Return to Learn
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Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund Reporting Sept. 30, 2020 update (pdf - 78 KB)
Dear Students,
As you transition into summer break, please review these instructions to prepare for the upcoming semesters. It is important to read this email in its entirety to understand the expectations. While we strongly encourage all campus members to complete COVID-19 vaccination in order to support the ability to resume normal campus operations, students may opt to test as an alternative to vaccination.
Students living on campus during the summer and/or fall 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
Commuter students who plan to attend face-to-face in-person classes or on-campus research/employment during the summer and/or fall 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
In lieu of providing a negative test, if you have completed a COVID vaccination, including the 14 days after your second dose (or single Johnson & Johnson shot), you do not need to test. Upload your completed vaccination card to the Patient Portal as soon as possible but no later than 5:00PM 48 hours before you are scheduled to return to campus. Get a head start and upload over the summer as soon as you complete vaccination.
* If you have tested positive within the 90 days prior to your move-in/date or first in-person date on campus, please upload your positive test result to the Patient Portal no later than 48 hours before your scheduled move-in or first in-person date for research, employment, practice, or class.
**Online-only students working on campus in summer or fall will need to email results to wuhealth@winthrop.edu.
Accepted COVID Tests
The accepted method of testing for students is a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test via nasal, nasopharyngeal, throat or saliva. Negative antigen tests (rapid) will be accepted as well.
Health Services will not accept a positive serological test (antibody).
Plan ahead
Research testing or vaccine options well in advance of your return timeframe to avoid last minute barriers.
Testing
COVID Vaccine
Students should quarantine two (2) days before the COVID test (to reduce close contacts if positive) and continue to quarantine after the test until your return to campus to reduce additional exposure.
Only students with negative results will be permitted to return to campus. If Health Services does not have record of your test results by 5:00PM 48 hours before your scheduled move-in date, residential students will not be permitted to receive their room key and you will not be permitted to move in until your test results have been uploaded. Commuter students who have not provided test results by 5:00PM 48 hours before the first day of in-person classes are not permitted to attend class or work in-person until test results are submitted. Please call Health Services at 803/323-2206 with questions.
Failure to comply with the testing requirement will result in referral to the Dean of Students Office and students may be charged with a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
Wishing you a restful and healthy summer break,
Jackie Concodora, M.Ed., LPC
Director of Center for Student Wellness
Winthrop University Center for Student Wellness
Dear Campus Community,
As most of you are aware, last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new COVID-19 guidance. Because of this new guidance, Winthrop has updated its COVID-19 protocols for indoor and outdoor spaces on campus. The following requirements and guidelines will apply to all members of campus – students, faculty, staff, contractors and visitors – and will go into effect immediately:
I strongly encourage all members of the campus community to get vaccinated. Vaccines are available at the City Operations Center or at a provider of your choice. Please make an appointment to get your vaccine. Students may visit the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control website to find a vaccine distribution site.
Please note that as in-person Maymester and summer courses get underway, the expectation is that masks will be worn and physical distancing will be observed inside these classrooms in order to fulfill any expectations the students/faculty members may have had when the course began.
Finally, I want to make you aware that building signage will now state that face coverings are strongly encouraged (versus required) inside Winthrop buildings. Building coordinators may contact Printing Services to request this new signage.
While the changes mentioned above are a positive sign that life is returning to a somewhat normal status, we all should continue to do our part in making sure it stays that way by following safety guidelines and staying home when not feeling well.
Thank you for all that you do for Winthrop.
Sincerely,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
Dear Campus Community,
The last week has seemed a bit more like our pre-COVID days with more people out and about, additional cars on campus, exciting athletics contests, and more. As we experience the annual sense of renewal that comes with spring, I’m reminded of just how far we’ve come. You have contributed in countless ways to helping keep our virus transmission low and our campus, for the most part, open. In the last week, you have pivoted to a full return to work on campus, and I marvel at your ability to manage personal and professional obligations to do so. Thank you!
As I have mentioned previously, with the widespread availability of vaccinations and continued risk mitigation efforts, we will see a return to full operations in fall 2021. Here is what you can expect:
Regarding academic offerings, we are completing conversion of most hybrid and online synchronous courses back to in-person. This conversion required us to push fall registration back a week to April 12-16 and provides an extended window for advising that will benefit both faculty and students. I do want to reiterate that, as much as we would like it to be, common time is not an option for fall. We need the time to ensure we can use the full schedule to insert courses back into campus spaces for in-person learning. We are monitoring classroom physical distancing recommendations and will adjust our protocols as appropriate.
The COVID-19 vaccine is critical to our planning as well, and I encourage you to receive your vaccination as soon as you are eligible. It appears that the vaccines may be available to our students even earlier than anticipated, with the federal government ramping up vaccine allocation. We will continue to monitor SCDHEC’s phased schedule in order to communicate vaccine eligibility and availability to students. As we did for faculty and staff, a short survey to determine interest in utilizing the Rock Hill Community Vaccination Center will be sent to our students at the appropriate time. And of course, until public health experts say otherwise, our current physical distancing, mask-wearing and frequent handwashing requirements will continue across our campus. As noted previously, we will very likely require a negative COVID-19 test or proof of vaccination for students’ fall return.
Finally, it goes without saying that these ambitious plans will be contingent upon local and state data and we will continue to follow the advice of public health professionals, including those at the CDC and SCDHEC.
I will keep you updated as we finalize our plans, so please continue to watch your email. In the meantime, enjoy these lovely spring days on our beautiful campus.
Sincerely,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
Dear Students:
On this beautiful Friday, I wanted to share with you some brief information...
Mask Up and More
Don’t allow anything you’ve heard to change your commitment to helping our community control the spread of COVID-19. The same rules apply. We are still requiring masks at Winthrop. And we expect you to continue the other preventative measures like hand washing, physical distancing, etc. This is the wrong time to stop what we know works!
Campus Safety Ambassadors
Some of your peers have been tapped as campus safety ambassadors to help remind and encourage you to do the right things mentioned above. Talk to our ambassadors when you see them on campus if you have questions. And check out their profiles on Instagram @WUDOSO; you may recognize a friend!
Employees Back
Next week the campus will be busier with many more people because most faculty and staff will be back on campus working. With the increase in population, it will be crucial to maintain our requirements for COVID-related health and safety. If everyone does their part, we can stay safe!
Test, Test, Test
With more people on campus, testing will be of even greater importance. The CDC recommends COVID testing at least once a month for those not vaccinated and regularly out in the community. The free saliva-based SAFE testing is in McBryde twice monthly. Stop by from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on the next test date, March 23. If you’re symptomatic, skip SAFE testing and contact Health Services through covidreporting@winthrop.eduor the Medicat Patient Portal for free testing. Testing is also free at the Coliseum site that is open Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Any positive test means getting in touch with Health Services immediately.
With your commitment, Eagles, we can fly through the last half of the semester safely! Thank you for your cooperation!
Sincerely,
George
George Hynd
Dear Students,
I am excited to share that Winthrop’s executive officers decided this week to plan for an in-person Commencement for all interested Spring 2021 graduate and undergraduate degree candidates. We have been working toward this for some time now, and I hope this is the news that many of you wanted to hear in terms of our planning. I appreciate the work of the Commencement Committee who researched our options and made recommendations to Winthrop’s leadership on how we could safely undertake Commencement on campus.
To accommodate our anticipated May graduates, we will hold a total of five ceremonies with appropriate physical distancing, limited numbers in attendance, and required mask-wearing. As in previous years, we will utilize floor seating of the Winthrop Coliseum, but with seating much more widely spaced for degree candidates. Dates and times follow.
Thursday, May 6: 7 p.m. – All graduate degree candidates
Friday, May 7:
10 a.m. – College of Arts and Sciences (BS and BSW degree candidates) and
College of Visual and Performing Arts undergraduates
3 p.m. – College of Arts and Sciences – BA degree candidates
Saturday, May 8:
10 a.m. – College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences undergraduates
3 p.m. – College of Business Administration undergraduates
All degree candidates will need to confirm attendance in advance, both for their assigned seating and for tickets for up to two guests. Records and Registration or Graduate School staff will be in touch with degree candidates in a few weeks with the customary communications about Commencement details.
Given that it will be extremely important to limit unnecessary close contact, degree candidates and their guests will be seated upon arrival at the venue. There will be no Commencement speaker to allow us to appropriately focus on our degree candidates and to provide the additional time that will be needed to move through the ceremony in a physically distanced way. Ceremonies will include presentation of the usual faculty and student awards. Graduates will receive diploma covers for official photographs with me, but your diplomas will be mailed following the ceremonies to accommodate the work Records and Registration and Graduate School staff would normally do on Friday that will be completed the next week.
I hope you are as thrilled as I am with the prospect of the first, large in-person indoor events to be held on campus in more than a year. As long as we continue to do the right things as far as our campus safety protocols for the remainder of the spring semester, we will be able to once again host these long-awaited ceremonies.
All degree candidates should watch their email for more details from Records and Registration or the Graduate School about the ceremonies. Thank you for your patience as we have explored options and considered what is possible taking into account the health and safety of our new graduates and the campus community.
With warm regards,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
Dear Students,
I am writing today to share with you an update on our planning in regards to summer and fall 2021. But first, let me thank you for your cooperation over an extended period of time as we navigated the pandemic and adhered to campus protocols, including wearing face coverings, observing physical distancing, and practicing preventative hygiene like good hand-washing and sanitizing. Your cooperation has been much appreciated, and our collective efforts have paid off as we continue to post low numbers of active cases on campus.
Summer Outlook
Last Friday the Board of Trustees voted (link) to extend last year’s significantly reduced tuition and fees to all of this summer’s academic offerings. This heavily discounted rate amounts to a near 30 percent reduction for an in-state undergraduate student. We intend to offer a similar summer schedule as we did last year, and we had strong enrollment for the session. I encourage you to consider whether summer courses fit into your academic plans. The fee schedule can be accessed here and summer offerings here.
