Dear students,

The Fall 2020 semester begins Aug. 17, and we’re looking forward to welcoming you back.

We’ve used the past few months to prepare for your homecoming. Our extensive and careful planning reflects the unwavering priority we place on your health and safety.

Some of you will return physically to campus to take classes or to live in residence halls. Others have enrolled in remote and online courses that empower you to select what instruction option best fits your needs.

Dear members of the University family,

George Floyd. Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. Tony McDade. 

Their tragic deaths – and those of countless others – are reminders that our nation has much work to do to address discrimination, intolerance and other inexcusable barriers to social justice that have burdened us for far too long.

Universities are a place where that work can occur. Indeed, they are a place where it must occur.

Dear students, faculty and staff members,

The month of March witnessed immense changes across our campus and in the lives of most members of the University family.

We cannot yet anticipate fully what April might hold as the world continues to grapple with the effects of COVID-19.

In uncertain times such as these, it is important to catalogue the things for which we are grateful. It is equally as essential to thank those special individuals whose mere presence – even from a socially appropriate distance – offers the comfort and support we all need right now. 

Dear staff members,

As rates of confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to rise in Louisiana, so does the possibility that University employees will be directly affected by this dangerous virus.

First, it is essential that all employees prioritize their health and that of their families. Should you or a loved one exhibit COVID-19 symptoms – a fever of 100.4 degrees, a cough or difficulty breathing – seek medical care as soon as possible.

As preventative measures:

Dear students, faculty and staff members,

As you know, the University has made the decision to begin remote course delivery on Wednesday, March 18.

We are able to move to alternative delivery methods because we have in place a comprehensive plan and the technological infrastructure to ensure continuity of instruction. By offering courses through Moodle and other means, we’re attempting to minimize large gatherings and reduce the time students and faculty spend in close proximity to each other.