Coronavirus 2020

Visiting Students in Other Residences

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The following is a repost of the email message sent by Asst. Dean Fran Koerting on October 5th.

Thanks to the low number of COVID cases on campus,  effective Thursday, October 8, 2020, students living on campus will be permitted to visit their friends who live in other residences.  Posted COVID capacity in common areas may not be exceeded, and no more than two individuals may be in a bedroom at the same time, including the room occupant(s). Face coverings must be worn at all times. Due to the potential risk to the community, sanctions for violations are likely to be more severe than in ordinary times.  Please visit responsibly.

If the number of cases increases, or students are not following the guidelines of wearing face coverings and maintaining six foot distancing, this flexibility will be revoked.  We will revert to more cautious measures again in the beginning of next semester .

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Fran Koerting
Director of Residential Life

Important Fall and Spring Calendar Updates

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The following is a repost of the email message sent by President Roth on October 5th.

Dear friends,

With the first month of the semester under our belts, I would like to pause to acknowledge the careful planning, creative problem-solving and exemplary adherence to safety protocols that have allowed us to be together this fall. This is a proud and happy moment for us all.

At the same time, it is a precarious moment. We understand that the pandemic is still with us and that the public health context can change at any time. We are also nearing the winter months, when more time indoors and flu season could pose additional threats. With these considerations in mind, we have made the following plans:

  • Thanksgiving recess begins Wednesday, Nov. 25 and extends through Monday, Nov. 30. Classes resume remotely on Tuesday, Dec. 1, with all classes and exams conducted online for the remainder of the semester. Students with special considerations (such as international students for whom travel is not advisable or students who depend on Wesleyan for housing) may petition to remain on campus over winter break. All other students must depart no later than Wednesday, Nov. 25 at noon.
  • Students may return to campus for the spring semester beginning Friday, Feb. 5, and classes will begin online on Tuesday, Feb. 9. Students whose theses or capstone projects require them to be on campus will be able to petition to return prior to Feb. 5 on a case-by-case basis. That petition will be distributed at a later date, and consideration will be given to any petitions by those who feel their work cannot be done remotely.
  • We continue to review the risk profile for athletics and for spring study abroad programs. We will be providing updates in the coming weeks.

We expect our February return will entail similar safety precautions to those that have proved effective so far this fall: students limiting exposure and getting tested prior to traveling back to Middletown; an initial two-week quarantine period on campus (Feb. 5-20); frequent testing and procedures for supportive isolation and contact tracing; and a no-travel, two-day spring break (March 24-25), which will negate the need for a post-break quarantine period. When we return next semester, we must maintain our vigilance with respect to social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing. If all goes well, we expect the semester to end in late May, with final exams May 18-21. We anticipate hosting Commencement on Sunday, May 30, and will determine the celebration’s format, as well as the celebration for the Class of 2020, as we get closer to the spring.

We will be in touch with more specifics later this semester. These are challenging times, but I am heartened by the many ways that you have risen to these challenges. Thank you for all you are doing to care for yourselves and one another.

Sincerely,

Michael S. Roth, President

Library Course Reserve Information

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Some faculty make course reading, viewing, and listening materials available to students through Library Course Reserves. All Fall 2020 reserves are electronic, accessible 24/7 on any device. In Moodle, click on the “Course Reserve” or the “Resource List” link to get to course reserve materials. For non-Moodle courses, click on the “Course Reserve” link on the library homepage (https://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/research/coursereserve.html). Then click on “Access Online Reserve for Courses not in Moodle.” On the Course Reserve Lists page, click “Find Lists” to find your course.  Contact reference@wesleyan.edu for help.

Campus Libraries Will Reopen on 9/7

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Hello, everyone,

I write with a brief update on library services for the fall semester:

  • The library buildings reopen to campus only 8:30am this Monday, September 7 for normal semester hours – card access is required

  • Seating is limited based on social distancing guidelines – PPE is required

  • Stacks are closed – starting Monday, Sept 7, students can request books via the catalog for contactless pickup in Olin and Science

  • For students studying remotely, we are mailing books upon request

  • Course reserves are fully online

  • For the latest details on library services this semester, go here:  https://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/services.html

Andrew W. White
Caleb T. Winchester University Librarian
Wesleyan University
Olin Library
252 Church St.
Middletown CT 06459
 
860-685-2570

Deadline for Grading Mode Selection Extended

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This is a repost of the email sent to students by the Registrar on September 3rd.

