A Message from President Messitte Regarding Coronavirus
Dear Ripon College community,
I want to update you about our planning to ensure the health and safety of the College community in light of the global spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This is a fast-moving public health issue and we are monitoring the situation closely.
As a proactive measure, we have convened a small task force that includes members of the Administrative Council along with staff from marketing and communications, campus safety, information technology and health services to provide timely and relevant information to our community and make informed decisions. We have already been in touch with the Fond du Lac County Health Department and will follow necessary precautions and recommendations as outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
In consultation with the faculty trip leaders (Professors Diane Mockridge and Travis Nygard) and the travel advisories issued by the United States Department of State and the CDC, we have canceled the “Old Italy, New Italy” Liberal Arts In Focus course to Rome scheduled for May. Appropriate communications have been made with students impacted by the cancellation. At this point, no decisions have been made about other Ripon-led study-abroad programs scheduled for the spring.
Students, faculty and staff planning international (or domestic) travel during spring break are encouraged to actively monitor advisories. Travel requiring re-entry to the United States from areas that have been impacted may be problematic given the unpredictable nature of the situation.
Should the need arise, we will post significant updates related to the Coronavirus that might impact the College on our website.
Further resources and assistance are available through the following outlets:
- Ripon College Health Services
- Ripon Medical Center
- Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Coronavirus
- U.S. Department of State, Current Outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Coronavirus Disease 2019
- World Health Organization, Coronavirus
- Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Health Security
We will continue to monitor this evolving situation and keep the community informed as to the latest developments that may impact the college. My thanks to all staff, faculty and administration for their efforts to keep our community safe and informed.
Zach Messitte
President
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