Dear UMD Colleagues,
You have likely seen President Gabel's message from yesterday
calling for a systemwide closure of campus at noon on Thursday, June 4.
Thursday marks a somber event in the history of Minnesota and with
George Floyd's memorial we reach the next chapter of a sad and unfolding
story. Many of our colleagues, students, and alumni in Duluth, the Twin
Cities, and elsewhere have been deeply and personally impacted by the
events of the past week. Chancellor Black, the vice chancellors, and I
certainly welcome both President Gabel's prudence and calls for
reflection.
The
UMD campus, including virtual operations, will close at noon today.
Normal operations will resume Friday, June 5 at 5:30 a.m. Like a weather
closure, most employees will not be working after the University closes
at noon today, with the exception for essential employees. Those UMD
employees currently designated as essential under the COVID-19 reduced
operations procedures may stay on campus but I am encouraging you, if
you can work from home and with supervisor approval, to do so and leave
campus at noon.
This
is an important time in our history and we have much work left to do.
To quote Ron Harris, Chief Resilience Officer for the City of
Minneapolis (and UMD alumnus): "We don’t need episodic displays of
compassion. We need lifelong commitments to anti-racism."
Thank you,
Fernando Delgado
Executive Vice Chancellor
