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  • COVID-19 Update, Campus Dashboard

    To the Monmouth University Community:

    I am writing to share some important information as we enter the second week of the Fall 2020 semester. As you know, for the past several months we have worked diligently to develop plans and protocols to address COVID-19 and our return to the campus. One of the commitments we have made throughout this process is to be as transparent as possible in sharing information with you regarding the presence of COVID-19 on campus. To that end, we have created a COVID-19 Campus Dashboard which can be found at www.monmouth.edu/dashboard on our Monmouth University website.

    This dashboard reflects our commitment to transparency related to the health and safety of our campus community. The dashboard, which will be updated daily by 4:00 p.m., tracks cumulative confirmed COVID-19 cases on campus among residential students, non-residential students, and employees who are working on campus, even if on a flexible schedule, as well the number of university-sponsored beds occupied by students currently in quarantine or isolation.  In addition, the dashboard also reflects the number of students living off campus in the local community who may have in person or hybrid courses here on campus who are in quarantine or isolation at their homes in the community.

    I hope that our students, their families, and our employees will find this dashboard to be a useful source of information as we work to keep our campus and surrounding communities as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Secondly, I want to remind you that if you become aware of an employee/student who tests positive for COVID-19 you should notify Health Services by contacting Kathy Maloney at kmaloney@monmouth.edu or health@monmouth.edu. Upon such notification, the Health Services will keep the academic area informed should students or professors will be missing classes due to the illness by informing Danielle Schrama from the Center for Student Success.

    Just as we did in the spring, this is an important part of our overall campus health and safety plan. Our health professional will provide medical guidance, track progress, conduct contact tracing as required and provide medical clearance when needed.

    Finally, I thought it might be helpful to share some important information with you about the process to be followed if there is a positive case of COVID-19 on campus. Please see below from the COVID-19 Fall Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s).

    • What is the procedure if positive cases are discovered?

    Students: Students who receive a positive diagnosis of COVID-19 will be isolated from the general student population. Students who live within 100 miles of campus and are able to go home will be encouraged to do so. For COVID-positive students who are unable to go home, they will be moved into campus isolation housing. The COVID-19 Response Team, which consists of members of Health Services, Residential Life, Student Life, Dining Services, MUPD, and Center for Student Success will be tracking positives. They have developed an Excel spreadsheet to track essential information, date of positive test, symptoms, location of isolation, monitoring and date of release from isolation, etc. They will ensure the health, safety, and academic needs of the student are met. The team member who represents the Center for Student Success, Danielle Schrama, will be responsible for serving as academic liaison between the student in isolation and the student’s professors to ensure that studies continue in a remote fashion while providing any additional academic support services that are needed.

    Faculty: Faculty teaching onsite courses who must quarantine and/or isolate will be encouraged to work with their department Chairs and Deans to provide temporary onsite departmental coverage for their courses where possible, as they normally would when faculty experience limited absences from the classroom due to illness or approved travel. Faculty may also be encouraged to move their onsite class meetings online for the duration of their quarantine or isolation period. 

    Staff: All employees are asked to stay home when they are ill, or when experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19.  Employees will be expected to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms including temperature taking each day prior to coming to work. If you are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19, stay home, contact your health care provider, and report your absence to your Supervisor. Please report a COVID-19 diagnosis to the University Health Center.

    Also, if you have been in close contact with a person in the last 14 days who is confirmed to have COVID-19, please stay at home and contact your private medical provider and the University Health Center. 

    Additional information: Contact tracers will notify professors and classmates with instructions as appropriate to the situation. Students who are quarantined due to pending test results are responsible for notifying their professors, as this is a short-term quarantine situation. If the test comes back positive, then the COVID Response Team is activated and contact tracers will notify professors and students as needed. For example, if physical distancing was not maintained and involved a COVID-positive student, then the class + professor will be directed to quarantine and get tested. If a student is positive but physical distancing was maintained, the class + professor will be instructed to self-monitor for symptoms.

    • What will faculty or students need to do if a student or faculty tests positive for COVID-19 in an in-person class?

