As you know, William & Mary is adopting a vast array of safety measures to promote a healthy campus this fall. Wear a high-quality mask if you must be around others at home and in public. Many of the outbreaks to date have resulted from large gatherings of young adults, without masks and physical distancing. If your students are sick, please keep them home, and if your son or daughter tests positive for COVID, please contact our school nurses. All great ideas are welcome as we work together to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and mitigate disruption. We are very grateful that the City of Williamsburg has joined us in these commitments. Faculty members may not opt for face shields in lieu of masks. This year's National Teacher Appreciation Week is happening under the unprecedented hardships that the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed on us. We will redouble our efforts to support one another, to reach out and to commit to making choices that minimize risk to all. 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. "I would like to begin by recognising our parents, families, and loved ones, especially my mum and dad, who, may not be physically present with us, but who are, as always, cheering us on from the screens of the Great Hall or on their devices; our lecturers for imparting their wisdom - who have recently acquired the number 1 spot in the recent Visit. I write also to acknowledge the incredible difficulty of what we are undertaking. News that a few staff members originally reached out to him about doing something for their students. As we end the year, its not traditional, and its hard that way too, she added. All tests will be conducted at Kaplan Arena, which has ample room for testing stations, safe physical distancing and free, short-term parking for this testing in the Compton Lot. As we welcome new students into the William & Mary community and formally start classes, the excitement of a new academic year is palpable. And our students have stepped up as well, engaging in the transition to online classes, cheerfully offering their professors Zoom tips, and working to fill emergency needs of students and neighbors.I also want to recognize and thank President Rowe, Provost Agouris and the entire leadership team for their thoughtful, empathetic and strategic stewardship. Teacher workspaces displayed to the class can incorporate student work along with new notes and work that can . So teachers want students to know that they should stay home and stay safe so that everything can return to normal as quickly as possible. The following have three themes in common: 1) They speak to parents and teachers. So, we asked the teachers in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook to share their messages to students during COVID-19 school closures. For employees who do not have computer access, we will work with supervisors to make the training available to you. With that in mind, I wanted to provide an update about what to expect in the coming days. At W&M, we take care of one another. Every member of the William & Mary community should take pride in the way that students, faculty, and staff embraced the responsibility to protect one anothers health and support one anothers learning and work under extraordinarily difficult circumstances. We take this seriously, especially since the stakes for everyones health and safety are so high. The coronavirus pandemic and school shutdowns have forced schools to go remote, creating a whole new set of extra difficulties for teachers. 2. , It is my sincere hope that each of you will tap into tools and resources that you have found work best for you during trying times. We are firm in our convictionsour actionswillbe swift anddirectfor those who arent following theguidelineswe have in place. Symptomatic students may be tested and treated through the Student Health Center. Though the University of Texas has thousands of students, professors are hoping to give students some of the closure they will miss. COVID-19. The Bursars Office will credit the appropriate amounts to your student account. What is the least-visited state park in Texas? If you see something, say something. Students may not gather in groups of more than 10 people. Against the unpredictable environment of COVID-19, we will do everything we can to continue to provide as much certainty as we can. For those for whom this is not a realistic option, you are welcome on campus as detailed below. "Don . We continue to invite your questions and comments at COVIDResponse@wm.edu as we implement the Path Forward: Fall 2020 plans. The video concluded with a final comforting message: "When it rains, look for rainbows. As we move forward, we are committed to ensuring the standards of excellence that distinguish a William & Mary education. We recognize that these decisions have weighty consequences personal, financial and more. 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. So I ask you to read what follows with care. Emergencies. W&M's COVID-19 Response Team has outlined significant risk reduction measures W&M is taking to prepare for the fall. She has 15 years of classroom teaching experience and a master's degree in literacy education. International Students will receive specific testing instructions in the next week to 10 days. Build a snow sculpture. 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. Compliance with these requirements is mandatory for this period. Employees who test positive for COVID-19 will be expected to isolate and retest with a negative result before returning to work. Questions can still be submitted to us at COVIDResponse@wm.edu. Watch: Teachers Share Uplifting Messages to Students Amid Coronavirus In these trying times, this school staff has gone the extra mile to make sure their students know they are missed. 