Covid Update – 10/9

This is a repost of the message sent by Dean Culliton on October 9th.

Dear students,

While we are all relieved by the success we have seen keeping our campus safe this semester, it is important that we not let our guard down.  Other campuses that had low Covid rates have experienced sudden spikes of infection.  While the tendency may be to feel more comfortable on campus as we have tested so frequently and seen so few cases, I want to remind you that our safe environment has been created by your careful adherence to widespread physical distancing and wearing of face coverings as well our testing protocol.

Daily we are monitoring whether students are keeping pace with our expected twice-a-week testing regimen and a small number of you have received warnings for not testing two times each week.  We have not required any students who have missed a test to leave campus yet but we have notified a group of students that another missed test will send them home. While our level of testing is a significant investment in the safety of everyone on campus, it requires a relatively small but important commitment on your part.

We have also had some incidents, mostly at night and on the weekends, where students have been observed violating the Covid agreement by not maintaining physical distance or not wearing masks.  The Community Standards Board has adjudicated these incidents and in a couple of cases sent students home to finish the semester remotely, while others have typically been issued sanctions including probation or deferred suspension with 5-8 points.  The stakes are high when people don’t adhere to the agreement which is why the resulting sanctions are so significant.  As the weather gets colder and people move inside please help us keep each other safe.  Whenever you are not in your residence hall room or private residence, wear your face covering and always maintain six feet of separation.  If you are outside gathering with others, maintain six feet of separation and when not eating or drinking, wear your face covering.  We know this is hard and may seem unnatural at times but it is critical.

I have heard from a number of students who are immunocompromised or have family members who are at risk and they are very concerned about the prospect of Wesleyan experiencing a spike in cases that could endanger them and/or require us to cut short the in-person learning for this semester.  The staff and faculty who are on campus are also relying on everyone to do our part. While our campus has been and is safe, we are not a bubble.  You are permitted to leave campus (to Middletown and the immediate surrounding area) and return. As we keep our eye on state and local positivity rates, we are comfortable continuing to allow that movement IF we can adhere to the important steps of wearing face coverings and maintaining safe distance.

Thank you for your continued cooperation and please reach out to your ResLife student staff member or contact me if you have any questions.

Best,

Dean Rick

Rick Culliton

Dean of Students

CSB and Honor Board Applications — Due March 8

COMMUNITY STANDARDS BOARD

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS for the CLASS of 2021

Applications now available

Due Friday, March 8

As a member of the Community Standards Board (CSB), you play a major role in caring for not only the student beside you, but the Wesleyan community as a whole.  This role will provide you with an opportunity to engage in inspiring and critical conversations, where you will develop skills applicable to both your time at Wesleyan and the larger world. The CSB adjudicates alleged violations of the Code of Non-Academic Conduct. 

 

The CSB seeking to fill vacant positions with students from the Class of 2021.  The tenure of applicants selected this spring runs from the Fall 2019 semester through the Spring 2021 semester.  If you are interested in helping to uphold Wesleyan’s community standards please complete and submit this application by Friday, March 8, 2019 at 5:00pm.  To apply please click on the link below:

 

https://goo.gl/forms/0qh7iSnNeLW4U0NC3

 

Please ask two faculty or staff members to provide a brief (3 to 5 sentences) description of the traits that will make you a good candidate for a CSB position. These should be sent to Karen Siciliano of the Community Standards Board, ksiciliano@wesleyan.edu or by campus mail to the Dean of Students Office, North College, First Floor, Room 108.

 

A description of the duties of the Community Standards Board can be found in the Student Handbook at http://www.wesleyan.edu/studenthandbook/.

 

HONOR BOARD

LEADERSHIP POSITIONS for the CLASS of 2021

Applications now available

Due Friday, March 8 

The Honor Code is integral to a vibrant and thriving community of learning, research and creativity.  It is affirmed by every Wesleyan student each semester.  Alleged violations of this Code are adjudicated by the Honor Board, a group of juniors and seniors serving two-year terms.  The tenure of applicants selected this spring runs from the Fall 2019 semester through the Spring 2021 semester. 

If you are interested in helping to uphold the “intellectual honesty and academic integrity”* of the Wesleyan community, please submit the application for this leadership position by Friday, March 8 at 5 p.m.  The link for the application may be found here:

https://goo.gl/forms/jAuYGpVtl47mx9x13

Please ask two faculty or staff members to provide a brief (3 to 5 sentences) description of the traits that will make you a good candidate for an Honor Board position. These should be sent to Jill Mattus, jmattus@wesleyan.edu or by campus mail to, North College, Second Floor, Room 219.

Check out the Honor Board process and responsibilities starting on page 4 of the Student Handbook: http://www.wesleyan.edu/studenthandbook/.