    In a classroom situation such as the pairing of lab partners, if physical distancing was not maintained and there was a student who tested positive for COVID-19 then the affected class member(s) and/or professor within the radius of exposure will be directed to quarantine and get tested. If a student is positive but physical distancing was maintained in the classroom at all times, the classmates and the professor will be instructed to self-monitor for symptoms. Physical distance is maintained if all parties are beyond (>) 6 feet from the COVID-positive person. For example, if someone is in the same class but is in the opposite corner of the room and there is 12 ft. between them and the positive case, they do not have to quarantine but must self-monitor for 14 days.

    The University, working with the state and local health experts, strongly recommends, that faculty assign seating to minimize potential exposure to COVID positive individuals and assist in contact tracing should the need arise. Faculty may keep a record of the seating arrangement to assist contact tracers determine persons at highest risk and to expedite the communication and quarantine process. Health and safety of our community members is our number one priority. We all have a community responsibility to maintain public health principles of masking and social distancing. Although not required, this recommendation is a tool geared toward ensuring the health and safety of our students and faculty and supports state health guidelines. The COVID-19 Response Team is available for your assistance. For questions, faculty and students may contact Danielle Schrama: dschrama@monmouth.edu. Please contact Associate Vice President Christine Benol at cbenol@monmouth.edu if you wish to receive room assignment configuration information.

    Since our fall reopening, we are pleased to see so many of our students and employees respecting and following the health and safety protocols. Practicing social distancing, hand-washing, wearing masks, and following the health and safety protocols will help us mitigate the virus and enable us to continue to offer in-person instruction and campus experience for everyone. Stay safe and well; keep others safe and well.

    Dr. Patrick F. Leahy

    President

  • Welcome Message

    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

  • Revised Fall Reopening Plan

    Dear Monmouth University Students & Families:

    As I committed to you on Thursday, we have carefully reviewed Executive Order No. 175, which New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed into law on August 13. I also joined other New Jersey college and university presidents in a meeting with Governor Murphy to gain additional clarity on the executive order, which allows for in-person instruction to resume in New Jersey. With this new clarity, we have decided that we will return to a mix of in-person, hybrid, and online delivery for the coming fall semester.

    We understand that the rollercoaster of COVID-19 preparation, planning, and adjustment in recent weeks has tested the resolve and emotional reserves of our students, their families, and our faculty and staff. I assure you that at every juncture of this incredibly complex and ever-changing crisis, we have tried to use the best available public health information to make the best possible decisions, and then to communicate those decisions to you.

    Executive Order No. 175 has prompted a number of key changes for your experience this fall:

    Fall Course Schedule. We have worked to restore much of the fall course schedule from 10 days ago, comprised of a mix of in-person, hybrid, and online courses. However, there are some differences, so please log in to WebAdvisor and check your course schedule and the delivery modality of your courses. While we will not be able to completely satisfy the preferred schedule of every student (some students would prefer all courses to be online and some students would prefer all courses to be in person), our advisors and department chairs stand ready to answer any questions about schedule adjustments.

    Campus Living and Learning. The new State guidance allows for many of the living and learning options we had always hoped to offer this fall:

    • Dining: Dining services will be available to all students.  In addition to an array of menu options in our dining locations, a new mobile ordering app will enable students to order their meals in advance. Meals ordered via the app will be ready for takeout, with additional outdoor space available where students can sit and eat. A limited amount of indoor seating will also be available, subject to social distancing protocols.
    • Computer labs: Computer labs can now be open as long as users maintain social distance and observe other health and safety protocols.
    • Library: The Guggenheim Memorial Library will be open to students, but with reduced capacity to allow for social distancing. Computer use and study space will be available for students and the campus community following health and safety guidelines. Contactless book request and pickup service will continue during the fall semester.
    • Residential Life:  If you have reconsidered your decision to defer or cancel your housing, you may reinstate your room assignment for the fall by emailing reslife@monmouth.edu. Residential halls will still follow all previously described community standards.

    While these modifications are welcome, let me be clear that Executive Order No. 175 does not in any way relax the extensive safety requirements and protocols we have previously communicated to students, faculty, and staff. The health and safety of our students – and of those who serve them – remains our highest priority.   

