Your participation will help Saint Mary’s prioritize health and wellness offerings to better meet your health needs.

Watch your inbox for an email from the National College Health Assessment (ncha-web@acha.org) for more information and a link to begin the confidential survey.

Participants will be eligible to win one of three $100 Visa gift cards.

Questions? Email wellnesscenter@smumn.edu.

Saint Mary’s Campus Ministry continues to share spiritual offerings to provide much-needed perspective and a focus on faith in this time of uncertainty.

“Holiness consists simply in doing God’s will and being just what God wants us to be.” – Saint Therese of Lisieux

In search of inspiration, check out these resources from Bishop Barron.

As 2020 Census forms begin arriving in mailboxes around the country, it’s time for Saint Mary’s students to help shape the future of the United States. Even though you may be living in a different location or have moved home, you still should be counted as part of the Minnesota community.

Census responses impact funding allocations for schools, roads, and other resources like federal grant and aid programs. Results also decide Minnesota’s number of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and congressional and legislative districts.
Taking time to respond to the Census accurately is critical for our local community and state.

In the wake of COVID-19, the federal government recently updated its guidance on how college and university students should respond to the census. Here’s what Cardinals need to know:

• Students who were living on campus or lived on campus before the residence halls closed, do not need to respond to the census. They will be counted by the university.
• Undergraduate students in Winona who were living in an off-campus apartment or home, but are now temporarily living at another location, should respond using the address where they lived before they left Winona by visiting my2020census.org and entering the 12-digit code received in the mail. If you don’t have a code, click “Start Questionnaire,” and there is an option to indicate that you do not have a Census ID. Ideally, one person should respond on behalf of everyone living in the house. If it is not possible to coordinate with roommates, everyone should respond, and the Census Bureau will eliminate duplicate responses.
• Undergraduate students in Winona currently living in off-campus residences should choose one person to respond on behalf of everyone living in the house. If it is not possible to coordinate with roommates, everyone should respond, and the Census Bureau will eliminate duplicate responses.
• International students should follow the guidelines above that apply, regardless of their whereabouts after classes went online or their permanent residency.
• Students who were studying abroad and have returned to the United States by April 1, should be counted where they are currently living.
• Students at the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs should visit my2020census.org and enter the 12-digit code received in the mail. If you don’t have a code, click “Start Questionnaire,” and there is an option to indicate that you do not have a Census ID.

Need more information? Watch this video: What College Students Needs to Know to be Counted in the Right Place.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). During this month, the Saint Mary’s community encourages all students to raise awareness about sexual assault and this year’s Sexual Assault Awareness theme: I ask.

Please renew our shared commitment to ending sexual misconduct on our campus and join us in taking the national “It’s On Us” pledge.

SAINT MARY’S, IT’S ON US … ALL OF US

All of us are and must be part of the solution – each and every one of us. Additional resources can be found on the Saint Mary’s Title IX page. To report sexual misconduct, go to smumn.edu/report.

Be on the lookout for information next week on the upcoming SAAM art contest and social media hashtag campaign!

Don’t forget to complete your housing applications for fall 2020 through spring 2021! Fill out your application here and pay your housing deposit in your student portal.

Selection dates:

• Seniors – Monday, April 6
• Juniors – Tuesday, April 7
• Sophomores – Wednesday, April 8
• Freshmen – Thursday, April 9

Individual selection times will be assigned based on class status and completed credits. Watch your email for communication from the Office of Residence Life on your application.