Campus Update

Welcome back!

The ongoing pandemic has made for a challenging academic year for everyone – students and faculty/staff alike.  As in the Fall Semester, the overarching theme of our approach to campus operations continues to be ensuring the health and safety of all members of our campus community while preserving educational opportunities for our students.

At present, Louisiana institutions, organizations and businesses continue to operate under the modified Phase 2 orders of Governor Edwards which he recently extended through February 10. 

Plans for the initiation of operations for the Spring Semester have been developed in conformity with the Governor’s modified Phase 2 orders.  Accordingly, academic courses for the Spring Semester will be offered in a variety of formats including online, virtual, face-to-face and hybrid.  Hybrid courses will combine face-to-face interactions with virtual or online components.  Classes and other activities with face-to-face elements have been planned in accordance with the current public health guidelines and the Governor’s modified Phase 2 restrictions. 

Additionally, in all cases, we have attempted to address health and safety concerns for individuals who have a heightened risk of impact from COVID, either through their own health concerns or those of individuals in their households. 

An overview of campus operations under the modified Phase 2 plans can be reviewed here.

As you know, academic courses for the Spring Semester carry new course registration codes that are designed to ensure transparency for students and faculty regarding the relevant delivery models being employed.  Please be reminded that the delivery mode associated with the assigned course registration code may not be altered without appropriate approvals. All courses must be prepared to transition to remote delivery at any time. Please refer to the Spring 2021 Semester Informational Memo here for additional information.

As was the case later in the Fall Semester, rapid COVID testing is available on campus every day.  For the Spring Semester, additional rapid COVID testing kits have been secured and testing will be further enhanced with more communication about testing opportunities and added testing sites around campus at alternating locations for greater convenience and effectiveness.

With distribution of vaccines recently having begun, we can now see the “light at the end of the tunnel” for the pandemic.  Nevertheless, the immediate future will continue to bring numerous challenges.  Accordingly, we cannot let our guard down.  Please continue to practice the safety protocols that we now all know so well:  wearing masks, social distancing, washing/sanitizing hands, etc.

As always, any changes in public health guidelines or operational restrictions that impact the operation of the University will be shared with the campus community.

I wish each and every Southeastern family member a safe and successful Spring Semester.

John L. Crain
President