    Tuition Payment Deadline Extended. We have extended the billing deadline to Friday, August 21, so that students and families have a little extra time to review and ask questions about the updates to our reopening plan. As a reminder, we will honor requests for full refunds for housing up until the day before the student’s scheduled move-in, and tuition and fees are fully refundable through September 15, one week after the start of classes.

    We know things have changed rapidly.  First-year and transfer students are invited to join me on an open call on Tuesday, August 18, at 7 p.m., while returning students are invited to join me on Tuesday, August 18 at 8:30 p.m. to discuss our revised plan and answer some of the questions we did not have time to get to on our previous calls. First-year and transfer students should register for the Zoom meeting through your applicant portal, while returning students should visit our registration page. Until then, please feel free to address your questions to our team at FallRestart@monmouth.edu.

    In closing, thank you for your confidence and trust during this extremely challenging time.        

    Sincerely,

    Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
    President

  • Title IX Sexual Harassment Policy

    Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

    Monmouth University has implemented a new Title IX Sexual Harassment policy in response to new federal Title IX regulations. In May of 2020, the U.S. Department of Education issued new regulations mandating how colleges and universities must investigate and adjudicate sexual harassment cases under Title IX, the federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs or activities. As a result, like all educational institutions that receive federal funding, Monmouth was required to amend its policies related to sexual misconduct by August 14, 2020.

    The new policy was developed with input from various stakeholders including students, faculty, and staff. The policy has been added to the Sexual Misconduct & Title IX website and additional information will continue to be added to the website.

    The previous university policies prohibiting sexual misconduct, discrimination, and harassment all remain in effect.  Conduct of a sexual nature that previously constituted a violation of University policy will continue to constitute a violation of University policy. The conduct may now be adjudicated under the new Title IX Sexual Harassment policy if it meets certain criteria such as specific jurisdictional requirements.  Conduct that does not meet the criteria to be adjudicated under the new policy will continue to be adjudicated under the existing university polices against sexual misconduct, discrimination, and harassment.

    Some important features of the new Title IX Sexual Harassment policy include:

    • Live hearings with the option of different locations and the use of remote technology;
    • Live cross examination conducted by parties’ advisors;
    • Parties who do not wish to participate in the University’s formal disciplinary process may choose to participate in a voluntary informal resolution process; and
    • Applies to incidents that occur on-campus or during a university program or activity within the U.S.

    Most features of the University’s previous policies related to sexual misconduct will remain the same, including:

    • University policies continue to apply to off-campus sexual misconduct between members of the University community or on University-sponsored programs or activities (including study abroad or conferences);
    • The preponderance of the evidence (more likely than not) standard continues to apply; and
    • Individuals may still access supportive measures (such as Letters of No Contact, academic support, or housing changes) with or without participating in a formal investigation or adjudication.

    The Office of Equity and Diversity is open and is functioning remotely during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Anyone impacted by sexual misconduct of any type is encouraged to contact the Title IX Coordinator, Nina Anderson, at nanderso@monmouth.edu or (732) 571-7577 to make a report and/or obtain information or assistance.  The office is located in The Great Hall, Room 304.  Alternatively, you may send an email to TitleIX@monmouth.edu.

    Monmouth University is committed to creating an environment where all individuals feel safe and supported.

    Sincerely,

    Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
    President

  • Reopening Update: NJ Executive Order

    Dear Students:

    Earlier today Governor Phil Murphy announced that in-person instruction at colleges and universities in New Jersey would be permitted.

    The full executive order, which will be released tomorrow, August 13, will provide us much greater detail on his announcement.  We will carefully review the executive order to determine if changes to the previous State guidance might affect our reopening plan.

    Additionally, I will be joining other New Jersey college and university presidents tomorrow evening for a meeting with Governor Murphy that I hope will allow me to gain further clarity in our planning efforts.

    Thank you for your patience, once again, as we navigate this rapidly evolving situation. At each juncture of the COVID-19 health crisis, we have done our level best to make the best decisions possible based on the best information available, and we will continue to do that.

    I promise to communicate any updates to our fall semester planning to you as soon as possible.

