SNC Responds in the Time of COVID-19

The response to the spread of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, has dramatically impacted the lives of people around the world. St. Norbert College was early to respond to the crisis, and the college community is coming together to find new ways to continue services to its students while working to keep faculty, students and staff healthy.

• St. Norbert College led the way as one of the first higher-education institutions in Wisconsin to recall students studying abroad. On Feb. 28, eight students studying abroad in Italy were notified to return to the U.S. to complete their courses remotely. Students in other study-abroad programs followed.
• The college’s next step was to set up students for alternative modes of course delivery; faculty worked with ITS to move their courses online. Continuing academic progress for students remains a college priority.
• Following announcements from the NCAA, Midwest Conference and Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference, St. Norbert canceled all athletics competitions for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year and suspended all practices until further notice.
• Answering a call for more information about COVID-19, St. Norbert College professors David Hunnicutt and Adam Brandt (Biology) and Health Services’ Chrystal Woller teamed up to present a livestreamed information session and Q&A. They discussed the virus and what makes it unique, how viruses spread, and how to minimize the spread.
• Information Technology Services offered workshops – both in person and virtually – to support faculty as they transitioned to online delivery of their course materials.
• While courses moved online, so, too, did student services. Offices throughout the college, including Career & Professional Development, Counseling & Psychological Services, and Academic Support Services, revised their processes and procedures in order to provide the college’s full range of services to students in viable and easy-to-access ways.
• In response to new recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and to limit large gatherings, St. Norbert canceled or postponed events through mid- to late April.
• The college instituted alternative working arrangements for staff and faculty, requiring all employees who can work remotely to do so. Employees unable to complete their work from home were encouraged to work with their supervisors to identify enough responsibilities for a reduced schedule and to use pre-allotted paid-time-off (PTO), vacation or unpaid leave to close the hours gap. The college will provide additional PTO for employees forced to use their PTO balance.

The college’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is continuously evolving. To keep all members of the college and the surrounding community informed, updates are being posted at snc.edu/go/coronavirus.

March 17, 2020