A More Normal Fall Semester
Looking ahead, I am confident that we may well be able to start the fall semester with the traditional in-person learning and extracurricular offerings that you and your families have said, time and again, that you so desire. We have been purposeful in structuring the academic offerings to be more aligned with normal semesters, with our goal being upward of 80 percent of our courses to be taught in the in-person and hybrid modalities. On the residential side, we likely will shift back to our campus residency requirement for first- and second-year students and not provide waivers for all those who request one.
Forecasts are that the vaccine will be widely available by July, which would create the environment that, along with our continued campus protocols, make a more normal fall semester within reach. That said, we cannot yet predict how many students or community members will be vaccinated by the start of the fall semester, nor what impact, if any, variant strains of the virus may have. We will continue to monitor the latter, in particular, as well as infection rates across the state, with the option of pivoting back to online learning in the fall if warranted. Return testing may again be necessary.
I realize that many of you would like us to consider easing some of our campus restrictions. While I cannot tell you if or when that may happen, I will remind everyone that such decisions will largely depend upon how well we continue to follow our requirements in the immediate future even though we are all understandably tired of them.
Next Phase of Testing and More
As I shared last week, the SAFE (saliva-based) testing, thanks to our partnership with the USC College of Pharmacy, will help us assess asymptomatic spread. I hope all of you will avail yourselves of this easy and convenient opportunity. In addition, we have a small group of student safety ambassadors who will be working to help remind you of the need to stay vigilant with our safety requirements, especially as you interact with others in campus common areas and spaces like the West Center and Campus Center.
To conclude, I am happy to share this good news relative to our planning, but as we have said for nearly a year now, the health and safety of our community is our top priority, and that cannot, and will not, change. We will continue to adjust our plans as needed, and I am confident if we all keep doing the right things, we will get through this semester and the summer safely, and then we can all pivot to a more normal, on-campus Winthrop experience in the fall.
Thank you again for all that you have done and continue to do to minimize the risk of COVID-19 on our campus.
With gratitude,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
Dear Students:
Since even before we came back to campus last year, members of our community have desired an option for COVID-19 testing that can address what we know to be an issue on many college campuses – asymptomatic incidence of the virus. As you may know, a key factor in the rapid spread of COVID-19 infections across a community is that individuals can have the virus but not display symptoms. In order to monitor potential spread of this kind, public health experts have consistently noted that regular and ongoing COVID-19 testing is crucial for the successful and sustained operations of institutions like ours that have students living and learning on campus. I am pleased to share with you that we finally have that regular and ongoing testing option on our main campus, thanks to a new partnership with the USC College of Pharmacy.
The Saliva Assay Free Expedited (SAFE) test is free, quick, and noninvasive, and results can typically be shared within 24-48 hours after the sample is collected. The PCR saliva-based test shows 97.5 percent accuracy in the early stage of infection. SAFE testing is only available to current Winthrop students, faculty, staff, and such campus affiliates as Sodexo and Barnes & Noble employees. A SAFE testing webpage with all the details is now available.
Beginning February 23, 2021, we will offer SAFE testing on mostly Tuesdays in McBryde Hall, twice a month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (See the full schedule on the webpage.) This is a voluntary program, yet it will expand our testing capacity while also helping the university maintain face-to-face classes and organizational activities the remainder of 2021. Everyone is encouraged to test at least once per month.
Things to remember about this easy, effective and convenient testing, which again, starts Tuesday on a voluntary basis:
Be sure to bring your Winthrop ID to get tested. It’s also good to bring your cell phone to record your test barcode. You can preregister here.
SAFE testing samples will be collected and coded in a manner that ensures confidentiality and protects privacy.
Do not eat or drink anything (including gum, candy or nasal spray) or use any tobacco or vaping products for at least 30 minutes prior to your SAFE test. Do not drink water for 10 minutes prior to the administration of your test.
You should notparticipate in SAFE testing if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. These include, but are not limited to, coughing, fever, sensory loss of taste or smell, shortness of breath, headaches and/or sore throat. Instead, follow the student protocol or employee protocol for symptoms or exposure.
All positive results will be reported to SC DHEC. Positive student test results will be shared with Health Services. Health Services will contact students who test positive to begin contact tracing and provide further instructions.
SAFE testing participants will receive an email to your registered email account stating that results have been uploaded and providing instructions on how to view the results. Even if your test is negative, you are encouraged to consistently maintain safe practices such as avoiding large groups, wearing a mask, maintaining physical distancing, and monitoring yourself for symptoms.
Again, this is a fantastic development in our Covid-19 mitigation efforts, and I am thankful for the USC College of Pharmacy for offering this free testing service to us. In closing, I want to remind students to PLEASE immediately contact Health Services if you are a close contact, test positive, or experience any symptoms consistent with COVID-19. We continue to hear about sick students who are trying to manage on their own so they don’t get sent home or prevented from going to class, work, etc. This is a public health emergency, and it is vitally important for all of us to follow reporting protocol for the health and safety of our campus community.
Sincerely,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
Dear Students,
I have learned through faculty that some students believe they can remain remote for this semester, even if they enrolled in hybrid or fully in-person classes. That is not the case. Students are expected to upload their COVID-19 testing results, as directed, and attend class sessions as scheduled for the classes in which they are enrolled. Once Health Services has reviewed a student’s test results, they will provide a status update to the Dean of Students Office, who will then notify the student's faculty/instructors. If a student uploads a positive test result, they are still considered compliant, but will go into isolation/quarantine protocol under the direction of Health Services. The Dean of Students Office will then send out an absence verification to the student's faculty. Please note that faculty/instructors will only accommodate students after receiving notification from the Dean of Students Office.
Faculty have carefully planned your course modalities. To be successful this semester, it is important that you adhere to the attendance requirements that your faculty members have established. The decision to offer approximately 70% of our spring 2021 courses in hybrid or in-person settings was based upon strong compliance with classroom safety procedures in the fall and implementation of our COVID-19 testing requirement for those who would be returning to campus in spring. Course modality information was communicated to you on the Return to Learn website prior to the spring 2021 course selection period as well. If you have any concerns or questions, please contact the department chair or dean in the college of your major.
I have been very impressed with how well Winthrop students are navigating the challenges of the pandemic. Many campuses have struggled across the nation to stay open. Winthrop stayed open in the fall because you all masked up and stayed safe. A few students - DIGS sightings!- have not complied consistently with good mask etiquette. I implore you all to band together, encourage discipline (with masks, with testing) and be a part of the team that pulls Winthrop through strong.
Best,
Adrienne
Adrienne McCormick, Ph.D.
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dear Students:
I understand many of you have received reports of non-compliance with the COVID-19 testing protocols. Please be advised that we have experienced several system errors. These concerns resulted in some inaccurate and false reports of non-compliance. Please know that staff are working diligently to correct these glitches.
Later today, your faculty will receive updated compliance status reports for students who uploaded their information no later than January 18, 2021. In the meantime, many faculty have already shifted gears to extend remote instruction until the reports are updated. Your individual faculty will communicate with you to confirm whether or not their instructional plans for your courses are impacted.
We will send compliance emails out daily to faculty as new information is reviewed and approved. Please note that the verification process is multipronged and time consuming. If you uploaded your results after January 18, your information will take 24-48 hours after your submission to cycle through this process. Your patience is appreciated as we work to ensure the accuracy of our reporting.
Please note that students registered for a hybrid class that will function fully online are still included in the compliance reporting per the instructional method listed in Banner. Health Services has no way of knowing the courses that transitioned to online only after being designated hybrid in Banner. So please bear with us.
If you have not yet uploaded your COVID-19 test results, please do so immediately utilizing the Winthrop University Health Services Patient Portal. Remember to utilize a Safari or Firefox web browser. If you are experiencing difficulty accessing the system, test results can also be sent to wuhealth@winthrop.edu.
We appreciate your patience as we administer this very important safety measure.
Best,
Shelia
Shelia Higgs Burkhalter, MBA, MSEd
Vice President for Student Affairs
From: Winthrop Dining Services
Welcome back, Eagles! We are wishing you a happy and healthy new year and semester! Below is some information to help get you started when it comes to dining on campus.
COMMUTER & RODDEY HALL MEAL PLANS
https://winthrop.sodexomyway.com/my-meal-plan/index
EAGLE BUCKS - Dining dollars that roll over as long as you're enrolled! Commuters & Residents
https://secure.touchnet.com/C20256_ustores/web/store_cat.jsp?STOREID=31&CATID=33&SINGLESTORE=true
DINING HOURS
https://winthrop.sodexomyway.com/dining-near-me/hours
INSTAGRAM & FACEBOOK
Starbucks raffle happening now on Instagram - @WinthropDining1
SPECIAL EVENTS
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKMY-9whe2R/?igshid=6rk32a23h9cq
Dear Students,
As you prepare for returning to campus in the coming days, please review these instructions
sent in December and last week as a reminder of testing expectations. This contains a lot of information so it is important to read this email in its entirety. Winthrop is committed to providing a healthy in-person learning environment, but
we need your help to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Return testing is one part of
risk mitigation to reduce the potential of positive individuals bringing the virus
to campus. A COVID -test is required before the first time you come to campus. The
only way to be positive that you are negative is through testing and consistent diligence
with wearing a mask, frequent hand washing, remaining at home if ill, and physically
distancing from others. Our goal is to open safely and remain open, so we are asking
all students to share responsibility for safe operations by testing before arrival
and voluntarily testing throughout the semester. We recognize the possible frustrations
associated with this requirement that Winthrop, along with other South Carolina institutions,
is requiring and greatly appreciate your cooperation. We can be successful if we work
together and uphold our social responsibility.
Students living on campus during the spring 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
Commuter students who plan to attend face-to-face in-person classes or on-campus employment during the spring 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
*Health Services will accept PCR and rapid antigen tests administered by a provider
but NOT antibody test results.
**If you have tested positive within the 90 days prior to your move-in/date or first
work/in-person classes, please upload your positive test result to the Patient Portal
before your scheduled move-in or first in-person class. You do not have to test again
for this requirement. If you have any questions, e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
**Online-only students working on campus in spring will need to email results to covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
Plan ahead:
Students should quarantine two (2) days before the test (to reduce close contacts if positive) and continue to quarantine after the test until your return to campus to reduce additional exposure. Request electronic results to reduce the risk of delayed notification that impacts your ability to return on your scheduled date.