    Sincerely,

    Dr. Patrick F. Leahy President

  • Fall Reopening Announcement

    Dear Monmouth University Community:

    With the first day of classes now less than a month away, our team has been preparing extensively for a safe start to the academic year. While we are all looking forward to welcoming students back to campus life, the most recent guidance from the State of New Jersey requires that we adjust our reopening plan to comply with the State’s Stage 2 guidelines. Although we were all hoping for a Stage 3 reopening, Stage 2 offers a safe, incremental pathway for our return to campus, as well as a smooth transition to Stage 3 operations, when permitted by the State.

    A Stage 2 reopening plan will affect the student experience in three principal ways:  

    Academic Instruction & Support. Under Stage 2 guidelines, the majority of instruction will be online, with exceptions for in-person delivery of coursework that requires labs, clinical, or hands-on instruction, which cannot be readily taught other than in-person. Individual student course schedules will be updated by Thursday, August 13, at the latest. Anticipating the possibility of such an outcome, and to ensure high quality remote delivery, our faculty have been engaged throughout the summer in online instruction preparation focusing on student learners and their academic success. In order to preserve the personalized attention that remains a hallmark of a Monmouth education, many of our classes will be smaller than usual, with our fall undergraduate classes averaging just 18 students per class.

    In addition, we have invested significantly in enhanced audio-visual instructional technology to support our faculty in offering interactive and engaging lectures, small group interaction, and active learning through a variety of remote instruction learning platforms such as virtual classrooms and breakout rooms through eCampus, Zoom, and other platforms. Just as in an in-person environment, students will have full opportunity to approach, communicate, and meet with their professors for advising appointments, drop-in consultations, feedback sessions, and office hours. Most of this will be possible remotely and with in-person opportunities as they become available. In an effort to maintain consistency in our learning environment, to provide certainty for students, and to ensure the highest-quality academic experience, Stage 2 guidelines for instruction will continue to apply throughout the fall semester.

    All academic support services through the Center for Student Success – including advising, tutoring, and career services – will remain available throughout the semester in a combination of in-person and virtual sessions, which students can access at any time. Department chairs and advisors will be working with students to assist them with their fall schedule and to answer any academic and schedule-related questions. Students will also have access to the library, and we are working on providing additional study spaces around campus for students to safely do their remote coursework.

    Residential & Campus Life. In a Stage 2 reopening, students are welcome – if they choose – to reside with us in on-campus housing, subject to safety constraints like face-covering protocols, limitations on visitations among residence halls, restrictions on the use of common areas, and other social-distancing measures. Even in Stage 2, we remain committed to delivering a highly personalized education for all our students and understand that engagement outside of the classroom is critical to a meaningful undergraduate experience. Although conditions will be different, students will continue to live independently, participate in clubs and activities, study at the library, and explore new interests—all within walking distance of the beach.

    The experience may be different this year, but we fully expect our 117 clubs and organizations to be as active as ever. And, while intercollegiate competition has been canceled for the fall, student-athletes will be permitted to continue their training and development under the supervision of their coaches. In addition, the Offices of Health Services, Disability Services, and Counseling & Psychological Services will be fully operational throughout the course of the semester to support students both in person and remotely.

    If, during the course of the fall semester, the State moves to Stage 3, the campus will reopen even more as State-mandated constraints are relaxed. Housing assignments for all students will remain secure for the duration of the academic year, so students will not lose their reserved spaces if they decide not to join us in campus housing this fall. If students choose to return to campus housing in Stage 3, we, of course, will charge students only the pro-rata share of the housing and dining contracts through the end of the semester.  

    Whether students choose to live on campus this fall or not, the full suite of student activities and support services will be available to all students, and we will adjust in-person or remote delivery to accommodate the specific needs of individual students.

    Dining. In Stage 2, full dining plans will remain available but will be limited to “grab-and-go” options only. Indoor communal dining is not permitted. However, we will make attractive outdoor seating options more readily available in various locations. If the State moves into Stage 3, we will expand our dining operation accordingly to provide safe and physically distanced indoor dining spaces.

