LHSON COVID-19, Undergrad Information - March 13, 2020

Dear LHSON Faculty, Staff and Undergraduate Students,

On Wednesday, March 11^th, Baylor President Linda A. Livingstone, Ph.D. announced that “Spring Break for students has been extended through next week. The spring semester will resume on Monday, March 23; however, classes will be provided strictly in an online environment for a two-week period from March 23 through April 3. “ This email is to inform you that there is an exception to this related to the Louise Herrington School of Nursing.

This morning, after consultation with the Provost’s Council and University leadership and in accordance with guidance by our national accrediting body, Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), the leadership team at LHSON has received University permission for our undergraduate student clinicals to proceed as scheduled this coming week (beginning March 16^th). Undergraduate lecture sections will not meet this coming week, and any exams scheduled during this week are postponed until further notification by the faculty. Students and faculty who have questions about their clinical schedules or clinical attendance should contact Associate Dean, Dr. Karen Cotter.

Undergraduate faculty will return to work this coming week to prepare their lecture classes for online delivery beginning the week of March 23^rd.  There will be resources and training ready for faculty on site at the LHSON. Staff will also resume normal work hours and operations this coming Monday. We ask students to refrain from coming to the LHSON buildings and to conduct business either online or by telephone. All student meetings and activities have been suspended for the next three weeks.

If faculty or staff fall into one of the high-risk groups as identified by the CDC, such that they may be advised by a health authority not to come to work, please let Human Resources know.

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to practice social distancing and cough etiquette, as well as follow CDC recommendations for handwashing and the use of disinfectant on frequently touched surfaces.

Any students, faculty or staff who have traveled to countries outside the United States or to Washington State, New York or California are required to report this information to Senior Associate Dean, Dr. Linda Plank, and will be required to self-isolate for 14 days and monitor for symptoms. All university travel except for mission critical business has been suspended through March 31^st.

Graduate program faculty and students will receive a separate email with information relating to their programs.

As President Livingstone noted in her email to the campus, “this is a challenging time, but the health and safety of our campus community remains our central focus at Baylor University. As members of the Baylor Family, we ask that you continue to pray for all those across the globe whose lives have been impacted by COVID-19 and for the public health officials, doctors and scientists who are working around the clock to end the outbreak. May they be the hands and feet of Jesus, our great physician.” I might also add that nurses are critical on the front lines in fighting this pandemic.

Sincerely,
 

Shelley F. Conroy, EdD, MS, RN, CNE
Dean and Professor
Baylor University
Louise Herrington School of Nursing
333 North Washington Ave.
Dallas, TX 75246
Office: 972-576-9110