Once you receive your COVID-19 test results:
Go to the Patient Portal (https://patient-winthrop.medicatconnect.com/login.aspx) and upload the results. Note: Patient Portal works best on Firefox or Safari web browsers.
If you have not received your results before you are due to return to campus, stay
home. Do not come to campus. If Health Services does not have record of your test results by your scheduled move-in
date, residential students will not be permitted to proceed with move-in screening
to receive their room key. You will not be permitted to move in to your residence
hall until your test results have been uploaded and you have completed the move-in
screening. Commuter students who have not provided test results prior to the first
day of in-person classes are not permitted to attend class or work in-person until
test results are submitted. Students who do not comply with the spring testing requirement
will be referred to the Dean of Students Office and may be charged with a violation
of the Student Code of Conduct. The Dean of Students Office will notify faculty of
class specific non-compliant students. If this applies to you, you need to proactively reach out to your professors and share
that you are unable to attend in-person classes until you meet the testing compliance
(residential or commuter).
Please call Health Services at 803/323-2206 or e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu with questions. Thank you in advance for patience as we respond to a heavy volume
of correspondence.
Wishing you a healthy and successful spring semester,
Jackie
Jackie Concodora, M.Ed., LPC
Director of Center for Student Wellness
Winthrop University
Center for Student Wellness
803/323-2206
covidreporting@winthrop.edu
The following message was sent today to all Winthrop students. Please take note of important information and help your student ensure they are doing what is necessary to comply with this requirement. Students will not be allowed to move into their residence hall or attend in-person classes without meeting this important requirement that is part of our COVID-19 mitigation response. Please be assured we are not trying to create barriers to our students; this is responsible public health strategy that helps us protect our students and the campus community at a time when infection rates are rising. Thank you in advance for assisting your student in meeting our expectations for returning to campus this semester.
Sincerely,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
This message is sent on behalf of Jackie Concodora, director of Winthrop’s Center for Student Wellness:
Dear Students,
As you prepare for returning to campus in the coming days, please review these instructions sent in December as a reminder of testing expectations. This contains a lot of information so it is important to read this email in its entirety. Winthrop is committed to providing a healthy in-person learning environment, but we need your help to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Return testing is one part of risk mitigation to reduce the potential of positive individuals bringing the virus to campus. The only way to be positive that you are negative is through testing and consistent diligence with wearing a mask, frequent hand washing, remaining at home if ill, and physically distancing from others. Our goal is to open safely and remain open, so we are asking all students to share responsibility for safe operations by testing before arrival and voluntarily testing throughout the semester. We recognize the possible frustrations associated with this requirement that Winthrop, along with other South Carolina institutions, is requiring and greatly appreciate your cooperation. We can be successful if we work together and uphold our social responsibility.
Students living on campus during the spring 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
Have a COVID-19 test administered no more than five (5) days* prior to your scheduled move-in date.
Upload documentation to the Patient Portal showing a negative test result in order to receive your room keys at move-in screening. Only students with negative results will be permitted to return to campus. If you have not received your results by your scheduled move-in date, stay home. Do not come to campus. You will not be permitted to proceed with move-in screening to receive your room key. Contact Residence Life at residencelife@winthrop.edu to reschedule your move-in date.
Print and complete the required COVID-19 screening questionnaire attached to your Pre-Check In confirmation email no sooner than 24 hours prior to your check-in appointment. You (and no more than two move-in assistants) will each complete a copy of this form that will be reviewed during check-in when you have your temperatures checked. This form will be made available by Residence Life via the spring 2021 Pre-Check In Process on Eaglesnest.
Commuter students who plan to attend face-to-face in-person classes or on-campus employment during the spring 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
Have a COVID-19 test administered no more than five (5) days* prior to the first day of in-person class (Jan. 19 no matter your first day of in-person classes or 5 days prior to first day of on-campus employment**) for commuter students.
Submit documentation of a negative test result no later than 48 hours prior to the first day of in-person classes. Only students with negative results will be permitted to return to campus. If you have not submitted your results prior to January 19th, stay home. Do not come to campus.
* If you have tested positive within the 90 days prior to your move-in/date or first in-person classes, please upload your positive test result to the Patient Portal before your scheduled move-in or first in-person class. If you have any questions, e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
** Online-only students working on campus in spring will need to email results to covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
Plan ahead:
With hundreds of testing sites in South Carolina, find a testing location near you by visiting www.scdhec.gov/findatest or calling 1-855-472-3432. Look for the sites marked “free.” Community partner testing sites may ask about insurance, require referrals or appointments, or be low- or no-cost. Out-of-state students need to consult their state health department website for permanent and mobile testing locations. Winthrop is not responsible for any costs incurred toward meeting this testing requirement. We urge you to plan ahead. Research testing options well in advance of your testing timeframe to avoid last minute barriers.
If you choose to come to Rock Hill to test at the Coliseum site, arrive early in line. This is a DHEC testing site for the surrounding community, not just Winthrop, so plan for approximately 2 hours. Gates open at 9am and close at 4pm. You can pre-register for the Coliseum site at https://app.auratracker.org/signup/74 or download the Aura app prior to testing. You only register once and your information will be saved.
Make sure you have created an account in the Patient Portal prior to testing and familiarize yourself with how to use it. This will help to save time and frustration when you are ready to upload test results.
Students should quarantine two (2) days before the test (to reduce close contacts if positive) and continue to quarantine after the test until your return to campus to reduce additional exposure. Request electronic results to reduce the risk of delayed notification that impacts your ability to return on your scheduled date.
Once you receive your COVID-19 test results:
Go to the Patient Portal and upload the results. Note: Patient Portal works best on Firefox or Safari web browsers.
Click the Upload tab.
Select “COVID-19 Results Upload” from the dropdown arrow next to “Select form to be uploaded.”
Click “Select File.”
Once you have attached the file, click the blue “Upload” button.
Your document is now visible at the bottom on the screen under “Documents on File.”
Test results must reflect your name and test date.
If you have tested positive within the 90 days prior to your move-in date or first in-person classes, contact Health Services. Please e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu and upload your positive test result to the Patient Portal before your scheduled move-in or first in-person class.
Online-only students working on campus will need to e-mail their results to covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
Only students with negative test results or documented positive results within 90 days and completed isolation will be permitted to return to campus.
If you have a positive test result you will need to isolate for 10 days from the date of your test before coming to campus. Health Services will not require you to be retested before arriving. You must communicate with Health Services at covidreporting@winthrop.edu upon receiving your positive results to discuss your 10-day isolation period.
If you have not received your results before you are due to return to campus, stay home. Do not come to campus.
If Health Services does not have record of your test results by your scheduled move-in date, residential students will not be permitted to proceed with move-in screening to receive their room key. You will not be permitted to move in to your residence hall until your test results have been uploaded and you have completed the move-in screening. Commuter students who have not provided test results prior to the first day of in-person classes are not permitted to attend class or work in-person until test results are submitted. Students who do not comply with the spring testing requirement will be referred to the Dean of Students Office and may be charged with a violation of the Student Code of Conduct. The Dean of Students Office will notify faculty of class specific non-compliant students. If this applies to you, you need to proactively reach out to your professors and share that you are unable to attend in-person classes until you meet the testing compliance (residential or commuter).
Please call Health Services at 803/323-2206 or e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu with questions. Thank you in advance for patience as we respond to a heavy volume of correspondence.
Wishing you a healthy and successful spring semester,
Jackie
Jackie Concodora, M.Ed., LPC
Director of Center for Student Wellness
This email contains extremely important information about the residence hall move-in and pre-check in process. PLEASE CAREFULLY AND COMPLETELY READ AND UNDERSTAND THE CONTENTS OF THIS NOTIFICATION. IT IS CRITICAL TO FOLLOW THE PROCESS FOR A SUCCESSFUL JANUARY 2021 MOVE IN. There are some substantial changes to how you will check-in this January. Please follow all the steps below to make sure you can successfully check-in when you arrive. This email covers:
Move-in Dates and Check-in Location
Step-by-Step Eaglesnest Pre-Check in Procedures
Required Action Items to Complete Prior to Arriving to Campus in January (including required COVID-19 testing)
Additional Information and Updates
Move-in Dates and Check-in Location
Similar to check-in for Fall, we will be following a staggered check-in process. The dates for move in are January 13, 14, or 15. You can select an open time slot as you follow the Eaglesnest pre-check in procedures below. The sooner you complete those steps, the greater your chance of getting your preferred appointment time.
Centralized check in will take place beginning at the south entrance of the Winthrop Coliseum along Lake Drive. Please pay attention to signage as it will direct you towards the stations for check-in.
Step-by-Step Eaglesnest Pre-Check in Procedures
Please follow these steps as soon as possible:
Log onto Wingspan > Eaglesnest Housing
Click on the "Residence Hall Pre-Check In Process."
Complete the following steps IN ORDER. Access to each step is contingent on completion of the previous step. Note: If you cannot access the Pre-Check In Process (students moving on campus for the first time this year), you will need to acknowledge the COVID-19 Housing Addendum first.
The final step of the Residence Hall Pre-Check In Process will consist of selecting your appointment time during January 13-15, 2021. Appointment times are on a first come, first serve basis. Keep your class schedule in mind when selecting an appointment date/time for January 13, 14, or 15.
Upon completing the last step you will receive a confirmation email confirming that you have completed the Pre-Check In procedures. KEEP THAT EMAIL, as it will have your COVID-19 Screening Form to complete and your check-in appointment information. It is important that you complete this process as soon as possible.
Your confirmation email will have more specific details about how to check-in, receive your required COVID-19 health screening form, and how to upload your COVID-19 test results to the Patient Portal.
REMEMBER to print out and bring the completed COVID-19 Screening Form(s) on the day you check-in. This form is also attached to your confirmation email. Students should not bring more than two move-in assistants to campus.
