Student Choice for Fall 2020

At St. Edward’s, we are committed to safe, personalized and vibrant experiences for all of our students. Throughout the summer, our faculty and staff have been preparing for the upcoming return of our students to the hilltop. University planning has relied on national, state and regional data about Covid-19 transmission rates, healthcare access and contact tracing.

As we get closer to the fall semester, we have continued to refine our approach, based on the latest information and evolving situation around Covid-19. Throughout this period, our approach has remained flexible — one that balances a students’ unique circumstances and prioritizes safety. While the university is committed to providing one of the safest environments students can find, students can design a personal plan for the fall semester.

On-Demand Webinars and Additional Information 

Academic Webinar

Housing Webinar

Covid-19 Home Testing

Virtual Classes with On-Campus Experiences

  • The majority of courses will be conducted virtually, with selected experiential courses conducted on-campus in a safe, physically distanced in-person environment.
  • Students may reside on-campus in safe, physically distanced single rooms, sharing a bath with no more than one student, or they may reside off-campus.
  • Services such as the Student Success Center, the Health and Counseling Center, Campus Ministry, Career and Professional Development, Diversity and Inclusion, Munday Library, Recreation and Athletics Center, residence hall programs, student organizations and more will be available for on-campus, in-person delivery in safe indoor and outdoor environments. 
  • Students may also choose virtual access for campus services. 

On-campus icon

On-Campus Experiences

  • Convenience and flexibility of online classes with holistic on-campus community support, services and selected activities
  • Outdoor and physically distanced in-person meet-ups between students and faculty members, as possible
  • Physically distanced in-person activities from the start of the semester that will adapt as the Covid-19 situation in Austin evolves and allows for more interpersonal experiences in and out of the classroom
     



Virtual Experiences 

  • Superior virtual experiences that are only found at St. Edward’s, such as student projects that foster creative and critical-thinking and continuation of co-curricular activities and programming
  • Prioritization of faculty-student engagement across disciplines and courses, such as small group faculty-led discussions and one-on-one mentoring
  • Focus on degree progress and a pathway to graduation without disruption

Safety

Academics

Student Life

Important Dates

August 10

Student online training and testing launch
 

August 17

Move-in begins 
 

Week of August 17

ANCHORS experience for new students
 

August 24

Fall semester begins for all students
 

Our Planning Structure 

Risk and Emergency Management Team

The university’s Risk and Emergency Management Team is a group of university leaders who guide the safety and planning of all university issues related to any emergency, including a global pandemic. The team is led by vice presidents and reports to the university president.

University Workgroups

Eight workgroups have been assembled across campus to plan for return to campus and contingencies. These workgroups consist of faculty and staff who are experts in their respective fields. In addition, the workgroups are incorporating student input through surveys and focus groups throughout the planning process. Workgroups include:​ Academic Instruction, Academic Services, Athletics, Business and Employee Continuity, Communication, LiveWell SEU, Residential Community, and Student and Family Transitions.

Medical Advisors

St. Edward’s University is extending its expertise by working with a panel of medical advisors. A core team of physicians and other subject-matter experts are assisting the university with student and staff training, risk assessment, and policy changes. Justin Sloan, vice president for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, talks with St. Edward’s University medical advisors Dr. Nick van Terheyden, former chief medical officer for Dell, and Fred Goldstein, an expert in population health at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. 

Luis Saldana, MD, MBA, FACEP
Dr. Saldana is an emergency physician with 30 years of clinical and experience as a medical director in busy urban emergency department settings. At Texas Health Resources, Dr. Saldana was a leader in response to emerging diseases including ebola, MERS and H1N1.

Nick van Terheyden, MD
Dr. van Terheyden is the former chief medical officer of Dell and chief medical informatics officer of Nuance. He has been a leader in digital transformation, telemedicine, and Covid-19 research, analysis and response. He is also the co-creator of Covid-19 Back to Work Safely Training Series. 

Fred Goldstein
An instructor at the Bower School of Population Health at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, Mr. Goldstein is a member of the editorial board of the journal Population Health Management. He is the co-creator of Covid-19 Back to Work Safely Training Series.

US Healthy Work will be providing alerts and webinars, as well as the opportunity to engage their extended team of experts.

Updated July 30, 2020