BY PAUL MITCHELL

North Country This Week

CANTON - A new president and plans to conduct a typical two-semester academic year is what faculty, student and staff can expect when St. Lawrence University begins the fall semester on Wednesday, Aug. 25.

“We are planning for a normal, two-semester academic year and have several new initiatives and programs that have been developed over the past year,” said Megan Keniston, director of marketing and strategic communications at St. Lawrence. 

These measures include new majors in data science and finance that will prepare students for in-demand careers. 

“St. Lawrence has made investments into making career programming a cornerstone of the student experience,” stated Keniston. “Because of that, a generous alumna gave $3 million to establish our new Center for Career Excellence and its new program and initiatives.”

The University also added esports to its varsity athletics roster in 2020. It is one of 35 varsity sports currently offered at St. Lawrence, she noted.

New President on Board

On July 1, Kathryn A. Morris became the 19th president of St. Lawrence University, succeeding William Fox who served as president for 12 years.

She arrived at St. Lawrence following a distinguished career at Butler University, where she had most recently served as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for eight years. Prior to her time as provost, President Morris served as a professor of psychology and was chair of that department at Butler. Her areas of expertise include social psychology, the psychology of gender, methodology, and statistics.

Covid Precautions

Students and now employees are required to be vaccinated unless they have an approved medical or religious exemption. Unvaccinated students will be tested regularly.

It was announced Aug. 19 that all employees will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. That decision was made by the Campus Safety Monitoring Committee.

“Implementing a vaccine requirement for employees has been a difficult decision, and we recognize that there are many perspectives on the issue. However, vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect our community against COVID-19,” an email posted on the University’s website read.

Employees will need to show proof of vaccination by Sept. 29.

“With the number of cases increasing rapidly across the country and the much more contagious Delta variant, this requirement prioritizes the health and safety of our community. Earlier this week The Commission on Independent College and Universities in New York has also recommended all college and university campuses to strongly consider a mandatory vaccination program for all in-person students, faculty and staff,” the email continued.

As of Aug. 9, all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, are required to wear face coverings inside all non-residential buildings based on St. Lawrence County reaching a substantial level of transmission per the CDC. 

“We are also testing all students upon arrival to campus and unvaccinated students with approved exemptions will continue to be tested throughout the year. We will continue to mentor our policies and protocols to ensure the health and safety of our campus and the North Country,” remarked Kenison.

“The health and safety of our campus community and then local community are our top priorities as we enter another academic year during the COVID-19 pandemic,” she added.

Visiting the Campus

To date, visits to campus and inside campus buildings by community guests will be allowed. Visitors are required to follow current campus mask and social distancing policies. The library has been open to the public since June 28. 

At press time, the plan is to reopen the athletic facilities to the public once students return to campus and at the discretion of the University’s fitness center director and local public health conditions. Also, as of now, spectators will be allowed to athletic events.

Community members can learn more about current COVID-19 policies at www.stlawu.edu/offices/always-forward-returning-st-lawrence

Changes to the visitors policy can be viewed at www.stlawu.edu/offices/always-forward-returning-st-lawrence/visitors-campus