Month: August 2021

RSVP to receive free Spirit Day/Convocation lunch

This year Spirit Day and Convocation are going to be combined into one event held on Sept. 1 beginning at 11 a.m. in the Mall Area. There will be the traditional Mass of the Holy Spirit followed by service awards for employees and the traditional Convocation addresses. The theme for this year is “Living The Legacy,” and CDP Superior General Sister Pearl Cesar will be a keynote speaker.

The Office of the President will be providing lunch, but you must RSVP for the meal. To reserve your free burger meal, you must submit your RSVP by Aug. 27 at noon. Use this link to submit your RSVP: https://forms.office.com/r/iURhrQjAdv

Spirit Day T-Shirts on sale in cafeteria

Spirit Day T-shirts are available for $15 from University Ministry. Staff members will be in the cafeteria during lunchtime each weekday until Spirit Day selling shirts, answering questions and raffling prizes. Shirts also can be purchased in the Elliott House each weekday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or online through this link: https://bit.ly/get2021spiritdayshirts.

For more information, email ministry@ollusa.edu

COVID-19 vaccine/testing update

A special thank you to all who have submitted their COVID-19 vaccine records so far. More than 78% of faculty and 64% of staff have voluntarily submitted vaccine records. Among students, 53% have already submitted their records. Records are still being accepted and can be uploaded through the link below. Students who submit their COVID-19 vaccine record will receive a $100 Amazon.com gift card. Gift cards will be distributed through an Amazon e-link sent to the student’s OLLU email account once vaccine records have been verified. A notice will go out when gift cards are being distributed.

 Submit vaccine record here

All students living in the residence halls have submitted a COVID-19 vaccine record or testing records. Student-athletes also are submitting vaccine or testing records as part of their on-boarding.

Individual notices are going out with information about required testing to all students, faculty and staff who have not submitted COVID-19 vaccine records and who are attending classes, living, working or attending events on campus.

Space reservations and linen requests must be made two weeks ahead of events

The University Events Office reminds everyone that room, space and linen requests must be made at least two weeks in advance of an event.  Events should not be publicized prior to receiving space approval.

Room/space reservations: Please use the Reservation System located under the Events Center on the myOLLU portal. Outdoor space requests should be accompanied by a diagram for set up purposes. Late or last-minute requests will not be approved.

Linen requests: Please use the Online Linen Form located under the Events Center on the myOLLU portal. All requests are due two weeks in advance, and linen needs to be picked up and dropped off at the Durango House. When dropping off, please bag up the linen and place a piece of paper with the Event Name and Date in the bag. 

For any questions, please call 210-431-3974.

University archives receives gift of video from 2008 fire

On Aug. 12, during a special ceremony in the Sueltenfuss Library, the university archives received a gift of video that was taken of the 2008 fire that damaged the roof and fourth floor of Main Building. Xavier Ramirez, a field producer for the Archdiocese of San Antonio and Catholic Television of San Antonio donated the video and still images that he shot on the evening of the fire. The video and images are now part of the OLLU archives which are overseen by the Sueltenfuss Library.

Donor Xavier Ramirez pictured with President Emeritus Sister Jane Ann Slater, CDP; President Diane Melby, EdD, Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller, Library Director Maria Cabaniss, Special Collections Librarian Jason Bourgeois and Director of Sponsored Programs Caitlin Solis.

On the evening of the May 6, 2008 fire, university camera and video equipment was in the Main Building and could not be accessed. As such, the university did not have any images or video of the event that played such a significant part in OLLU’s history. Ramirez, who was in the area on the evening of the fire, drove to campus when he heard about it on a news report and began capturing footage. Immediately following the fire, Ramirez allowed the university to use his images. With this permanent donation to the archives, future generations will have access to the video and still images.

During the Aug. 12 ceremony, OLLU Library Director Maria Cabaniss accepted the gift and thanked Ramirez for the donation. President Diane Melby presented Ramirez with a certificate of appreciation. Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller was present for the ceremony and offered a blessing. OLLU President Emeritus Sister Jane Ann Slater, who was instrumental in securing the donation, also took part in the ceremony.

Despite new Texas law, weapons still not allowed on OLLU campuses

Despite a new Texas handgun law that goes into effect on Sept. 1, weapons are still not allowed on the campuses of Our Lady of the Lake University. Texas House Bill 1927, which goes into effect on Sept. 1, eliminates the requirement for Texas residents to obtain a license to carry a handgun. This new law does not have any impact on the university’s policy which states that weapons are not allowed on campus. To read more about the OLLU policy, please visit https://www.ollusa.edu/consumer-information/policies/campus-carry.html.  

Updated mask requirements

Due to the surge in COVID-19 cases throughout Texas and in an effort to keep our community safe, OLLU is again requiring face coverings/masks for all individuals on our campuses — both vaccinated and unvaccinated.

Face coverings must be worn in classrooms, hallways, meeting spaces and other common areas where unable to isolate in accordance with CDC guidance.

For a list of Frequently Asked Questions about safety measures and requirements, information on reporting COVID diagnosis or close contact, and other OLLU policies associated with the pandemic, please visit the Fall FAQ section of the Saints Strong web pages.

Upload COVID-19 vaccine record

OLLU will begin requiring weekly COVID-19 testing for individuals who have not been vaccinated against the virus. Those who have received the COVID-19 vaccine and voluntarily share their vaccine record with the university will not have to take part in weekly testing. Use the link below to voluntarily upload your record. The link also is available on the Saints Strong section of the university website which can be accessed from the “Coronavirus Updates” banner at the top of the homepage.

 Details on required testing will be shared this week.

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Upload vaccine record here

Special Update from Committee regarding the Mission, Vision, and Core Values

In January, the Mission Review Committee began the process of reviewing Our Lady of the Lake University’s core documents (the Mission Statement, Vision Statement and Core Values). To maintain transparency, the committee would like to inform the OLLU Community of the current status of promising developments.

The Mission Review Committee has been meeting with OLLU constituents (undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff, the President’s Council and the Congregation of Divine Providence) through focus groups to discuss the community’s input on the university’s current core documents since April 2021. The September session for the OLLU Board of Trustees will conclude the process for all focus group constituents. It is with sincere appreciation to all those that participated in the focus group process that the Mission Review Committee gives a heartfelt thanks.

Following the completion of the focus groups, the committee will reconvene in October to compile and organize the results from all nine sessions and hand them over to two esteemed colleagues — Robert Gibbons, PhD, Professor Emeritus, and Candace Zepeda, PhD, Associate Professor of English — for review and editing.

A completed draft of the revised core documents will be presented to President Diane Melby, EdD, and her council by early November. After their review, the statement drafts will then be distributed for comments to the OLLU Faculty Assembly, the Staff Senate, and the OLLU Community.

The final step in the Mission Review Process is to submit all finalized changes for approval. Any changes made to the mission statement must be voted upon and approved by the OLLU Board of Trustees and the governing council of the Congregation of Divine Providence by January 2022.

Questions concerning the Mission Review Process can be addressed to the chair and co-chair of the Mission Review Committee.

Chair – Gloria Urrabazo, Vice President for Mission and Ministry, gaurrabazo@ollusa.edu

Co-Chair – Waheeda Kara, MSW Student Support Specialist, wkara@ollusa.edu