    In addition, allow me to share some additional information regarding the fall semester:

    Travel Quarantine. All students traveling to Monmouth University from one of the 35 states on New Jersey’s travel advisory list must quarantine in-state for 14 days prior to their arrival on campus. Residential students will be accommodated with an early arrival to satisfy their quarantine requirement. In addition, the University can offer quarantine space for students residing off campus on a limited basis. Please contact Dr. Jim Pillar, Associate Vice President for Student Life, at jpillar@monmouth.edu to make arrangements.  

    Billing Due Date. In order to ensure that students and their families have complete information available to them before finalizing their billing, we have extended our bill payment deadline to August 19. Additionally, I want to remind students and their families that full refunds for housing are available right up until the day before your scheduled move-in date, and tuition and fees are fully refundable through September 15, one week after the start of classes.

    Additional Information. Tonight I will be hosting open calls with incoming and returning students and families to discuss these changes in more detail and to answer any questions regarding our fall opening. Although the 7pm call is now filled, there is plenty of room in the 8:30pm call. Details, including the links to register for the sessions, have been sent in separate communications. If you have questions of any kind in advance of or following that call, please feel free to reach out to us at FallRestart@monmouth.edu. As usual, our team stands ready to assist you in any way possible.  

    No matter what challenges lay ahead, Monmouth is a community built on resilience and determination, as evident in the success of our graduates. Since our founding during the depths of the Great Depression, and throughout every subsequent challenge, the ability to overcome adversity has propelled Monmouth forward to ever greater levels of excellence. I am excited to begin the new semester and am eager to welcome the most diverse – and most academically prepared – incoming class of students in Monmouth’s history.

    Thank you for your patience and understanding as we navigate these challenging times together.

    Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
    President

  • Fall Reopening Open Call Invitation

    Dear Students:

    Greetings from Monmouth University! I hope you are well and are enjoying the summer, at least as much as possible during these challenging times.

    As I mentioned in my message on July 8, our plan to return to campus in the fall will include a combination of in-person instruction, online courses, and hybrid course delivery. We have been working diligently in recent weeks to adjust our academic schedule to ensure compliance with the health and safety standards set by the State of New Jersey while delivering the best possible academic and campus life experience for our students. We continue to work on the schedule and expect all course assignments to be finalized by this Friday, July 31.

    As we approach the finalization of the schedule, we have received many notes, calls, and questions. A few of the more frequently asked questions appear below.

    • Course Delivery. Questions have arisen about the number of classes that have shifted from in-person to hybrid and online delivery. While the course schedule will not be finalized until July 31, we do expect more online classes than initially anticipated as a result of the recent national surge of COVID-19 cases. We are actively exploring safe ways to offer additional opportunities for in-person learning, consistent with New Jersey State guidelines. In an effort to reduce confusion, someone from the University will contact you beginning the week of August 3 to help you understand your schedule and assist in answering any questions you may have. Our goal is to offer as much flexibility as possible to help students toward their preferred academic pathway this fall.
    • Housing. Questions have emerged about housing deposits and contracts. If you planned to live on campus this fall and for any reason change your mind, we will gladly refund your housing deposit and any payments towards room and board right up until the day before your scheduled move-in. And, if you request, we will guarantee your housing for the spring semester, in the same location and with the same roommate (as long as the roommate agrees).
    • Tuition Payments. While the initial tuition payment due date is mid-August, please know that tuition payments for the Fall 2020 semester will be fully refundable through the drop/add period that ends on September 15.

    To add further clarity, I will be hosting two open calls next week for incoming and returning students to talk about the path forward and to answer your questions. Incoming students and their families are invited to join me on Wednesday, August 5, at 7 p.m. I will host a separate session for returning students and their families on Thursday, August 6, at 7 p.m.

    Registration and log-in details for your call will be sent to you early next week.

    I will ask Dr. Rekha Datta, Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Robert McCaig, Vice President for Enrollment Management, and Mary Anne Nagy, Vice President for Student Life and Leadership Engagement, to join the call, too.

    If you have any additional questions in the meantime, please feel free to reach out to us at FallRestart@monmouth.edu. My team members and I stand ready to answer your questions as quickly as possible. Again, thank you for your patience as we navigate these challenging times. We look forward to welcoming you back to Monmouth – one way or another – this fall.

