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Sept. 23 – Staying Strong
Sep. 23, 2020—Dear faculty colleagues, As hard as it is to believe, we are already one-third of the way through our fall semester. We have made it this far thanks to your flexibility and adaptability and the sheer hard work you have contributed during the past six months of this pandemic. You, the faculty of this great...
Sept. 21, 2020 – Staying Strong
Sep. 21, 2020—Dear colleagues, As hard as it is to believe, we are already one-third of the way through our fall semester schedule. Whether you have been working on campus or remotely, none of this has been easy. But our staff members’ commitment and sustained effort have made the start of the year a great success. You...
Aug. 12, 2020 – A message to faculty on fulfilling our mission as we return to campus
Aug. 12, 2020—Dear faculty colleagues, As we are welcoming more faculty, staff and students back to campus and preparing for the first days of classes and activities, we do so while facing one of the greatest challenges higher education has ever seen. The COVID-19 pandemic has completely upended nearly every aspect of how we teach, how we...
Aug. 10, 2020 – Update on Research Ramp-up/Phase II+ Announcement
Aug. 10, 2020—Dear colleagues, As you know from the Return to Campus Update on Aug. 3, the university has moved into Phase II+ of its Return to Campus Plan. Likewise, research will move into Phase II+ as part of our 4-Phase Research Ramp-up Plan starting Friday, Aug. 14. The goal of Phase II+ is to provide additional...
Aug. 6, 2020 – Follow-up message from Faculty Senate Chair Catherine McTamaney
Aug. 6, 2020—Dear colleagues, These are challenging times and I appreciate the eager involvement of faculty in helping to discern our university’s best path forward, especially with so much uncertainty before us. Each of you is an invaluable voice in Vanderbilt’s shared governance. As Chair of your Faculty Senate, I affirm the important role of the Senate as...
July 20, 2020 – Important Updates on Fall Semester and Return to Campus for Staff and Postdocs
Jul. 20, 2020—Dear colleagues, Since we first announced our Return to Campus plans in May and June, the COVID-19 situation has continued to evolve. We want to assure you that we are monitoring all developments closely and are continuing to plan for students to return to campus as safely as possible. As discussed in the virtual town...
July 20, 2020 – Important Updates on Fall Semester and Return to Campus for Graduate and Professional Students
Jul. 20, 2020—Dear graduate and professional students, Since we first announced our Return to Campus plans in May and June, the COVID-19 situation has continued to evolve. We want to assure you that we are monitoring all developments closely and are continuing to plan for students to return to campus as safely as possible. As discussed in...
July 20, 2020 – Important Updates on Fall Semester and Return to Campus for Faculty
Jul. 20, 2020—Dear colleagues, Since we announced our Return to Campus plans in May and June, the COVID-19 situation has continued to evolve. We want to assure you that we are monitoring all developments closely and are continuing to plan for students to return to campus as safely as possible. As discussed in the virtual town halls...
July 8, 2020 – A message to faculty from Provost Wente on supporting school and college decision-making for the fall
Jul. 8, 2020—Dear faculty colleagues, Not a day goes by that I am not reminded of all we have already been through and the continued significant burdens our faculty are carrying in planning for our fall semester. And, at the same time, I know we are all worried about our health and safety and that of our...
May 6, 2020 – Update on remote work for staff
May. 6, 2020—Dear colleagues, The university normally enters a time of transition at this time of year—Commencement on May 8 marks the end of the academic year and begins summer break for many staff who work a partial-year schedule. This is, of course, not a normal year—this week also marked the conclusion of the Voluntary Staff Departure...
May 1, 2020 – Information forthcoming on returning for belongings
May. 1, 2020—Dear Campus Residents, We know many of you are eager to make plans to retrieve your belongings. We are currently finalizing a plan for return visits and will communicate that plan in the coming days. At this time, the Nashville Mayor has extended the Stay-At-Home order until May 8. While the Governor of Tennessee has...
Apr. 16, 2020 – Vanderbilt to use $2.8 million in CARES Act funding to support students affected by COVID-19
Apr. 16, 2020—Vanderbilt University will use $2.8 million it receives as part of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to directly support students who have demonstrated need and are facing significant financial challenges due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The disbursement, from the U.S. Department of Education as part of the CARES Act...
Mar. 29, 2020 – Message from the Office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Provost’s Office for Inclusive Excellence
Mar. 30, 2020—Many in our community are likely experiencing moments of anxiety and concern given the unprecedented times we are living in as a result of COVID-19. We also acknowledge that an unfortunate reality has emerged in communities around the world—an increase in expressions of xenophobia and anti-Asian sentiments, especially targeting the Chinese community. Please know that...
Mar. 26, 2020 – Important updates regarding university housing
Mar. 26, 2020—Dear Vanderbilt Students, We appreciate your patience as we continue to navigate uncharted territory as a result of COVID-19. We are making decisions based on the best information we have at any given time, and our staff is working around the clock to provide student support and assist with getting each student’s belongings back to...
Mar. 22, 2020 – Remote work for faculty following Nashville Safer at Home Order
Mar. 22, 2020—Dear colleagues, As you have likely seen, the university is further reinforcing its remote work policy in light of the new Safer at Home Order issued by the Nashville Metro Public Health Department on March 22, which goes into effect Monday, March 23. Given this, please note that remote teaching on campus is not an...
Mar. 20, 2020 – Room and Board adjustments launching; University invests $1 million in new Student Hardship Fund
Mar. 20, 2020—Dear Vanderbilt students and families, As we continue to respond and adapt to the evolving impact of the global coronavirus pandemic, Vanderbilt University remains steadfast in our commitment to our community and our teaching and research mission. The well-being and success of our students and community is our top priority. With that in mind, I...
Mar. 15, 2020 – On-campus research laboratories ramping down
Mar. 15, 2020—Update: Phase II of Remote Work in place until April 11 Dear colleagues, The rapid evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic requires Vanderbilt University to accelerate its response to this unprecedented challenge. In order to protect the health and safety of our community, all on-campus research laboratories will be restricted to only essential activities by close...
Mar. 14, 2020 – Update re: campus services
Mar. 14, 2020—Dear Vanderbilt Students, Below we are sharing information on remote access to campus services for the remainder of the semester. As you may know, many of our campus support staff will be working remotely for the next couple of weeks, which necessitates changes in how we will work to meet the needs of students. Student...