(DePaul University/Maria Toscano)With the news that came on Wednesday, Aug. 12, that DePaul is making some changes for the fall 2020 quarter in order to reduce density on campus and decrease the spread of COVID, you must be wondering what the DePaul student experience will be like while we remain largely remote.
I want to assure you, as the Aug. 12 message stated, that countless staff professionals are working incredible hours and coming up with many creative solutions to ensure that your student has many options for staying engaged, connecting with their peers and building community at DePaul. Not only that, but you'll find that all of DePaul's critical support services are all still available remotely, from
University Counseling Services to
Career Services to Academic Advising and more. In addition, if your student lives near campus, they will be able to access the library, fitness center and some computer labs.
Gene Zdziarski, vice president for Student Affairs.
As your student looks ahead to the fall quarter, I hope they are feeling a sense of excitement to begin classes. Faculty have been preparing all summer for their return, and although many had already completed DePaul's award-winning
Online Teaching Series, known as DOTS, a 40-hour faculty development program, many more took the course this summer. There are many effective tools that faculty will expertly use to support your student's learning and connect your student to their fellow classmates because of this intensive training.
Equally important to the college experience is your student's out-of-class activities. As you likely know, these activities help develop a number of leadership and job skills, or allow your student to pursue personal interests or serve the community. Staff in Student Affairs very quickly, and yet effectively, implemented a number of online engagement opportunities in spring 2020, and established the
Digital Engagement Network, or DEN, in DeHub to share remote opportunities for engagement across the university with students.
These activities will continue and expand, from fun things to do, like Bingo and Trivia, to regular opportunities to manage stress and anxiety on Wellness Wednesdays, and beyond. Your student is one click away from finding a myriad of ways to connect and grow virtually, via the DEN. If they are unsure of what activities to pursue at DePaul, they can visit
the Involvement Calculator, answer a few quick questions and get some suggestions for engagement.
Fall quarter might be different from what you and your student had hoped for, but the DePaul community is here, working hard, and excited to welcome you and your student (back) to experience our excellent education and to engage and build their own community at DePaul. We are confident that your student will find the caring and supportive staff and faculty and individual attention that they expect from DePaul, and that they will
find success here, as a member of the DePaul family. We believe that your student will succeed, and remind you that we are here for them and you.