As we close out the calendar year before a well-deserved break and blessed Christmas season, we are looking ahead to the spring semester. At this time, we continue with the plan that was shared on Sept. 24 in CommUNITY.
For SGPP, there are no changes to the spring semester schedule or terms, but in consultation with the deans of each school, a hybrid approach is planned, allowing some in-person instruction for select programs with online learning for others.
For the College, the plan remains for students to return to the Winona Campus and begin in-person classes on Monday, Jan. 25. Details, including dates for returning to campus and safety protocols, will be shared as soon as we have more information. Faculty are encouraged to continue to develop their classes using the Cardinal Flex model.
Though we plan to start in person Jan. 25 in Winona and foresee no interruptions to coursework for SGPP students, we are mindful that much is and will remain uncertain. Our plans are contingent on conditions in January, guidelines from the Minnesota Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control, and possible executive orders at the state and national level.
For the College, we will share more details as information becomes available and hope to have a final determination by Jan. 11, pending state and national guidelines. Please know we will communicate with our entire community as quickly as possible with any updates. The COVID-19 planning webpage, Steadfast and Resilient, continues to be the best source of information on campus plans and guidelines.
As we have all learned during this pandemic, changes can occur quickly and it’s impossible for us to make guarantees about the spring this far in advance. We have also realized more clearly that the Saint Mary’s community is resilient and nimble. We have had to shift and adapt, doing so very well, while we continue our shared educational mission. Together we are Saint Mary’s.
Please see the related story on spring semester planning and listening sessions.
