ALL TOGETHER
An Encouraging Outlook
Returning to a more normal campus environment has been our goal from the beginning. The collective efforts of everyone in the Saint Mary’s community has brought us to this place and we are incredibly grateful to every student and parent, faculty and staff. Our work to combat COVID-19 is not complete, but as more and more members of our community receive the vaccine, we are closer to providing a more normal fall experience for our students. We completed the academic year in person and graduated an amazing group of Saint Mary’s students. Our data from the Fall and the Spring semesters help us remain confident that we can remain All Together for the 2021-22 academic year.
Visitors to Campus
We are pleased to announce that campus is once again open to visitors, who will not be required to wear masks outdoors, regardless of vaccination status. Unvaccinated visitors are encouraged to wear masks indoors. The same guidelines apply to groups renting space from the College. No outside visitors are allowed in residence hall rooms.
Mask Wearing
Beginning June 1, in accordance with the St Joseph County health office guidelines, fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance indoors or outdoors. Unvaccinated individuals are strongly encouraged to continue to wear a mask and continue to observe physical distance.
For summer day camps run by Saint Mary’s, voluntary vaccination information will be requested. Camp participants who provide proof of vaccination can be unmasked indoors or outdoors. Camp participants who are unvaccinated should wear a mask at all times indoors, and in some cases outdoors. All campers and staff who wish to continue to wear a mask are welcome to do so.
Caring for our Community
Our ability to come together for in-person instruction depends on suppressing the spread of COVID-19 in our community. The broad immunization of our campus community is critical to achieving this goal. Because we are a congregate-living residential community, we must take every measure available to prevent this highly infectious disease. Therefore, we have expanded our student immunization requirements to include the COVID-19 vaccine beginning with the Summer 2021 term. To read more, click here. In addition, all employees of the College will need to provide documentation that they too are fully immunized against COVID-19.
Document Your COVID-19 Vaccination
Students, if you have received the vaccine, please complete the Student COVID-19 Vaccination Information form. Employees, you must document your vaccination record before August 2, 2021, by using this form.
Screening Testing
Screening testing allows an organization to discover positive cases, in particular among asymptomatic individuals. Diagnosing cases before an individual presents symptoms helps to prevent uncontrolled outbreaks. Random screening testing will continue throughout the summer term for unvaccinated students and employees. If you receive an email from Health and Counseling regarding a screening test, and you feel you should be removed from the selection pool, please ensure you have documented your vaccination status. For further questions, contact HCCenter@saintmarys.edu.
Prospective students are welcome to visit campus. Please see the Visit Campus page for further details.
The plans outlined by Saint Mary’s College are dependent upon local, state, and national health and wellness guidelines, and can change according to the current state of COVID-19. We encourage you to watch for further updates via email communications and on this website.
Frequently Asked Questions About Our Campus
+Does Saint Mary’s College require visitors to wear masks?
+I am coming to campus as a camper. Do I need to be vaccinated?
+Is campus open for visits from prospective students?
+Is the bookstore open? Where can I eat on campus?
+Will Saint Mary’s College require students to be immunized against COVID-19 for the summer semester as part of their regular immunization requirements?