Month: November 2020

Additional Closing Information

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Please note the following corrections to the information from the sustainability office in the email you recently received about closing.

1. The mention to remove all your belongings was incorrect. Students who are returning to the same assignment do not need to remove everything, although it does need to be neatly put away in dressers/drawers/closets.

2. Composting: Students who are returning to campus next semester should empty their bucket or jar in the nearest black bin, wash it out, and leave it slightly ajar in their residence or on a covered porch, if they have one. Students who are not returning can leave their bin next to an outdoor black bin to be picked up. Students in dorms who are not returning can leave their emptied and washed compost jars next to the compost bin in the building.

Please also note that all computer labs, with the exception of ST lab and HAS lab, have been closed until February. ST lab and HAS lab are open, at their reduced COVID capacities, 24/7.

Remember to check the Residential Life website for additional information about preparing to leave campus and to TURN IN YOUR KEYS.

COVID Testing 11/20 – 11/24

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Reminder, the COVID testing site closes at 2:45PM today (11/20).

Monday November 23, testing will be available between 10AM and 6 PM.

Tuesday November 24, testing will be available between 7AM and 2:45PM.

For those of you leaving campus, please see the Residential Life website for additional information about preparing to leave campus and remember to TURN  IN YOUR KEYS to Residential Life.

 

 

Reminder: Housing Closes on 11/25 at 12:00 PM, EST

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This a repost of the message sent to students by Kieran Duffy on November 19th.

Good Evening,

As a reminder, housing is closing on 11/25/20 at 12:00 PM (EST). Residential Life staff will begin checking spaces on campus starting at 10:00 am that morning. Please be advised that you should plan on completing the closing checklist for your space prior to leaving campus.

Students must return keys prior to leaving campus and by 11/25 at 12:00 pm unless approved for a petition request to remain on campus past that date and time. Keys may be deposited in the key drop boxes located around campus at the following locations: Outside of North College, Exeley Science Center Parking Lot (Lawn Avenue side), and Admissions Parking Lot. Please review the closing information on our website if you have not already done so: Residential Life Closing Info Page.

Please be prepared for staff to be in the buildings, ensure that you are wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing while walking through the hallway.

The Resource Center will be open next week Monday – Friday (except Thanksgiving day) from 11 am – 5 pm, and will be accepting donations of any useable, shelf-stable foods. As a reminder, the upcoming break is longer than usual, so you may want to consider donating food items that you don’t want to bring home with you.

Additionally, Waste Not will be collecting selected reusable items, please see the following information regarding Waste Not:

Room Condition
You can avoid incurring additional charges by doing the following:
Remove all personal belongings, recycling, compost, and trash. (Remember, this may take time – plan accordingly!). Please bring garbage to the dumpsters, recycling to the recycling bins, and take out any compost.
Don’t forget that you can recycle batteries, electronic waste, string lights, printer cartridges, pens/pencils/markers, and more in the bright green bins outside of Pi Café.

Compost Buckets
Empty the remaining contents of your bucket into a Wesleyan black composting bin and rinse out the bucket. Visit map.wesleyan.edu/#/layer/compost if you’ve forgotten where to bring your compost. Email jkleindienst@wesleyan.edu if you have any questions.
All residents: Please bring your empty bucket with lid next to the nearest black bin to your residence no later than November 21st.
Residence Hall residents: Eco Facilitators will remove the bucket from your building over the break. If you have a compost jar that you will not want to keep, please notify your Eco Facilitator so that we can clean and reuse them.
Apartment and house residents: Please empty your bucket in the nearest black bin, rinse, and wash and leave the empty bucket partially uncovered so air can circulate. If you have a porch or other covered outdoor area, we recommend leaving it outside.

Waste Not
Donate selected reusable items to Waste Not by bringing them to the garage behind 44 Brainerd Ave (Womanist House) on Saturday, November 21st between 1-5 pm. We are ONLY collecting the following items: mirrors, fans, refrigerators, microwaves, lamps & decorations and are NOT accepting other items at this mid-semester collection. You can learn more via our Facebook post: https://www.facebook.com/sustainablewes/photos/a.654797931207441/3683877778299426/.

If you have any questions regarding closing, please don’t hesitate to contact us at reslife@wesleyan.edu.

Best,
Kieran

Kieran J. Duffy ( He, Him pronouns)
Assistant Director of Residential Life
Wesleyan University
237 High Street
Middletown, CT 06459
(860) 685-3429

Course Withdrawal & Change of Grading Mode Deadline – 11/24

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Greetings!

I hope this message finds you finishing up the week and looking forward to Thanksgiving recess. I also want to remind you about two important deadlines coming up next week.

The deadline to withdraw from full-semester and second-quarter classes for the Fall 2020 semester is Tuesday, November 24 at 5:00 p.m., EST.  If you need to withdraw from a course, please send a group email to the instructor, your faculty advisor, and your class dean, and attach a withdrawal form. Remember to complete your portion of the form, including your visa status and course information before you save it and attach it to your email.

If you are thinking about withdrawing from a course:

  • Do use this time to talk to your professors, your advisors, and your class dean about your concerns.
  • Do make sure you are taking advantage of all the resources available to you.
  • Do not wait until Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. to seek advice from your instructor, advisor, or dean because you probably won’t hear back from them until after the deadline has passed.

Additionally, the last day to change the grading mode for courses with the student option for the Fall 2020 semester is also Tuesday, November 24 at 5:00 p.m., EST.  Remember, courses that are listed as graded (i.e. A-F) or CR/U are not eligible for a change in grading mode.

