St. Thomas will continue campus operations after Thanksgiving break, but professors may choose to transition classes online and students who go home for break are encouraged to stay home for the remainder of the semester, President Julie Sullivan wrote in an email Thursday.
Sullivan echoed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz’ prohibition of social gatherings outside one’s immediate household and noted that the Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex’s weight room, cardio room and pools will close, as well as McCarthy Gym on South Campus. The office and classroom spaces at the AARC will stay open.
“While none of these new restrictions are ideal, we must all remember our mission to serve the common good,” Sullivan wrote. “Please protect yourselves, your families and neighbors by abiding by the governor’s executive order in your private lives, in addition to your lives on campus.”
The email wrote that off-campus students are expected to follow the governor’s order, while “a separate email to resident students will be coming soon with more details about how this impacts those living in residence halls.”
The Minnesota Department of Health updated its guidelines for higher education institutions after Walz’ Nov. 18 Executive Order, opting not to pause intercollegiate athletics but prohibiting social gatherings that are not associated with a class or structured event.
The MDH report said that while restrictions on multi-household gatherings will be imposed for Thanksgiving, students returning home for break are not considered a separate household. MDH asks that students returning home finish classes online after Thanksgiving or “lay low” if they plan to return to campus.
St. Thomas gave free asymptomatic COVID-19 saliva tests in the AARC field house on Nov. 18 and 19, and those who got tested were told in a follow-up email from Vault Health that they should expect results within 24 hours to 72 hours.
Sullivan announced that the university plans to hold another community-wide mass testing event after Thanksgiving break.
For all of Minnesota, Walz’ order imposed four weeks of COVID-19 restrictions, shutting down bars, restaurants and fitness centers, while pausing social gatherings and organized amateur sports.
These restrictions will begin Friday, Nov. 20 at 11:59 p.m. and will be in effect through Friday, Dec. 18.
Retail businesses, child care centers, salons and places of worship can stay open with proper precautions under current restrictions.
Emily Haugen can be reached at haug7231@stthomas.edu.
Mia Laube can be reached at mia.laube@stthomas.edu.
Burke Spizale can be reached at spiz8477@stthomas.edu.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.