SJC Coronavirus Update: Residential Program Closure

Dear Saint Joseph’s College Community,

The constantly changing landscape surrounding the COVID-19 coronavirus means that our response must be equally dynamic in order to keep our community safe and healthy. That has been our approach from the beginning of this global crisis: to move thoughtfully, with great care to protect our students, sustain their education, and uphold our community values.

The landscape has changed once again. Maine is now seeing the same potential community spread of the virus that other states have experienced. Many people have not heeded urgent warnings about social distancing, both in our community and across the globe. Meanwhile, both the President of the United States and our Governor have issued State of Emergency declarations that shift the guidelines of social distancing, self-isolation, school closings, and more. These broad-based orders – along with our specific awareness of life in our college community – has led us to develop enhanced measures to protect students, faculty, and staff and their families from this outbreak.

Today we are announcing the beginning of a process to reduce all non-essential operations at Saint Joseph’s College of Maine. All students must leave campus by 5 PM on Wednesday, March 18th. 

Today, Monday, March 16, will be the final day of in-person classroom learning for the semester. As previously announced, all classes will move to distance learning formats no later than Wednesday, March 18th. Faculty members are already coordinating with students to make the learning experience as enriching as possible. Our Library/Learning Commons and Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) will communicate directly with students about the support available to enhance their distance learning experience. Our Nursing, Education, and Social Work programs have suspended their clinical and field placements indefinitely, and faculty have informed those students. We are following guidance from the relevant accreditors to allow flexibility in students finishing their field/clinical work and all students in these programs will be able to finish their semester course expectations at a distance.

All student services, including dining services, will be closing over the next few days. Tomorrow and Wednesday will be an opportunity for residential students to move out of their residences for the remainder of the semester. Students should hand their keys to the Campus Safety Office in Standish Hall, or Student Engagement & Residential Living in Heffernan Center before they leave. Please take what you need. If you must leave belongings behind, the College will help you retrieve them at a later date. Please call Residential Living at 207-893-6603 if you have questions, but please realize that our staff is handling many calls, and they will respond as soon as possible.

We know that every decision of this magnitude inspires more questions, especially in a scenario as fluid as this one is. We ask your patience as we continue to focus on the most critical concern: keeping our students safe, healthy, and educated. However, there are pressing concerns you may have that you can direct to specific departments:

  • Our policies on rebates to room and board charges are currently under review. Because of the number of students affected, the individualized nature of these costs, and the need to assess the potential impact of any changes on students’ Federal aid, this review will take some time. We will be communicating updates on this process in a separate communication at a later time. Meanwhile, please write to studentfinancialservices@sjcme.edu if you have questions.

  • Non-essential student employment will end beginning today. In some cases, remote work may be possible. Students should contact their supervisors to discuss arrangements. We know this will be a hardship for some students, and we are committed to working with you to ease the impact of this moment.

  • All on-campus admissions events will be cancelled beginning today, including the two Admitted Student Days that were scheduled for March 21 and April 4. The Admissions Office is in the process of rescheduling these events and will let you students know when there is more information. Please call Admissions  at 1-800-338-7057 for more information.

  • All community classes and workshops will be cancelled beginning today. The Alfond Center and the College’s Art Studios will be closed.

  • Commencement and all end-of-year celebrations will be suspended. We share in the disappointment this news will cause seniors and their families, and we are actively exploring alternative ways to celebrate the accomplishments of our graduates. You will be recognized for the amazing strides you have made, your contributions to the life of this college, and the limitless potential that your commencement represents for you and the world as Alumni of Saint Joseph’s College.

  • We continue to work on telecommuting transition plans for staff in roles where remote work can be accomodated, while maintaining essential staff on campus to support the needs of students and support the continued business of the College.

These transitions and closures at Saint Joseph’s were decisions that we tried mightily to avoid. We always strive to create an educational and community experience that is welcoming, fulfilling, and uninterrupted. We have made these decisions as part of our effort to “flatten the curve” of this spreading virus, in the hopes that we can get back to what we do best, as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, we will continue our work of building and nurturing community, albeit temporarily at a distance. You can expect to hear from us in the days and weeks ahead as we introduce new channels of communication, additional digital resources, and new programs designed to sustain the Saint Joseph’s family during this time. From the beginning, the Sisters of Mercy made adaptation and innovation a hallmark of their approach. Now it’s time for us to take up their mantle.

Thank you, as always, for your patience, your compassion, and the encouragement that many of you have sent to me and my colleagues over the past week. I’ve said it many times before, and even more frequently this week: we are a community that takes care of each other. Thanks to each and every one of you for fulfilling that promise in this difficult time.

Sincerely,
James S. Dlugos, Ph.D.
President