This fall there鈥檚 considerably more anxiety for college students and their families, as universities all over the country work to maintain a safe living and learning environment on their campuses.
To help ease some of that stress, 小蓝视频 leaders launched 鈥�,鈥� a new video series offering families a glimpse of life on campus and providing regular updates on efforts to keep students safe.
鈥淥ur students are excited to be back on campus, and they鈥檙e doing their part to make sure we can stay. It鈥檚 important we show our parents and families what life on campus is like right now to make sure they feel connected and informed about everything we鈥檙e doing,鈥� said Diving Deeper host and Senior Vice President Scott Bacon, who oversees the University鈥檚 offices of Advancement, Marketing & Communications, and Strategic Events.
小蓝视频 President Tim Cost opened the series with an update on move-in and the first week of classes. He said he鈥檚 pleased to see students wearing their masks, keeping their distance and acting responsibly this fall.
鈥淚f you think about the culture of this university, a lot of it is built on individual self-respect and personal responsibility,鈥� President Cost shared. 鈥淭he idea is not just can everyone wear a mask.鈥� It鈥檚 can we keep each other healthy?鈥�
Dr. Kristie Gover, Dean of Students, offered a glimpse inside student life on campus in episode two and explained how the University is supporting any students in quarantine and isolation.
鈥淪tudents in quarantine and isolation are checked on multiple times per week by our healthcare professionals and Student Affairs professionals. We鈥檙e delivering three meals a day to those students along with some snacks,鈥� said Dr. Gover. 鈥淥verall, we鈥檙e just trying to make sure they stay mentally healthy and physically healthy.鈥�
In the third installment, Dr. Chris Sapienza, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, shared an update on how the University is working to keep students safe in the classroom, and she showed families what an outdoor classroom looks like.
鈥淲e鈥檙e taking advantage of the 240 acres of beautiful space we have at Jacksonville University,鈥� said Dr. Sapienza. 鈥淚 really have to commend the faculty and the students. They really have adapted well.鈥�
鈥淥ur goal is to give parents and families as much information as we can and to keep an open line of communication with them,鈥� said Bacon, who invites families to submit questions on JU鈥檚 for future guests to address in the Diving Deeper video series.
Future guests of the series include Director of Residential Life Jenny Boyer, Director of the JU Student Health Center Dr. Elaine Borne, head of JU Dining Adam Poling, and Athletic Director Alex Ricker-Gilbert.
Once students arrived on campus in August, the University converted its 鈥淩eady To Return鈥� Fall 2020 webpage to 鈥�Determined To Stay,鈥� reflecting the new focus on the personal responsibility all members of campus share to ensure JU can continue offering as much in-person instruction as possible.
