Spring and Summer University Events Update - April 20, 2020

Spring and Summer University Events Update - April 20, 2020

Dear St. Kate’s Community,


As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and the current social distancing and stay at home guidelines, we know it is important to continue limiting physical contact, restricting on campus activities to the most essential functions, and shifting teaching and learning to an online format.

That effort continues today, with the difficult decision not to hold any on-campus events that were scheduled through Thursday, August 27. Some events will move to a virtual format. Other events are postponed to a later season, and some events are canceled for this year. 

Please see below for the following updates:


Virtual Events

The following events will transition to virtual and online events. Some of them will still take place as scheduled, others will shift slightly to give participants time to prepare and share the details needed to participate. Details will be sent out and posted online for these events as they are known. 

  • Catherine G. Murphy Gallery April/May exhibitions, including the senior juried exhibition, will be online at gallery.stkate.edu. 
  • Denny Prize and Award (May 21)
  • DNP Public Presentations
  • Honors and Awards for students
  • Global Search for Justice (GSJ) Poster Session
  • Graduate Info Session 
  • Katwalk 
  • Phi Beta Kappa
  • Purple and Gold Awards
  • MA Holistic Health Presentations
  • New Student Orientation
  • Sr. Seraphim Gibbons/ Celebration of Scholarship Week (Week of May 1)


Postponed Events

The following events will be rescheduled at a later date. Look for announcements as new dates are finalized.

  • 75th Occupational Therapy Anniversary (postponed to Fall 2021) 
  • Alumni Awards
  • Goodman Lecture (postponed to Fall 2021)
  • Meeting of former and current CSJs (postponed to Summer 2021)
  • Reunion 2020 is postponed and will be celebrated during Reunion 2021
  • The Sister Mona Riley Lecture


Canceled Events

  • Evening with St. Kate’s (formerly known as Evening with the President)
  • Minneapolis Campus Spring Ritual 
    This event was to be our farewell to the location. While we are sad that we are not able to celebrate together at this time, we are so grateful for the vision and wisdom of the Sisters of St. Joseph for producing so many and varied healthcare professionals on that site. These healthcare professionals are on the front lines today just as their processors were through the Spanish flu, both World Wars, and countless health concerns both communal and personal.  We are so proud of each of them and for all that our Minneapolis campus has provided our state and our world!   
  • Data Science program launch is cancelled and may be held in fall 2021.
  • All events previously scheduled at The O’Shaughnessy are likewise cancelled now through August 27, 2020, including the nursing pinning ceremonies scheduled for August 27. 
  • The Women’s Art Institute in June, and the corresponding July gallery exhibition, Work from the 2020 Women’s Art Institute Summer Studio Intensive, is canceled and will return in summer 2021.


Recognitions 

Some of our annual recognition events will not be held as planned: Faculty and Staff Awards and the annual Retirement Celebration. Instead, community members who would have been honored at these events will instead receive a personal message from President Roloff, along with the award they were chosen to receive, and a gift to commemorate their achievement. 


Commencement Spring 2020

We are postponing our May 22-23, 2020 graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies for all three colleges: College for Women, College for Adults, Graduate College. We identified three options, pending the status of the COVID-19 public health guidelines.  

Options: 

  • Hold commencement ceremonies on August 28-29, 2020. 
  • If we are unable to hold ceremonies in August, we will combine spring 2020 commencement celebrations with the winter 2020 ceremony on December 16-17, 2020.
  • If we are unable to hold December ceremonies, we will combine all ceremonies into the May 2021 celebration (i.e. extended ceremonies with May 2020, December 2020, and May 2021 graduates). 

We are not planning beyond the three options above at this time. Decisions will be driven by when it is safe to have large gatherings again as determined by MDH and CDC. We will confirm dates or share updates at least eight (8) weeks in advance to allow you to plan accordingly. 


Athletics

These events do not include planned events and activities for our Athletics program. Eric Stacey, director of Athletics, and his team will follow guidance from NCAA and MIAC on any decisions related to fall sports, but do not expect that guidance until further into the summer months.


We are eager to return to campus but understand why, for the foreseeable future, we need to maintain our current operating status. These measures reflect a temporary state of being at St. Kate’s, and our determination to find new and creative ways to carry forward how we celebrate the excellence embodied in our students, faculty and staff. 

For more information, resources, and community updates, visit the St. Kate's COVID-19 information page. Please contact us at healthresponse@stkate.edu with questions related to COVID-19.


Becky Roloff

President