From Dean of Students, Meghan Harte Weyant
Dear Parents and Families,
I know that you have been receiving a great deal of information this morning, and for every new update I am sure you have so many more questions. I want to share my deep gratitude for your calm, patience and understanding as we grapple through this together.
It saddens us to be taking these measures. It will be hard to give up our community dynamic and the hopes we had for our spring semester. I know this will be hard, but our faculty and staff will make this change possible, and we will have acted in one another’s best interests as good neighbors. We know these decisions pose significant challenges and wish they were not necessary. Our top priority is to keep members of our community as safe as we possibly can while ensuring that students can complete their coursework for the semester and the daily operations of the institution can continue.
For students who are living on campus, we expect all students to have moved out of their residential room by 5 p.m. Friday, March 20, unless approved to remain. We recognize that there are a variety of life or logistical circumstances that may make this expectation challenging. Students may request to remain on campus during this time via a residential waiver.
Hopefully the following questions are helpful as you begin to prepare for the departure from campus.
Should students
take their personal belongings?
Students
must take all of their belongings. Of highest importance are items such as
medications, important paperwork, laptops, electronic devices, and all academic
materials needed to continue studies remotely. A subsequent email to
residential students will provide more information about packing and moving
support.
How do students apply for permission to stay on campus through spring break and the remainder of the semester? =
We understand that, for a limited number of students, going to or staying at a location away from campus is not possible. For that reason, the Office of Residential Life & Explorations has created a waiver process for students with extenuating circumstances.
The deadline for submitting a petition is 5 p.m. Sunday, March 15. Late petitions cannot be considered.Students whose petitions are approved will receive communication and follow-up instructions via email.
Will Housing and Dining Refunds be Issued?
It is our intention to provide prorated refunds for housing and dining. More information will be forthcoming to students and parents.
Where can I find more information?
Please
regularly check campus email and the College’s Emergency Management websitefor updates. For questions that are not answered
on the website, please do not hesitate to contact the following offices:
- Housing and meal plans, students and families with questions about housing and dining: rle@rollins.edu.
- Any COVID-19 related questions among students and families: care@rollins.edu.
- Academic needs or support concerns: care@rollins.edu.
Students who have immediate questions, concerns, or just want to be in community, are invited to the Student Affairs Suite in the Cornell Campus Center from 12:30 – 2 p.m. this afternoon.
We will be sending out additional information in the upcoming hours about additional community and individual support services.