Nearing the End of the Semester

Greetings families,

As you may know, typically this week is marked by one of the hallmarks of spring: the Boston Marathon/Patriots’ Day. For those of you who know the Boston Marathon, at about mile 20, runners begin an ascent up Heartbreak Hill — one of the most difficult stretches of the race. It comes at a point when many are tiring and must dig deep to reach the finish line just a few more miles away. That feels like an appropriate description for where we are in the semester. It has been tough and occasionally painful, and of course we have a little more to go, but the finish line of the semester is in sight. We are less than a week from the last day of classes (April 28) and just over two weeks until the end of finals (May 7).

As we approach the finish line, we know it is stressful for students and this unsettling time increases that anxiety. Please remember that we are here: Our NEST program, counseling center and all of our faculty and staff. Please do not hesitate to reach out if we can be of assistance.

The spring 2020 credits and financial aid adjustments will start posting to student accounts today, Wednesday, April 22. Please note that this process requires over 12,000 transactions and will take all day to complete. Reviews will be conducted today and tomorrow to ensure the accuracy of the credits. The amounts will be finalized and students and parents should view the accounts and, if applicable, request an online refund starting on Friday, April 24. More details are available here in the Financial Questions section of the Frequently Asked Questions for Students on the COVID-19 page of our website.

Many of you have also asked about Bentley’s plans for the fall semester. Since the beginning of March, President Davis-Blake and the Cabinet have held daily meetings to review the latest state and federal policies, guidelines and recommendations. We have also used these meetings for careful and deliberate conversations about what learning and campus life at Bentley will look like in the future. Our focus remains on providing the best learning experience possible for our students given the realities of this global health crisis. Goal number one has been getting through the end of this semester, and we’re almost there. In the weeks ahead, we will continue to keep you updated on important decisions and plans for the fall. Though the end of the semester is in sight, we will continue these updates for parents into the summer and beyond.

Last week, I promised an update from our Pulsifer Center for Career Development. We will have that for you in the coming weeks. Please know the Center is open and staff are available to assist your student.

Andrew

J. Andrew Shepardson
Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Students