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Updates

  1. Message on Reopening: Campus Shuttle, Fall Grading, Testing During Break

    Dear Colleagues:

    With just a few days remaining in the semester, it is worth reflecting for a moment on the challenges we faced together to get to this point. They began in spring and summer as we confronted the uncertainties of a global pandemic, and they continued throughout the fall, forcing us on several occasions to reset plans and expectations. What never changed was our commitment to keeping our students on track and meaningfully engaged with faculty members and fellow students.…

  2. Message on Reopening: Clemson weekend, Winter Session, spring calendar, exit testing

    Dear Colleagues:

    For a number of reasons, the buildup to this Election Day has been unlike any other. Though it may be several days or perhaps longer for all the votes to be tallied, we continue to hope for and work toward unity and civility both within the Notre Dame community and beyond. For your awareness, Campus Ministry is hosting an Election Night prayer service for students on the Bond Quad at 7:30 p.m. tonight as a way to promote healing and unity after what has been a contentious campaign season.…

  3. Message on Reopening: Mass of Remembrance; exit and reentry testing; Clemson game reminder

    Dear Colleagues:

    This evening at 8 p.m., the Notre Dame community will gather in Notre Dame Stadium for a Mass of Remembrance for first-year students Valeria Espinel and Olivia Laura Rojas. Though we will be physically separated and masked during the service, we will be united in prayer and by the special bonds that characterize our Notre Dame family. For those unable to attend in-person, the Mass will be live-streamed here…

  4. Message on reopening: Study Abroad, Winter Session

    Dear Colleagues,

    As we head into the home stretch for the fall semester, we are facing an uptick in the number of positive COVID-19 cases. As best we can tell, this is due to a combination of recent weather, mask- and social-distancing fatigue, and increased socialization before and after home football games. We are working hard to reinforce the need for continued compliance with health and safety protocols, so that we can successfully finish our semester of in-person instruction. Here is a brief update on other news.…

  6. Message on Reopening: Financial position update

    Dear Members of the Notre Dame Community,

    While we have faced extraordinary and historic challenges in 2020, the daily achievements and goodwill of our faculty, staff, and students stand out as beacons of light in the darkness. We have watched as each member of this community has tapped into deep reserves of compassion, patience, and persistence. For this, and for your continuing commitment to doing the good work necessary to sustain our common endeavor, we thank you.
    …

  7. Message on Reopening: Between the Fall and Spring Semesters

    Dear Colleagues,

    It is hard to believe that we are little more than five weeks away from the end of classes for the fall semester. We could not have made it this far without your many efforts and support, and we will continue to rely on your efforts as we work our way forward toward the Thanksgiving holiday.…

  8. Message on Reopening: Planning for winter—days off, new term

    Dear Colleagues,

    We are eight weeks into the fall semester. Wow! While it might seem strange that we are still calling these messages “Reopening the University,” the energy and enthusiasm you continue to pour into ensuring the success of our reopening makes us think the current name still fits. Here are some updates. …

  9. Fr. Jenkins: Spring Semester to Begin February 3

    Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff:

    We are in the seventh week of classes, roughly the halfway mark of the fall semester. Thanks to the efforts of so many of you, both in adhering to health protocols and assisting in our COVID-19 response efforts, the number of positive cases remains at a manageable level. I’m deeply grateful to you and proud of what we have been able to accomplish together.…

  11. Message on Reopening: Nearing the midpoint of the semester

    Dear Colleagues,

    As we near the midpoint in this unusual semester, we hope you are doing well and taking advantage of the beautiful fall weather. Even as the sunshine this week gives us a first good look at the leaves turning colors, the cooler evenings and shortened daylight hours signal that cold weather is on the horizon. Here are some updates.…

  12. Message on Reopening: Testing updates

    Dear Colleagues,

    Our first football weekend of 2020 is in the books. Congratulations to the players and coaching staff for their excellent performance on the field – and to the Athletics Department, as well as University Enterprises and Events, Campus Safety and University Operations, and so many other units for their detailed planning and preparations that made it possible for our students, faculty, and staff members to safely enjoy the game. Though at times during the game students could briefly be seen closer together than we would have liked, we were generally pleased with the health and safety protocol compliance throughout the win over Duke.…

  13. Message on Reopening: Continued focus

    Dear Colleagues,

    The number of active Covid-19 cases among our campus community members continues to decline. Today we noted a combined seven-day moving average of 3.7 daily cases, something that might not have seemed possible just a few weeks ago. While there is no room for complacency, we are cautiously optimistic that we have regained our footing.

    …

  14. Message on reopening: Test results; surveillance testing; staying safe

    Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues,

    Tomorrow our undergraduate lower level classes will resume in-person instruction, with others scheduled to do so in the next few days. We are optimistic that the difficulties we faced in the past several weeks have not only strengthened our resolve as a community to move forward together in this challenging semester, but also strengthened our ability to respond to the coronavirus itself.…

  16. Message on reopening the University: Data, air-conditioned spaces, wellness and support

    Dear Colleagues,

    At times like these, it’s important to recognize that what we’re trying to do this semester at Notre Dame is unprecedented. We are trying to offer in-person instruction during a global pandemic. We are trying to create a sense of normalcy for students in abnormal times. We are trying to curb the tendencies of 18-to-22-year-olds to socialize in ways that are not healthy during a pandemic. We are asking our faculty and staff to be critical partners as we work our way through this unusually challenging semester. As we adjust and adapt our plans going forward, this will still be a fight, but we are the Fighting Irish.   …

  17. Message on Reopening the University: Capacity, Cases, In-person Classes

    Dear Colleagues,

    This has been an extremely challenging week – for our students, our faculty, and our staff members. It has also been a week of heroic efforts by many people across our University community and a reminder of what a formidable foe the COVID-19 virus is. Thank you for your extraordinary commitment to Notre Dame and each other.…

  18. Provost to faculty: Update on temporary transition to online instruction

    Dear Colleagues,

    Since yesterday, I have met with the deans, department chairs, the Behavior and Cultural Change Working Group, and members of the President’s Faculty Advisory Committee. I have also received messages from many faculty members.

    In planning the reopening, we expected that some students tested would be positive for the virus after arriving on campus. We expected that some students would make personal decisions that were inconsistent with our health and safety protocols. However, we were surprised and, honestly, disappointed in our inability to deal with the scale and velocity of the challenges we faced with testing and contact tracing just one week into the start of the semester. We have substantially pivoted our processes to better serve the Notre Dame community.
    …

  20. Notre Dame enacts two weeks of remote instruction

    University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., announced today that in-person classes for the University’s nearly 12,000 students are suspended, effective Wednesday, replaced by remote instruction only for the next two weeks because positive rates for the coronavirus continue to climb.

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