Dear Colleagues:
Welcome to a new Fall Semester here at Monmouth! I can’t tell you how happy I am to welcome you all back to campus, a place we all cherish. Over the past five months, all of us here have worked diligently to plan for this return in a safe and responsible manner. I am beginning to feel the energy again here on campus, and that fills me with great pride and gratitude for all of you who worked to get us here.
Others within the community have written to you to make sure you understand your responsibilities for a safe return to campus. They really are pretty simple. 1) Wear a mask. 2) Wash your hands and don’t touch your face. 3) Complete your Campus Clear App every day. If you aren’t all clear, then stay home or visit Health Services. 4) Stay socially distant from one another, while staying emotionally connected. And, 5) most importantly, if you don’t feel well, seek medical advice from our staff in Health Services or from your own provider.
Over the weekend over 1,100 students moved into campus housing, and many other students are coming to campus for in-person courses and other services. Since the campus is open, I hope all of the different departments are open, too. While we are continuing to de-densify the campus and are asking many employees to continue working from home, I hope we will have some in-person presence at each department or functional area to serve our residential and in-person students. If you have questions about staffing levels, please be in touch with your supervisor or area vice president as soon as possible.
I want you to understand the power and influence you have as one person on this campus to do your part in helping to take care of others and yourself. Each of us as a member of this community has the responsibility to do the right thing and to watch out for others at all times. It’s the Monmouth way. If each of us does our part, then we can enjoy a safe, healthy, and productive academic and student experience during these trying times. In the words of Helen Keller: “ I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And, because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something that I can do.”
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach our to HR or to your supervisors. I hope to see many of you at Fall Convocation later in the week. Thank you again for everything you are doing for our students.
Pat
Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
President