The message below was sent by Eleanor JB Daugherty, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students, to students on all campuses on July 29, 2021
Dear Huskies,
I can’t believe it’s almost August. I hope that you have all been enjoying a restful summer.
I had a recent conversation with my advisory group about student feelings around returning for the fall. The following thoughts came up that I wanted to share with you:
- We are not the same community that left in the Spring of 2020, hoping we would return in a few weeks. We have demonstrated care and concern for each other and our families. We have been afraid and we have witnessed inequity throughout our world as we battled the impact of this pandemic in our lives. We are changed. I hope that, despite the hardship, we are better for it.
- We are have been consistently driven by compassion. I hope that you return to campus in the fall with that same compassion and care for each other that kept us going for over a year. As you all shared with me and my colleagues last year in the “do over” survey, returning to our campuses in the fall is not a simple adjustment. We are excited, apprehensive, confident, impatient, and a little worried. All at the same time. And that’s ok. When we welcome each other back in the fall, our planning is intended to allow us time to come together (finally!), compete in club sports, have a roommate, attend classes, and be the community we wish to be.
- We have worked hard for our good health. Our vaccination rates indicate that we are oriented towards being a healthy campus in the fall. Please remember that it is important that you report your vaccination status to us by August 1. Students who do not complete this reporting requirement may be subject to holds, inability to use the Recreation Center, and unable to move into campus housing.
When we return, we will observe additional precautions like mask wearing in indoor settings for all students and a modified quarantine for those not fully vaccinated. This will allow us to establish a baseline of good health as we welcome students back from all over the world and the country. We will open cautiously, in orange. Following the safe return of our students and the establishment of their good health, we intend to progress to yellow. We will always keep you informed of our health through the University dashboard.
I’m thankful to the Student Activities staff for the incredible programming that has been developed for HuskyWOW. Be sure to check it out.
Finally, a sincere thank you to all of you who have seen us through this challenging time. I recognize that fall will be a period of transition for all of us. I know it will also be a time when I celebrate my great pride in being part of such a wonderful Husky community.
See you soon!!
Eleanor JB Daugherty, EdD
she/her/hers
Associate Vice President and Dean of Students
For more information, contact: Janice Canniff at janice.canniff@uconn.edu