Campus Community Information

These extraordinary circumstances have created new challenges and needs for our students, faculty, staff, and community as a whole. Help is being provided in many ways already.

• To rise to this occasion, we launched the Macalester Student Relief Fund to raise critical support for unanticipated expenses including, but not limited to student transportation and travel, emergency food for students, distance learning materials and fees, and support for lost student employment wages. In less than one month, we surpassed our original goal of $100,000. We’re blown away by our community’s immense generosity during our “phase one” efforts to cover immediate, emergency expenses for our students as they navigated the transition to remote learning. Now that we are farther along in the pandemic, we are moving into “phase two,” when we will strive to meet the ongoing and evolving needs of our community through gifts to the Macalester Fund. Those gifts give us the flexibility to direct support wherever it’s most needed.
• Students in need of assistance can apply to receive funds through the Emergency Aid Program, administered by the Financial Aid office. 
  • MCSG has voted to give $50,000 of student activity fees to the Emergency Aid Program, specifically to aid students who are impacted by the disruptions associated with COVID19.
• The college has made special payments to student workers who are no longer able to complete their work-study and refunded room and dining charges.
• ITS bought and shipped several laptops to students for remote learning, provided students in need with high-speed internet access; and has provided faculty members with laptops. 
• As students’ family circumstances shift as a result of COVID-19, their financial aid needs often increase as well. We anticipate that financial aid needs will continue to increase over the next few years, and are committed to meeting those needs for every Macalester student.
• Every department on campus is reimagining their work and how they can support students remotely. Here’s a taste of what they’re doing:
  • The Division of Student Affairs has created an online virtual hub, connecting students to our work, resources, and to each other. A robust set of events have moved to digital options – including lectures, student org events, and Springfest – and there are many more to come.
  • The Library team is exploring access to digital versions of book and video resources, offering virtual consultation to help students with their research, and providing virtual support and answering questions around the clock. 
  • Career Exploration has moved all operations online, including virtual events and panels. Students are also able to make a Zoom or phone appointment with any of our counselors.
  • Entrepreneurship and Innovation is reimagining their summer programs – MacNest and MacStartups, in a virtual format. 
  • The Center for Religious and Spiritual Life has focused on delivering a community touchpoint through our Daily Community Grounding Moment, a daily 20-minute practice that includes ritual, silence, reflection, conversation, and teaching of a sustaining practice.
  • Admissions created an online experience for the class of 2024. This includes virtual tours and online programming.
  • A Remote Teaching and Learning website was launched with resources and tips for moving Macalester courses online.