August 17, 2020 by

Dear Future Yellow Jacket!

The time is here. How have you been feeling? Still nervous? Excited? A little mixture of both? Those emotions are normal, and we all remember very well what it feels like to be a freshman. 🙂 I know that I can speak on behalf of everyone at Cedarville how excited we are to have you on campus!

We want to make sure you feel as confident and comfortable as possible so I wanted to highlight a few key components of the Caring Well. Staying Well. Guide. This guide was put together by a handful of amazing people that love and care for you, God, and the University! Make sure to read it in full so you feel fully prepared for all the COVID-19 guidelines that Cedarville is implementing!

FACIAL COVERINGS

  • Campus employees will be required to wear facial coverings except while teaching or working alone in private office space.
  • Students will wear facial coverings in all public spaces.
  • Students will wear facial coverings when in line and ordering food.
  • Students will wear facial coverings in classes and labs at all times.
  • Facial coverings will be worn walking to and from class if social distancing is not possible, such as in the hallway.
  • Facial coverings will not be worn in the residence halls or outside when social distancing is possible.

CHAPEL

  • The Jeremiah Chapel will require physical distancing with a capacity of 500 students. Masks will be required in the chapel.
  • Students may watch chapel from their residence halls or their 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. classrooms.
  • One day per week, Cedarville will host worship chapels outside, weather permitting.

RESIDENCE HALLS

  • No more than two students are housed in each room.
  • Outside guests will not be permitted to visit in the residence halls (except to assist with move-in).
  • Masks are expected in all public spaces where distancing is not possible.
  • We will highly encourage students to avoid unnecessary travel to areas with higher incidences of COVID-19.

DINING ON CAMPUS

  • All dining spaces will operate at reduced capacity.
  • The Event Rooms in the Stevens Student Center will be open for additional seating. 
  • There will be no self-service
  • Grab & Go stations will be located in the Center for Biblical and Theological Studies as well as the Callan Athletic Center.
  • This year, students will also be able to take food “to go” from the dining hall.
  • You can view the different dining space hours here.

CARING WHEN YOU ARE SICK

  • Here are the steps to take if you are feeling ill:
    • Assess health to confirm COVID-19 symptoms
    • If you are not feeling well, do not attend class or come to work. Isolate yourself from others immediately.
    • Notify your Resident Director (RD) right away.
    • Call University Medical Services to schedule an appointment at 937-766-7863.

EXTRA NOTES

  • The academic calendar has been revised so that we do not have a fall break and begin Christmas break on November 25.
  • All academic trips including Study Abroad, D.C. Semester, and Civil Rights Bus tour are canceled through fall 2020 semester
  • Cedarville will not host large events this fall, including Homecoming and Parents Weekend.
  • You will be informed with new information via text messages, campus screens, canvas notifications, and email updates.

I know this is a lot of information to process! I promise that you will receive good communication and you will hear this information several times! Never be afraid to ask questions. We are all learning together in this unique time! I learned a few things going through the guide in detail!

As a senior at Cedarville, I am sometimes a little sad for all the change and different policies that will be implemented this fall. Sometimes a little sad that big events have been canceled and that chapel is going to look different this year, but then I am reminded how many things I have to be thankful for.

I am thankful for Cedarville University. I am thankful for my experience and my spiritual growth. I am thankful for Dr. White and the professors who have impacted my life in amazing ways. I am thankful for the campus jobs and staff that have invested in me. I am thankful for my friends who push me to be more like Christ. I am thankful for my Bible classes and my major classes that have taught me and prepared me as I begin to start looking for jobs. I am thankful for the church that Cedarville helped me get connected at. I am thankful for the ministry opportunities that I have had through Cedarville’s opportunities. I could go on and on. When I meditate on what I am thankful for, I am blown away by God’s love and faithfulness toward me.

I challenge you and myself to keep this perspective as we transition into a new normal at Cedarville. Just remember that Cedarville is still Cedarville and as Dr. White famously says, God is faithful; we can trust Him.

See you all soon!

Angela Farlow | Public Relations Student Writer

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