Here is the latest information and reminders for TLU faculty, staff, and students for Wednesday, April 8. If you have a question that has not been addressed, please email semc@tlu.edu. You may also visit tlu.edu/semc for the latest information as well as previous campus updates.
We have one new update today for students:
· Registration and holds: Registration begins Monday, April 13. In light of the financial challenges that some of our students and their families are facing, Student Financial Services has temporarily lifted the registration holds on students with balances so that all students will be able to register next week. We encourage students to pay their spring bills as soon as possible. Please contact Student Financial Services at 830-372-8010 or StudentFinancialServices@tlu.edu if you have any questions.
Reminders for this week:
· Easter holiday – campus closed: Thursday, April 9, and Friday, April 10, are official TLU holidays for Easter so there will be no classes or meetings. Stay safe, stay home, and enjoy the rest of the week! We’ll resume our daily campus updates on Monday, April 13, unless there are new developments over the Easter break that warrant a campus update.
· Also, a reminder for faculty and staff to join President Cottrell for a livestream Town Hall meeting today at 4 pm. On Monday, April 13, she will host a livestream for students and parents at 4 pm. We will email the livestream links several times prior to each event. The events will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube.com/txlutheran for those who miss the live meeting.
Previous announcements:
· We have made adjustments to the staff work plan and now have over 80 percent of our employees working from home. For employees who are still working on campus, we are following CDC recommendations and advising employees to wear face masks when they are around other people or working in areas where social distancing is difficult.
· Residence halls: Due to the local “Stay Home, Stay Safe” order, we are suspending all resident check-outs in order to comply with the county order. Students’ personal belongings will remain secure in their rooms/apartments until which time the order is lifted, and we can once again start coordinating check-outs by appointment. All ID card access to the residence halls has been deactivated and apartments are inaccessible. We ask for everyone’s patience and understanding as we work through this trying time. Our goal is to make sure we maintain a safe environment for everyone. Once the order is lifted, we will be in contact with everyone with specifics on the continuation of check-outs. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact Residence Life at reslife@tlu.edu.
· All internal and external summer camps and programs and rentals (includes pool, etc.) will follow our guidelines for summer classes, which means we will not have people living or gathering on campus in May or June. As of now, we may be able to host on-campus programs, camps, and events in July, but that is subject to change.
· ASC and “Bubble” closed for Easter break: The Alumni Student Center (ASC) and the “Bubble” will be closed for the Easter break holiday starting at 12:01 am on Thursday, April 9, through 11:59 pm on Sunday, April 12. The ASC and “Bubble” will subsequently be closed on future weekends until further notice between 12:01 am on Saturday through 11:59 pm on Sunday. If you have a fire or medical-related emergency dial 911 and Seguin Police Department Dispatch will send the proper units to your location. If you need to contact the on-duty TLU police officer, dial Ext. 8000 and press 1 or call 830-372-8199.
· Room and meal plan refunds: Student Financial Services (SFS) on Friday issued an update on several issues including federal and state work-study, housing and meal plan adjustments, potential availability of emergency aid, and changes to federally held loans. Information regarding special circumstances and verification for the 2020-2021 academic year is also included. Click here to view the information from SFS, including room and meal plan refunds.
· Summer classes - May Term, Summer A and Summer B: We will still offer our May term, but all classes will be online and housing is not available. Summer A will be online only and housing will not be available. As of now, faculty will have the option to teach Summer B (beginning July 6) either online or face-to-face; however, anyone teaching in Summer B should have a plan to convert to online classes if state or federal social distancing guidelines continue into July.
· Faculty will make determinations about summer research based on the need to work within our overall summer provisions. This means that research can take place only online for the first part of the summer, with the hope that we can resume on-campus research in July if federal or state guidelines are lifted. Housing will not be available until July 6 at the earliest and will be available on a limited basis only for summer research and internship students.
· Spring Commencement has been set for Saturday, August 1. The details are still being determined but we will share the final plans through email, MyTLU, and tlu.edu/graduation in the next few weeks.
#StayHomeTLU
TLU Safety and Emergency Response Committee