Update for Move-In Plans for Fall 2020 – Zoom Webinar on 7/21

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This is a message from Dean Fran Koerting, Director of Residential Life.

Dear students,

One part of the current testing plan is for all undergraduate students to be tested upon arriving to campus, followed by a self-quarantine in their student residence until they meet the following criteria: Students who are from New York, New Jersey and New England until they receive a negative test result, and all other students, including those coming from another country, until they receive two negative test results (which will likely mean a seven day quarantine).  These students can shorten their quarantine period by having a test done on their own within 72 hours prior to coming to campus and bringing proof of the negative result to campus, which will be considered their first of two negative results.

Therefore, Residential Life is adapting its arrival and move in plan as follows:  All undergraduate students may sign up for a day and timeslot between August 24 through August 30.  The number of timeslots is limited by hour and location in order to facilitate physical distancing as students are moving in.  We ask that students who will only require one negative test result sign up for the latter half of the week, leaving the earlier days for students who need two rounds of testing.  Students living in program houses, wood frame houses and apartments (other than Fauver, Low and High Rise) do not need to sign up for a day and timeslot, but should plan to arrive between 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on one of those days.  Any student whose travel plans have them arriving after 7:00 p.m. should email reslife@wesleyan.edu  and we will leave their keys at Public Safety for them.

We are hosting a webinar on Tuesday, July 21 at noon to review the move-in process and answer questions students might have related to housing.  The link is listed below.  The platform for move-in sign-ups will be available on Tuesday, July 21 at 2:00 p.m., following the webinar.   If flight arrangements need to be made prior to this time, students may email reslife@wesleyan.edu with the day and time they anticipate arriving on campus and we will reserve that timeslot for them.

Since the sign-ups are based on residence, we hope to have housing assignments for first year and transfer students completed by Wednesday, July 22, so that they may begin making their travel plans.  We are working on assignments for students who do not yet have one and for those who have requested changes.  These students will be able to see their assignment in their WesPortal on August 7, and should wait to sign up for a timeslot until then.

Students who live within a few hours driving distance of campus may drop off their belongings the weekend of August 22-23.  They will be given access to their residence, but will not receive their key until they return the following weekend.  More details regarding this option will be sent next month.

Webinar information: Residential Life:  Move in and Reactivation of Campus
Jul 21, 2020 12:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/92524848848?pwd=SXRtTDk0VzlsdThyNTErWVpCajFEUT09
Password: 597042

We hope you are able to join us next Tuesday.  Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any additional questions or concerns.  We look forward to welcoming those of you who are able to be on campus this fall.  If you are not able to be on campus this fall, please notify us as soon as possible so that we can finalize housing assignments for those who do not yet have one.

Sincerely,

Fran Koerting
Associate Dean/Director of Residential Life

Wesleyan Financial Aid and Student Accounts Virtual Q&A on 7/20

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The following is a message from Admissions, Student Accounts, and Financial Aid.

 

Dear students and families,

I hope that you and your loved ones remain well during these challenging times.

In an effort to keep you well-informed, Director of Financial Aid Bob Coughlin, Director of Student Accounts Robert Mirabal, and I invite you to attend a live webinar this Monday, July 20, from 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. (Eastern time). This session will address concerns we’re hearing from students and families in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will speak to how to manage student accounts.

During the session, Bob and Robert will also respond to questions you may have pertaining to their respective areas. We encourage you to submit questions in advance.Please also note that both students and family members may use the same link to access the webinar.

Financial Aid and Student Account Q&A
Monday, July 20, 2020
12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m. (Eastern time)
Access via Zoom

Webinar ID: 916 9414 1689

Password: 553090

Find your local number: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/u/adD1wg6oqi

We look forward to visiting with you soon.

Best regards,

Amin Abdul-Malik Gonzalez ‘96
Vice President and Dean of Admission & Financial Aid

Bob Coughlin, Director of Financial Aid

Robert Mirabal, Director of Student Accounts

Reactivating Campus in Fall – A Message from President Michael Roth

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President Roth sent the following message to the campus community on July 8, 2020. I have posted it on our class blog for your convenience.

Wishing you good health,

Dean Leathers

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Dear friends,

As promised in my June message, I am writing now with more specificity concerning our plans to reactivate campus in late August. Since our first priority is the health and safety of our community members, these plans may have to be adjusted in response to changing public health conditions. Whatever these challenging conditions may be, we intend to provide an excellent educational experience (on campus or remotely).

We have developed a robust set of resources on our website about our campus reactivation, including information on instruction and campus life, health and safety, and returning to work on campus. Here are some highlights:

We will begin fall classes on August 31 (one week earlier than initially scheduled), with the possibility of finishing the semester online after Thanksgiving (there will be no traditional fall break). Students will be asked to avoid large gatherings in the weeks before coming to campus and to take increasing precautions, in addition to wearing masks and social distancing. Students who are able to get tested will be encouraged to determine that they are negative for Covid-19 within 48 hours of traveling to campus. Everyone on campus will be tested shortly after arrival, and there will be frequent testing on a regular basis thereafter. Those on campus who test positive for Covid-19 will be provided with supportive isolation until they are no longer contagious. Students who test positive will be able to continue their coursework remotely.

Faculty have been given the choice as to whether they will teach their classes in person, remotely, or in some combination. It is likely that many students will have a portion of their instruction online, whether they return to campus or not. While some staff members will continue to work remotely, there will be a presence of staff on campus.  Apart from the commuting of employees (who will be tested for the virus), we expect little travel to campus.  There will be no program of intercollegiate sports or club sports, but we do plan to have safe athletic training on campus.

