October 1, 2021
Dear Colleagues,
Recently we had the opportunity to have our first in-person Coffee with the Chancellor in over a year and a half. It was wonderful to see members of the campus community gathered for some campus updates and discussion. Here are a few highlights from the event, in addition to other campus updates.
Congratulations are in order!
ÂþÂþߣ South Bend rankings in the 2022 U.S. News and World Report Best Colleges Report revealed significant upward movement. The report ranked IU South Bend 25th in social mobility among regional public universities in the Midwest, recognizing good graduation rates among students who receive Pell Grants. This ranking is a substantial increase over last year’s ranking at 50th and one of the highest in the region. In addition, the School of Nursing ranked 120th out of nearly 700 schools for best undergraduate nursing, the highest in the region, recognizing the excellent education nursing students receive. These recognitions validate that we are succeeding at our mission, which is two-fold: to provide educational access and opportunity and to be a difference-maker in our community.
I am also pleased to share that IU South Bend ranked first among Indiana public colleges and universities on Washington Monthly's list, thanks in no small part to the great work of our .
Show Your Titan Pride
I am excited to announce an expansion of Titan Tuesdays for fall 2021. In addition to a day we recognize our Titans on , Titan Tuesdays will be a day each week for us to display our IU South Bend Titan pride. Each Tuesday you may come to work more casually dressed, wearing IU South Bend attire or colors (t-shirt or polo shirt and Khakis or nice jeans). This is optional; employees may continue to wear the normal business attire appropriate for their department. Looking forward to seeing the campus awash in crimson and cream on Tuesdays! And, don’t forget to check out our athletic teams’ so you can attend home games and show your support for our Titan athletes.
COVID-19 Reminders
Thanks to everyone for continuing your diligence with safety guidelines on campus. We have reached 80% vaccinated as a campus community, which is a tremendous milestone. We have a variety of testing resources available on campus, including both voluntary asymptomatic testing and symptomatic testing, in addition to the required weekly testing for those who are unvaccinated. You can access all testing resources at .
Here are also some additional helpful COVID-19 resources:
- – attend live or view recordings
- – now with vaccination rates
- – one stop for all things COVID
The also provides answers to the most common questions such as:
- What if I have symptoms of COVID-19
- What if I test positive?
- What if I need to report a positive COVID-19 test or that I'm a close contact?
- What if I'm notified that I'm a close contact of someone positive for COVID-19?
- What if I have to quarantine or isolate?
During this time, I ask that you continue to be flexible and continue to demonstrate care to others.
Supporting Your Wellbeing
At the last Coffee with the Chancellor, we had the opportunity to hear from campus experts on ways to support your wellbeing with our return to campus. Please review the slides from the presentations . They include tips for self-care and important resources such as the , , , and . Please remember that you are not alone – campus leaders and colleagues are here to support you and your wellness efforts.