Dear Students,

Please be informed for this semester the faculty have voted to extend the deadline for selecting the grading mode of a class that is already offered for student-option (A-F or Cr/U).  The new deadline is November 24, which is also the last day to withdraw from classes.

Sincerely,

Anna C. G. van der Burg, University Registrar

 

 

Notes from the Class Dean – 8/30

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Dear members of the Class of 2021,

I hope that all of you are well and settling into your plans for the fall semester. Classes begin tomorrow, Monday, August 31st, and I’m writing to follow up with some additional information/resources to help you start the semester well and successfully complete the drop/add period.

Digital Learning Tips for Classes and Drop/Add

Attached is a set of tips to help you navigate the remainder of the drop/add period, along with digital learning resources. You may also access this information through our class blog.

Refunds (RCF refunds and transitioning to remote study status)

Students have asked about RCF refunds with any transition to remote study moving forward. Remote study status entails pursuing courses entirely online from outside of campus, Middletown, CT (and the U.S. if a student is studying at Wesleyan on an F-1 visa).

Please see the note below from Student Accounts:

“[Student Accounts] will refund the RCF in full for any students who update their enrollment status to Remote (i.e. all online coursework, not living on campus or commuting to campus] during the drop/add period who have not moved into on-campus housing. Those who do move into on-campus housing and then decide to leave and finish the semester as a Remote student will be eligible for a prorated RCF adjustment based on their change of status date/date they leave housing and meal plan usage.”

COVID-19 Campus Protocol for Students on Remote Study Status & Leaves of Absence

Students on remote study status are not permitted to visit campus for any reason during the Fall 2020 semester. This includes attending in-person classes, events, meeting or visiting with students on campus, etc.

Students on medical, academic or non-academic leave must also adhere to the COVID-19 mitigation protocol to not visit campus for any reason during the Fall 2020 semester.

Additionally, the state of CT has a mandatory quarantine order in place for those traveling to any part of CT from other states on their list. You may access that information here: https://portal.ct.gov/Coronavirus/travel.

Honors Thesis Tutorial Registration

Some of you have asked how to submit your thesis tutorial form for registration. You may do this online through the end of the drop/add period. Instructions on how to submit the appropriate form online can be accessed on our class blog here.

Class Dean Office/Appointment Hours

I am working remotely until further notice, but I am still accessible through email, appointment hours, etc. I will continue to conduct appointments through Google Meeting and Zoom, and my calendar is available through the following link for the duration of the Fall 2020 semester: https://tinyurl.com/deanleathers. I look forward to speaking with you soon!

Academic Programming/Support Suggestions

I plan to offer a brief survey for you to make recommendations for academic programming that will suit your needs this fall. Details are forthcoming!

This year has challenged us all in myriad ways, but I’m heartened by the conversations I’ve had with so many of you and I’m hopeful for the days to come. I wish you a wonderful start to fall classes, and do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns moving forward.

 

All my best,

Dean Leathers

Public Health Update – 8/28

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This is a repost of the email Dr. McLarney sent to students on August 28th.

The fall semester has arrived. It is wonderful to see students, faculty, and staff on campus. Health Services has been busy at the testing tent on Andrus Field this week assisting as members of the campus community take their COVID-19 tests. So far everything is going smoothly, and we thank everyone for their cooperation and patience as we all get accustomed to this process.

To date, we have received results for 1,875 tests, with only one positive test result for an employee, who was immediately isolated. To remain informed about our testing results and procedures, visit Wesleyan’s COVID-19 Dashboard, which will be updated regularly. On the dashboard, you will find an alert level for the University, which provides context for the situation on campus, as well as a tally of active cases, cumulative results to date, and test results by week for all students and employees who are tested on campus.

We are also aware of several students who received positive COVID test results when they took a test prior to leaving home. These students have delayed their arrival to campus until they are medically cleared, and Health Services will remain in touch with these students to track their recovery.

As a reminder, we’ll be testing all students twice per week to allow us to detect COVID in the pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic stage and to isolate any infected students and their close contacts in order to stop the spread of the disease. We’ll also be testing faculty and staff who are working on campus. More information on testing frequency and schedules is available on our Testing website.

I feel confident in the safety precautions and community guidelines Wesleyan has put in place to make this the safest possible campus. That said, we expect to see some number of positive COVID cases in our testing, and are fully prepared to address this situation when it arises. You can read on the website about our protocols for isolation, quarantine, and care for students and employees who test positive, as well as our contact tracing procedures. Wesleyan has capacity to isolate at least 200 students in a combination of rooms we’ve reserved at the Inn at Middletown and additional rooms on campus.

