Preparing for On-Campus Living and Learning at Gustavus

TO: Gustavus Parents and Families
FROM: President Bergman
SUBJECT: Preparing for On-Campus Living and Learning at Gustavus
DATE: September 11, 2020

Greetings from campus! I hope things are going well for you and your loved ones as we continue to navigate the impact of COVID-19 on our daily lives.

I write to you today as parents and families of Gustavus students, and in particular those whose students have been living away from campus and taking classes online for the first two weeks of the academic year.

As you’ve seen from our weekly dashboard updates, we are pleased with our on-campus case numbers and ability to manage isolation/quarantine procedures. Mask compliance among on-campus students has been tremendous, and we are continuing to build toward welcoming the rest of our community back to campus beginning on September 25. While we will make an official announcement about on-campus living and learning by Friday, September 18, now is the time to encourage your student to begin preparing to return to campus.

As a reminder, the Minnesota Department of Health recommends that to be on campus safely, students should:

• Stay at home for 14 days before coming to campus. Before coming back to campus, students should plan to stay at home and interact only with the people they live with for at least 14 days.

If students must interact with others outside their immediate household, they should:

• Take safety precautions when gathering. Limit gatherings to small groups of 10 or fewer, and gather outdoors whenever possible. Stay six (6) feet away from anyone who they do not live with and wear a facial covering.

• Avoid all high-risk situations. Students should especially avoid crowded bars, events, parties, or other situations that would put them at risk of contracting COVID-19.

• Follow guidelines on masking and social distancing. Learn school-specific rules related to wearing masks and social distancing.

Starting to self-quarantine now, wearing a facial covering, and practicing social distancing at all times will give us the best chance of providing on-campus learning and living to all students this semester.

We know that student behavior over the next two weeks, whether on campus or at home, will be pivotal in setting the stage for a successful fall semester. I believe that with your help, and your student’s commitment to practicing these behaviors, we can do it.

Whether on- or off-campus, students are responding to this unusual semester in a variety of ways, and they may have questions or need support. Below, I have included a list of resources. Please encourage your student to reach out as needed—we are here to help!

As always, I am grateful for your partnership and engagement as we continue to navigate the pandemic together.

Yours in community,

President Bergman

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Resources

Health Service — The Gustavus Health Service continues to serve students and is open for appointments. Appointments must be made in advance via phone at 507-933-7630. Gustavus Health Service is providing testing for members of the community with COVID-19 symptoms or who have had a known exposure.

Academic Support Center — Staff in the Academic Support Center are available to work with students on academic questions or concerns, including advising, registration, study skills, and accommodations.

Counseling Center — We know that the pandemic continues to cause or exacerbate mental health concerns or cause feelings of social isolation for some students. Students are encouraged to utilize the Counseling Center’s services.

Financial Aid/Student Accounts — Questions about room and board credits, student accounts, and scholarships can be directed to the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@gustavus.edu

Gustavus Technology Services — Staff in the Gustavus Technology Services (GTS) are available to discuss resources for online learning and provide support for students. The office has compiled a page of helpful tips that may be useful for students as they complete online or hybrid classes.

Registrar’s Office — The Registrar’s Office is available to discuss course schedules, graduation requirements, graduation applications, and questions about credits/enrollment.

Provost’s Office — The Provost’s Office is the primary contact for student questions about the College’s Ninth-Semester Tuition-Free Guarantee. Questions can be directed to provostoffice@gustavus.edu.

Center for Career Development — The Gustavus Center for Career Development is eager to work with students as they make plans for internship, job shadow, and employment opportunities. Career specialists are available for individual virtual meetings with students.