Despite the economic challenges we are all contending with, Wesleyan remains firmly committed to both enrolling a socio-economically diverse student body and meeting the full demonstrated need of our financial aid students. Given new regulations from Washington, Wesleyan is particularly concerned about our international students, and we are committed to doing all we can to ensure that they can continue to make academic progress in Fall 2020.

Please consult the website for detailed information most relevant to your own circumstances, and feel free to reach out to the appropriate department with your questions. We will continually update this site with more information as it becomes available. We will send out another community message in August, or sooner depending on the public health trajectory. Obviously, we are very concerned about the recent surge in cases in the South and West and are monitoring the situation closely. Our plans may have to change.

We believe in the value of an on-campus education, and the basic steps we need to take are clear. The simple act of wearing a mask consistently reduces the likelihood of transmission. Masks combined with rigorous testing, tracing and supportive isolation will make our campus safer. I look forward to a fall semester in which we take good care of one another and continue to excel in learning together.

Sincerely,

Michael S. Roth

President

SEVP Fall 2020 Guidance Zoom Q&A Sessions for F-1 Students

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As many of you are aware of, on July 6, 2020, Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) issued new guidance regarding online courses and the fall semester for students in F-1 status. On July 7, 2020, additional information was issued in Frequently Asked Questions for Fall 2020.

The Office of International Student Affairs  (OISA) has scheduled two Zoom sessions to answer all your questions. Please submit your questions here by 11:59 pm EDT on Sunday, July 12, 2020. OISA will review your questions and answer them during the sessions.

Zoom Session #1

Thursday, July 16, 2020, 3:00-4:00 pm EDT

Zoom link: https://wesleyan.zoom.us/j/99890137466?pwd=WXBOejMzLy9odzA3TUx2Ync1Smlqdz09                                                                                 Meeting ID: 998 9013 7466; Password: 628900

Zoom Session #2

Friday, July 17, 2020, 9:30 to 10:30 am EDT

Meeting ID: 978 2927 5633; Password: 039128

 

Both Zoom sessions will be recorded. If you are not able to join, please email oisa@wesleyan.edu.

Checking In – 6/17

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Dear members of the class of 2021,

I hope this message finds you and your families healthy and doing well. I’m also writing to offer clarity as I’ve received a few inquiries about the fall intention form. Please know your responses are not binding; they will be used to get a sense of students’ tentative plans in order to help the university determine next steps.

Also, if you are an F-1 visa holder and have questions about how to proceed, please take a look at the following resource from OISA:
https://classof2021.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2020/06/17/information-sessions-for-f-1-visa-holders-fall-2020-semester-6-18/

More information from the university is forthcoming next month, but do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns in the interim.

Take gentle care,
Dean Leathers

Information Sessions for F-1 Visa Holders (Fall 2020 Semester) – 6/18

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The Office of International Student Affairs (OISA) is offering another zoom information session to address questions that F-1 visa holders have about enrollment at Wesleyan for the Fall 2020 semester.

Please submit all your questions here. *One question per submission.* You can submit as many times as you wish. The questions submitted will be answered in one of the Zoom sessions below.

Thursday, June 18, 3:30-4:30 pm EDT
Planning for your Fall Semester (for returning International Students)

 

 

Wesleyan Alumni Panel: Healthcare Crisis: Facing the Many Aspects of the COVID Pandemic – 6/10

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Good Afternoon Everyone!

I hope all of you and your families are doing well. I am writing to share information about an alumni panel event regarding the current healthcare crisis being hosted via Zoom on Wednesday evening (June 10th). Experienced Wesleyan alumni will discuss the wide-ranging impacts the pandemic has had on healthcare delivery, from hospital systems to Telemedicine, to the effects on private practices and ‘non-essential’ care, the impact on at-risk populations managing psychiatric and/or addictive disorders, and the ethical considerations of resources allocations.

The discussion will be moderated by our very own Chief Medical Director, Thomas McLarney, MD, and is open to all members of the Wesleyan community.

If you’re interested in joining us, register here. Feel free to share this event via email or Facebook with your students and colleagues as you see fit.

Take care,

MILDRED RODRIGUEZ, PhD
HEALTH PROFESSIONS ADVISOR
Wesleyan University | Gordon Career Center
Boger Hall, 41 Wyllys Avenue | Middletown, CT 06459
P. 860 685-2180

COVID-19 Student Action Fund: Application due by June 3

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Deadline Reminder: Apply by June 3!

Less than a week to go! CGI U is seeking student leaders to apply for the COVID-19 Student Action Fund, a new initiative launched by President Bill Clinton and Chelsea Clinton that will support select students at universities across the world who are committed to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

Working within the CGI U Commitment to Action model, this fund will provide at least $100,000 USD in total funding to students, with each grant awarded ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 USD. Current CGI U students, former CGI U students, and new students are all eligible to apply, including those graduating in this current term.

All applications must be submitted by 11:59PM ET on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 to cgiu.org/covid19fund.

Writing Workshop Tutoring Resources Available

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A Note from the Writing Workshop

The Writing Workshop will be holding online tutoring hours during reading period today, Friday, 5/8, tomorrow, Saturday, 5/9, and Sunday, 5/11. They are offering a range of times from 8am until 9pm, EST to try to accommodate as many students from across the globe as possible.

Online remote sessions are certainly different, but can be so very helpful to students as they navigate this new terrain of finals. Working with a peer can be grounding, and our tutors are trained and ready to meet students and help as much as they can in these difficult times. Whether they want to use video, audio, or simply the chat function, students can share their drafts and brainstorm together through our online tutoring software.

As always, students can make appointments by going to Wes Portal –>Academics –> Writing Workshop where you will be redirected to our online scheduling system. Please review this PDF for directions and screenshots to help you navigate the online appointment. You can also find this information on our website.