Required Action Items to Complete Prior to Arriving to Campus in January
ALL students living on campus during the Spring 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
Have a COVID-19 Test administered no more than 5 days prior to your scheduled move-in date. For details and testing locations near you, refer to the Health Services webpage.
Upload COVID test documentation to the Patient Portal showing a negative test result in order to proceed during move-in screening and receive your room key.
Only students with negative results will be permitted to return to campus. If you do not have your test results by your scheduled move-in date, DO NOT come to campus. You will not be permitted to proceed with move-in screening to receive your room key. Contact Residence Life (residencelife@winthrop.edu) to reschedule your move-in date.
Follow pre check in procedures on Eaglesnest (instructions above), including:
Quarantine and isolation plan
Sign up for a check-in appointment date/time for January 13, 14, or 15. It is important you complete these steps prior to January 1, 2021.
Complete COVID-19 Health Screening Form
Additional Information and Updates
For complete details and any updates on residence hall move-in (including appropriate COVID-19 test dates), visit the Residence Life move-in web page.
For general information and updates on COVID-19 testing visit Center for Student Wellness website.
For general campus information and updates, visit the Winthrop University Return to Learn Website.
Thank you for reading this complete email. If you have questions, please email Residence Life residencelife@winthrop.edu before December 23, 2020 or after January 4, 2021. Residence Life will be closed December 24, 2020-January 3, 2021.
We wish you an enjoyable and restful holiday season.
Sincerely,
Howard M. Seidler
Interim Director of Residence Life
Winthrop University
Department of Residence Life
237 DiGiorgio Campus Center
Rock Hill, SC 29733
803/323-2223
803/323-2395 (FAX)
www.winthrop.edu
Dear Students,
As you transition from final exams into winter break, please review these instructions to prepare for the spring semester. It is important to read this email in its entirety to understand the expectations.
Students living on campus during the spring 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
· Have a COVID-19 test administered no more than five (5) days* prior to your scheduled move-in date.
· Upload documentation to the Patient Portal showing a negative test result in order to receive your room keys at move-in screening. Only students with negative results will be permitted to return to campus. If you do not have your test results by your scheduled move-in date, do not come to campus. You will not be permitted to proceed with move-in screening to receive your room key. Contact Residence Life at residencelife@winthrop.edu to reschedule your move-in date.
· Print and complete the required COVID-19 screening questionnaire attached to your Pre-Check In confirmation email no sooner than 24 hours prior to your check-in appointment. You will submit this form during check-in when you (and your two move-in assistants) have your temperature checked during your check-in appointment. This form will be made available by Residence Life via the spring 2021 Pre-Check In Process on Eaglesnest.
Commuter students who plan to attend face-to-face in-person classes or on-campus employment during the spring 2021 semester are REQUIRED to:
· Have a COVID-19 test administered no more than five (5) days* prior to the first day of in-person class (Jan. 19 no matter your first day of in-person classes or first day of on-campus employment**) for commuter students.
· Submit documentation of a negative test result no later than 48 hours prior to the first day of in-person classes. Only students with negative results will be permitted to return to campus.
* If you have tested positive within the 90 days prior to your move-in/date or first in-person classes, contact Health Services. Please e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu and upload your positive test result to the Patient Portal before your scheduled move-in or first in-person class.
**Online-only students working on campus in spring will need to email your results to covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
Plan ahead. With hundreds of testing sites in South Carolina, find a testing location near you by visiting www.scdhec.gov/findatest or calling 1-855-472-3432. Look for the sites marked “free.” Community partner testing sites may ask about insurance, require referrals or appointments, or be low- or no-cost. Out-of-state students need to consult their state health department website for permanent and mobile testing locations. We urge you to plan ahead. Research testing options well in advance of your testing timeframe to avoid last minute barriers.
Students should quarantine two (2) days before the test (to reduce close contacts if positive) and continue to quarantine after the test until your return to campus to reduce additional exposure. Request electronic results to reduce the risk of delayed notification that impacts your ability to return on your scheduled date.
Once you receive your COVID-19 test results:
Go to the Patient Portal (https://patient-winthrop.medicatconnect.com/login.aspx) and upload the results. Note: Patient Portal works best on Firefox or Safari web browsers.
1. Click the Upload tab.
2. Select “COVID-19 Results Upload” from the dropdown arrow next to “Select form to be uploaded.”
3. Click “Select File.”
4. Once you have attached the file, click the blue “Upload” button.
5. Your document is now visible at the bottom on the screen under “Documents on File.”
· Test results must reflect your name and test date.
· Here is a video explaining how to use the Patient Portal https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NdJx52Hcfs
· If you have tested positive within the 90 days prior to your move-in date or first in-person classes, contact Health Services. Please e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu and upload your positive test result to the Patient Portal before your scheduled move-in or first in-person class. Online-only students working on campus will need to e-mail their results to covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
Ø If you have a positive test result you will need to isolate for 10 days from the date of your test before coming to campus. Health Services will not require you to be retested before arriving. You must communicate with Health Services at covidreporting@winthrop.edu upon receiving your positive results to discuss your 10-day isolation period.
Only students with negative results will be permitted to return to campus. If Health Services does not have record of your test results by your scheduled move-in date, residential students will not be permitted to proceed with move-in screening to receive their room key. You will not be permitted to move in until your test results have been uploaded. Commuter students who have not provided test results prior to the first day of in-person classes are not permitted to attend class or work in-person until test results are submitted.
Students who do not comply with the spring testing requirement will be referred to the Dean of Students Office and may be charged with a violation of the Student Code of Conduct.
Please call Health Services at 803/323-2206 or e-mail covidreporting@winthrop.edu before December 23, 2020 or after January 4, 2021 with questions. Health Services will be closed December 24, 2020-January 3, 2021.
Wishing you a restful and healthy winter break,
Jackie
Jackie Concodora
Director of Heath and Counseling Services
|
Dear Students: Back in October I announced that we expected spring semester to follow the academic schedule set earlier in the year with in-person instruction beginning January 11, spring break March 15-19, and final exams April 28-May 4. At the time, I noted that we would continue to track decision “triggers” that may change our plans. Current COVID-19 risk levels in the community and state, capacity of local hospitals to care for COVID-19 patients, and the very real potential for exposure that could impact the campus after the holiday break are sobering developments that make clear we need to adjust our plans in order to continue to protect our university community from the spread of the virus. We are making the following adjustments to the spring semester, which will not impact tuition and fees for students. Remote Start January 11 The first adjustment we will make is to have another remote start which will allow us to begin the semester as planned on January 11, yet also help us mitigate virus spread as the holiday season winds down. This also will provide more time to implement our spring COVID-19 testing requirement wherein residential students and those taking in-person classes must present a timely negative test result to move back into the halls and/or attend class. Both students and faculty members responded well to the fall remote start, and I expect this spring adjustment will be similarly accommodated. The in-person component of our instruction will begin the day after the MLK holiday on Tuesday, January 19. Please watch your email for further instructions from Residence Life and Health Services on planning your return next month. Different Approach to Spring Break While we had sincerely hoped to preserve a weeklong spring break in March, it is not in the community’s best interest to have a week off from classes in the middle of the semester. Our second adjustment then will be to forego the traditional spring break, and in doing so, reduce increased virus transmission that we have seen goes hand in hand with travel and tourism activities. In discussion with several groups about the possibility of foregoing the week off from classes, we heard the importance of building in some days off through the semester to relieve stress and give our students needed breaks. I agree with this, and in order to provide some breaks without impact to class scheduling, we have identified five days that have been spread throughout the semester to provide respite. To be clear, these are days when there will be no classes; offices will be open. Updated Calendar With the above adjustments, the timeline for our spring semester now is: Monday, January 11 First day of class -- remote until Tuesday, Jan. 19 Monday, January 18 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day – no classes Tuesday, January 19 In-person classes begin Tuesday, February 16 Spring break day 1 – no classes Wednesday, March 3 Spring break day 2 – no classes Thursday, March 18 Spring break day 3– no classes Friday, April 9 Spring break day 4 – no classes Monday, April 19 Spring break day 5 – no classes Monday, April 26 Last day of class Tuesday, April 27 Study day Wednesday-Tuesday, Final exams April 28-May 4 Thursday and Saturday, Commencement ceremonies May 6 & 8 With this schedule, fully online and shorter-term classes will not need any adjustment. Because of our efforts thus far, we have pulled off the fall semester and have plans in place for a safe spring semester. But this is definitely not the time to become complacent, and in some areas we do need to improve. Masking, social distancing and hand-washing are really all we have to protect ourselves and each other from this virus until vaccines are readily available. I implore you, when you are in campus buildings, you must have on a mask and wear it correctly (under the nose is a pet peeve of mine and an affront to many). You mustn’t congregate for conversation or have close interactions with others. While we don’t have many who disregard these requirements, those who do put folks at risk, whether they mean to or not. Thank you for taking time to read this message. Please know that the university’s leadership remains committed to offering the Winthrop education that students and their families have come to expect, in as safe an environment as possible. Sincerely, George George W. Hynd Interim President |
Dear Students:
With Thanksgiving and the winter break right around the corner, all students are encouraged to seek testing prior to their return home date. The Coliseum site is open Thursday through Monday from 9am-5m or at another community site located through the DHEC website https://scdhec.gov/covid19/covid-19-testing-locations. They should proactively discuss with family their quarantine plan if they return before receiving their results or isolation plan should their test results come back positive.
Please see below more specific guidance from South Carolina DHEC to reduce the spread of COVID-19 this holiday season.
Shelia
Shelia Higgs Burkhalter, MBA, MSEd
Vice President for Student Affairs
State Health Leaders Encourage South Carolinians to Stay Vigilant to Reduce Spread of COVID-19 this Holiday Season
As we approach the holiday season and COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations spike across South Carolina and the nation, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), South Carolina Hospital Association (SCHA) and Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) urge all South Carolinians to rededicate themselves to individual actions to protect public health amid this pandemic. These actions include:
- properly wearing face masks,
- staying physically distanced from others, and
- routinely getting tested.
