Dear Students and Families:
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services extended a slightly modified statewide epidemic order effective through December 20, 2020. This is an effort to sustain recent practices designed to decrease the spread of COVID-19 in the state. We anticipate information about any subsequent state orders close to December 20.
While we monitor state and local guidance, we also continue to plan for the limited resumption of in-person living and learning in January. For students moving into residence halls, move-in dates are scheduled for January 8–10. The Department of Residential Life will communicate with every student planning to live on campus for the winter term about details related to arrival times and procedures, assuming state guidance permits in-person learning. In subsequent communication, we will provide more specific information about entry and surveillance testing.
If you are interested in living on campus—whether you are a first-year or upperclass student—please contact the Office of Residential Life directly at reslife@kzoo.edu. Space is available for a number of upperclass students who wish to live on campus.
Preparing for Winter Term
As the year-end holiday season approaches, it is essential that all students prepare for the winter term in a variety of ways. We recommend the following:
- Follow CDC guidelines for safely navigating the holidays in terms of indoor gatherings, physical distance, and other COVID-prevention practices. Get adequate sleep, drink plenty of water, exercise and eat a healthy diet.
- If you live with friends off campus, consider renegotiating expectations related to safe and healthy behavior. Off-campus students in Kalamazoo experienced ongoing COVID outbreaks through the fall, some of which were attributed to inconsistent behavior within large houses. The decrease in comfortable outdoor gatherings in winter necessitates greater control of indoor gatherings and navigation, so clarity of expectations is essential.
- If you will be in multiple locations in the coming weeks—at home, in Kalamazoo or elsewhere—adhere closely to practices that keep yourself and others safe. Wear a mask, keep your distance and wash your hands.
- If you plan to live on campus or participate in on-campus courses in the winter, take seriously your responsibility to limit contact with others, especially in the two weeks before classes start. Quarantining in a committed way prior to starting campus classes and residential living is an effective way of minimizing the spread of the virus. If we have a safe start, we are more likely to have a successful winter term.
- Pack smart. If you plan to live on campus, we have previously noted you should prepare a “go bag.” We also encourage you to pack lightly so that you can return home quickly if public health circumstances warrant. Please come with an adequate number of masks and a personal supply of soap and hand sanitizer. Remember that you will want to wash reusable masks regularly.
- Remember that the first week of classes will be online for everyone, even for students taking classes with in-person components.
- Visit your course Moodle sites, where applicable, before the first day of class to familiarize yourself with expectations and the Moodle system. If you require books or other resources, make plans now for getting them.
- Think carefully about what worked well in the fall in terms of time management, how you were able to get academic work done, and what helped you focus on your classes. What can you continue for the winter and what can you change or improve?
Preparation will be key to a successful winter term and we thank you for doing all that you can to protect the hive. We encourage you to take the next few weeks to rest and recharge. We will continue to email weekly updates, and if you have questions or concerns, please contact us at info@kzoo.edu.
Stay healthy, stay safe.
Sarah B. Westfall
Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students
Danette Ifert Johnson
Provost