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Dear Students,
We are so excited to welcome you to campus for the 2020 Fall Semester! UMKC staff and faculty understand your health and safety are just as important as your academic success, and our top priority is to provide you with an exciting and meaningful campus experience in the safest environment possible. As the co-interim deans of students for Student Affairs, it is our personal goal to ensure you are prepared for your arrival to campus, and that you are aware of what to expect when you get here.
Key Dates and Resources
• Please visit the UMKC coronavirus website, especially the student page, for up-to-date information, guidelines, resources and frequently asked questions about health and safety on campus.
• UMKC Bookstores will be opening Friday, Aug. 7, the start of Missouri’s Tax-Free Weekend.
• Attend our virtual town hall for answers to student and parent questions from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on August 11. Invitation will follow soon.
• Join us for Week of Welcome – we call it WoW! – starting Aug. 23, with many different virtual activities and events, including convocation, to kick off your semester.
• Pick up your welcome kit, which includes a face mask, hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes before classes begin. More details about the kit will be coming in the next few weeks. Yes, face coverings or masks are required inside all campus buildings per Kansas City order, and outdoors if six feet of social distancing cannot be maintained.
Getting Ready
• In the weeks before arriving on campus, we ask that you follow best practices for preventing COVID-19, such as wearing a mask in public spaces and frequent handwashing and avoiding large-group situations and traveling to hotspots. We also ask that you bring a thermometer for daily checks.
• Those who will live in Residential Life housing will be asked to test for COVID-19 prior to arrival. A separate email will follow soon.
• Take our online training on health and safety on campus, coming next week.
Success On Campus
• Engagement and involvement activities are important aspects of the college experience. Although the necessary safety precautions may at first seem to minimize social interaction, the focus is on physically distancing rather than social distancing.
• UMKC offices and departments will continue to hold events and provide students opportunities to engage in social activities both face to face and virtually. However, these activities will be structured to protect all members of the UMKC community.
• Students will have the opportunity to get involved in student organizations. For more information, please visit the Office of Student Involvement page.
• Campus building spaces will look a bit different this semester. Here’s how classrooms and common spaces have been modified with physical distancing in mind.
• All campus services are available to you virtually. Staff and fellow students are eager to help you learn more about any campus resource that interests you, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
Finally, we recognize that during this unprecedented situation, it is normal to be anxious and want answers for every scenario. UMKC is committed to providing the information you want and need, but because the pandemic situation is constantly evolving, we also ask for your patience and flexibility. We must all take personal responsibility for keeping ourselves and our fellow Roos safe! If you have any questions about resources or campus policies, please call the UMKC Student Helpline at 816-235-2222.
Sincerely,
Keichanda Dees-Burnett, Co-Interim Dean of Students
Todd Wells, Co-Interim Dean of Students
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