To help protect themselves and their loved ones, we encourage all college and university students to get tested and know their results before going home for holiday breaks and also before returning back to campus. Additionally, we recommend getting tested before attending any family gatherings. Asymptomatic individuals can unknowingly carry the virus and pass it along to friends and family who could experience severe illness, hospitalization, or worse.
We recognize that the holiday season is a sacred time, and we encourage South Carolinians to avoid indoor gatherings and maintain their commitment to activities that reduce the spread of COVID-19.
We applaud the sacrifices our residents have made over the past many months, and at the same time we appeal to all South Carolinians to remain committed to our fight against this deadly disease. Your daily commitment to wearing a mask, socially distancing, and getting tested can help save lives.
If we remain resilient and #StaySCStrong, we can defeat this global pandemic together.
Dear Undergraduate Students,
Faculty have approved a further modification to the grading policy for the Fall 2020 semester. Students may elect the S/U option on as many courses as they wish, unless prohibited by their major. Consultation with the advisor or college Student Services Office is strongly encouraged. The deadline to elect the S/U is the last day of classes. For full-semester courses, this is December 3.
Please visit the FAQ site at https://www.winthrop.edu/recandreg/su-fall-2020.aspx. The link to the S/U form is on that page.
Note: the form will have to be submitted for each S/U elected, so if you elect three courses, the form will have to be submitted three times.
If you have further questions, please contact the Office of Records and Registration at recandreg@winthrop.edu or 803/323-2194.
Sincerely,
Gina G. Jones, M.Ed.
Registrar
Dear Students:
I hope this email finds you ready to finish out the semester on a strong note. As we prepare for Thanksgiving break and the shift to remote learning for the remainder of the fall semester, I wanted to share with you some important information regarding how to return textbooks as well as upcoming operating hours for various on-campus service providers.
Winthrop Bookstore
There are two ways for you to return rental textbooks to the bookstore.
1) Return in-store at the Campus Center: You may return books in person before the Dec. 15 due date. Appropriate safety and social distancing measures will be implemented.
2) Return by mail: You may ship rental textbooks back to the bookstore via UPS before the Dec. 15 due date. Find step-by-step instructions to purchase and print your shipping label on the bookstore’s website.
*Please note that you will need your order number to print the shipping label. This can be found in the rental return reminder emails, which start 21 days before the due date. If you do not see an email, please email sm8167@bncollege.com and your order can be looked up in the system.
If you would like to keep your rented textbooks, rental reminder emails will contain a “buy book” option for available titles. This can also be done via My Account online or by emailing the bookstore with your request. Check the FAQs page if you have additional questions about your book rentals.
As for operating hours, the bookstore will be closed Nov. 25-29 for Thanksgiving. Following Thanksgiving break, the bookstore will be open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.. through Dec. 18. The bookstore will hopefully be able to open on Saturday, Dec. 12 from 12-5 p.m. for in-person rental check in and last minute holiday shopping.
West Center
The center will be closed Saturday, Nov. 21-Sunday, Nov. 29, and during that week will be deep cleaned. After Thanksgiving, the center will open Monday, Nov. 30, with the following modified hours of operation:
Monday– Friday, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Sunday, Closed
The facility will close for the winter break on Friday, Dec. 18.
DiGiorgio Campus Center
The center will be open on the following schedule:
Friday, Nov. 20 - 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 21-Sunday, Nov. 22 - 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Monday, Nov. 23-Tuesday, Nov. 24 - 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 25-Sunday, Nov. 29: Closed for Thanksgiving
After Thanksgiving, the center will open Monday, Nov. 30, with the following modified hours of operation:
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday – As needed for bookstore support
Sunday – Closed
The center will close for the winter break on Friday, Dec. 18.
Dining Services/Sodexo
Due to so few people being on campus, all retail operations (Starbucks, Subway and Markley’s) will be closed Monday, Nov. 23 – Friday, Dec. 18. Thomson Café will be open during that period to serve residential students and guests as needed. Hours will soon be announced.
Finally, as you are likely aware, there has been a recent surge in COVID-19 cases within the state and the country. While the Winthrop community has generally behaved well with respect to the university’s COVID-19 Guidelines, we are noticing higher instances of people in buildings without masks. You are encouraged to continue to be vigilant in following all of the guidelines, in particular consistently wearing your masks, practicing social distancing and frequently washing your hands. Remember we all share the responsibility of ensuring the health and safety of the Winthrop community.
Please safely enjoy your Thanksgiving break, and I wish you the best of luck on wrapping up the semester and final exams.
Sincerely,
Shelia Burkhalter
Vice President for Student Affairs
Dear Campus Community,
Before we wrap up in-person instruction and our attention turns to the Thanksgiving holiday in a couple of weeks, I wanted to reach out and share some details of our COVID-19 management plans for the return to learning in January.
Students attending in-person classes and/or living on campus will be required to get tested for COVID-19 prior to returning to campus
Trustees were briefed today on Student Affairs’ and senior leadership’s recommendation for pre-entry COVID-19 testing for students who are taking in-person classes and/or living in the residence halls. Students will be required to present a negative test result for a test taken 72 hours in advance of their return date/first in-person class. (Online-only students will not be required to submit test results.) Students will need to quarantine two days prior to their test and continue to quarantine until their scheduled return to campus date. The benefit of return testing is prevention of positive students from returning to campus and exposing others to the virus.
Expanded testing makes this requirement possible
I am sure you are aware of the rise in cases in our state and elsewhere in the country.
Cold weather will undoubtedly drive individuals indoors, and the upcoming holidays
will increase transmission risk. You likely know, too, that SC DHEC has expanded mobile
testing sites (like the one at our Coliseum) throughout the state, making it easier
for students to find free testing options in their community. You will recall such
testing was not as readily available during summer leading up to the fall semester.
As a result of all of these circumstances, senior leadership has agreed that the implementation
of return testing is a good idea.
Students being informed now
Students are being informed of this requirement now so they have ample time to identify permanent and mobile testing options for their test date in January. Residential students also are being informed that
the requirement for return testing means that we must change how Residence Life handles
closing the residence halls for the fall semester. A detailed message from Residence
Life is being sent to residential students today on what they can expect.
Continued diligence is a must
We know that such testing is an effort of risk mitigation but not a guarantee of campus
safety. Testing is still a snapshot in time, and a person can become symptomatic after
testing. However, we hope that students (as well as faculty and staff) will take the
advice of the CDC in limiting their exposure to others over the holidays, avoiding
large gatherings, and continuing masking, hand-washing and social distancing. SC DHEC
recommends testing at least monthly for anyone out and about in the community for
any reason.
Student Affairs will take the lead
Residence Life and Health Services will lead the coordination of the testing results
management as well as the necessary move-in health screenings in January like those
we required in the fall prior to move-in. Detailed information will be provided by
email from Health Services so all students will know how to upload their COVID-19
testing results to the Medicat portal. (Students, it is very important for you to monitor your email for instructions in this
regard.) Student Affairs will monitor enrollment to notify the students who meet the requirements
for testing (in-person classes and/or residential living). Residential students who
do not test/provide results will be prohibited from moving in, and any student who
does not adhere to testing will face disciplinary action.
Is expanding testing an option?
We are strongly encouraging everyone to take advantage of the free testing available
at the Coliseum or other locations in the community, but at this time, we are not
requiring a negative test result for faculty and staff to return to work after the
winter break. As we move into December and have more information about the prevalence
of the virus in our community, we may consider additional testing, including of faculty
and staff, but our emphasis now is on students who, once they return, will be more
likely to be in close contact with others in classrooms and/or the residence halls.
We also are considering surveillance testing (random sampling of the campus community)
in the spring and exploring the details of how that might work. More on these options
in time.
I hope you find this update of our planning helpful. Please direct any questions you
may have to Shelia Burkhalter, Jackie Concodora, or Howard Seidler, depending on the nature of the inquiry.
Sincerely,
George
George W. Hynd
Interim President
Dear Students,
We are excited to welcome you back to campus and hope that your classes are off to a great start! Winthrop faculty and staff have worked extremely hard to offer an in-person campus experience and we trust that you will do your part in slowing the spread of COVID-19 and helping us remain on campus. Here are a few reminders about COVID-19 policies:
- Face coverings are required in all campus buildings.
- Social distancing is required. Remain at least 6 feet away when interacting with other community members.
- Students living in Winthrop Residence halls are allowed to have ONE guest in their room at a time, and that guest must reside in their building. Other than students accessing Thomson Hall to eat or students participating in an activity required by an academic program (class, required study hall, etc.), external guests are not allowed residential facilities, including family members and residents of other buildings. You should not enter a Residence Hall that you don’t live in for any reason other than the two mentioned above.
- Social events and gatherings are strongly discouraged. The host(s) of any event that directly or indirectly leads to the disruption of campus operations or the exhaustion of University resources will be held accountable in accordance to the procedures listed in the Student Conduct Code.
- If you are exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms, you must notify the University and can do so by emailing covidreporting@winthrop.edu. Once notified, the University will provide you with instructions on how to isolate or quarantine. It is vital that you follow these instructions. Failure to do such are violations of the Student Conduct Code.
The health and safety of our campus community must be our number one priority. Please be considerate of yourself and others. Follow the COVID-19 Safety Guidelines.
Please note that violations of COVID-19 Safety Guidelines will result in student conduct action, and sanctions may include a warning, monetary fines, removal from housing with no refund, and/or suspension or expulsion from Winthrop University.
Staff are planning programs and events for you with safety in mind. We hope that you will engage with residence hall programs, student organizations, DSU programs, etc. Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Anthony Davis
Interim Dean of Students
I am pleased to inform you that Winthrop has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to offer free COVID-19 testing at the North parking lot of the Winthrop Coliseum, beginning this Friday from 9 a.m.1-p.m. More information will be shared if and when testing on the main campus becomes widely available.
DHEC’s free nasal swab testing will be available to anyone at Winthrop and in the surrounding communities at the Coliseum on Sept. 11, Sept. 18 and Sept. 23. Additional dates and times will be added, so please continue to check DHEC's testing site for updates.