    Dr. Patrick Leahy

    President

  • Important Administrative Update

    Dear Colleagues: 

    As you may recall from a previous message to the campus community, Jonathan Meer will be stepping into his new role as the lead development officer for the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music on August 1. In his place I elected to conduct an internal-only search for an Interim Vice President for Advancement. I envision this person leading the division for the next year while we navigate the many challenges facing the University through this public health crisis. 

    The search process is now complete, and I am pleased to announce that Amanda Klaus has accepted the offer of Interim Vice President for University Advancement, beginning August 1, 2020.  

    Amanda was selected from a talented pool of internal candidates and is very well-positioned for this important job, which includes leading our efforts around development, alumni relations, stewardship, and community relations. She will also serve as a key member of the President’s Cabinet and as the chief liaison to multiple subcommittees of our Board of Trustees.

    As a proud alumna and member of the University Advancement team, Amanda most recently served as the Executive Director for Alumni Engagement and Annual Giving.  During her tenure, she has set goals, strategies, and objectives for engaging our 58,000 alumni network through print and digital communications, events, volunteer opportunities, and personal solicitations, while modernizing the University’s annual giving program.  Her key contributions include the development of the Hawk Network, the Crowdfunding platform, the launch of the Senior Class Giving Campaign, management of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, and securing a seven-figure gift from decorated alumna, Linda Deutsch ’65 in support of student scholarships.  Previously Amanda served as the major gift officer for the Wayne D. McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences, securing over $1M in gifts and pledges, aiding in the development of the Dean’s Advisory Council, and helping to identify several  members of the Board of Trustees. 

    Amanda’s passion for – and dedication to –  Monmouth extends beyond her work in University Advancement. She has served as co-advisor to the Student Government Association, advisor for the Global Experience Program Trip to Haiti, lead administrator for the President’s Relief Fund, and a member of the Strategic Planning Committee.  As a result, she was named the most recent recipient of the Stafford Presidential Award of Excellence.

    Prior to Monmouth, Amanda worked in development at the Hospital for Special Surgery and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. 

    I want to thank the members of the internal search committee – Mary Anne Nagy, Robyn Salvo, Jon Roos, and Joe Patten – for their efforts in conducting this search and in identifying such a talented lead candidate.

    Please join me in congratulating Amanda on her new position. 

    Sincerely,

    Pat

    Dr. Patrick F. Leahy
    President

  • Anti-Racism Commitment

    Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

    We, the president and vice presidents of Monmouth University, recognize that People of Color at all levels of the campus including students, faculty members, and staff colleagues have experienced both interpersonal and institutional racism on our campus. While there are no simple answers to systemic and long-term marginalization that are present in our community, we know that we must be clear about what we value, what we will invest in, and what we are committed to addressing as a university.

    As the senior leadership team, we are committed to:

    • Ensuring that we become an anti-racist institution.
    • Committing both to our own unlearning and to the development of an anti-racist lens both as individuals and as University leaders.
    • Focusing on increasing the representation of historically underrepresented minorities at all levels of the University, with special attention to the recruitment of underrepresented faculty members and staff colleagues.
    • Investing in the support structures at the University that lend themselves to the retention of historically underrepresented students, faculty members, and staff colleagues.
    • Encouraging decentralized anti-racist and anti-oppressive action plans through the current university strategic planning process so that departments on campus can identify aligned and tangible action steps across every corner of the University.

    We know that actions speak far more loudly than words, and the statements above will only be true when they are felt by all members of our campus and seen through our collective actions. To that end, we have been in conversation with current students, faculty members, staff colleagues, and alumni to identify initiatives that will help address our most pressing and long-term needs. 

    Some initiatives that have been completed or recently set in motion include:

    1. Naming of Dr. Zaneta Rago-Craft to serve as Advisor to the President on Diversity & Inclusion, ensuring that her voice is embedded in University decision making both as a direct report to the President and as a full member of the University Cabinet. Dr. Rago-Craft will continue in her role as Director of the Intercultural Center.
    2. Completion of a University climate/culture study to ensure that actions regarding improving our culture can be informed henceforth by the best available data, committing to updating this study every three years.
    3. Creation of a crowd-sourced resource repository via the library website to help all members of the University to better understand race, racism, antiracism, and equity: https://guides.monmouth.edu/RaceRacismPolicing.
    4. Review of currently available information regarding bias incident definitions, reporting methods, and investigation processes in order to identify more accessible pathways of reporting and more student-centered awareness regarding the protocols in place.
    5. Inclusion of implicit bias and microaggression training within the first-year transition program for incoming students.

