The autumn Rome class of the opening fair 2021 in the Ampitheater on the Rome campus. Photo courtesy of Vasile Chiriac.
The University of Dallas Rome program has started for the fall class of 2021.
The hard work of Dr. Peter Hatlie, Vice President, Dean and Director of the Rome Program, has made a significant contribution to the brilliant success of the new semester.
His passion for the Rome program and his extensive knowledge of the Italian authority process enabled the semester to start almost seamlessly. Before the students landed in Rome, he was able to navigate Italian law and formulate an arrival schedule that would enable students to jump into the Rome experience right away.
“We have always seen this as imperative to get students back into school and into class,” Hatlie said.
As a UD textualist, he stated that the key to dealing with the Italian authorities inside and outside the COVID-19 environment is reading the fine print.
“What I’ve learned most of all is that you have to read every law very, very carefully, and since I’m the one in charge, I read the texts,” said Hatlie. “You need to understand how much freedom you will have and how much limitation you will have.”
Hatlie was in constant communication throughout the summer not only with the authorities of the Ministry of Health, but also with students and parents, wrote three letters and hosted a town hall on August 6 through Zoom.
On August 9, the Italian government decreed that a “Green Pass” is required for all travelers. As defined by the Italian government, a “Green Pass” is either proof of vaccination against COVID-19 since March 20, 2021 or proof of recovery from COVID-19 since June 20.
For incoming students, this meant obtaining an official CDC vaccination card or medical form documenting their recovery from COVID-19.
Max Valentine, a sophomore biology student, had not recovered from COVID-19 in the required time frame and initially did not plan to receive the vaccine. However, when the Green Pass became mandatory, he decided it would be worth it.
“When I found out what Dr. Hatlie had planned for the semester, and the fact that the vaccine that would travel through Italy and Europe would be basically normal I thought it would be worth it, ”said Valentine.
In accordance with Italian law and based on Hatlie’s research, the students were divided into two groups during the first five days at Due Santi. Those who received the vaccine after August 20 were quarantined and occupied half the campus, ate after the rest of the students, and took classes exclusively in one of the two classrooms, the Aula Minore.
Valentine was one of the quarantined students because he couldn’t get his second dose before the deadline. However, he reported that the precautions were necessary and that the brief separation was worth it.
“Of course it was shitty at first to see everyone else go out and see Rome, but to be honest, it was great fun hanging out on campus. I mean, we live on a winery in Italy, man, ”said Valentine. “Staying on campus for five days so we can all go out was definitely worth it.”
After a second round of testing on the sixth day, the quarantines were free, and the next day everyone left for their first class trip to Cerveteri, an Etruscan archaeological site, followed by a swim in the Mediterranean.
Since then, unhindered by the virus, school trips to Rome, Nemi, Campania and more have been made.
“Hatlie really pulled one out of his hat,” joked Sam Bryant, 24. “I don’t know what we’d do without this man.”
Under Hatlie’s leadership, along with the tireless work of the Office of Student Affairs and Due Santi’s staff, UD has built a reputation for pioneering the COVID-19 era.
The UD was one of the few universities to open its study abroad program in Europe in the spring semester and was recently commended by the National Catholic Register for its professional and effective management of the study abroad program in a September 16 article.
To date there have been no active cases and only one confirmed positive for the entire semester.
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