This is good news for Winthrop and for our communities as we help provide a much needed, and free, service in order to stay on top of virus activity in our area.
Employees who are experiencing symptoms or have tested positive should immediately communicate this information to fscovidreporting@winthrop.edu.
Please read the press release below that provides more details, and thank you to all involved who helped make this a reality.
Winthrop Coliseum to Serve as Free COVID-19 Testing Site Through December
ROCK HILL, SOUTH CAROLINA – Winthrop University is partnering with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control to offer free COVID-19 testing to the Winthrop, and surrounding, community at the North parking lot of the Winthrop Coliseum, 1162 Eden Terrace. (No COVID-19 public testing is currently available on Winthrop's main campus located off of Oakland Avenue.)
Free testing, which will be performed via nasal swab, will begin at the Winthrop Coliseum on Friday, Sept. 11, and will initially be offered on Friday, Sept. 11, Friday, Sept. 18 and Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Additional testing days and hours will be added once more equipment and staffing are secured. The permanent testing site will last through at least December and will then transition to a COVID-19 vaccine site once a vaccine is approved and available to administer.
There is no cost to Winthrop to host the testing location, but it will provide many benefits.
“Having a permanent mobile testing location provides much needed access for the community without the delay in appointment availability. Increasing testing frequency provides a more accurate perspective on the prevalence of the virus in our county. I am so proud of Winthrop’s ability to provide a centralized location to facilitate DHEC’s goal of expanding testing convenience in York County as one more layer of response during this pandemic,” said Jackie Concodora, director of health and counseling services at Winthrop.
According to Concodora, patients will remain in their vehicles at all times during the process, and test results can be delivered via the mail or electronically.
"We're very excited to partner with Winthrop University to improve access to testing for COVID-19 in York County," said Scott Thorpe, DHEC's Midlands region public health director. "As with everything in public health, we know that collaboration will always improve our collective impact. Whether its students or local residents, we know that improved access to free testing means we can catch more cases. The more cases we catch, the better we're able to get this disease under control so we can all return to our normal, pre-pandemic lives."
For more information, please visit DHEC's website.
Dear Families,
It is to be expected that with our Return to Learn, concerns and anxieties exist. I know you have many questions. By way of this email (admittedly long but appropriately so), I hope I can reassure you that we are doing everything possible to navigate the transition to in-person, resident instruction.
Move-in news
We had a successful start to residential student move-in yesterday. Residence Life,
Health Services and Campus Police worked together to implement a touch-free move-in
process that allowed for health assessment and screening before students and their
helpers, who had reserved a time in advance, were allowed to move in. This minimized
the number of people in the halls at once and allowed an orderly and safe process
for everyone. This phased move-in lasts through Monday, Sept. 7. Thanks to all of
the staff who have been working to ensure this vitally important first step to transitioning
students back to campus goes well and according to plan.
Adjusting to the fall
Prior to arrival, students received instruction on what to bring to campus (over-the-counter
medications, digital thermometer, go bag, etc.) and how to utilize our new symptom
tracker software (see below) on a daily basis to keep tabs on their health. Students
also were invited to a Student Engagement town hall that was held last week to share how Student Affairs will ensure students feel connected
this fall through in-person and virtual opportunities. An “Into the Unknown” event
will be held virtually and in person on Sept. 8 at 8 p.m. in Tillman Auditorium so
students can learn more about how the university is moving forward and what students
can expect with respect to program and service delivery.
Expectations
We already know that becoming accustomed to the new protocols and expectations is
a learning curve students must adjust to quickly. They have been provided all the
information needed for a successful semester, including our masking requirement and
physical distancing expectations; Student Conduct Code additions and the consequences
of not abiding by university expectations; and a health kit. We have to lead by example
and utilize teachable moments to encourage compliance with our new expectations. Students
will be receiving email and video snippets on social media in the coming days to reinforce
these expectations.
Positive COVID cases
In response to many questions on this, I want you to understand how we are handling
potential student COVID cases on campus. We have a limited number of test kits available
through Health Services that are reserved for students who exhibit symptoms of COVID.
Students who obtain COVID testing in the community must immediately notify Health
Services of the test date by emailing covidreporting@winthrop.edu and report their results. These procedures will help us track cases and pursue contact
tracing.
If instructed by Health Services staff, residential students will be required to immediately return home to complete quarantine or isolation. All residential students must submit a Return to Campus Plan to Residence Life as a proactive measure in the event they are impacted by COVID and must leave campus immediately.
Students who return home for quarantine or isolation are expected to follow up with their personal health provider for any COVID-related care and notify Health Services at covidreporting@winthrop.edu of any changes in their condition impacting their return to in-person instruction.
A great new tool for all residential students and commuter students attending in-person classes is the COVID Symptom Tracker in the Medicat Patient Portal COVID-19 tab. Residential and commuter students are strongly encouraged to use the tracker every day before leaving their residence. A positive response on the daily tracker will display instructions and automatically prompts contact from Health Services.
All of our student protocols stem from use of the patient portal or covidreporting@winthrop.edu email. Faculty will use this email if they suspect or have heard from a student that s/he may have or have been exposed to COVID.
For acute illness that results in absence from in-person classes, Health Services will notify the Dean of Students Office which provides official absence notifications to Academic Affairs. The Dean of Students Office will issue an absence notification (dates only, not condition) to students’ faculty members. At that point, faculty members will do all they can to help ensure the student can continue successfully in their classes.
Finally, we are working to develop a website dashboard with weekly positive cases reported to us among students and faculty/staff. We will send out more information as soon as it is available.
Testing on campus
We will not be testing all students, staff or faculty as we begin in-person instruction
as it is not recommended by the CDC or DHEC. However, I am pleased to share that we
are in conversation with DHEC to use our facilities (one of the Coliseum parking lots)
for a long-term, free, mobile testing site that will be open to the public, and of
course, the Winthrop community. This is an exciting development, and more details
will be forthcoming.
MUSC visit and report
Last month, consultants from MUSC visited campus, reviewed protocols for our Return to Learn plans, and provided risk assessment. We are working to address their recommendations and
suggestions, including implementing specific checklists that would apply to divisions
and areas of campus.
Reconsideration Task Force report
In all of this preparation and assessment, we are guided by a report provided in late
July by a campus-wide Reconsideration Task Force which researched possible “triggers”
or a combination of factors that might prompt a change in our campus operations based
on COVID. The committee’s charge was to identify possible factors that would encourage
us to review a decision to bring students back to campus or, if they were back on
campus, what possible factors would cause us to go remote again as we did in March.
In addition to available COVID risk levels in the community and state, other factors
included the capacity of local hospitals to care for COVID patients, availability
of COVID supplies on campus, availability of student-serving quarantine/isolation
facilities on campus and related staffing, appropriate infrastructure to support on-campus
cases where students were not able to go home, etc. The consideration of these factors--and
a recognition as to the commitment to provide the best education possible to our students--led
to the decision to bring students back to campus. We will continue to monitor all
of these factors as we move forward in the coming weeks. If it appears that we cannot
serve the majority of our students safely and mitigate the possible risk to our staff
and faculty, we will consider these factors and make the appropriate decision.
I hope you find these updates helpful. We all know that it will take commitment from every member of the campus community to mitigate the spread of COVID to protect ourselves and one another, and keep our campus safe. Our individual actions can have a profound effect on others. I have encouraged everyone on campus to practice social responsibility and consistently adhere to all COVID-related precautions such as wearing a mask, avoiding close contact with others (especially group gatherings), staying home if feeling unwell, and frequently washing your hands. Together, we can do this!
Sincerely,
George
George Hynd
Interim President
Dear Students:
Center for Student Wellness recognizes how stressful it has been for students to adjust to remote instruction over spring and to anticipate what college will be like this fall. We would like to share proactive steps you can take to facilitate your transition to in-person instruction. All of this information is available on the Return to Learn and the Center for Student Wellness websites. Please attend Into the Unknown event on 9/8/2020 at 8pm in Tillman Auditorium or join virtually to learn more about how to access our services and other opportunities for support this fall.
Plan ahead before you arrive next week:
Bring over the counter medications like Tylenol, Advil, Pepcid, etc.; anything you normally take when you are sick. It is essential to bring your own digital thermometer for daily monitoring of your temperature. Covid-19 symptoms can start quickly.
Residential students will be required to immediately return home to complete quarantine or isolation. Residential students must submit a Return To Campus Plan to Residence Life as a proactive measure in the event they are impacted by Covid-19 and must leave campus immediately. Access to this plan closes on 9/10/2020 so please get an early start on completing it. Responses will remain confidential and will only be accessible by Residence Life and Health Services staff on a need to know basis. Students who return home for quarantine or isolation are expected to follow up with their personal provider for any Covid-related care and notify Health Services at covidreporting@winthrop.edu of any changes in their condition impacting their return to in-person instruction.
Residential students need to keep a ‘go bag’ packed so you are prepared to leave quickly should you have to go into quarantine or isolation. Remember to grab your computer, phone, all charging cords, materials for class, and any prescription medications.
Important information once you arrive on campus:
All residential students and commuter students attending in-person classes are strongly encouraged to utilize the Covid Symptom Tracker in the Medicat Patient Portal Covid-19 tab every day before leaving their residence. A positive response on the daily tracker will display instructions and automatically prompts contact from Health Services. It is very important to answer your phone.
Students who want to initiate telephone triage with a nurse for a well or sick visit should use the Medicat Patient Portal Appointment tab. Health Services will operate by appointment only, no walk-ins.
Students who wish to schedule a counseling intake should use the Medicat Patient Portal Appointment tab. Counseling Services and Student Advocacy and Trauma Support will operate by appointment only, no walk-ins.
Students who obtain Covid-19 testing in the community must immediately notify Health Services of the test date by emailing covidreporting@winthrop.edu and report their results.
For acute illness that results in absence from in-person classes, Health Services will notify the Dean of Students Office which provides official absence notifications to Academic Affairs. Health Services will only share dates of absence regardless of the health related issue. No health details will be shared. The Dean of Students Office will issue an absence notification (dates only, not condition) to students’ faculty. Should a student’s condition related to Covid-19 change, the student must communicate that information to Health Services who will notify the Dean of Students Office of a change in dates for the quarantine or isolation period. Students should immediately communicate this information to Health Services by emailing covidreporting@winthrop.edu.