    In addition, the senior leadership team will continue to seek the counsel of our campus community by hosting listening sessions with all interested members of the Monmouth community. Called Moments at Monmouth, these sessions will allow us to understand better the experiences and challenges of our students, our faculty members, and our staff colleagues. 

    The senior leadership team will continue to collect ideas and develop intermediate- and long-term strategies surrounding: representative recruitment, equity hiring, curriculum, mentoring/support services, co-curricular programming, capital investments, training, and financial aid. These strategies – and plans to achieve them – will be included in the strategic planning process that will continue in earnest this fall and, when finished, will govern our University efforts for the next five years.

    Dr. Patrick F. Leahy, President
    Dr. Rekha Datta, Interim Senior Vice President & Provost
    Dr. Edward Christensen, Vice President for Information Management
    John Christopher, Vice President and General Counsel
    William Craig, Vice President for Finance
    Dr. Robert McCaig, Vice President for Enrollment Management
    Dr. Marilyn McNeil, Vice President and Director of Athletics
    Jonathan Meer, Vice President for University Advancement
    Mary Anne Nagy, Vice President for Student Life and Leadership Engagement

  • Fall 2020 Restart

    Dear Members of the Monmouth University Community:

    Since early April, members of our Fall Task Forces, drawn from every area of the University, have been developing plans for a variety of scenarios in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. All along, our goal has been to ensure that we can continue to deliver an outstanding education while protecting the health and safety of all members of the University community. These are unprecedented times, and I have greatly appreciated your patience and goodwill as we have managed through them.

    At this time, I am pleased to share with you Monmouth University’s plan to return to campus in the fall in a significantly modified in-person format, which includes a combination of in-person instruction, online courses, and hybrid course delivery. This plan allows us the flexibility to prioritize the health and safety of our University community while delivering the best possible academic and campus life experience for our students. The various components of this reopening plan meet – in many cases, exceed – all guidelines issued by the State of New Jersey, which are among the most stringent public health guidelines for higher education in the nation. The full plan and related details will soon be available on our University website, but I’d like to outline some key details here.

    General Safeguarding, Screening, and Testing. General health and safety will be a shared commitment between the University and each individual student, faculty member, or staff colleague. A COVID-19 orientation will be required for all members of the University community prior to the start of the fall semester. Masks or other face coverings will be required inside buildings, including in all classrooms, labs, and dining spaces. Individuals may remove their masks outside only when social distancing is possible; otherwise, masks or face coverings must be worn.  Students may remove their masks once safely inside their individual residence hall rooms, but masks are required in all common areas. Hand sanitizers will be readily available in every building, and we will implement enhanced sanitation protocols, including more frequent cleaning of bathrooms, common areas, and classrooms. All students, faculty, and staff will be required to complete a daily questionnaire to identify possible COVID-19 symptoms. Students may be asked to display evidence of having completed the questionnaire prior to entry into the classroom and other designated areas on campus. In addition, temperature checks will be required in order to gain access to certain high-traffic areas, such as Magill Commons, the Guggenheim Library, the Ocean First Bank Center, and the Great Hall. Testing will be readily available by appointment through Health Services for all students who display symptoms of COVID-19 or who have had a direct contact with a known positive COVID-19 person. Students will be required to self-quarantine until the test results are available. Additionally, a 14-day isolation period is required for all individuals who test positive. Students who live within 100 miles of the campus will be encouraged to return home for the quarantine/isolation period. Otherwise, a separate residence hall on the campus will be available to house students in quarantine/isolation.

