Our Day of Caring - Friday, October 21

Dear students and colleagues,
 
As you know, next Friday, October 21, is our designated Day of Caring for our community. I invite all of you to participate in a variety of programs and gatherings intended to allow time and space for self-care. We all have different ways of caring for ourselves and those around us, so the program will offer a range of opportunities to explore well-being, growth, and connection with one another.
 
The full schedule of on-campus and virtual events will be published later today on the Office of the President's website.
 
I encourage you to do whatever feels right for you on that day, whether it's joining a walk around Occom Pond, finding out about wellness resources, gathering on the Green for lunch and a chat, or spending time on your own for private reflection. Ultimately, The Day of Caring is a day for you.
 
As our community has been navigating a difficult time, taking a break and making time for yourself is important.
 
So, we will be pausing our regularly scheduled activities on October 21 to allow everyone to experience The Day of Caring in their own way. Classes will be suspended for the day, and we ask that all other activities, including meetings, be rescheduled. We understand that there may be a few previously planned activities that simply must continue, especially events involving outside visitors, planned travel, and other essential time-sensitive projects. In those instances, we ask that supervisors and event organizers be as flexible as possible in allowing students, faculty, and staff to take this time for their well-being.
 
We're hopeful that this day will give us all a chance for rest, reflection, healing and renewal and open the door to future discussions about how we can continue to build a supportive community while caring for ourselves and one another.
 
Warm regards,
 
Phil Hanlon '77