Babson Community Coronavirus Update

Writer

Kait Smith Lanthier

Kait Smith Lanthier is the Director, Content Strategy at Babson College and the Managing Editor of Babson Thought & Action. Her writing has appeared in print and online in a variety of outlets including USA Today, Yahoo Shine, YourTango, CosmoGirl, and First for Women magazine. Smith earned her undergraduate degree in journalism and graduate degree in integrated marketing, both from Marist College.

March 27, 2020

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“The world has thrust upon the Babson community a great challenge.”

President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD

By the Numbers

Nearly 650 classes brought online
65 boxes of gloves, 100 pairs of used goggles, and 40 pairs of new goggles donated to MEMA
24/7: Public Safety’s commitment to protecting and supporting the Babson community

Community Updates

Commencement has been postponed. “We understand the disappointment this has caused you and hear your desire to have a voice in the decisions surrounding celebrating your achievements,” said President Spinelli in an email to the community. “While there is no definitive date for when we will host a graduation ceremony, and no decisions about what it will look like, our goal is to find a way to celebrate together, surrounded by the people who supported us and enriched our Babson experience.”

Members of the community are asked to share their ideas for innovative and safe ways to recognize the class of 2020—both virtually and in person—by emailing classof2020@babson.edu or by completing a form on the Babson website by April 3.

Undergraduate grading policy. For the spring 2020 semester, undergraduate students can opt to either continue to earn letter grades for courses, or select any or all courses to be taken using pass-fail grades. Ian Lapp, dean of the undergraduate school, detailed the decision—and the steps students must take to indicate their preferences—in an email on March 26.

Fiscal outlook. In a March 24 email, President Spinelli, Provost Mark Rice, and Chief Administrative Officer Katherine Craven P’22 outlined the College’s fiscal outlook. The email outlined a phased approach to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. “With your teamwork, shared sacrifice, and collaboration, we will manage the finances of Babson College through this crisis to mitigate long-term harm.”

Full details on all community updates can be found at babson.edu/coronavirus.

Related Reading: At Community Forum, Babson Looks Ahead »

Resources and Support

A Virtual Campus website launched on Monday. The site is a collection of resources, policies, and tools students need in Babson’s online environment. Visit babson.edu/virtualcampus.

A Focus on Facts. Assistant Professor David Blodgett created a video to inform the community of the importance of social distancing, the dangers our health care system could face, and statistics surrounding the Coronavirus outbreak.

WELLBEATS launches. Babson Athletics and Recreation is now offering hundreds of online fitness classes to students, faculty, and staff via WELLBEATS. Through the virtual fitness center, members of the Babson community can participate in a variety of classes, including cycling, shadow boxing, and yoga.

Messages from Faculty. On the evening before the first day of online classes, faculty members sent students messages of support.

On Wednesdays, We (Still) Wear Green. Keep the tradition alive and show your support for the Babson community by wearing green on Wednesday and sharing a photo on social media using #OWWWG #alwaysBabson.