All my best,

Dean Leathers

New Restrictions on Campus for Health and Safety – COVID Update

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The following reposted message was sent to the campus community by Dean Culliton on November 19th.

To the Campus Community:

I write today with an important update on Wesleyan’s operations, as we have seen a cluster of COVID-19 cases on campus in recent days. Given the community spread we see all around the country and our own new positive tests, we have determined that additional measures are needed to restrict interactions among those on campus.

Starting tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 20), those classes that were to meet in-person before Thanksgiving, will meet remotely. Faculty will be in touch with students about all relevant adjustments.

With Thanksgiving recess less than a week away, students who have received a negative result from their most recent test are advised to leave campus as soon as they are safely able to do so. Students who have not yet received the result of their most recent test should wait to travel. Students who receive a positive test result, experience any symptoms, or believe they may have been exposed to COVID in recent days should contact Health Services at 860-685-2470. Before leaving campus, students must return their keys to one of the key drop boxes (located at North College, Exley parking lot, and Admission parking lot), and follow the closing instructions.

For the safety of one’s family and home community, upon returning home, students should ideally quarantine for 14 days. However, some health authorities have recommended a four-day quarantine followed by a COVID test with negative results.

Immediately, we are implementing additional campus restrictions:

  • Gatherings are restricted to your ‘family unit.’
  • Organized athletic activities are suspended.
  • Dining is exclusively grab-and-go.
  • The libraries are closed, but contactless book pick-up is available.
  • Freeman Athletic Center remains closed.
  • Residence halls, program houses and wood-frame houses are open only to their residents.
  • Students are not to leave and return to campus other than for essential trips (e.g., to the doctor or pharmacy).

Students who have petitioned and received permission to remain on campus over break may still do so. These students are encouraged to take a test on November 24. Testing will be closed from Nov. 25–30 for Thanksgiving. If during this time, students remaining on campus become ill or are concerned about a COVID exposure, they should contact Health Services at 860-685-2470. Testing will resume on campus on December 2 and will operate on a reduced schedule: Wednesdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. All students and employees on campus will test once per week.

Cabinet members will continue to work with staff to determine positions that are needed on campus for student and faculty support and for other University needs.

As always, it is critical that everyone follow the COVID safety guidelines at all times, including mask wearing, social distancing, hand washing, avoiding gatherings, and staying home when sick.

Thank you for your continued cooperation to keep our community safe. We will update you as necessary.

 

Sincerely,

Rick Culliton

Dean of Students

Chair, Pandemic Planning Committee

 

CAPS Presents Bridging Gaps Tomorrow – 11/19

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Join doctoral clinical extern Sara Jalber, M.A., LPC for a webinar focusing on exploring the components of facilitating challenging conversations, managing emotions, and cultivating understanding among family members. Skill such as reflecting, inquiring, and perspective taking will be explored.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/99320057002?pwd=anc2cWRqWFRHNHBucUVhVEwwZUlGdz09

Meeting ID: 993 2005 7002
Passcode: 900281

Converted Bridging Gaps Flyer

Library Services Update – Thanksgiving & Extended Break

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Dear Students,

I write with an update on library services between now and the extended break.

Please note that between Thanksgiving and the Extended Break

  • Olin and Science buildings will close as of 12 noon on 11/25 for the Thanksgiving break.
  • Starting Monday, 11/30 through Friday, 12/11, Olin and Science will be open daily 12noon-5pm. Online services and in-building pickup continue as usual.
  • From Saturday, 12/12 to Thursday 12/23, Olin and Science buildings will be closed.  Online services continue as usual.
  • If you are on campus, you can request books and other materials online and pick them up in the Olin vestibule beginning Monday, December 14th.  Hours for pickup are 9-5pm, Monday-Friday except during holiday breaks.
  • If you are off-campus for the extended break, you can request books and other materials online and ask us to mail them your home address.
  • All loans (except for DVDs) have been extended until February 2021

I will be in touch regarding January building hours at a later point.  Should changing campus conditions warrant any changes in hours or services, I will let you know.  You can see the latest information on the Library Services During COVID web page:  https://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/services.html

If you have time, I encourage you to attend “Before You Go” on Wednesday, November 18th 4:30-6:30pm in the Labyrinth Tent.  Folks from the Writing Workshop, Presentation Studio, Library, Peer Advisors, Math Workshop, CAPS, and the Resource Center will be there to connect you with resources and advice to support finishing the semester and completing final exams, papers, and projects remotely and successfully. There will be snacks.

We in the library wish you the best on a successful conclusion to the semester.  Have a restful and safe break and we look forward to seeing you again very soon, both on campus and online.

 

Andrew White, University Librarian

Caleb T. Winchester University Librarian

Wesleyan University – Middletown CT

awhite02@wesleyan.edu

Stop by the “Before You Go” Resource Tent! – 11/18

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Worried about working remotely for final exams and projects this year? We get it. “Before You Go” for the end of the semester, stop by the Labyrinth Tent this Wednesday (Nov. 18th) between 4:30-6:30pm to see what campus resources are still available for you as many of us leave campus! Enter a raffle just by coming to the event, and pick up a goodie bag while you’re there, too. The Writing Workshop, Presentation Studio, Library, Peer Advisors, Math Workshop, CAPS, and the Resource Center will all be there to give more information about the support they offer.

See you Wednesday!