Coronavirus Update – March 24, 2020 – 3:30 p.m.

Dear Students,

We miss you! It’s strange to write this from a nearly empty campus. This place we love is showing signs of spring all around, but it’s less vibrant without your presence. We’re heartened, however, by your continued virtual engagement with FC and love seeing your pictures, tweets, and messages of encouragement online and via social media. Our Grizzly Grit is showing through in these challenging times.

I’m writing with additional information to follow up on the message you received today from President Prather.

Retrieving Belongings: As you now know, we have made the difficult decision to suspend in-person learning for the remainder of the semester. While President Prather indicated that we are allowing for the possibility of a return to campus, there won’t be a requirement to return to campus to carry out the remaining work of the semester. As you also know, excepting for essential services, Indiana is under executive order to stay at home. As we await the end of that executive order, we are developing move-out protocol for students to retrieve their belongings from the residence halls. This procedure will not begin until the executive order has been lifted, and will continue for several weeks until each student has a plan in place. Please be patient as we coordinate plans that will ensure your health and safety and also allow you time to make arrangements to retrieve your things. We recognize that some of you may be from distances too far to allow for a quick or easy return to campus and will have an opportunity for you to apply to have your belongings stored on campus into the summer or until your return in the Fall. Details on that process will be forthcoming from Residential Life.

End-of-Year Events: I know many of you have questions regarding the status of specific events. We’ll have more information to share with you about the status of Commencement and other end-of-year activities by April 15. We will base those decisions on guidance from CDC and local health officials and in the best interest of your health and safety.

Room and Board: Like most institutions, we are still determining when, how, and to what extent we will make some financial accommodations for room and/or board expenses.  Please be patient as we develop that response.

Staying Connected: I also want to remind you, students, that while most of us are not on campus, we continue to provide the academic and student support services that you’ve come to appreciate and rely on. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Counseling Center, Student Success, Campus Life, Residence Life, IT, and other offices that might be useful. We are here to help you through this transition; please let us know if there’s anything we can do!

We’re thinking of you all as we work our way towards a new normal for these coming weeks. During these uncertain times, it is comforting to rely on the steadfast support of our Franklin College community. Best wishes to you and your families for continued health.

 

Sincerely,

Dean Jones

Dr. Andrew B. Jones 
Vice President for Campus Life & Dean of Students
Franklin College
ajones1@franklincollege.edu
317.738.8080