Message from the Dean
October has arrived. Hopefully, a very active hurricane season is drawing to a close.
The University mostly avoided severe damage from the storms; surrounding counties
were not so lucky. The disruptions from the winds and rains necessitated unexpected
closures in September. All in all, we were fortunate.
The non-normal semester is beginning to wind down. Classes will end with finals scheduled
for the end of next month. I applaud the efforts of the campus community in maintaining
social distancing, wearing masks, and all of the other measures needed to keep the
pandemic relatively in check. Less than 300 students, faculty, and staff have been
diagnosed with the virus since classes started. The number of infections on our campus
is significantly below the number at many of our peer institutions. Again, the care
taken by our students is a prime driver of our success.
The University is planning to follow a similar academic model in the spring including
online, hybrid, and traditional classes. All class lectures will continue to be made
available online. Academic and organization campus meetings will be scheduled via
Zoom and visitors to campus will continue to be limited.
We opened the new on-campus football stadium last month. It is a great place to watch
college football. Its presence takes the campus to a whole new level. Located on the
west side of campus, it is within easy walking difference from student dorms and Greek
houses. Make sure that you attend a game when things return to normal.
Speaking of sports, the women’s golf team is led by four Mitchell College of Business
students. Julie Hovland, a Mitchell College junior, was medalist in two of the first
three tournaments. We are planning to feature the women’s golf team in this fall’s
Mitchell Magazine. To join our magazine mailing list, please email Emmy Rieske at
rieske@southalabama.edu.
Look for more information on the coming Mitchell Magazine issue and other Mitchell
College news in next months Mitchell Report. Until then…
Bob G. Wood