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. "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. It is based on collaborations with Commonwealth public higher education (including peer university public health and medical centers), CDC and VDH guidelines, and the Governors guidelines. Back-to-School Quotes for Teachers 21. Take care of yourself and know your limits Teaching can be an extremely stressful profession, particularly now. "For me it was a massive morale booster to meet lots of dogs and cats." Teachers say there has been a collective spirit among staff Glad to be back If there's something children have learnt from. For undergraduates, there will be six spring break days: On these spring break days, classes will not meet and no due dates for assignments or exams will be scheduled. Employees will access the series through Cornerstone Learning. The adorable footage featured not only the teachers and staff members, but also their own children and furry friends as they practice social distancing. Removal of any member of our university community is not a decision we take lightly, and following our student conduct procedures provides due process for each individual. My family is here, they're safe and sound, and I'm doing OK. I'm just doing the best I can. An enormous amount of work has taken place to prepare our campus community for a successful fall and that work continues in earnest. Over the past week, we have been heartened by so many stories of students, faculty, staff, neighbors and alumni reaching out to support each other. From students donating their rebates to others in need to our makerspaces creating personal protective equipment for first responders and healthcare workers, the people of W&M are finding ways to support one another, their families and their communities during this challenging time. 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. Employees are expected to continue working during this period, observing proper health protocols and with modifications as needed and approved by supervisors. This baseline training, designed for students, faculty, staff, contractors and vendors, introduces skills to promote the health of yourself and others. Students who need to use the elevator to access the concourse level of Kaplan Arena may arrange. In some cases, due to student and/or course requirements, exams are proctored. It offers regional data and information from W&Ms testing program. 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. For Fall 2020, the university is preparing for an early opening and a primarily in-person semester, adapting our curriculum and operations consistent with Virginias public health guidelines for higher education. As we embark on a new semester tomorrow, the importance of ourHealthy Together Community Commitmentcannot be overstated. We need everyone to be on board with masks, physical distancing and our other preventive measures and with re-imagining social life in creative ways, consistent with those measures. In other words, asymptomatic students will await test results wherever they live. In October, W&M waived the copay for voluntary, at-will COVID-19 testing for faculty and staff. There are many ways to help ensure the integrity of the learning and assessment processes. 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. I wish you all the best as you finish your classes and exams and prepare for a well-deserved break in just a few weeks. Initially, staff members wanted to drive by houses in their cars, but considering the social distancing protocols that were in place at the time, the idea was changed to making a video and they reached out to fellow staff to collect clips and edit them all together. On-campus services (residence halls, dining, etc.) Room Selection. What are your favorite quotes or words of encouragement that have helped you during the Covid-19 pandemic? Ginger Ambler____________________________Virginia M. Ambler 88, Ph.D. 06Vice President for Student AffairsWilliam & Mary. Honorlock is active only during a proctored exam and does not access your camera or microphone outside of a proctored session. Students must comply with mask expectations. Nothing is more important than the health and wellness of our community. Marjorie Thomas, Dean of StudentsMark Hofer, Director of the Studio for Teaching & Learning Innovation. We are aiming for Labor Day weekend. Employees will receive a copy of the Healthy Together Community Commitment along with their PPE kits, and they will be asked to affirm the commitment as part of the required on-line COVID-19 training that will be made available by Human Resources via Cornerstone. Please know that although the Residence Life office is closed to the general public they will still be responding to emails sent to living@wm.edu. If you are experiencing dire financial need this semester, the university may be able to help. 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. More will be needed in the weeks ahead. Meal Plans Students will receive rebates based on their spring semester meal plan as follows: Gold 19 and Freedom Plans $ 460Block 175 $ 420Block 125 $ 340Block 100 $ 270Commuter 50 $ 100Commuter 25 $ 50. I am confident that will be the case in the coming days and weeks. 'The pandemic has been a great teacher' - 25 quotes from India's COVID-19 struggle By Madanmohan Rao April 01, 2021 , Updated on : Thu Apr 01 2021 08:03:31 GMT+0000 We must continue these measures with increased vigilance. 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. John Irving. how the pandemic shows us that schools are more important than ever. 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. The university has made systematic adjustments to reduce risk of transmission: instituting a phased return of undergraduate students; requiring a negative test before returning students can be on campus; implementing a comprehensive plan to reconfigure and de-densify campus; making maximum use of our beautiful campus outdoors and more. Integrity is one of William & Marys core values and a hallmark of this community. A Weekend for Commencement Celebration: October 9-11, 2020 Please hold the long weekend of October 9-11, 2020 as this years Commencement Weekend in Williamsburg. Remember that we are in this together -- all W&M offices are "open" and we are here for you., Virginia M. Ambler, PhDVice President for Student AffairsWilliam & Mary. The global pandemic has created immense financial vulnerability. So I hope you will consider renewing your annual support for the areas of the university where you traditionally give. We will continue to communicate regularly, to provide as much clarity as feasible, as soon as possible. The ability to physically distance within a space does not eliminate the above requirements. Yet I look forward to the coming months with optimism. You can sign up to volunteer on the Virginia Volunteer Health System website. 