Recent Program Features

Hello from Mankato! We are excited to have you join us this fall.

While the Fall Semester will involve a number of changes in support of health and safety, we intend to provide on-campus students with a great residential living experience. Below are updates you may find helpful.

Room Selection/Assignments

• Students who applied by March 1st will be emailed Room Selection timeslots throughout the day tomorrow. Timeslots will open beginning June 22nd.
• Students who applied after March 1st will be assigned a room beginning mid-July. You can expect an email when you have been assigned to a room.
• Learning Community students will receive room assignments on a rolling basis starting this week. Learning Community students who are unable to live on Learning Community floors may still participate in their LC.

Early Drop-off of Belongings
To support social distancing, students will sign up to drop off their belongings in their residence hall room in the weeks prior to residence hall opening. More info to be provided.

Housing Application Cancellation Deadline
We are extending our cancellation deadline to July 20.

Health & Safety Practices
To support the health & safety of the University community, the University will issue behavioral expectations to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.  These expectations are being developed in conjunction with guidance from the CDC and the MN Department of Health and are expected to include the following:

• Wearing face masks in public spaces
• Social distancing
• Limiting occupancy of public spaces
• Limiting guests in residence hall rooms
• Frequent hand-washing
• Daily individual health screening

More information will be provided when this set of expectations is finalized.

Department of Residential Life | Minnesota State University, Mankato | (507) 389-1011 | reslife@mnsu.edu | www.mnsu.edu/reslife

In order to help keep the campus community safe when the University opens this fall, Cabinet has approved a recommendation to require face masks on campus, based on guidance from Gov. Walz’s Executive Order 20-74 and recommendations from the CDC, which states: 

CDC Guide - Cloth Face Coverings - Require use of cloth face coverings among students, faculty, and staff. Face coverings shall be worn as feasible and are most essential in times when physical distancing is difficult. Individuals should be frequently reminded not to touch the face covering and to wash their hands frequently. Information shall be provided to all students, faculty, and staff on proper use, removal, and washing of cloth face coverings.​

The mask requirement, which applies to anyone on the Mankato campus or at one of our additional locations, including but not limited to students, staff, faculty, contractors, vendors, suppliers and visitors, includes the following protocol:​

• Anyone entering a campus building, including a residence hall, must wear a face mask. ​
• Masks must be worn in all hallways, classrooms, public spaces and common areas, as well as office spaces, if social distancing of six feet is not possible. (When in a dorm room, the wearing of a mask is not required.)
• Face masks are also required in outdoor settings, if safe social distancing and gathering practices are not possible.​
• Individuals may supply their own face masks—but the University will be providing cloth masks to all students, faculty and staff.

More details about expectations and special circumstances related to masks will available in the coming weeks.  

For more information about the Return to Learn initiative, visit www.mnsu.edu/returntolearn.

Dear Students:

As we prepare to welcome you back to campus this fall, we wanted you to know that, in order to help keep the campus community safe, there will be a new requirement for face masks, based on guidance from Gov. Walz’s Executive Order 20-74 and recommendations from the CDC, which states:

CDC Guide - Cloth Face Coverings - Require use of cloth face coverings among students, faculty, and staff. Face coverings shall be worn as feasible and are most essential in times when physical distancing is difficult. Individuals should be frequently reminded not to touch the face covering and to wash their hands frequently. Information shall be provided to all students, faculty, and staff on proper use, removal, and washing of cloth face coverings.

The requirement to wear a face mask applies to anyone on campus, or at any of our additional locations, including but not limited to students, staff, faculty, contractors, vendors, suppliers and visitors, includes the following protocol:​

• Anyone entering a campus building,including a residence hall, must wear a face mask. ​
• Masks must be worn in all hallways, classrooms, public spaces and common areas, as well as office spaces, if social distancing of six feet is not possible. (When in a dorm room, the wearing of a mask is not required.)
• Face masks are also required in outdoor settings, if safe social distancing and gathering practices are not possible.​
• Individuals may supply their own face masks—but the University will be providing a cloth mask to all students, faculty and staff.

More details about Return to Learn COVID-19 preparedness expectations and special circumstances will available in the coming weeks.  

I will continue to send you email updates so you know how the University is preparing for fall and you can find more information about the Return to Learn initiative by visiting www.mnsu.edu/returntolearn.

I look forward to seeing you again in August!

Sincerely,

Richard Davenport,
President

Drawing by Minnesota State University, Mankato student Joshua Lazarus for the COVID-19 Community History Project.