July 31, 2020

SIU Students:

We can’t wait to welcome you for the fall semester! Whether you’re taking classes in-person, online or both, we’re here to help you achieve your educational goals.

By now, you should have received information from your academic advisor about how to find the delivery method for each of your courses this fall. Please contact your advisor if you have questions or need assistance.

For those of you who will be taking courses on campus, I assure you that your safety is our top priority. We have listened carefully to the recommendations of health agencies as we have prepared for the fall semester, and are implementing comprehensive safety protocols across campus. Please review Saluki Safety carefully so you know what we are doing and how you can contribute to a safe community.

We strongly encourage you to test for COVID-19 prior to returning to campus, allowing enough time to get the results back before classes start. If you should test positive, don’t come to campus until you have been cleared by a health official; our Dean of Students office will work with you so you can stay on track with your courses.

During the two weeks before classes, we also encourage you to minimize your contact with others by self-quarantining. If you do go out, wear a mask, practice social distancing and avoid gatherings. Take care of your health so you can get off to a great start this fall and do your part to protect others.

While you can find a lot of information in Saluki Safety, our fall 2020 plan, and on the coronavirus website, you may have more questions. Please send them to us at pandemicinfo@siu.edu.

I also invite you to join me and other members of the campus leadership team to a Zoom update on our fall plans from 1 to 3 p.m. on Friday, August 7. We’ll review our safety plans, talk about course delivery, field questions and much more. Visit chancellor.siu.edu to participate.

Thank you for being a part of the SIU community. We look forward to connecting with you soon.

Go Dawgs!

Sincerely, 

Austin A. Lane
Chancellor