Dear Students,
In-person Homecoming 2021 activities are a little more than a month away, and I want to share some information with you to help you plan for Homecoming weekend, Nov. 12-13. First, the Homecoming website is your best source of information about the festivities. Student Affairs staff members and DSU are working to determine the entire student schedule for the week, and information will be posted soon. Visit the website often and check out the FAQs if you have questions.
Homecoming is planned with the entire campus community and alumni in mind. There will be many activities, and students have a whole week of events to enjoy. Highlights so far…
The addition of a basketball game leads to anticipated questions about pre-game festivities, so I want to be clear: We will not have a tailgating experience like you may remember from past years. Consideration of options for approved activities in the parking lots are being reviewed by the Homecoming Steering Committee and will be announced, but anything similar to the most recent tailgating event would present insurmountable staffing, safety and social distancing challenges that the university cannot undertake in the current pandemic.
An option for some groups might be to explore alternative local venues for large, organized gatherings. City and county parks, local establishments, or neighborhood clubhouses are examples.
I certainly don’t want to dampen the enthusiasm for what will surely be a fantastic Homecoming, but I must be clear about expectations. Let’s look with anticipation toward a great weekend of connecting with others and enjoying our beautiful campus, but we must continue to keep our safety and security guardrails in place to successfully finish our in-person semester.
Go Eagles!
George
George W. Hynd
