Saint Mary's Newsroom / Campus Notes

After much careful thought and deliberation, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota will not require mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for fall 2021. All current COVID-19 vaccinations have been approved under an Emergency Authorization by the Food and Drug Administration. That authorization gives any individual the right to decline the vaccination. As such, the university does not believe that vaccinations may be mandated for students or employees. However, if the state or federal government mandates COVID-19 vaccinations, we will comply with the mandate.

The university strongly encourages all individuals to get vaccinated if they are able to do so. The university also encourages students at the College to add their vaccination status to the student health portal. In the fall, the university will follow all guidelines in force at that time and will set expectations for quarantining and testing for those who choose not to be vaccinated.

At the start of the year, Saint Mary’s partnered with Credly, an industry leader in digital credentials, to provide students with 27 industry-specific micro-credentials tied to in-demand skills in artificial intelligence, business analytics, healthcare analytics, human resource management, finance and project management.

These credentials have become valuable additions to our students’ professional portfolios:

“So excited the Business Intelligence and Data Analytics program at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota now includes badges for us to share our learnings!” — Sophie Kliendl, Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs

Over 600 credentials have been accepted and shared throughout professional and social media networks in the School of Business and Technology so far! 

Building on the success of this initial offering, the School of Business and Technology is proud to announce the launch of an additional 14 distinct micro-credentials, beginning in spring second semester, tied to graduate courses and certificates in three additional high-demand fields:

• Data engineering
  • DIGA 608, DIGA 610, DIGA 620, DIGA 625, DIGA 650
• Geographic information science
  • DIGA 605, DIGA 610, DIGA 615, DIGA 625, DIGA 630
• Accounting
  • ACCT 600, ACCT 610, ACCT 630, ACCT 670

We will automatically be issuing badges to students who have successfully completed badged courses beginning in fall 2020 up to the present spring second semester term.

See the complete list of our 41 course badge offerings 

If you have successfully completed a badged course prior to fall 2020 and would like to receive the corresponding badge(s), you can complete this request form.

Once again, we are thrilled by the energy and enthusiasm you have shown regarding badges and micro-credentials. We look forward to continuing the work to identify and recognize skills-based achievement across the university, helping to ensure that our students are among the most well-prepared to meet the challenges of tomorrow.

To learn more about digital badges and micro-credentials at Saint Mary’s University, please visit smumn.edu/badges.

We would like to invite you to join us on Thursday, May 20, for the first conversation in the new Saint Mary’s series, A Seat at the Table. A Seat at the Table aims to bring together Saint Mary’s Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs to talk through topics affecting our students and community. Our conversation on May 20 will be “COVID-19 and Anxiety: One Year Later.”

We welcome you to join us virtually that evening from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and listen to a conversation with students and faculty from the School of Health and Human Services.

To RSVP for the event, complete this form by Wednesday, May 12. We will leave time for student questions toward the end of the evening. If there are any questions you would like to ask related to COVID-19 or mental health, please include them in the question section of the form.

Should you have any questions, please email aseatatthetable@smumn.edu.

We look forward to seeing you there!

The conversation with Eden Wales Freedman, Ph.D., vice provost for Faculties and Academic Affairs, originally scheduled for today, April 20, at 7 p.m., has been postponed. With all that is happening in the news this week, tensions riding high, and the ensuing difficulty of focusing on additional weighty subjects, we have decided to reschedule Dr. Wales Freedman’s talk for fall 2021.

Though this topic has never been more relevant, we believe it is best to host a robust discussion when everyone has had the space to process current events and to recover from a challenging academic year.

Many thanks to Saint Mary’s Department of English and World Languages, the Honors program, and the Global Diversity and Social Justice Integratus minor for hosting the event. Look soon for an update regarding fall scheduling.

Did you miss last week’s Cardinal Update Live? You can watch a recording and get caught up with what’s happening across the university.

Kyle Black

Kyle Black, Ph.D., English and world languages associate professor, presented a paper on fútbol in Argentine literature at the 68th annual meeting of the Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies (SECOLAS)

The title of the paper is “Homoaffective Tendencies in Cuentos Argentinos de Fútbol.” The panel title, “Queer Theory in Latin America: Honoring the Work of David William Foster,” was organized in honor of the late David William Foster, eminent scholar in women and gender studies in Latin American culture at Arizona State University.

