Dear Students,
I hope this email finds you well, staying healthy, and enjoying the remaining weeks of summer safely. Faculty and staff have returned to campus and are here to serve you – whether it be in person or virtually. You can learn more about campus services for fall 2020 here. We are excited to get this academic year started and hope you are, too!
Welcoming You Back
For those of you returning to campus, we look forward to seeing you in our IU mask, which is being mailed to your home address. You will also be welcomed by:
- New hand sanitizer stations,
- Cleaning supplies available for you to use in various spaces,
- Signage with reminders about mask wearing, hygiene practices, or where to stand when waiting for classes or services,
- Contactless “portals” when you visit some offices that we are testing out as additional safety measures. Please let us know what you think!
We invite you to visit next Friday, August 21. Information tables will be set up outside our classroom buildings on the Campus Mall from 10:00am to 2:00pm to help you find your classrooms, access services, and learn about what we are doing to keep you safe. Don’t forget to wear your mask!
Staying Engaged
We are planning many ways for you stay engaged and connected to the Titan community this fall, whether you are taking classes in-person, online, or a combination of the two! Look for more details about Welcome Week giveaways, our Titan Drive-In Theater, and online games happening the first week of class.
Technology for Success
For those of you planning to take online courses this semester, be sure to check out Keep Learning IU. It is important that you have the technology you need to access your courses and a stable internet connection. Familiarize yourself with Canvas and Zoom, and make sure you can access these resources on your devices – preferably a laptop, tablet, or desktop computer. If you are concerned that you may not have the technology or internet access you need we have resources to support you. We want to ensure you have what you need to be successful!
COVID-19 Health and Safety
I realize that many of you may be concerned about safety. Here is what we are doing to ensure the safest possible campus environment:
- Check out the Measures We Are Taking to Create a Safe Campus Environment
- Remember all students are required to follow the guidelines adopted by IU to combat the spread of COVID-19, which includes signing the Student Commitment Form.
- Failure or refusal to comply can subject students to suspension or expulsion from the university. You can read more about the new policy here. If you have questions about this policy, please contact the Dean of Students Office via email at IUSB-SA@iusb.edu or phone at (574) 520-4273.
- Consider getting a COVID-19 test before classes start. We are testing all students moving into River Crossing on arrival to ensure a safe start to residence hall living.
- Please report a positive COVID-19 test result you have obtained off campus or that you have been identified by public health officials as a close contact of someone with COVID-19 using the COVID-19 Self-Reporting Form. By reporting this information, you are helping us react quickly to minimize further viral spread and to ensure we can maintain a safe campus environment.
With Hoosier Spirit and Titan Pride,
Sincerely,
Susan Elrod, PhD
Chancellor
