positivity supporting others 20 inspirational quotes to lift you up Published on January 31, 2019 Updated on February 10, 2023 Having a bad day? Students who need accessibility accommodations to fully participate in the fall semester campus housing, curricular offerings, etc. We must remain vigilant so that we can move quickly to identify positive cases and potential exposures. Best wishes as W&M moves forward into this new virtual educational environment. Some students and faculty may elect simply to unplug and rest on these days; others will want to participate in a variety of recreational, social, wellness and service opportunities that will be announced later. A return to campus, like all aspects of life, carries with it potential risk. Specific resources and considerations for instructors can be found in this matrix and on the W&M Keep Teaching site. Earlier today, Dean of Students Marjorie Thomas shared with all students W&Ms Fall, An introduction to the Healthy Together commitment, COVID-19 and its prevention, A tutorial on mask use and requirements at William & Mary, A review of proper preventative hygiene, including hand washing, the use of sanitizer and the difference between cleaning and disinfecting spaces, Tips on how to handle situations in which peoples behavior diverges from our shared commitment to health, A conclusion that reinforces the main points and offers additional resources. High School Musical Tickets On Sale Now. As vice president for student affairs, I have never felt more proud of our students than I do this year. "Our students and community have responded to the video in a very positive fashion," he noted before reading appreciative responses from students and their families. At this time room selection for returning students for the 2020-2021 Academic Year will proceed on schedule online, including Priority Housing. Please feel . It seemed so specialI miss you so much. Recently I shared with you detailed instructions for registering with Kallaco so we may send you an off-campus COVID-19 test based on your move-in date or the date you will resume in-person classes. For some, there may be real sacrifices, unexpected challenges or burdens that are hard to see. As denial moves to anger or frustration, bargaining, and depression, teaching and learning performance may dip, and both students and teachers may need guidance about how to cope with the grief and loss associated with the change and reassurance that circumstances will improve. Without your compliance, our fall semester on campus will be over before it starts. Multilingual at Heart. So this email aims to add clarity where we are able. Remote proctoring provides a reliable process for identity verification and secure testing environments. All of our lives have been upended by COVID-19 and we will all be balancing competing demands for some time to come. They should be telling me their stories from the weekend and being with me and theyre not.. May the coming weeks keep you and your loved ones well. And pre-arrival testing requirements will be announced by the week of November 16. The schools of Law and Business made the transition to remote teaching last week, so teachers and students in those classes are in your second week. All events and gatherings in university facilities as well as university-sponsored events on and off campus are suspended through at least April 3. As we prepare to change our instructional delivery modes starting next week, we are expanding the pass-fail option for Spring 2020. Going forward, we will continue to update the community on a weekly basis, to add clarity as frequently as we may. The provost and deans offices will coordinate this transition for all academic programs. Our testing and other public health protocols are based on ongoing epidemiological modeling being developed by VCU, UVA and VT as Virginia's academic medical centers. The Exit: Teachers Leave. Teachers work hard from August to the end of May and during May is when we get to celebrate and see how much our kids grow and change and tell them were proud of them and celebrate with them and were not really getting to do that together.. Teachers hope kids will create We will get through this signs for their windows. There is something here for all students (graduate and undergraduate), whether you live on campus, off campus or are studying remotely. Student must maintain a 6-foot physical distance when interacting with people other than those with whom they share their immediate living unit. Avoid interactions with others, maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance and wear your face covering. Following CDC and Virginia Health Department guidelines for living together under pandemic conditions will bring unique challenges, such as mask wearing, physical distancing and many more adaptations to how we work and learn together. Case managers will be assigned after you have completed the intake form at ReportCOVID.wm.edu. In June we will have more details to share about ways we can prepare for the upcoming academic year. 23 Inspiring Signs Of Hope During The Coronavirus Outbreak Because safeguarding the health of our community is a central concern, we (in consultation with our VCU Health System partners) considered several options to meet these different requirements. Employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be expected to isolate and retest with a negative result before returning to work. We have the advantage of being a close-knit community already. Students Suffer. We are guided by four key goals: safeguarding the health of students, faculty and staff; ensuring students complete their classes; maintaining the universitys research and other operations; and joining in the national effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, to protect our communities, from Williamsburg to DC and beyond. Face coverings include cloth or disposable masks or face shields. Our youth do not have the years of wisdom many of their teachers, counselors, and educators have from living more life on this earth than they. Yet at a time of loss and sacrifice, we have also made gains. We want to try to do something," he recalled. "Thank you very much for doing that video. -- Ed. This move was in accordance with the Governors directive to close executive-branch and state offices in the Peninsula Health District in a coordinated statewide effort to slow the spread of COVID-19. Compliance with these requirements is mandatory for this period. Teachers, in a non-coronavirus world, already had to deal with an array of student challenges, parents, and an unrealistic amount of standardized testing. Learning never stops: testimonies from students and educators - UNESCO Thank you for your resilience and kindness and for being a constant in a time of rapid change. Next week we will update the campus on financial