It’s important to note that the isolation of a person who has received a positive COVID test is different from the self-quarantine that all students are required to take part in upon arrival to campus. Whereas those students in quarantine can leave their residence to pick up to-go meals and get their twice weekly COVID test done, students with COVID and close contacts may not leave the premises at all until they have been medically cleared.

A word on close contacts: Living on campus often means living with others—thus it is unavoidable that you will be considered a close contact if your roommate or housemate contracts COVID. But being the person who is “less than 6 feet apart for 15 minutes or longer” is preventable, and should be avoided as much as possible. Similarly, I must note that intimacy with others will put one at risk for contracting COVID. Please think twice about potentially exposing someone you care about.

If we all consider ourselves potentially infected and contagious in a pre-symptomatic or asymptomatic stage, we will act accordingly. When we get that negative test back, we will breathe a sigh of relief (wearing a face covering, of course) and then must consider ourselves potentially infected and contagious until the next test is back.

Finally, an important reminder that classes begin Monday, and will be delivered remotely for the first week, beginning August 31, in order to allow all students on campus to complete the required two-week quarantine. For those courses being taught on campus, in-person instruction will begin on September 7.

As we enter the fall semester, I invite you to continue sending your questions to me. We are all in this together and all learning more every day. Be safe!

Tom McLarney, MD

Tips for Drop/Add and Learning in A Digital Environment – Fall 2020

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Some students have asked about approaches to managing attending classes remotely during the initial period of quarantine on campus. Specifically, students who share a room with a roommate have asked about how to best approach learning when both roommates have a class at the same time.  Several options exist for students who have these schedule conflicts. Some students will plan to use noise-cancelling headphones while attending classes, while others have asked about alternative spaces that may be available. While we expect students to remain in their residences during the two-week quarantine, you may use lounges or study rooms in your residence, or sit outside your residence by yourself when these conflicts arise.  We understand that this may be challenging during the first week of classes, we are hopeful that as campus opens up following the initial quarantine students will be able to manage these situations more easily.

Student Academic Resources has also put together some resources and tips for students specific to learning in a digital environment. We would like to highlight the recommendation that students pay attention to building a balanced schedule that includes no more than two Zoom lectures in one day. Be sure to be attentive to giving yourself breaks from sitting in front of a screen and build in time to move around.

Check out the Semester Planning Calendars that are available on the Student Academic Resources page!

DROP/ADD

Fall 2020 Drop/Add opens in WesPortal at 8:30am ET on Monday, August 24th and closes at 5:00pm ET on Friday, September 11th.

You must enroll in the University to participate in Drop/Add. Please do so even if you have holds. You can follow-up with the holds after you’ve enrolled.

Instruction Modes:

  • Be mindful of the instruction mode of your classes. If you are a remote student, be sure your classes are either: Online, Hybrid with Remote Students, or In-Person with Remote Students.

Full-credit course limit:

The four-credit course limit cannot be raised in the first week of drop/add. This will be an option starting on the first day of classes, Monday, August 31st. A full-credit course is any course with 1.0 or higher credit, excluding private music lessons.

Time Conflicts:

Drop/add ignores time conflicts. If a student plans to consider two courses with overlapping times, they will need to touch base with both professors to confirm they can meet all commitments and expectations of both classes.

Browsing Courses during Drop/Add:

For Online Courses: Faculty may allow students to browse their remote courses.

  • To do so, go to WesPortal > Courses > Drop/Add Course Access, then input the zoom or moodle link to your course.
  • Students can see these links in their WesPortal > Courses > Drop/Add Course Access.

For In-Person Courses: Students should not attend in-person classes they are not registered for unless they have retained explicit permission from faculty during drop/add. This is due to strict requirements for Covid classroom capacity compliance.

One-week grace period for student attendance:

Normally, faculty may drop a student who does not attend the first class meeting. For fall 2020, EPC has revised this policy: “Any registered student who cannot participate in the first scheduled class meeting must contact the instructor (in advance, or as soon as possible thereafter) to explain the absence. After the first week of classes, faculty may drop any student who has not done so. Browsing for other classes is not an acceptable reason for students to miss any class in which they hope to remain enrolled.”

Auditing of in-person classes:

The reduced classroom capacity due to social distancing means that it may not be possible to allow students to audit in-person class meetings. Community auditors may only participate in a class remotely; they may not come to campus.

For Instructors Meeting in Classroom Space:

Classroom assignments are based on strict Covid-capacities. Do not overenroll a course beyond your listed enrollment capacity, unless you have explicitly confirmed you will still be within the mandated Covid-capacity. The Covid capacities are available in EMS.

