Visit. For more information on meal plans, please visit, June 25-July 7 -- Registration for undergraduate transfer students, July 8 New student housing assignments announced, July 8, 5 p.m. Meal plan selection deadline, July 15 Details about orientation, residence hall check-in, and move-in process announced, July 15 Listing of fall course delivery available (including delivery mode designations), Week of August 3 Continuing students and new transfer students can make changes to schedules, Aug 8-11 Returning Students Phase I move-in (returning students with a need to arrive early), Aug 12-14 New Student move-in (freshman, transfers, Joint Degree Programme), Aug 13-18 Returning Students Phase II move-in (all other returning students). We wish you all the best in the remaining weeks of the semester and during the exam period. Offices that have face-to-face interaction should arrange meetings by appointment and observe W&Ms requirements for the use of face coverings, physical distancing, etc. This week, Governor Northam issued a stay-at-home order, running through June 10, 2020. The Student Health Center remains open to students by appointment only. Based on these discussions, I write to share the following answers to the most frequently asked questions. The COVID-19 pandemic requires that we uphold our commitments to one another at all times and locations, on campus and off. In that capacity, I write with an update on the spring semester. Covid 19: The positives from teaching in 2020 - BBC Teach "They reached out, said, You know we're feeling that our students aren't feeling connected to school. ", Teachers' Acts of Kindness During Coronavirus. should reach out to the Office of Student Accessibility Services. Several faculty members told her they had 100% virtual attendance in their sizable classes and they were able to be more available to students with later office hours. The invitation: in order to create some space to reflect together, I will be hosting a virtual Community Conversation (www.wm.edu/conversation) from the Presidents House this Friday at 2 p.m. News that a few staff members originally reached out to him about doing something for their students. To that end, the university has developed a series of training videos to teach the community about COVID-19 and how to protect ourselves and others in a campus environment. The August on-campus move-in dates for the following groups of students are not affected by this adjustment. Mehta says that while traditional in-person school can be exhausting for students required to be "on . Plus, how the pandemic shows us that schools are more important than ever. Through education and regular public health messaging across campus, we will reinforce that everyone must follow the guidelines for mitigating risk during this time of pandemic, including mask wearing, physical distancing and handwashing. Your contributions are appreciated and we thank you in our prayers, hearts, and minds each and every day. As we work through immediate-term solutions in crisis mode, we will begin to shift to living, teachingand learning during a pandemic. The university will remain open with modified academic operations: All in-person classes are suspended. Testing frequency and population percentage may vary based on campus trends and available testing methods. Graduation Speech During Pandemic: 'To Forgive and Be for Giving' - ICMS I hope they are learning new things even if its not me teaching it to them. Laura D. One of the best ways to relieve stress and discover what matters to you is to get creative. 10 Awe-Inspiring Quotes for Teachers and Parents The deadline for residential undergraduate students to select a meal plan was July 8. Celebrating together, in person, continues to be our goal. This note has only one piece of business, an invitation, and then reflections on insights that have been shared with me this week from many different sources. With students due to return from spring break and reports of presumptive cases in our region, we are taking further steps to ensure we meet these goals. Last Monday, the school system's 1.1 million students the largest school system in the country transitioned to remote learning, which will last until at least April 20. She said, What I know is: a resiliency develops from this. Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and celebrity gossip. These appropriate measures aim to slow spread and reduce incidence of COVID-19, which had risen at the end of this month. "I was so happy when I saw it. We will continue to assess possible timelines in consultation with local public health officials, closely tracking the Commonwealths and our nations response. By taking further preventative steps, we maximize time for measured transitions and reduce the risk of future disruptions to our teaching, learning and research mission. Well, that is a ton of helpful information. Working closely with our local and state health officials, as well as our Virginia university partners, W&M is closely monitoring all guidance related to health and safety practices and protocols. Assuming you returned the kits as promptly as expected, we do not anticipate the turnaround from lab to results will affect your ability to move in or begin classes as scheduled; however, we want you to know accurately when your test results will be available to view. We will indeed have the chance in the future to celebrate those milestones appropriately. We are here with you. The coronavirus pandemic and school shutdowns have forced schools to go remote, creating a whole new set of extra difficulties for teachers. By providing as much transparency as possible, I hope to sharpen our focus on what matters most and to ease some of the uncertainty we all feel. As such, almost all courses will be blended to some degree, with students learning in real time and instruction delivered both directly and via technology throughout the semester. For travel guidance, see CDC's Travel webpage. We are deeply cognizant of the financial vulnerability felt by our students and families and we will continue to provide support, beginning with the following actions. My sincere thanks to all parents who have entrusted students into our care during this time. Even in