President’s Update: Welcome Back!
President Pat McGuire’s Message
September 4, 2020
Dear Trinity Students and Colleagues,
May everyone have a restful and healthy Labor Day weekend! Resident students are still arriving, and on Tuesday, September 8, our full-time undergraduate semester in the College of Arts and Sciences begins with some classes on campus for the first time in six months. Hooray!! I am so grateful to everyone whose hard work and devotion to safety and creative pedagogy have made it possible for Trinity to arrive at this point in our reopening effort.
During yesterday’s “Campus Conversations” a good question came up that I want to clarify for everyone. A student asked whether commuter students are allowed to be on campus. YES!!! We welcome commuter students from all of our academic units, undergraduate and graduate, so long as you abide by our “Essential Expectations” when you are on campus. Be prepared to show your Trinity ID when you arrive.
Quiet Campus Spaces with Wi-fi Access:
Students are welcome to use the Library, Payden and Main Hall for study and wifi access. If your classes are online, you are welcome to use these spaces if you want to sit in a quiet spot to take your online class — please be sure to wear headphones. If you have some classes face-to-face on campus and some online, you can certainly plan to spend your entire time here on campus. The Library has many spaces where you can find quiet away from others, and in the Payden Center we’ve reserved the two classrooms on either side of the lobby for open student study in addition to the lounge areas and nooks throughout the building. The lounges in Main Hall are also available, as well as the computer classrooms Main 238 and 242.
In all cases, please be sure you wear your masks, keep your distance, observe rigorous hygiene protocols for hand washing — and if you have any Covid-19 symptoms please STAY HOME and consult your healthcare provider. Be sure to review the Covid-19 Symptom Checker.
Trinity IDs: Please note that ONLY students, faculty and staff with Trinity IDs are welcome on campus. Visitors generally are not permitted to be on campus unless there’s a very specific business reason. Please do not bring visitors with you if you come to campus for class or study. If you need an exception for a good reason, please let us know in advance. (See below for more information on getting a Trinity ID).
Services for Trinity Students: Please note that while our major offices are open, staffing is limited and we still ask you to try accessing services first online — for advising, enrollment services, library services and others. Our staff will have our physical offices open each day but we ask you to make appointments in advance if you need face-to-face help, and follow instructions about where to wait for social distancing purposes. (See schedule below for offices and services).
Working together, we will have a great semester and Trinity will be a model of a safe reopening for everyone. We are eager to keep everyone moving forward to earn your degrees safely and on time! And I can’t wait for the day when I can greet every student again in person and we can celebrate together all that Trinity means to us.
Join me next Thursday and every Thursday at 4 pm for “Campus Conversations” on Zoom – check your Trinity e-mail for the link. Have a good Labor Day Weekend!
With thanks to all,
President Pat McGuire
president@trinitydc.edu
No Parking Fees + Trinity IDs
Please note that we are not charging student parking fees this semester and you may park on campus upon showing your ID. If you do not have a Trinity ID yet, please show some other form of identification to get onto campus. If you do not have a Trinity ID (you are a new student, you never had one, you lost your ID), you can get a new Trinity ID: Make an appointment on Starfish (see info on how to make an appointment via Starfish.) When you make an appointment, you will receive additional information.
Trinity General Office Hours:
For all offices including Enrollment Services, Admissions, Financial Aid, Academic Advising, Business Office, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs and Deans’ Offices:
- 9 am – 5 pm, Monday-Friday
- NO Saturday office hours until further notice
Library Hours:
- 10:00 am -7:00 pm, Monday – Friday
- 10:00 am – 4:00 pm, Saturday
- 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm, Sunday
Dining Service Hours:
Seating in the dining hall is limited, therefore, we ask anyone who is not a resident student to use the “grab and go” option and not plan on eating in the dining hall. Note that the Deli is not open.
“Grab and Go” Options available all day during operating hours.
Monday through Thursday: Operating Hours 8 am to 7 pm with served meals as follows:
- 9 am – 10:30 am: Breakfast
- 11:30 am – 1:30 pm: Lunch
- 4 pm – 5:30 pm: Dinner
Friday: Served meal times same as above with operating hours ending at 6:30 pm.
Saturday and Sunday:
- 11:30 am – 1:30 pm : Brunch
- 1:30 pm – 4:00 pm: Dinner
Shuttle Service Returns!
Trinity’s shuttle service to and from Metro has resumed service. Please note that because the campus shuttle must maintain social distancing, the seating capacity is limited. The shuttle will pick up and drop off at the Main Hall back door only, and will try to maintain a 20 minute loop to the Metro station. Shuttle schedule:
- 7 am – 7 pm: Monday-Saturday
- NO Sunday Shuttle hours
Bookstore Hours:
- August 31 – September 18: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday
- September 21: Regular semester service resumes
Technology Services:
- 9 am – 5 pm, Monday-Thursday, in office
- 9 am – 5 pm, Friday and Saturday, virtual services
Trinity Sports Center:
We are working on a plan to have the Trinity Center open some hours for use of students, faculty and staff only. We will provide the information as soon as it is available.
