Dear Graduate Students,

Every year opens with hope and a sense of a new beginning. This one starts with special anticipation, however, as we prepare to start the Spring 2021 semester.

Our priority continues to be the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and administrators, and we are confident that our reopening plan has poised us for a successful semester.

Frequent Communication
It will be important for us to have open lines of communication in the weeks and months ahead. I will continue to communicate with you frequently, as will others across the University. We will launch our Loyola COVID-19 Dashboard, where we will keep our community updated on cases and the positivity rate among those who are living, working, and studying on campus.

You can learn more about how you will receive information in the “Communication Measures” section of the Spring FAQ page on our Reopening site.

Health/Testing Update
Student Health Services sent emails yesterday and today to students with information about testing, how to enroll in Aura, the app we will use to schedule testing, and how to enroll in Campus Clear, the symptom checker students will use every morning). These messages contain important, urgent information for students who will be on campus this spring.

We are asking all students to self-quarantine to the best of your ability for the 10 days before your classes begin. This will put us in the best position for a healthy semester for our community.

Undergraduate students will begin the semester with a Campus Arrival Restriction Period (CARP), which will extend from the time of student move-in through the end of the day on Jan. 20. Because of this, all classes, including graduate classes will be online on Jan. 19 and Jan. 20, resuming with in-person instruction on Thursday, Jan. 21.

Mandatory Health Steps: Students who will be on any of Loyola’s campuses must complete the Healthy Hounds Student Training and submit proof of your flu vaccine to healthservices@loyola.edu by today, Jan. 6.

COVID-19 Vaccinations
We do not anticipate that the colleges and universities in Maryland—as in most states—will be a priority for receiving COVID-19 vaccines for our students. When and if vaccines do become available, the University will communicate its plan to students and families.

Conclusion
As you prepare for the Spring semester, I invite you to consider how we can approach this time with flexibility, patience, and compassion. Even with our well-formulated plan, much about this experience will be new. As we navigate this time together, let’s offer one another not just support, but also grace.

Please continue to make decisions that will help keep you safe and healthy. Know that you and your families are in my prayers, and I look forward to welcoming you to campus very soon.

Sincerely,

Rev. Brian F. Linnane, S.J.
President