Office of Accessibility has a new case management system called AIM through which students can initiate virtual appointments, upload documentation, access letters of accommodation, and manage accommodations, including Test Center requests. Students can utilize the Student AIM Portal here.
It takes commitment from every member of the campus community to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 to protect ourselves and one another to keep our campus safe. Our individual actions can have a profound effect on others. Please practice social responsibility and consistently adhere to all Covid related precautions like wearing a mask, avoiding close contact with others (especially group gatherings), staying home if feeling unwell, and frequently washing your hands.
Have a wonderful semester and be well.
Jackie Concodora
Director of Center for Student Wellness
From: Gina Jones, Registrar
Dear Students,
Welcome back, or if you're starting your first semester with us, welcome to Winthrop!
The following message contains important information.
Students may add a full-semester classes through Friday, August 28 and drop a full-semester
class through Monday, August 31.
Please note, if you have a registration hold for any reason (past due balance, immunization,
etc), you may not add a class without contacting the office that placed the hold and
having that office remove it. If you have a registration hold and need to drop a class,
we must have a written request. You can email us at recandreg@winthrop.edu from your Winthrop email account.
Beginning Tuesday, September 1, students may withdraw from a full-semester class through
Wingspan. Please note, if you have a registration hold for any reason, you must complete
a course withdrawal form found at https://www.winthrop.edu/recandreg/forms-online.aspx and submit it to our office.
If you need to withdraw from ALL classes, you cannot do this via Wingspan after 5
PM Friday, August 28. The Withdrawal from Winthrop Survey is found at https://www.winthrop.edu/recandreg/forms-online.aspx and must be submitted to our office before the official withdrawal can occur. Don't
risk your financial aid or academic progress by not completing this form if you are
leaving Winthrop.
For other registration dates, including half-semester and other special sessions as
well as tuition adjustment dates, visit the registration calendar on the Records and
Registration website at https://www.winthrop.edu/recandreg/registrars-calendar.aspx.
It is also important to be aware of academic policies regarding grading (interim and
final), course loads, course repeats, S/Us, and class attendance. These can be found
in the Academic Regulations portion of the current catalog, found at /uploadedFiles/recandreg/Catalogs/20-21/20-21-academic-regulations.pdf and /uploadedFiles/graduateschool/catalog/2020-21-grad-catalog.pdf page 28 (graduate students).
Graduate Students in 100% fully online programs should consult with their Student
Services Coordinator.
Please contact our office for any questions regarding these matters at recandreg@winthrop.edu or 803/323-2194.
My best wishes to you for a successful semester.
Dear Campus Community,
Welcome to the new academic year. Today we celebrate the start of the academic year with our Opening Convocation. Normally we would gather on campus to welcome our new students in a formal setting. Since we are starting virtually this semester, our Convocation is virtual as well. Interim President George Hynd, Rock Hill Mayor John Gettys, Board of Trustees Chair Glenn McCall, Council of Student Leaders Chair Brandon Jackson, Staff Conference Chair Jayme Charles, and Faculty Conference Chair Adolphus Belk Jr. welcome our new students to Winthrop in video form.
The video is available on the Winthrop University YouTube site: https://youtu.be/rfLW8RGih60
I hope you will have an opportunity to watch.
Sincerely,
Tim Drueke
We are so excited to welcome you back to Winthrop next week! I’m sure you are wondering, “What does the Winthrop student experience look like during a pandemic?” In the Division of Student Affairs, we know that much of the college experience is shaped by what happens outside of the classroom, and that will certainly look different this year.
Please join the Student Affairs staff for a Student Engagement Town Hall at 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, August 25. During this one and a half hour Town Hall we will share the exciting engagement and involvement opportunities planned for this fall!
How to Ask a Question
Your voices and questions are important. We will be taking questions in real time during the Town Hall utilizing the chat feature. However, if you want to share questions with us in advance, please send them by noon on Monday, August 24 to studentaffairs@winthrop.edu.
Accessing the Town Hall Meeting
The town hall meeting will be accessible via GoTo Webinar on August 25, at 7:00 p.m. A video recording and transcript will be made available following the town hall if you are unable to participate live. More details on how to view the town hall recording will be provided by email next week.
I hope you can join us on August 25th.
Thank you for completing your pre-check in requirements. Please read below regarding the next steps for your check-in process. ALL RESIDENTS, both returning and new, need to sign up for a MOVE-IN APPOINTMENT time and date between September 2 -7, 2020 to move into their residence halls. Early or late arrivals are not permitted due to limited staffing so please arrive within the time block you selected. PLEASE READ THE ENTIRETY OF THIS EMAIL FOR COMPLETE MOVE-IN INSTRUCTIONS.
The Courtyard at Winthrop [https://wu-courtyard-sept2020.youcanbook.me]
Lee Wicker Hall  [https://wu-leewick-sept2020.youcanbook.me/]
Margaret Nance Hall [https://wu-mn-sept2020.youcanbook.me}
Phelps Hall [https://wu-phelpshall-sept2020.youcanbook.me]
Richardson Hall [https://wu-richardson-sept2020.youcanbook.me/]
Roddey Hall [https://wu-roddey-sept2020.youcanbook.me]
Thomson Hall [https://wu-thomson-sept2020.youcanbook.me/]
Thank you for your cooperation!
We are thrilled to welcome you to campus for Fall 2020!
You are receiving this email because you will be living on campus. There are some major changes to how students check in, so please follow the steps below to make sure that you are able to check-in when you arrive. All of the changes have the health and safety of students, staff, and faculty as our top priority.
If you have applied to cancel your housing please DO NOT proceed with the steps below. Due to a high volume of emails, we are still actively processing cancellation and exemption applications and will notify you via Winthrop email of your status.
Your confirmation email will have more specific information about how to sign up for your move-in appointment and receive your required COVID-19 health screening. It is important that you complete this process as soon as possible.
For more details, it is extremely important for you to review the Residence Life Move-In website regularly. Any updates will be reflected there. Also, please review the “Return to Learn” website regularly for updates.
https://www.winthrop.edu/reslife/getting-ready.aspx
https://www.winthrop.edu/returntolearn/
Thank you for in advance for your patience and cooperation.
Sincerely,
Winthrop University
Department of Residence Life
237 DiGiorgio Campus Center
Rock Hill, SC 29733
803/323-2223
803/323-2395 (FAX)
residencelife@winthrop.edu
www.winthrop.edu
This message is sent on behalf of the Barnes & Noble Winthrop Bookstore:
Dear Students,
There has been some confusion regarding the best way to obtain the required materials for your classes. At this time, the Winthrop Bookstore has reopened, and the staff has returned. There are two ways to get your books:
Please note we will be open from 11 AM- 5 PM on Saturday, August 22nd, to accommodate returning students. For questions, email David Hensley, hensleyd@winthrop.edu, or call 803/323-3801.
Thank you,
Winthrop Bookstore Staff
Thank you to everyone who participated in yesterday’s Students/Families virtual town hall meeting. I hope that the vice presidents and I were able to provide you with helpful information that addressed your questions and concerns regarding the upcoming fall semester.
If you were not able to attend the town hall, you may access the recorded session via this link.
There were some questions that we were not able to address but know that we are working on including these questions on the Return to Learn website as appropriate or sharing answers to them in upcoming communications.
If you are requesting changes to your schedule in order to remain remote for the Fall 2020 semester, please use the contact list below. The student services staff, chairs, and deans listed below are ready to help. Please do not start by reaching out to your individual course instructors, as many in-person courses are designed that way for a reason. We will follow a protocol that begins with looking for alternate online courses and go from there to build a plan for you.
Contacts by College:
College of Arts and Sciences Student Services:
College of Business Administration Student Services: studentservices@winthrop.edu
College of Education, Sport, and Human Sciences: Jennie Rakestraw, Dean: rakestrawj@winthrop.edu
College of Visual and Performing Arts: Jeff Bellantoni, Dean: bellantonij@winthrop.edu
Dacus Library: Kaetrena Davis Kendrick, Dean: kendrickk@winthrop.edu
Graduate School: gradschool@winthrop.edu
University College: Jamie Cooper, Dean: cooperj@winthrop.edu
I hope you and your loved ones are planning to join me and other members of Winthrop’s senior leadership for tomorrow’s virtual Students/Families town hall at 6:30 p.m.
We know that there are many details and issues of concern as we continue to prepare for the fall 2020 semester. Please note on Monday I announced that the fall semester will begin remotely. We look forward to answering your questions tomorrow tonight.
The town hall meeting will be accessible via Blackboard Collaborate Ultra tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. by using this link. A video recording also will be made available following the town hall if you are unable to participate live.
I hope you can join us tomorrow.
I write to you today to bring you an update regarding our back-to-school plans. There is no doubt that the health and safety of our students is the highest priority as we consider the start to the fall semester on August 24.
In reviewing the latest S.C. DHEC data available, I note that only six of the 46 counties in South Carolina have not shown a significant increase in the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the past two weeks. The national and international attention our state COVID-19 infection rates have generated has increased anxiety about returning to school be it in the K-12 or higher education environment.
As the infection rate in South Carolina has risen, we have increasingly heard from concerned students and parents expressing uncertainty over coming back to campus and living in our residence halls. This is quite a change because only a month ago we heard how excited our students and parents were with the onset of classes. Having spoken to a number of my president colleagues in South Carolina, I know all state institutions are experiencing the same concerns over reopening with in-person classes. Some institutions are delaying their start date or others are considering beginning the academic year with remote instruction and then transitioning to in-person instruction later with the anticipation that infection mitigation efforts will begin to reduce the high infection rates we are currently experiencing.
