Dr. Stanley T. Wearden

Dear Members of the University Community,

In response to Gov. Cooper’s stay-at-home order, the following rules will be in effect on the Methodist University Campus until further notice.

The Provost and the Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students will be sending out additional information later today that is specific to students.

There also will be additional information coming out later today for Methodist University employees.

The Chief of Staff and Vice President for Planning and Administration will send out instructions later today regarding technology support during this time.

  1. The physical campus is essentially shut down, except for:
    1. Residence Halls where students continue to live
    2. Berns Student Center, where residential students may continue to get take-out meals
    3. The Library, where students and some faculty will continue to be able to use computer technology under strictly enforced social distancing rules
  2. All other campus buildings are closed.
  3. The University Post Office will be open only on Mondays and Thursdays, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
    1. Students still living on campus and others with explicit permission to come to campus who are expecting mail should check at the Post Office during those times.
    2. All FedEx, UPS, and other deliveries will be taken to the Post Office and may be picked up during those times.
    3. For critical university business mail (gifts, deposits, invoices, transcripts, etc.), members of the accounting office staff will be authorized to open mail, scan documents and email them to appropriate employees.
    4. If you are expecting an important piece of mail or a package, you may email Postoffice@methodist.edu to see if it has arrived or to ask Post Office staff to scan it and email it to you if that is your preference, or you may call 910.630.7160 or 910.630.7194 and leave a message.
    5. Strict social distancing rules will be in effect at the Post Office at all times.
  4. Administrative offices of the University remain open, but staff will be working remotely.
  5. Provost and Vice Presidents will provide Police and Public Safety with a list of all employees from different areas and all students who are either required or authorized to be on campus. IDs will be checked at the Welcome Center against this list, and those not on the list will not be permitted onto campus.
    1. Your Vice President or the Provost will notify you if your name is on this list.
    2. The names of all students remaining in the Residence Halls will be on the list.
    3. Commuter students will receive more information about this in a later message from the Provost.
    4. If you need emergency access to the campus, please contact your Vice President or the Provost and inform them of your need and the reason for that need. If they agree to authorize access, they will inform Police and Public Safety.
    5. Even if your name is on the list, please be extremely judicious about deciding to come to campus. This should be based exclusively on academic or professional need, not on personal or recreational need.
  6. Outside contractors who are working on such projects as the football/lacrosse field lights, the ravine, residence hall repairs, and cafeteria renovation will be permitted on campus. They are expected to follow strict social distancing protocols.
  7. All personnel who will be working remotely must leave the following message on their voicemail in exactly these words:
    1. Because of Governor Cooper’s stay-at-home order, this office is working remotely. If you need to contact someone from this office, please either leave a message or email (insert appropriate email address here). Someone will be in touch with you as soon as possible. This office will be receiving no in-person visitors, and no staff will be physically present in the office until further notice. We apologize for the inconvenience, and we hope you remain in good health.

This is a time of challenge unprecedented in the history of Methodist University. We will continue to do our very best to help students complete their coursework this semester and to graduate when they meet requirements. And we will do our very best to keep the university in operation on a remote basis. We thank you for your patience as we continue to work through how best to serve our students, protect our employees, and obey the law.

We pray for your health, safety, and serenity.

Sincerely,

Stanley T. Wearden, Ph.D.
President