Dear Cleary Community
We are steadily preparing for the start of the semester and are looking forward to students returning to campus safely this fall.
Starting June 15, 2020, the campus will be open! Small groups may visit and tour campus; however, until all operations resume on-ground, all visitors must call in advance to schedule an appointment with the appropriate coach, faculty, or staff member. We will be open daily 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
All visitors should enter the Lyons building to sign in; we ask that visitors wear a mask upon entering the building and continue wearing it for the duration of their visit. Masks must be worn while inside Cleary campus buildings.
Read below on information regarding fall 2020 operations, recent updates to the CARES Act and the start of the fall 2020 athletic season.
July 10, 2020 UPDATE: Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds
In March of 2020, Congress passed the CARES Act, which includes the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund. This fund is intended to provide aid for crisis-related expenses such as health care, housing, food, and educational expenses. Cleary was pleased to be selected as a fund recipient; we are in the process of dispersing funds directly to students. Students receive funds through a determination based on the receipt of forms of federal assistance (SEOG, Pell, and Title IV). For information or if you have questions, please contact the Business Office: businessoffice@cleary.edu.
June 12, 2020 UPDATE: Athletics, Lake Trust Stadium, and the Wellness Center
In adherence to recently released NAIA plans for the fall 2020 athletic season, Cleary athletics teams may begin practices August 15, 2020. Any activities construed as a practice are prohibited until this date per the NAIA. Conditioning activities may resume as long as they are meet Cleary guidelines and are not official practices as defined by the NAIA. Beginning on August 15, 2020 student athletes may practice, consistent with health and safety protocols determined necessary by Cleary.
Look for further instructions regarding safety measures, procedures and operations regarding Lake Trust Stadium (LTS) and the Wellness Center after July 1, 2020, from Heather Bateman, VP and Dean of Student Affairs.
June 12, 2020 UPDATE: Residence Halls
Most students have removed personal belongings from Cleary residence halls. We are disinfecting, making repairs, and preparing rooms for students to move in during August.
Early athlete move-in begins August 14, 2020, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
Fall move-in for all students will take place on August 22, 2020, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
The University will communicate additional instructions throughout the summer regarding safety measures, procedures, and packing lists. For questions about fall move-in or the residence halls, contact Heather Bateman, VP and Dean of Student Affairs: hbateman@cleary.edu.
Fall 2020 Courses
Cleary University is adopting an early start, early finish approach to fall courses to prevent further spread of COVID-19. All courses, in-person or multi-format, will resume starting August 24, 2020. In-person instruction will end on November 25, 2020. Since many students travel over the Thanksgiving holiday break, we will finish the last three weeks of the semester remotely, to reduce the risk of spreading illness due to travels.
In an effort to meet a variety of health needs and risk levels, Cleary is making available a number of scheduling options to accommodate students with underlying medical conditions; they will be able to attend courses online or in multi-format. We ask that students who are living in residential housing or participating in athletics attend courses on-ground as scheduled.
Events
All campus events will resume on August 1, 2020. Leading up to that date, we will communicate new protocols, safety measures, and procedures. For questions about fall events, contact Heather Hewitt, Director of Food Service: hhewitt@cleary.edu.
Safe Start Task Force
Our Safe Start Task Force is developing safety measures, procedures, and operational guidelines for the 2020-2021 academic year. This group is in charge of implementing strategies to start the semester as safely as possible. We are taking every precaution to ensure students, faculty, and staff are able to return to campus safely. Please review Cleary’s Anticipated Operational Alignment Plan for the coming academic year. These anticipated plans are likely to change as more information is provided by the state of Michigan.
We look forward to welcoming our community back to campus!
Sincerely,
Dr. Emily Barnes
Interim President & CEO/Provost & CAO
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the Vice President and Dean of Student Affairs, Heather Bateman, at hbateman@cleary.edu or by phone at 1-800-686-1883 x1701.
