Letter from the Vice President of Student Affairs and the Dean of Students

Integrity: what we do when no one is watching

 

I can’t tell you how many times people I talk to in the community or across the nation ask if we think we’ll be able to “pull this off”--in other words, keep our campus open for classes this fall. 

 

It’s a good question to ask! We know how contagious Covid-19 is and how quickly it can spread, and many campuses in the United States are not open for face-to-face classes this fall. We are very fortunate indeed to be able to offer this very special experience so far. 

 

But we need your help. We need the cooperation of every single student and staff member on campus if we’re going to keep offering in-person classes. 

 

I know you’ve seen all of the posters and emails emphasizing Covid-19 safety measures, and I am so appreciative of everyone who is doing the right thing--staying masked and maintaining 6 feet of distance in public settings--but I want to ask you to take that a step further. When you are, or think you are, alone, keep doing the right thing! This virus can linger in the air for several hours and live on hard surfaces for days. We are cleaning, cleaning, cleaning every possible surface as frequently as possible, but we need you to think about your health and the campus community’s health. If you walk into a Pond Student Union or Rendezvous common area that appears to be empty, remember that someone else may have just vacated that spot minutes before you arrived. Keep your face covering on. If you meet your friends in the Pond or Bennion Unions or a lounge area to talk or study, maintain personal distance and stay masked. If you are alone in a classroom, waiting for others to enter, don’t assume you can relax the safety protocols because you are temporarily alone. 

 

Integrity isn’t about what we do when others are present; integrity is about what we do when no one is watching. Stay masked. Stay apart. Stay healthy. And stay Bengal strong!

 

Sincerely,

 

Lyn Redington, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

Craig Chatriand, Dean of Students and Assistant Vice President