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. 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. We ask students not to return to campus during this period. Today, we are announcing rebates for the spring semester, for eligible students, as follows. White was exhausted and disillusioned from dealing with bad student behavior, which had escalated since schools reopened after the pandemic closures. Please continue to save September 25-27, 2020, on your calendar and expect to receive more details regarding a schedule of virtual events via email, social media and our website as the summer progresses. William & Mary has held onto our pride in those qualities even as we have moved expeditiously to advance the three-part mission we cherish: teaching, learningand research. In an email to you Aug. 21, Dean of Students Marjorie Thomas reiterated the importance of the Healthy Together Community Commitment. So over the coming weeks, W&M will be repeatedly stressing the new rules via regular guidance, online training, signage and more. The same subscription form can also be used to opt-out if you no longer wish to participate. 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.. Prevalence testing on campus allows us to track spread. All general requirements stated above apply. We know we can help by providing as much clarity as we can, as soon as we have it. The portal will also give you the option to donate your remaining rebate balance back to William & Mary to support students in need. We surely are living in unprecedented times, and Id like to take a moment to acknowledge the uncertainty that many of us are facing due to the rapid pace of change occurring not only at W&M, but also in our local communities, nationally, and globally. We will hear from faculty and undergraduates who will join me (virtually) to share their reflections on this weeks transition to distance learning. It is equally disruptive for faculty and staff. Fully-embraced, these habits of care and respect will have a direct impact on the trajectory of W&Ms fall semester. First, I send my sincere thanks to students, faculty and staff who have worked tirelessly and honored our Healthy Together Community Commitment in order to make the fall semester a success in the face of considerable challenges. Those safeguards will remain in place through at least December 2020. Yet to fulfill our commitment to safeguarding the health of this community, it is imperative that we respond appropriately to changing pandemic conditions. 1 (or more) student/staff with COVID-19 in multiple classes/cohorts. Heres what they said: Out of the hundreds of teachers who told us what they wanted students to know, 100% started by saying they miss them. My sincere thanks to all parents who have entrusted students into our care during this time. It made my day," one third grade student wrote to him in an email. These prudent measures ultimately increase our ability to be together as a community by decreasing the density on campus at a critical time. Employees or contract workers with positions that cannot maintain physical distancing, or where other work modifications to reduce virus spread are infeasible and impractical, will be tested prior to working with students. "They reached out, said, You know we're feeling that our students aren't feeling connected to school. Thank you again for your patience as William & Mary finalized the policy and processes that enabled us to issue student rebates. The COVID-19 Response Team is pleased that health metrics in Hampton Roads have improved over the past few weeks. AND. Please join us tomorrow, Wednesday, April 1, at 12 p.m. The resilience and compassion of our student body inspire us each day. Make some art. The deadline for residential undergraduate students to select a meal plan was July 8. As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, Commencement 2020 has been front-of-mind for our graduating students and their families. Every institution has continuity plans with scenarios for epidemics, W&M included. International students will be notified by email about specific testing requirements. School is important but so is your health. Questions About COVID-19 Response. These include final papers, individual or collaborative projects, and cumulative exams. We will continue to gather for virtual Community Conversations on a weekly basis. Teachers hope students create art in any way that matters to them. "I was so happy when I saw it. Many of you are back in the classroom, as Arts & Sciences, Education, and VIMS started classes this week. We determined that the logistics company Kallaco and its CLIA-Certified lab partners, including Opteo, provided the best balance of things we needed: high-quality clinical testing laboratories (CLIA is the gold standard); volume of tests available for those laboratories, and turnaround times. Our largest expenditures are on salaries for the faculty and staff who support teaching, learning, researchand our varied university operations, from student financial aid specialists, to career services, to facilities. Tribe Market is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Chick-fil-A is to-go only, no indoor seating. Children around the world thank teachers for helping them keep learning before, during and after COVID-19 school closures. If you still have questions, please submit a comment so that we may address any concerns and update our FAQs accordingly. Now more than ever, I trust that our powerful sense of community will help sustain us, even as we adapt to new ways of connecting, learning, and affirming belonging., As the week begins here in Williamsburg, our top priority is supporting students as on-line learning commences and as we prepare for the closing of Residence Halls on Wednesday. We ask the community to be aware that the public health context and VA directives will continue