projections for FY21. Encouraging Message for Students During Difficult Times From Lisa Shatz International Students will receive specific testing instructions in the next week to 10 days. The deadline to request a release is, Fall meal plan selections will automatically roll to the spring semester and students are able to make one allowable change through the add/drop period at, Students with a meal plan this fall who plan to study remotely in the spring must log on to. W&M will be significantly increasing its capacity to provide access to healthcare on campus. If possible remove all of your belongings at this time and complete the online check out process. Special Celebrations and New Traditions Planned for this May We must also find meaningful ways to celebrate the Class of 2020 this spring. We anticipate bringing sophomores, juniors and seniors back to campus in early September. Additionally, if you do not have WiFi connectivity or access to the internet and currently have a cellular phone, you may want to contact your carrier to determine if your phone has the ability to serve as a mobile hotspot. The COVID-19 testing group will soon begin contacting students by email to coordinate test registration and shipments, based on students anticipated arrival dates. Technology is a saving grace and has made virtual learning possible, but it's still not the same as going to school and learning. Day one of on-site testing is Monday, October 19, and well continue with testing daily through Thursday, October 30. Violations of these agreements will haveconsequences. Itonly takes a handful of studentsbehavingrecklesslyto jeopardizetheabilityfor all of usto be on campus this fall. Many of you are back in the classroom, as Arts & Sciences, Education, and VIMS started classes this week. Social distancing protocols will be in place and we will require compliance with these actions. We must do all in our power to protect one another. Alumni talk about ringing the Wren bell, saying goodbye to beloved places on campus, and walking together with classmates out through the door they entered when they first arrived at William & Mary. After July 31: information will be provided next week by the Chief Operating Officer and the Chief Human Resources Officer on the specifics of how we will assess return to work timelines based on the university's mission and areas of work. I write to sketch broadly the projected financial outlook for William & Mary as we understand it at present and outline the steps we are taking to support the extraordinary students, faculty, staff, alumni andparentswho sustain the universitys mission. Many of these institutions took different approaches to testing, campus density and/or required conduct. The frequency and population percentage will evolve based on campus trends, evolving science and available testing methods. Contact the Technology Support Center (TSC)757-221-4357 (HELP) or [[support]] We look forward to connecting with you! She . AND. I should be coming in every day having my kids in my classroom, she explained. Mehta says that while traditional in-person school can be exhausting for students required to be "on . Starting next week, we will begin a program of prevalence testing, beginning with an initial sampling of 5% of the student body and 2% of the employee/contractor population. More answers about W&Ms approach to testing may be found on our website; questions about Kallaco and Opteo may be found here. Yet it is within our control to limit the spread of this virus. As we head into the weekend, I write to those of you who continue to act in selfish ways thatput our in-person semester at risk. To return to normal campus activity after 10 days of isolation, you will need to be cleared to return to work by a physician and have gone at least 24 hours without symptoms, including no fever (without the use of fever-suppressing medications). You are required to wear a face covering when in university housing hallways, other shared spaces and hall baths (except when actively washing, brushing teeth, etc.). Even as we benefit from sharing wisdom with peer institutions in the Commonwealth and around the country, our decisions will reflect William & Marys unique culture and educational model. Editors note: Phased planning has amended some information included in the July 22 message. I would like to thank you again for your incredible commitment to our healthy community and wish you the best as we continue through the second half of the fall semester together. Residence Life will provide additional details and instructions about spring move-in: January 22: new students (transfer & freshmen), international students, freshmen who studied remotely in the fall, January 23-24: freshmen who lived on campus in the fall / international students. They are based in our shared values of respect and flourishing, by which we empower those who live, learn and work here to make choices toward a healthy and fulfilling life. As William & Mary finalizes plans for the spring, I will be in touch with additional updates and details. In barely more than a week, William & Mary faculty and staff in every school reinvented their spring semesters, adapting long-standing habits and materials into new platforms. If you need assistance, please do not hesitate to visit our website for a full listing of our departments to help in your success., In the days and weeks ahead, stay connected with us and with one another. Professor Jal Mehta isn't surprised that some students and teachers are finding positives during remote learning. All residential students also have agreed to adhere to specific Covid-19 Health and Well-Being Policies as part of theirhousing contract. Completion of the training program must occur by Monday, Aug. 24. "I was so happy when I saw it. So over the coming weeks, W&M will be repeatedly stressing the new rules via regular guidance, online training, signage and more. Walk the dog. As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, Commencement 2020 has been front-of-mind for our graduating students and their families. While students majoring in health sciences and/or people with medical experience are preferred, opportunities are available for anyone willing to serve. William & Mary is partnering with the VCU Health System (VCUHS) for expanded physical and mental health services, including COVID-19 testing for students and employees. The administration and the Emergency Management Team have responded effectively from the very beginning of this pandemic and will continue to work to protect the safety of our community. That I will do my best to continue to support them and their families as we wade through uncharted territory. At W&M, we take care of one another. Many of the outbreaks to date have resulted from large gatherings of young adults, without masks and physical distancing.