The fall semester at Southwestern Michigan College in both Dowagiac and Niles is rapidly approaching, and the institution has announced that they are moving to Phase 3 of their Campus Reopening Plan this weekend in preparation for it.
Offices on both campuses in Dowagiac and Niles will be open to students, employees and the public during regular business hours of 8 am-5 pm beginning next Monday, August 31st. Business will also continue remotely for those who prefer that option to complete fall registration, and classes will begin a week later on Tuesday, September 8th.
School officials remind everyone that masks are required on campus. COVID-19 protocols such as distancing and sanitizing remain in effect. All students, faculty and staff will check in daily with a symptom-screening app.
Residential students begin moving into Jerdon, White and McKenzie halls in phases between this Sunday, August 30th, and Friday, September 4th, during Welcome Week.
The Fred L. Mathews Library will reopen on Monday, August 31st from 9 am-5 pm after being closed since mid-March. Normal hours effective September 8th will run from 8 am-9 pm Monday-Thursday, and 8 am-5 pm on Fridays.
Campus Bookstore hours will run from 9 am-5 pm Monday-Thursday and 9 am-3 pm on Fridays.
The lobby and game room of the Student Activity Center (SAC) will be available to those with a valid college ID, while the Zollar Café will be open for limited service starting the first day of classes.
The Fitness Center, pools, gymnasium, fitness studio and locker rooms will remain closed until further notice, per current restrictions for the region in Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s MI Safe Start Plan.
Most Welcome Week events take place virtually to help Roadrunners meet other students and staff, engage in campus life and locate available resources while keeping everyone safe and healthy.
Student services departments — First Year Experience (FYE), Residence Life, the Testing Center, Financial Aid, the Bookstore, Records, Academic Advising and Resource Center (AARC), SAC, Help Desk, Library/Carole A. Tate Teaching and Learning Center and Business and English/Communications faculty —participate in Passport, a three-day virtual campus adventure. Checking in with each department could win one of two $500 scholarships for the Spring of 2021.
There will be a Mental Health Virtual Townhall to meet campus counselor Candyce Buysse, an online eSports tournament, an online New Student Convocation, an online workout and a Virtual Townhall with President Dr. Joe Odenwald.
September 2nd and 3rd will feature the first-ever Roadrunner Run, a digital one-mile fun run. Participants are invited to take a selfie while completing a mile on or off campus, and all participants will receive medals.
Capping Welcome Week activities on September 4th will be a burger/hot dog take away from the SAC patio before an outdoor movie projected on a large screen in the intramural field, with lawn games and other activities available. “Pitch Perfect” won a summer bracket tournament as the students’ choice, edging out “Good Will Hunting” in the championship round.
Campus Life staff developed a series of videos to view any time, including a guided tour of the trails for running or mountain biking, low-cost tips to spice up such college staples as ramen and frozen pizza with Zollar Café’s Jocelyne Tuszynski, Branden Pompey’s stroll around downtown Dowagiac and Professor Dr. Mary Young-Marcks’ voter registration primer. Videos can be viewed at this link: https://www.swmich.edu/welcomeweek
The latest information and all documents pertaining to SMC’s plans and COVID-19 response are available at this link: https://www.swmich.edu/coronavirus