Detailed information is available on the Registrar’s website.

Drop/Add for Fall 2020 will open one week before classes begin

Additional Schedule Changes Due to Saturday (8/29) Forecast

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The following is a repost of the email Dean Culliton sent to students on August 28th.

 

Greetings!

Thanks to everyone for your cooperation in adjusting to the changes we needed to make yesterday due to weather.   Testing/Dining and Residential Check-in will return to their outdoor locations and times for today (Friday) and we were able to accommodate close to 800 tests yesterday despite the shortened testing day.  For anyone who missed a scheduled test yesterday afternoon please proceed to the testing tent today.

As we enter the first weekend of the semester, I’d like to remind you that we remain in a period of campus-wide quarantine, in which students must remain in their residence with exceptions only to pick up meals, receive COVID tests, retrieve mail, and sit or walk/jog outside on campus property. Until conditions improve, social events and parties with others outside of family units are not permitted. You can find more information on the Residential website. We’re all in this together, and we are each responsible for doing our part to keep our Wesleyan community safe.

With heavy rain forecast for Saturday,  we will again enact our rain plan for Saturday August 29 as follows:

Student Dining

Saturday lunch and dinner will move indoors for everyone’s safety.  Dining will still be grab and go and we ask that if it is safe to return to your residence hall, please do not congregate indoors at the dining pick-up locations for extended periods of time.

Please pick up your meals at your assigned locations with the following modifications:

Summerfields Patio will move inside the Summerfields dining room.

Pi Cafe patio will move indoors at the Exley Science Center Lobby (Enter through the Church Street side).

HiRise will be in the entry way of the HiRise building.

Usdan/Labyrinth will move to the inside on the first floor of Usdan (Enter through the West entrance by Fayerweather).

COVID-19 Testing

Saturday testing schedule will be truncated to 10AM-3PM.  Anyone with a scheduled appointment outside of those hours on Saturday has been contacted and asked to reschedule.   For those who had scheduled appointments and are able to come to the testing tent between 10AM-3PM, please do so. No need to reschedule online, simply arrive on site and we will work to accommodate you.

If you are scheduled for a test later Saturday and IT IS NOT YOUR FIRST TEST, please go online and reschedule for Sunday or Monday. You can click the link sent to you with your confirmation email and cancel/reschedule as needed.

If you are arriving Saturday and have not yet been tested on campus, you may proceed to the testing tent between 10AM-3PM.  As long as it is safe to operate we will be conducting testing under the tent. If it is determined that we need to suspend operations, we will close the tent. You may wait nearby in the adjacent Fayerweather Building/Beckham Hall (second floor) or in the Exley Science Center (lobby) until the weather passes or you may proceed directly to get your key at your assigned key pick-up location.

Residential Life Key Pick-Up Locations

Please review the information that has been sent to you about checking in to Residential Life and picking up your keys. Due to the inclement weather, the key pick-ups on Saturday will be moved under cover as follows:

Butterfield check-in moved to Butterfield A Lounge.

Clark Hall check-in moved to Clark Hall Lobby.

HiRise check-in moved to the HiRise Lobby.

Rear of Hewitt 8/Mocon Circle check-in moved to Hewitt 9 Lounge.

Foss Hill Drive check-in moved to Fauver Lounge.

Please note that Residential Life Check in hours on Sunday will now be 10AM-4PM.

We’ve made all of these changes in the interest of safety. Thank you for your understanding. Please pay attention to any additional weather reports for any changing conditions.  At this point today and Sunday look like beautiful days and we expect to operate our full days at the outdoor locations.

 

Best,

Rick Culliton, Dean of Students

Wesleyan University

COVID-19 Bystander Intervention Workshop TODAY – 8/28

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This is repost of an email by Dean Whaley to students on August 28th.

 

Dear Students,

This is a reminder that WesWell (Wesleyan’s Health Education Office) will be hosting a COVID-19 Bystander Intervention workshop via Zoom on Friday at 3pm EDT.

Originally developed to teach students how to safely intervene to reduce sexual violence and high-risk drinking, this skill set can be used to address many potential harms.  Our ability to have an in-person semester together on campus during the pandemic will rely on each of us intervening to keep the community healthy and safe.  This virtual workshop will serve as an introduction for those not familiar with bystander intervention or as a refresher for those already using these tools.

Please join the discussion!

Anna Nguyen ‘22, WSA Student Life Committee Chair

Dean Mike Whaley, Vice President for Student Affairs