As the fall semester nears, I know we are all looking forward to returning to campus for a vibrant fall semester. I am particularly excited about my first year welcoming incoming students in person for Welcome Week and our premester program. I am writing today with two sets of Health and Safety reminders and updates. The first is about COVID-19 and the second is related to holistic wellbeing.
COVID-19 Reminders
As the cases of the highly transmissible Delta variant increase here in Memphis, I encourage you to be diligent in being fully vaccinated. Since my last email, many of you have submitted your vaccination information, and I am encouraged by the student commitment to vaccination so far. Faculty and staff have voluntarily shared information about their vaccination status, and we are encouraged by our high rate of fully vaccinated employees. It will be a community-wide commitment to vaccinations that make a full fall experience possible. As I shared in my last message to you, Rhodes will require the vaccine upon FDA approval.
Vaccine Cards: As a reminder, students should provide documentation of an FDA emergency authorized vaccination through Medicat by August 1, 2021, in order to be exempt from the fall asymptomatic testing protocol. Keep in mind that those who do not send their vaccination card or receive a medical or religious exemption by early August will see the Health and Safety fee on their bill. Additional information is available on our COVID information page for international students who may not have access to a vaccine or who may have received a vaccine outside of the United States authorized by the World Health Organization. On-campus vaccine clinics will be available, and more information will be shared about dates and locations as we move into August.
Masking: When you arrive on campus this August, masks will not be required for those who are fully vaccinated. Of course, anyone who wishes to do so may continue to wear masks. In fact, individually, we may find ourselves keen to return to masks as the fall brings a return to cold and flu season.
Unvaccinated Students: Upon arrival and then weekly, students will need to be tested prior to arrival and on-campus, and I will share the dates, times, and locations for unvaccinated students in my August email.
Student Events: We are currently updating our on-campus events policy with the full intention of allowing student organizations and groups to host meetings, events, and gatherings. I will share those specific updates in my August email. They will also be included in student organization leader trainings in August.
EVERFI Modules for Holistic Wellbeing
As I have shared with you before, the mission and vision of Rhodes College is centered on preparing students for academic, professional, and personal success. In alignment with our mission and vision, we have partnered with EVERFI, whose mission is to help students address critical life skills, such as alcohol abuse prevention, sexual assault prevention, and financial literacy, at higher education institutions across the country.
All incoming students are required to complete Part I of the EVERFI online courses before returning to campus this fall:
- AlcoholEdu
- SAPU (Sexual Assault Prevention for Undergraduates) or SAPSA (Sexual Assault Prevention for Student Athletes)
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for Students before returning to campus in the fall.
The courses are intended to support a holistically healthy and safe campus, and will help ensure every student has been exposed to critical skills development in order to make thoughtful and healthy choices outside the classroom. I hope you will use the time during the courses to reflect on your knowledge, attitudes, and experiences related to these issues. Finally, I hope that you will respond effectively and support your peers when faced with tough situations this fall.
You will receive access to the courses this week, and the first part must be completed by Friday, August 6. Please be sure to check your junk and spam folder. Again, these modules are required to return to campus, and so please make them a priority in the next few weeks.
For questions related to AlcoholEdu or Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Students, please contact Olivia Fowler (fowlero@rhodes.edu). For questions about the SAPU/SAPSA modules, please contact Inez Warner, our Title IX Coordinator (warneri@rhodes.edu).
Rhodes College – Student Health Insurance Plan
As a reminder, Rhodes College requires all students to have accident, sickness, and hospitalization insurance coverage. Students with health insurance may waive out of the college’s plan online by just submitting their current health insurance information. For more information regarding the Student Health Insurance plan, visit First Student – Rhodes College. You must take an action, to either to enroll or to waive the Student Health Insurance Plan, by the deadline date of September 8, 2021, or it will be included in your bill.
Next Update
I will be in touch again in early August with updates and specifics on COVID-19 and other holistic wellbeing-related information. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to studentlife@rhodes.edu.
If you have not already followed me on Instagram, don’t forget to do that, too (@rhodes_mhw). I want to follow your journey back to Memphis this fall! If you are here in Memphis for the summer, I am taking all the recommendations I can get on the best ice cream in the city!
Finally, I want to thank you again for all you are doing, and will do, to maintain a safe, healthy, and supportive community at Rhodes College! I cannot wait to have you all back on campus.
Be Well,
-mhw