After a great deal of consideration of the available data regarding COVID-19 infection rates and for the health concerns and safety of our students, faculty and staff, we have made the difficult decision to begin our fall semester remotely. Specifically, the academic calendar will remain the same, but classes will begin on August 25 and be delivered remotely until September 8. This is a two-week delay of in-person classes, but it is necessary. We strongly feel beginning our academic year remotely is the right decision. Revised residence hall move-in dates and reduced housing and dining hall fees are being developed and will be shared with you in the next few days.
Should the statewide COVID-19 infection rate remain high during the first week of September we may revisit this decision and determine whether it makes sense to continue to offer instruction remotely a bit longer.
I hope you understand that our decisions are based on our judgment as to what is best for the health and safety of our students and on our ability to serve them academically in a healthy environment. Thank you for your flexibility and patience as we move forward together.
On my webpage there is a video that talks about the family atmosphere at Winthrop. It’s one of the characteristics that attracted me to Winthrop; you might have been drawn to the university for the same reason. It’s against this backdrop of family that I write to you today to thank you for your patience and share more information as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters of COVID-19.
First, I know many of you feel the frustration that folks on campus are experiencing as well. With its spread in our state and elsewhere, and new challenges emerging daily it seems, we have been forced to re-evaluate some of our earlier decisions. Our plans for this fall are undergoing constant review to ensure a safe return to classes this fall. Today, I want to share how we have adjusted our approach to living on campus as well as how we are approaching the delivery of our classes.
Housing
The “live on campus” first- and second-year housing requirement plays a large role in community building on campus and helps create the family atmosphere that is part and parcel of the Winthrop experience. While we are not ending the requirement this fall, we want all students and families to know that we will not be enforcing the residency requirement as in the past. We want our students and families to feel safe and comfortable with attending Winthrop, so we will be generous in approving housing waivers. No student who chooses an online schedule or to live away from campus due to the pandemic will be refused the option to do so.
We believe this is the right thing to do and that it demonstrates to the Winthrop community our compassion and understanding of the fear and uncertainty that students and families are experiencing right now. If you are a first- or second-year student and you do not feel comfortable living on campus this fall, please complete the housing waiver application that is available through the Eaglesnest Housing link under Student Tools on Wingspan. Likewise, if you are an upperclassman and want to cancel your housing application, you may use the same link.
If you plan to live on campus (we know that for some of our students this is not only a desire but a necessity), know that we are implementing myriad health and safety measures to contain virus spread within our community. You will hear more about those measures during our July 30 town hall (link info to come to you via email next week), but they include self-health monitoring, a masking requirement, social distancing, reduced capacities in campus buildings, increased cleaning/sanitization protocols, etc.
Classes
Secondly, in order to support the decisions of our students and families regarding instructional modality, we have transitioned courses to 35 percent in person, 30 percent online, and 35 percent hybrid (a mix of in-person and online). Students should check their schedules in Wingspan to see if the instructional modality for a class for which they have registered has changed, and if they are interested in building schedules that are entirely online for the fall semester, academic advisors are available to help them do so. We are asking students to reach out to their department chairs, deans and student services offices within the respective college for assistance if needed. More information is to come from Provost and Executive Vice President Adrienne McCormick in the coming days.
All of these efforts reflect our desire to meet students and families where they are given the pandemic. But one thing on which we cannot compromise is our commitment to the high-quality academic experience for which Winthrop is known. Believe me when I say we are investing a huge portion of our budget to continue to operate at our high standards as a university. Therefore, we are not planning to discount tuition this fall. Our students will continue to receive excellent academic instruction and support from their professors, advisors, and staff, as well as tutoring, research opportunities, career services, etc. Regardless of whether every student takes advantage of these offerings, we still must provide them as very often the cost to deliver such services virtually or in other alternative formats is every bit as cost intensive, if not more costly, as normal delivery. If we must pivot to fully remote instruction at some point, we may decide to look at fee reimbursements as we did in the spring, but that is farther down the road when the impact of the pandemic on fall operations is more evident.
New Student Orientation
Finally, for new students and their family members, I want to let you know that, in the interest of health and safety, we have decided that the Eagles Landing phase of Orientation (previously scheduled to be on-campus sessions beginning in early August) will be held virtually. Students will receive more information from the New Student and Family Programs office regarding this change.
Again, I hope you understand these recent decisions that we have made with you in mind. We are committed to maintaining the quality of the educational experience we provide, while also protecting the health and safety of our Winthrop family members. I look forward to sharing more information with you at the town hall on July 30. While we can only accommodate 500 for the virtual town hall, a recording will be made available soon after the virtual event for anyone who could not attend. We will also launch our Return to Learn website in the coming days.
I very much appreciate your flexibility and patience as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters as a family and community committed to our students.
Dear Students,
I hope this email finds you healthy and well, and ready for a safe return to campus next month. As Winthrop continues its phased re-opening, please know that our focus remains on preparing and providing a safe and healthy learning space and workplace for you and our employees. As we continue to settle into our new normal, please take a few moments to read about some important updates:
Students/Families Virtual Town Hall on July 30
I invite you to participate in a virtual town hall meeting specifically for students and families on Thursday, July 30, at 6:30 p.m. Members of senior leadership and I will be answering your questions concerning the fall 2020 semester. Questions will be accepted in advance through noon on Friday, July 24, by emailing townhalls@winthrop.edu. More information will be shared closer to the event on how to join the town hall meeting. I look forward to participating in these important discussions with you and your loved ones.
Facial Covering Requirements
Please know that Winthrop is requiring all students, faculty and staff to wear masks or facial coverings in social settings, such as in university buildings, including classrooms, residence halls and dining facilities, and in outdoor spaces on campus where appropriate social distancing cannot be guaranteed. Facial coverings are not required when alone in on-campus residence hall rooms and when not in close contact with another person, such as walking alone outside. Upon return to campus, each student will receive a health kit that contains a reusable cloth facial covering, along with other items to help you meet Winthrop’s expectations for doing your part in maintaining a healthy campus community. Please also note that a facial covering mandate recently went into effect in Rock Hill. The mandate requires people to wear facial coverings in public places within city limits. Those places include restaurants, grocery stores, retail establishments and pharmacies. Wearing a facial covering helps protect us all, so please “mask up” to keep our campus and surrounding community safe and healthy.
Campus Life Outlook
Top of mind for many students are Winthrop’s plans for residential living, dining and student activities this fall. Staff members continue to work on final details, and more information will be available soon. As you may know, the Division of Student Affairs sent a July 9 student email entitled Fall Housing Information. The email provided an overview of next month’s move-in process and dates, fall housing assignments timeline and more. Additional details on many of these related plans will be sent in the next few weeks, so please monitor your Winthrop email account frequently and be on the lookout for these important updates.
Winthrop Bookstore Now Open
The Winthrop Bookstore, located in the DiGiorgio Campus Center, is now open and is implementing a number of measures to keep its customers safe, such as social distancing measures, contactless payment and more. The bookstore is continuing to process online orders as well.
Fall Homecoming Activities to Be Paused
Due to continued concerns surrounding COVID-19, we have decided to pause all Homecoming activities this November, including Homecoming on the Green and the Homecoming tailgate. The Division of Student Affairs is considering hosting a spirit week in the spring depending on guidance at that time from the CDC and DHEC. This difficult decision is again made to ensure the health and safety of the entire campus community. You can read more in this press release.
Commencement Ceremony Latest
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge across the state and in our county, we realize that holding a traditional, in-person Commencement ceremony in August to celebrate our May graduates would be unsafe. A survey was recently emailed to May graduates to gather their feedback on alternative Commencement options that would recognize and celebrate their achievements. Over 33 percent responded that rescheduling the ceremony when it is safe to hold large, indoor gatherings would be their first choice; 24 percent chose an outdoor ceremony as their first choice; and, additionally, 18 percent chose no ceremony as their first choice. We appreciate the feedback, and the Commencement Committee hopes to make a recommendation to senior leadership soon.
Tillman Hall Renaming Update
On June 19, members of the Board of Trustees unanimously voted on a resolution requesting state legislators to consider an amendment to the Heritage Act of 2000 to allow Winthrop to restore Tillman Hall to its original name of Main Building. As you'll recall, our trustees do not have the power themselves to change the name. That power belongs to the S.C. General Assembly. I'm pleased to report that our formal request in this matter has been sent to the legislators for their consideration. As stated previously, we will patiently await further discussion and action, and I will keep you appraised of any steps forward.
Thank you for making it this far if you're still reading! I know it's a lot of information to take in, but I feel that it's important to keep you in the loop on these topics. Please know that there are a lot of people working very hard to prepare for your safe return next month. We can’t wait to welcome you back! Until then, I look forward to our time together during the July 30 town hall.
New information has been added to the Health Services website to help clarify COVID-19 isolation and quarantine criteria. The information includes what steps students should take if they become sick or are exposed to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.
We hope your summer is going well and that you are staying safe and healthy. We are very busy on campus preparing for your arrival for the Fall 2020 semester, and we are excitedly counting the days until your arrival in August.
Due to COVID-19, there are several changes taking place on campus which have the health and safety of students, staff, and faculty as our very top priority. We wanted to highlight changes taking place in the residence halls and during the move-in process. This communication will be followed by several others in the coming days and weeks. Personal and social responsibility is a key theme that you will see throughout our series of messages. In short, that means we will do everything that we can to help you to stay safe. In turn, we expect you to accept the responsibility for doing your part to maintain health and safety for yourself and for our community. One example you will see emphasized is to wear a face mask anywhere in your residence hall, except in your residence hall room.
When you receive a communication from us, we expect you to completely and thoroughly read through the entire message and let us know if you have any questions. The following are topics you can expect to hear more about in the coming days/weeks:
All of the information topics included within our email communications will also be posted on the Residence Life Move-In Webpage. We realize this message contains a lot of information with much more to come. Please be patient and understand that with the daily changing landscape of this pandemic, our protocols are also subject to change. As always, if you have any questions please do not hesitate to email us at residencelife@winthrop.edu or call 803/323-2223.
We look forward to meeting you during Eagle’s Landing and/or when you check into your residence hall in August!
Warm regards,
Shelia Higgs Burkhalter
Vice President for Student Affairs
Howard Seidler
Interim Director of Residence Life