Recent Program Features

Dear Mavericks,

Happy Friday. Our VaxTrak implementation continues to go well with over 2,200 records in system. Employee vaccination percentage remains strong at 90%; 85% of our student workers, GAs and TAs who have accessed the system also report being fully vaccinated.

Employees utilizing the weekly testing option should continue following Human Resources directions on the testing protocols. Please be aware that the automated message you receive from the Vault system indicates you should stay home while you await your test results – which is their standard template. That message does not apply to you. As Minnesota State employees, our directions have been that you should continue to report to work while you await your test results. If you test positive, you should follow MDH guidelines, call the Campus Reporting Hotline at (507) 389-2030 and report your absence to your supervisor. 

Work continues on the roll out and implementation of the student testing policy. We will continue to share updates on that process as we near the Oct. 4 implementation date.

Mavericks, do you know it has been five weeks since the start of faculty duty days and four weeks since the start of the Fall semester? We have been in community again for over a month, and it is a wonderful thing. I appreciate everyone’s attention to the COVID-19 mitigation strategies so we can continue our in-person experiences in and outside the classroom throughout the academic year. I also appreciate you bringing forward questions or concerns so we can address them globally or individually as appropriate. If you do have questions, please check out our COVID-19 and our Campus Community webpage, or email provost@mnsu.edu.

This weekend, I plan to enjoy many of the Maverick events occurring on campus, including the Maverick volleyball home opener, the Maverick football game against Bemidji State, and the I Am a Camera theatre performance. I also plan to attend an important community event, the 49^th annual Mahkato Wacipi at Land of Memories park. I hope you enjoy the upcoming weekend as well.

Sincerely,

Edward S. Inch
President

Student Body President Reauna Stiff and Vice President Kara Svercl go above and beyond what it means to be a leader and advocate for students at Minnesota State University, Mankato. “The ability to make a real difference on campus is something that I want to do as a person, a student, and as a social work major in preparing for my future career,” says Svercl.

Hardworking and determined leaders, Stiff and Svercl share a passion for student advocacy. Stiff fought social justice issues in high school and continues to do so as a senior here at Minnesota State University, Mankato. In the future, Stiff wants to pursue a career as a civil rights attorney who represents society’s most vulnerable and disenfranchised. Svercl has been an advocate for students with food insecurities and was able to bring a program called Swipe Out Hunger, which provides donated dining hall meals to over 300 needy students. Svercl is a junior here at Minnesota State, Mankato working on her social work and child development degree in hopes to help as many people as she can.

Both Stiff and Svercl have been working tirelessly on a campaign called Back to Basics. As student government leaders, their mission is to ensure students have the basics such as food, water, clothing, and a safe place to live in order to succeed. They have identified three areas of focus this coming year.

The first project is creating an off-campus housing website that is student-centered and student-led. In addition to having a website with pictures, lists, of amenities, and other information to help make a rental decision. They hope to provide a rating system that allows students to rate the cleanliness, security, and responsiveness of off- campus housing rental properties.  

The second project Stiff and Svercl are working hard to finish is creating a student basic needs hub. Building off the momentum of the Maverick Food Pantry. Even though the Maverick Food Pantry has been a huge success in terms of feeding students, it is running out of space due to the max number of students who need food. Therefore, the idea behind this project is to expand it into a hub where students not only get food but also have access to case manager service.

“We know where there is food insecurity, there is strong correlations between lack of transportation, house insecurity, medical needs, or mental health needs,” Svercl stated. “Usually, food insecurity is a symptom to a much larger problem.”

Both Stiff and Svercl want to go into this idea with a holistic approach that will tackle every aspect of a student’s life in order to ensure their success on and off campus here at Minnesota State University, Mankato. 

The third and final project for this Back to Basics campaign is the Student Room and Board Support Fund. Which will establish scholarships for students with the highest need to cover a portion of the room and meal plan on campus. 

Stiff and Svercl’s passion for the students here at Minnesota State University, Mankato is impeccable. Their Back to Basics campaign offers real life ideas that have and will continue to impact many students lives in a very positive way.

Attachments:

• Student Groups for Vaccine Reporting or Testing FAQ
• Proof of Vaccine or Testing

The following decision tree can help students determine where they should report their vaccine status or weekly testing results.

1. Are you a student employee at Minnesota State University, Mankato? If YES, Continue to use the employee VaxTrak system as communicated to you on Sept. 17 to complete the COVID-19 Vaccine Attestation Form. If NO, go to #2.

2. Do you live in a campus residence hall or in Stadium Heights, or participate in any of the following activities?

• Are an admitted student in one of the following programs:
  • Dental Hygiene
  • Speech Language Pathology
  • Nursing
  • Athletic Training
  • Sports Psychology
• Are a member of a Sports Club or participate in indoor intramurals
• Perform in Theatre & Dance Department productions, concerts, or showcases
• Perform in Choral and Music concerts, including the Maverick Machine
• Participate in the Speech & Debate Team
• Have an internship, externship, clinicals or other learning experience at a site or organization that requires a proof of vaccine

If YES, log into your Student e-services account using your StarID and password and click “COVID-19 Attestation” within the left navigation menu options and complete the questions. If NO, go to #3.

3. Are you a student who is enrolled at Minnesota State University, Mankato who does not fit in either of the two previous categories? If YES, then you may submit your proof of vaccine through your Student Health Services Patient Portal account. If NO, then review the two previous categories to see which one you best fit in.

Student Athletes should continue to follow Athletic Department testing and reporting protocols.

We strongly encourage all students to get vaccinated against COVID-19. To that end, all Minnesota State Mankato students who provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination will receive a special Maverick t-shirt and be entered into a drawing for one free semester of tuition and fees. Five (5) students will be selected at the incentive drawings that will occur on Nov. 1 (1 winner), Dec. 1 (2 winners), and Jan. 10 (2 winners). If you do not provide proof of vaccination status, you will not be eligible for the t-shirt or drawing for a semester of free tuition and fees.

More information on how to upload your files, where to go for testing, what happens if you choose not to test, what documentation is accepted, and other frequently asked questions regarding the COVID-19 attestation and testing protocols are included in the attached document. If you have any other questions, please visit our COVID-19 and our Campus Community webpage, or contact student-affairs@mnsu.edu.

Sincerely,

David P. Jones, Ph.D.
Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment Management