Message from the President: Update on 2020 Fall Semester
As the fall semester approaches, College of Saint Mary is actively preparing for the return of students, in alignment with health guidelines from the county and the state. We are taking several steps to ensure the health and well-being of our campus community, and I have confidence that CSM will adapt to provide the best possible college experience for our students.
We will begin regular classes on August 19, a week earlier than previously scheduled, and we will forego the fall break scheduled for October 22nd and 23rd. Following Thanksgiving, the majority of CSM classes will transition to remote learning for the remaining seven class days of the semester. The fall semester will be complete on December 8, 2020.
Resident students will have the ability and choice to return to campus housing during this time. Any schedule differences for specific programs will be communicated to you by your academic program director.
These adjustments will not change the total number of class days in the semester, but will reduce the need to return to campus after Thanksgiving. By reducing the number of people returning to campus, and the duration of their stay after the holiday, we are seeking to limit the risks of students returning with illnesses in December, when the traditional flu season typically peaks. We appreciate your flexibility with these changes, which are being made as precautionary measures to reduce health risks as we enter the new academic year.
As noted above, extensive planning is underway to support your academic success and the health and safety of our CSM community. Things we are already doing:
- All spaces are being cleaned with EPA-Approved materials.
- All learning spaces and common areas will observe adjusted maximum capacities in accordance with the recommendations provided in August by the state/county health department.
- We will have a comprehensive plan to proactively respond to any individual who is symptomatic, tests positive for COVID-19, or has been in close contact with someone who tests positive.
Athletes will be among the first group of students to move in on Sunday, August 9. We are waiting for further guidance regarding athletic competition. We do expect to be able to play fall sports with limited spectators.
The majority of new residential students will move in on August 15, and classes will begin August 19. As students return, we will conduct orientations to welcome them back in the COVID-19 era. Extensive protocols for screening, quarantining as necessary, physical distancing and, in most cases, the wearing of masks, will be instituted.
You might ask why we are doing all this? Why not just stay online until a vaccine is discovered and there is widespread opportunity to receive medicine to prevent the spread of the virus. While we will first strive to protect our CSM community, our mission calls us to an education of the whole person and we believe that residential life and personal interactions with peers and faculty are critical to the growth we pledge that students will experience here. At the same time, we realize a surge in virus cases could bring a stop to our plans. To this end we are actively working to ensure the resources and training are in place to create a great online experience should a sudden transition become necessary.
Our mission, with its foundation in Catholic/Mercy values, is to provide access to education in an environment that calls forth potential and fosters leadership. We know that some of you and your families have experienced significant disruption to your lives. To fulfill our mission, we will do everything we can to provide you with the means to continue your education.
Please refer to our website at CSM.edu for further updates and communication in the coming weeks.
Dr. Maryanne Stevens, RSM
President
College of Saint Mary