distress, so many of you have taken the time to send a kind note to a faculty member, staff member, student leader, or administrator. It outlines hygiene practices and how to best navigate situations in which the people around you dont uphold our communitys standards. For students living in off-campus housing: given the lack of services on campus and out of an abundance of caution, we ask that you return to your family residence. As teachers close o If you are a student, how and when will testing occur? Parents of all students who are determined to be close contacts of a case of COVID-19 in the school. Every enrolled student has affirmed theHealthy Together Community Commitmentand their willingness to adhere tothe universitys COVID-related health and safety rules. Many of you have reached out and expressed compassion and concern for your fellow students who may be in need -- please be assured that no student will be without shelter when the residence halls close on March 25. Letter #3. In our spring and summer planning, we outlined the most difficult curricular path in-person, hybrid, and remote learning so that our graduate students and undergraduates might choose the living and learning options that best suited their needs. Cognitively: studying together speeds and deepens learning in myriad ways. The health and safety protocols were currently maintaining are helping to limit the spread of COVID-19 in W&Ms close-knit community. During this time, teachers have gone to . 20 inspirational quotes to lift you up - Kids Help Phone Try these tips to help you create custom messages to share with your guests. Even if its just a pen and lined paper. Just spend responsibly, kids. These tests are administered at no cost to you. We will work with students (and their faculty as appropriate) to be sure they are in a position to be successful this semester. Specifics on operations for all employees will be announced by the week of November 16. That I am thinking of them and missing them daily. more. You should make efforts to schedule your testing appointment around your class schedule, but if you cannot avoid a conflict, you will be excused from class. See www.wm.edu/conversation for more details and upcoming dates. They stand ready to support students, faculty and staff in this transition. Our plan is for 5% of the student population and 2% of employees to be tested every two weeks throughout the semester, pulled from the local and on-campus population. Working in five small squads, this planning group will identify strategies to advance curricular flexibility and operational resiliency, help de-densify campus, create career pathways for our graduates and engage the wider W&M community in broad calls to service to support the most vulnerable in our communities. We are considering the optimal timing for your Commencement, keeping in mind that the Classes of 2020 and 2021 will each have their own ceremonies and celebrations. We can do this but only if we are ALL IN together. We know how challenging learning has been during the pandemic. What is the least-visited state park in Texas? Touchless temperature stations placed strategically around campus will support self-assessment. I believe this and I hope it for each one of you. Messages and posts related to COVID-19 - Novel coronavirus information Employees should request an exception for health reasons through Human Resources. Classes will resume online starting Monday, March 23. If you are faculty, staff, contract worker, vendor or other: As noted above, these requirements apply to all faculty, staff, students, contract workers, vendors and other visitors to campus. Employees were advised of their units in-person or remote requirements the week of July 20. Ive heard many expressions of pride, determination, solace in collaborative work, joy in creativity under pressure. Creating COVID-19 Messaging for Graduation Greetings. Given the growing number of Covid-19 cases in our surrounding area, including in our campus community, we recognized that our residence halls are unsuitable for long term self-quarantine and self-isolation, which will be necessary in the weeks ahead; additionally, we are not staffed to provide a high level of health care and living support for students under pandemic conditions., Students who are having difficulty implementing their personal evacuation plans under these unprecedented circumstances, will be helped on an individual basis, and we will deploy emergency funds wherever possible to ease the financial burden as students await housing, dining, and parking rebates (detailed information about rebates will be sent soon in a separate message). With a better understanding of the viruss progress nationally, we will identify a time when we can convene such a sizable group without great risk to health. What a fall this has been! So much gratitude is flowing. We are asking residents who remain on campus due to extenuating circumstances not to gather in groups. These trends, along with additional data and considerations, will inform William & Marys spring operations. In acting now, we hope to allow you as much time as possible to prepare and respond. Great quotes make complexity simple. All invited speakers must present in a virtual format, whether invited for university-wide presentations or at invitation of professional and graduate schools, departments, professors or student groups. will be limited for those with compelling reasons to be present, such as international students. Thank you for your patience as we continue to work diligently to ensure a safe and successful fall semester. NOTE: W&Ms on-campus residency requirements notwithstanding, any freshman or sophomore student electing a fully-remote curriculum may be released from their campus housing contract with no penalty in order to reside at their permanent home address for the fall semester. The university is providing support for the online instructional, remote learning and technology needs of faculty, students and staff. April 28, 2020Dear Campus community:Last Thursday, the Executive Committee of the Board of Visitors (BOV) met to hear updates about the universitys response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with all members of the BOV participating.