Abstract:
The world of fútbol, similar to practically any other subculture, is latent with, yet in denial of, blatant hypocrisies when it comes to homoaffective or homosocial tendencies. It is a culture, like most contemporary and popular models, created for and sustained by men operating in an environment in which social practices, notions of identity, and means self-fulfillment are passed on from father to son, in this case, through common viewing of the athletic contest and the performances associated with belonging to a team. Among a gamut of other authors, the short stories of Hernán Casciari and Eduardo Sacheri selected for this paper demonstrate both the literary localization of homosocial and homoaffective cultural practices, while simultaneously overlooking, to no explicit fault of the authors, how these rituals might lend to perpetuating heteronormative contradictions in fútbol and, as such, in Argentine popular culture or society overall. The argument to be made is that, on one hand, there is an unquestionable sense of conviviality and paternity within these practices that ensure lifelong and unbreakable bonds between these men that span “de la cuna hasta la muerte.” On the other hand, however, and as David W. Foster might also argue, exists another fluid example of a culture’s (in)direct unwillingness to see these male-to-male relationships as compatible with or operating within realms of queerness. Additionally, the scant presence of women either as protagonists within this literature or even as authors is not only indicative of an unassuming participation in the rituals associated with the culture, but this absence should also be seen as suggestive of the place of women, not only in Argentine fútbol, but in other societal domains as well.

About SECOLAS:
Established in 1953, the Southeastern Council of Latin American Studies (SECOLAS) is a non-political and non-profit association of individuals interested in Latin America. Its objectives are the promotion of interest in Latin America, scholarly research pertaining to Latin America in all fields, and the increase of friendly contacts among the peoples of the Americas.

The Most. Rev. John M. Quinn, Bishop of Winona-Rochester shares a letter about participating in the Eucharist. It will also be posted on the diocesan website on April 23, 2021, as the final Eucharistic reflection in a series of six reflections composed by several diocesan staff members. You can access all of the reflections on the COVID-19 Sunday Mass webpage or on the diocesan Facebook page.

As members of the Saint Mary’s community and as residents of the state of Minnesota, working to address the significant issues of racial injustice confronting us, we want to engage in discourse that is respectful and civil so that our conversations can be productive. Here are some actions and attitudes that might help with those discussions whether inside the classroom or outside it (from the educational resources of United States Courts):

• Be mindful of your own behavior. Notice how you internally are reacting/responding when others speak. Pay attention to how your words and your silence are impacting the experience for others in the group. What are you doing to create a welcoming environment for differing opinions? Are you looking at each speaker and giving your full attention? Are you listening with an open mind — momentarily putting aside what you will say next? Are you asking clarifying questions? Are you being careful not to take over the conversation by talking longer than others? Are you refraining from subtle, but disrespectful behavior or not paying attention when others speak?
• Wait to be recognized by the moderator before speaking. This allows time — before you speak — for reflection on what the previous speaker(s) have said.
• Don’t interrupt or talk over someone else who is speaking, even when you are excited.
• No side conversations. They are disrespectful to the speaker and distract listeners from the person who has the floor.
• Listen for content in the statements of others, especially when you disagree. Listen for what the speakers are trying to communicate, even if they aren’t expressing their points concisely. Process what is being said. Give equal time to opposing views.
• Find common ground. Identify and call attention to areas of agreement.
• Follow the direction of the discussion. Don’t repeat what already has been said. Relate your comments to those of previous speakers.
• Ask questions. Don’t assume that you know what someone else means. Ask the speaker to help you understand perspectives different from your own.
• Don’t embarrass yourself or disrespect others by making demeaning or inappropriate comments, facial expressions, or gestures. No eye rolling, sighing, or checking out of the conversation. Moderate your tone, so that you don’t sound aggressive.
• Differentiate between facts and opinions. Both are valid when expressed appropriately.
• Tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

In order to better serve all university campuses, effective Wednesday, April 21, all outgoing Winona Campus mail will be processed through the Toner Student Center mailroom. The Central Services Office will no longer provide stamps, postage, package shipping, etc. All mail services formerly available through Central Services will now be provided through the mailroom.

Heffron drop-off

Drop slots for outgoing mail will remain available in Heffron 44B, and mail will be picked up at 11 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Individual items received by that time will be processed and posted that day. Mail departs from campus at noon each of these days. Items must have postage or departmental budget codes clearly marked.

Large quantities of mail

Larger mailings consisting of more than a couple of dozen pieces of mail should be delivered to the Toner Student Center mailroom. Please bundle and have envelopes oriented in the same direction to assist with processing. Again, items must have clearly labeled with departmental budget codes. As is currently the case, these items will also be processed on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. For larger quantities, please pre-arrange a drop-off at the mailroom during regular business hours and note that they may require a 24-hour processing time. Please plan accordingly.

With this change, mailroom window hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Saturday hours remain the same from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

We hope these changes will more effectively and efficiently serve your needs as we consolidate all university mail services in one location.  For further information, please contact Neal Nixon, mailroom coordinator, at nnixon@smumn.edu or 507-457-1571.