President Maxey’s Weekly update — Nov. 13

Dear Maroons,

It’s hard to believe we are so close to finishing this semester! As you surely know, next Tuesday is the last day of classes. Reading Day is on Wednesday and exams begin Thursday. 

In order to provide additional spaces for students to study for exams, starting today, the Colket Center will be open until 1 a.m. for those of you looking for a quiet place to study. Available rooms will be open throughout the day and evening. Bast 300 will also be open on the same schedule for studying. 

Also, new Fintel Library hours are listed below, the hours have been adjusted to ensure students have additional spaces to study or take exams:

Wednesday, November 18th : 8 a.m. to midnight (Reading Day)

Thursday, November 19th: 8 a.m. to midnight

Friday, November 20th: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (to cover Block E3 & E4 Exams)

Saturday, November 21st: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (to cover Block 2 & 5 Exams)

Sunday, November 22nd: noon to midnight

Monday, November 23rd: 8 a.m. to midnight

Tuesday, November 24th: 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Campus Safety will be stopping by these locations during extended hours and will be available for escorts after late study sessions or at any time. 

COVID-19 Status 

Regarding COVID-19, today, Nov. 13, the College has one active case. It’s great news that the number remains low as we head into exam season. Thank you!

Virus trackers are showing that COVID-19 is making a resurgence across the country so please continue to be careful. We’ve been able to keep our campus environment safe so consider staying on campus as much as possible, and use caution traveling off campus, including when you return home. 

Don’t forget: Student Health and Counseling Services is offering testing if you would like a test before the break. Testing is voluntary and available in the Student Health Center weekly through Nov. 20, 2020. No appointment is needed. Be sure to allow a few days for test results before you travel home. 

• Testing is available every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 to 11 a.m. and every Wednesday from 2 to 4 p.m. 
• On Nov. 19 and 20, testing hours will be extended to 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Spring Semester

We know many of you are still making plans and firming up details for the Spring 2021 semester. I have received a few questions about what classes will look like next spring. Every spring semester course carries one of four labels: online asynchronous, online synchronous, flex, or in-person. Online asynchronous courses have no common meeting times. Most work is managed through Inquire, but your professor is available through Zoom and email. Online synchronous courses have set meeting times. Much of the class time is via Zoom. Courses labeled as flex allow each student to choose whether they prefer in-person or online synchronous. Courses labeled as in-person courses require in-person attendance.

Of the nearly 500 sections to choose from, 3% are online asynchronous, 55% are online synchronous, 24% are flex, and 18% are in-person.  Because students living on-campus may take courses in any format, all sections are available to these students. Students preferring in-person classes will find that 42% of sections are available in this format.

Your academic advisors are available to help you understand the options and make choices that align with your needs. In the meantime, I encourage all of you to focus on your studies and take good care of yourselves and each other.

Remember, if you have COVID-19 symptoms or if you are worried about your health for any reason, please reach out to Student Health and Counseling Services at (540) 375-2286.

You will find a dashboard on our website, roanoke.edu/covid19, where we report Roanoke College COVID-19 cases on a weekly basis. Questions may also be sent to questions@roanoke.edu or you may leave a voicemail with your question by calling (540) 375-2244.

Get your rest, and good luck with exams and finals!

Be well Maroons,

President Mike Maxey