Fall 2020 Campus Planning Update

Dear Stephens Students,

We’ve heard from so many of you that you are literally counting the days until you can come back to Stephens; we understand that — because we’re doing it, too (60 days)! And we’ll spend every one of them continuing to do what we’ve been doing since you departed: developing the plans, protocols, processes and policies to be sure we are providing you the college experience you deserve in a safe and healthy environment.

That’s what this letter is about. I hope you’ll read it carefully, share it with family members and others helping you prepare for next steps, and let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Here’s the summary:

A key component of our plans and protocols has everything to do with choice. 

We’ll be following CDC guidelines to protect campus health and safety, adjusting our policies and processes to respond to changing public health concerns. But we also know that you’re a Stephens student, and that means you are very likely to have clear and strong opinions about what works best for you. That’s why we’ve designed our entire post-COVID-19 campus experience to be sure you continue to be able to make your own choices within those larger protocols — not just once, but again and again as your situation, preferences or needs may change.  

 

Here are the details:

We’ve revised our fall calendar — as have hundreds of other colleges and universities — to avoid the usual breaks and holidays when many people travel and gather in large groups and then return to campus. Instead, we’ll start as scheduled in mid-August, but we’ll close out the semester on November 20 — before Thanksgiving break — and you’ll finish the semester/take your final exams/make your final presentations online/on Zoom the first week in December.  

 

More specifically:

Choice #1: When can you return to campus?
Returning students can start moving into their campus residence halls on Sunday, August 16. New students will arrive on Friday, August 21. Classes will begin on Tuesday, August 25. And again, they’ll end on November 20, before Thanksgiving break. That means returning students will have the option of living on campus for 16 weeks this fall.

Choice #2: Learn Your Way
Since we know that everybody learns differently, and that your learning is directly impacted by your health, environment and situation, we’ll be offering all classes both in-person and on Zoom, simultaneously. That means you can choose how and where you want to attend — and you can make different choices depending upon your health and circumstances. Our commitment to you: A quality educational experience with the engaging faculty and the experiential learning you expect from Stephens. Without interruption.

Choice #2.a.: What if you choose to learn from off-campus? What about equipment and technology?
We understand that there were some challenges this spring when it comes to technology, and I am so grateful to our faculty for their creative alternative assignments and projects. But we’re ready for that kind of challenge this fall: For those of our students who choose to study from home or elsewhere, we’re creating a lease/loan program that will allow them to have those necessary tools and technologies wherever they are.  We’ll have more detail on that in the coming weeks.

 
Choice #3: Home for the Holidays?  
Classes will end Friday, November 20. All finals will be held online, November 30 to December 4. Winter Commencement will be held on campus the evening of November 20, with diplomas sent to our grads after they have completed their finals. Students who choose to remain on campus through the Thanksgiving holiday week may remain on campus until noon Saturday, December 5.  

Choice #4: Where would you like to eat that?
Best practices suggest that cafeteria-style food service — where diners are sharing utensils, self-serving from the same food stations, and spending time in close proximity to each other — is not the best way to eat healthy. That’s why we’re moving this fall to more of the “pick-up and delivery” model that we got used to with our favorite restaurants in the past few months. We’ll still have the same variety of menu offerings and food types to choose from, but you’ll order your food online and our kitchen team will pack it up for you in disposable (recyclable) containers, for pickup or delivery. That doesn’t mean you can’t decide to pick up your food and sit down with friends to eat in the Student Union (parts of which will also be transformed into a second dining room) or the Pit or the dining room; it just means you have a choice about that, and we are creating an environment in which every student can choose to follow social distancing guidelines — and eat really well at the same time! (And we just hired an amazing new chef!)

Choice #5: What about a roommate? And shared bathrooms?
Many of our students choose to live in single rooms (with their pets!); others choose a less expensive shared-housing option. Whatever your choice, the CDC has issued guidelines for all colleges and universities that will ensure that students in all living environments can remain safe and healthy — as long as they follow those guidelines! And we’re going to support and assist you as you do. All students, for example, will be asked to carry all of their toiletries and bathroom appliances (hair dryers, curling irons, toothbrushes, etc.) in a personal caddy in and out of their bathrooms, rather than leaving them in place.  That will allow our facilities team (on a regular and agreed-upon schedule) to daily sanitize all bathrooms on campus used by more than one person.

Choice #6: And I know you need to know: What happens if somebody does get sick?
As you know, more than 2 million Americans have tested positive for COVID-19, and tens of thousands of them had no symptoms at all. Those in your age range who do contract the virus are among the least likely to become seriously ill. But with hundreds of college students at Stephens and tens of thousands at Mizzou, we know that there is every possibility that it could happen. And we are dedicated to ensuring we’re ready if or when it does: We have established clear and safe protocols to quarantine, isolate, house and support any student who has been exposed, diagnosed and/or is recovering from COVID-19. We’re developing a partnership with Boone Health to help our students access healthcare services as needed, and we’ll work closely with you and your family as you decide where and how you want to quarantine, isolate or recover.

What else do I need to know?
We’ll provide lots more information and detail about the kinds of new processes or expectations we’re establishing this fall in an online training webinar that you’ll need to complete before you can check in and get your room keys. That training will be available by July 20, so you’ll have plenty of time to complete it before you arrive on campus on August 16; we’ll be back in touch with details.

I know you have additional questions; this is really just the beginning of an ongoing conversation about how we’re working to ensure you can return to Stephens safely and with confidence. We recognize that no one can foresee what the COVID-19 situation may be and all plans are subject to change based on public health directives and CDC guidelines at any given time. But our commitment to you is this: We will do everything we can to provide you with options in your learning, your housing, your dining, and your campus experience — while promoting your health and safety, too.

Sincerely,
Dianne