    Academic Calendar. At this point, we will proceed with our planned fall calendar — opening on Tuesday, September 8, and concluding on Tuesday, December 22. We understand that many institutions have already elected to close their campuses at the Thanksgiving holiday. We, of course, will consider such action, if necessary, but we will reserve making a decision on that until November 1 so that it may be informed by the best public health information available at the time. If we send students home at Thanksgiving and complete the semester wholly online, we will refund any unused room and meal plan costs for the remainder of the semester, just as we did during the spring semester.

    Instruction, Academic Support, and Internships/Clinicals. Academic instruction and support for the fall semester will include a mix of in-person, hybrid, and online coursework. This mix of delivery methods offers increased flexibility for students, enhanced health and safety protocols for all members of our community, and as much accommodation as possible for socially distanced classes on campus. We have offered training in online delivery to our faculty – including through our Summer Online Academy – to enhance faculty expertise in delivering content remotely. The flexible grading policy from the spring and summer sessions will continue in the fall as a way to support our students through this unsettling time of their academic journeys. The final course schedule will be available by July 31, allowing students to understand fully their learning modalities in advance of the start of the fall semester and providing plenty of opportunity to switch courses, if desired. The Guggenheim Memorial Library and various computer labs will be open and operational, but they will be subject to the same social distancing and capacity limitations as all other buildings on campus. Fall internships and clinical fieldwork will be available upon approval by the student’s faculty advisor and site supervisor. Study Abroad programming will be canceled for the fall semester.

    Student Services. All student resources available through the Center for Student Success (including advising and tutoring), Health Services, Disability Services, and Counseling & Psychological Services will be accessible to students through a mix of in-person and remote access.

    On-Campus Residential Housing & Dining. We will honor all housing contracts for the fall semester. Students may continue to live together in our residence halls, subject to social distancing guidelines and enhanced cleaning protocols. Consistent with our general safeguarding guidelines, masks or other face coverings will be required in the residence halls at all times, except in a student’s room. Unfortunately, all public lounges in the residence halls will be closed, and no guests or visitors from other residence halls will be permitted, consistent with New Jersey state guidelines. Dining services will be available to all students, featuring a new mobile ordering app that enables students to order their meals in advance. Meals will be ready for takeout, with additional outdoor space available where students can sit and eat. Indoor seating will be available, subject to strict social distancing protocols.

    Athletics & Extracurricular Activities. The State of New Jersey has advised colleges and universities to adhere to NCAA and athletic conference guidelines to manage athletic competition. As such, fall athletics at Monmouth are scheduled to compete, consistent with extensive healthcare regulations and competition modifications. Club and intramural sports can continue to compete, subject to strict social distancing requirements and other safety protocols. Other student organizations are free to meet, but they will feature a mix of socially distanced in-person gatherings and remote online meetings.

    Events & Visitors. Planned campus events and activities are subject to the prevailing public health guidance. As such, it is unlikely that large-scale events such as Homecoming, the Career Fair, and Family Weekend will go on as scheduled, but we will make final determinations on if or how these activities will take place as we get closer to the scheduled dates. We will significantly curtail the number of visitors to campus and will require all visitors to submit the COVID-19 health questionnaire and comply with campus safety protocols.

    Throughout this pandemic, our decisions have beengrounded in public health considerations and directives from local, state, and federal government. At present, the State of New Jersey sits in Stage 2 of Governor Murphy’s reopening plan. All of our plans are contingent upon the State moving safely to Stage 3. Our plan reflects the best available guidance for safely re-opening our campus, and we will continue to act and respond in the context of this emerging guidance. If anything should change here in the State of New Jersey – for example, if we cannot move from Stage 2 to Stage 3 and need to continue remote instruction – we will notify you as soon as possible.

    As we move forward together, we will rely upon Monmouth University’s core values, which prioritize a safe learning environment and mutual respect for each member of our community. Successful implementation of our plan is dependent on each one of us accepting the shared responsibility to keep the University community safe and healthy through our individual actions. I thank you in advance for your commitment to each other.

    Please be on the lookout for additional information throughout the summer. If you have questions, please feel free to email us at FallRestart@monmouth.edu. My fellow administrators and I stand ready to address your questions and concerns as fully and as quickly as possible.

    Sincerely,

    Dr. Patrick F. Leahy

    President