to change in the coming weeks. So we share our expectations for accountability below. Quotes that Hold the True Meaning of Education. "Thank you very much for doing that video. Our communitys well-being is paramount. I am inspired by the resilience and compassion so many have demonstrated during this time. Room and board costs will be adjusted accordingly. I am sorry to be sharing news that I know saddens us all. If you receive a notification of prevalence testing in error, because you will not be attending or visiting any William & Mary properties within the next six weeks, please contact [[COVIDResponse]]. All testing and distancing protocols will remain in effect. Our testing program will likely require all students to be tested for COVID-19 on arrival and will allow employees to take advantage of optional testing services partially subsidized by the university. "Just keep swimming." Dory, Finding Nemo. While Virginia remains in Phase III, the fall is uncertain, and we recognize that families may not feel safe traveling here from elsewhere. I am pleased to offer you a link to the W&M Student Rebate portal, where you will find individual information on your personal housing, meal and parking rebates as well as your dining dollars refund. In this effort, we have good partners. William & Mary is assisting members of our community during this difficult time, working with individuals on a case-by-case basis through the Dean of Students Office. Any unused Dining Dollars from fall meal plans will roll forward for students who retain a spring meal plan; for students who do not maintain a spring meal plan, unused Dining Dollars will expire on November 25, 2020. ET on Friday, Aug. 14 to ensure that no holds are put on their accounts. Motivation over marks. We have confidence in each of you and great trust. As we finalize this process we will continue to update our FAQS in response to questions you send us. We ask that everyone continue to refer to https://www.wm.edu/coronavirus for the most up-to-date information on anything related to W&Ms institutional response. On June 12, 2020 William & Mary released its planning process for the coming semester the Path Forward: Fall 2020. May we continue to take care of each other. I have cautious good news to share about our return-to-campus testing positivity rates so far, which are very low. The use of remote proctoring does not diminish, in any way, the Honor Code or students pledge to uphold it. Despite the intense worry and uncertainty that all of us are feeling, the sense of shared purpose at William & Mary is strong. Wearing masks is a personal preference as we come back into this school year. We will take a phased approach, beginning with the following prudent steps. A total of 1,717 COVID-19 cases were reported in Massachusetts schools in the last week. The information it provides allows us to better support your health, and for you to better protect the health of your friends, faculty members and support staff. We have an obligation to one another to extend flexibility and understanding everywhere possible. As I said in last weeks Town Hall, W&M students bring a special and very powerful commitment to building community. If maintained, this will allow meetings of more than 50 people to occur, so large lecture classes can meet in person (either the entire group at once or half or a third at a time). This week, we have also made progress on key decisions regarding room, board, and parking costs. Tests will be sent based on your anticipated return date, according to a predetermined schedule arranged with W&Ms health care partners. It is critical that you avoid interactions with others, maintaining at least 6 feet of physical distance and wearing your face covering. From a learning perspective, we know that the best-case scenario is to have students on campus in person. I wish you a safe and productive semester. IT, maintenance, dining, library staff, etc.) Copyright 2021. Well, that is a ton of helpful information. November 18, 2021. If you test positive for COVID-19, stay home for at least 5 days and isolate from others in your home. Students will have an opportunity to review and affirm the Healthy Together Community Commitment through the Personal Information Questionnaire that is being deployed today. We have had our last classes, at least one professor put on her regalia and said lets celebrate the graduating students, said Interim Dean-Designate Lillian Mills for the McCombs School of Business. The Student Health Center remains open to students by appointment only. May this situation help us realize that the Lord is always with us and will never leave us." Jion P. Dimson, RMT, MSMLS Chair, Student Development and Activities Department, The Student Affairs 8. We must continue to do all we can to keep our community healthy. Access to personal items. Katherine A. Rowe, PresidentGinger Ambler, Vice President for Student Affairs. I write to provide additional information about W&Ms plans for the fall semester. And pre-arrival testing requirements will be announced by the week of November 16. should reach out to the Office of Student Accessibility Services. We bring together exceptional people to learn and pursue knowledge at the highest levels. Technology is a saving grace and has made virtual learning possible, but it's still not the same as going to school and learning. A. Milne. Verified disregard for mask-wearing, social distancing and other practices will not be tolerated. Self-quarantine and testing schedules will be updated to reflect new return dates. Please watch your email for a link from the Testing Coordination Team. As William & Mary expands student and employee testing for COVID-19, we wanted to offer guidance to the community about what to do in the case of a positive result and introduce you to the new case management system. We'd love to know what messages are giving you strength, today and every day. 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. But despite the changes, Mills said there have been positive effects. We must pace ourselves, give each other grace when our efforts fall short of our hopes, and take care of each other. 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