Fall Semester Update, UMD Sunrise Plans, COVID Dashboard

 Dear Faculty and Staff,

A few updates for you as we round out yet another busy week. 

Fall 2020

We have been actively monitoring peer institutions around the country as they have moved students to campus and begun fall semester classes in recent weeks. We have watched as many schools have experienced COVID-19 outbreaks, and we are closely reviewing their response, in conjunction with our local data to make our decisions with better information. With full appreciation for the extra work our two-week delay caused and the uncertainty it created, it is incredibly helpful for us to see actual data rather than projections as we finalize our own Fall 2020 plan and stay focused on the health and safety of all students, faculty, and staff.

As was noted in the Board of Regents discussion last Monday, we hope to have clarity on our plan for moving forward around September 4.

Sunrise Plans and Working From Home

On Wednesday, August 26, University of Minnesota System Interim Vice President for Human Resources Ken Horstman, sent all of us a communication with updates regarding the System’s Sunrise Plans. There have been questions from UMD faculty and staff about how this communication impacts the Sunrise Plans we already have in place at UMD. The UMD Sunrise Plans that have been approved remain in effect.

Mr. Horstman indicates the Governors' executive orders directing Minnesotans to work from home if able to do so remain in place. While the State and the University have allowed a number of individuals to return to the workplace when needed, UMD employees who can work from home should continue working from home unless your UMD unit’s Sunrise Plan requires you to work on campus. If you are working on campus through an approved Sunrise Plan, you should continue to do so. Please visit with your supervisor if you have questions or concerns about that plan or about working on campus. 

COVID-19 Campus Dashboards

Earlier today all five campuses published the first iteration of an online COVID-19 dashboard (UMD's COVID dashboard). As we collect more data in the weeks ahead, you will see enhancements that will help illustrate trend lines, as well as other information that will provide some perspective on our student community. 

There are significant limitations to these data. For the Duluth campus, our data are limited to what is collected at UMD Health Services, just one of more than 250 testing sites around the state. Due to federal patient privacy laws (HIPAA), the University does not know the test results for Duluth students, faculty, or staff that seek testing at any other facility. Testing data for these other testing sites are reported to the Minnesota Department of Health and would appear in the county data on the MDH COVID page. 

Thank you for your patience and dedication to UMD. I particularly appreciate all the work done to prepare for the fall semester, while balancing shifting plans and homelife. Working from home can have advantages, but many of us miss seeing each other in person, interacting with our students and colleagues, enjoying a laugh, and supporting each other in ways that are difficult to do from a distance. I am hopeful those days will come again soon.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Fall Semester Starting Online; Move-in Delayed

 Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

 
The Board of Regents met this morning and approved University of Minnesota System President Joan Gabel’s proposed adjustments to the fall semester. As I mentioned in my message to you on Friday, this is a difficult decision and a decision made with the health and safety of our campus community at the forefront. 

With the Board of Regents approval today of President Gabel’s recommendation:

• We will start the semester as scheduled on August 31, but primarily through online and remote instruction. 
• We will follow the University of Minnesota plan and pause move-in for our residential students for at least two weeks.

With support from the University of Minnesota System public health experts, we are constantly monitoring the data, following public health guidance, and watching what is happening in our communities and at other institutions of higher education across the country. I know that you have many questions. Campus leadership is working diligently to address them and communicate answers as they become available.

I am very thankful to the faculty and staff who have prepared for fall and continue to adapt to this changing environment. I am also thankful for a very engaged UMD community. I have heard from many of you, and I appreciate your comments and passion for our campus. While I can’t predict what the future holds, I do promise that we will do all we can to examine the scenarios in front of us, keep you informed, and find the best way forward.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Postponed: Chancellor's Welcome for All Staff and Faculty, Monday, August 24, 2020

 Dear Faculty and Staff,

This is a quick reminder that the Welcome for all Faculty and Staff scheduled for this morning is postponed due to the special Board of Regents meeting related to the fall semester start.  I will reschedule our welcome soon and will communicate more information as it becomes available.  If you have questions, please submit them on this Google form.

Thank you and stay well.

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Potential Adjustments to the Start of the Fall 2020 Semester

 Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

 
Today, you received an email from University of Minnesota System President Joan Gabel, regarding the upcoming fall semester and some proposed changes that will go to the Board of Regents this coming Monday, August 24. It is important to remember that any adjustments to our approach for fall are not final until Board of Regents members provide input and take action.  

As President Gabel noted, the COVID-19 pandemic brings many challenges and uncertainties to our world, and the impact of the pandemic continues to expand. Our priority from the beginning of this pandemic has been to continue to provide our students with quality educational opportunities while doing all we can to ensure the health and safety of our campus community. UMD staff and faculty have worked hard to prepare our campus for the return of students. We are following all Minnesota Department of Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance, and I believe our campus is at least as safe as most public spaces.

We are constantly monitoring the situation and the data around it, working closely with public health experts, and watching what is happening at other institutions of higher education. Given everything we are facing and the increasing threat of the pandemic, President Gabel is proposing to the Board of Regents:

• A pause of at least two weeks on move-in for our residential students.
• Starting the semester as scheduled on August 31, but primarily through online and remote instruction. 

At present the approach should not alter the academic calendar for the fall semester, but I acknowledge that this sudden change alters the instructional plans for some faculty. Executive Vice Chancellor Delgado will be working with the academic units and Information Technology Systems and Services to support this transition.

If the Board of Regents approves President Gabel’s proposal, we will not be able to reopen on-campus residence halls and apartments as scheduled. Some residential spaces will still be open for students who need to be there in order to continue their online course work. Housing and Residence Life will communicate more information to students next week. Campus will still be open in several areas to support students. 

I am extremely grateful to all of you who continue to work tirelessly and adapt to this continuously evolving situation. This is not the way we wanted to start the semester and I share in your disappointment. I regret that this change is happening now with little time for us to prepare and adjust. We ask that faculty scheduled to teach in all or some face-to-face modality assess how to migrate to a remote or online delivery for at least the first two weeks of instruction. We ask that staff in areas associated with move-in activities assess changes that are needed in programming.

Due to the Board of Regents meeting on Monday morning, I am postponing the Faculty and Staff Welcome that was scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday. I will reschedule this soon to keep you informed and will communicate more information as it becomes available. 

I am constantly impressed by the persistence, determination, and grit of our UMD community. We will get through this. 

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Reminder: Chancellor's Welcome for All Staff and Faculty, Monday, August 24, 2020

 Dear Faculty and Staff,

This is a reminder to please join me virtually on Monday, August 24 at 10:00 a.m. for our annual faculty and staff welcome. The event link found here will be live on Monday morning.

I'd like to take time during this session to answer questions that you and others may have. Please submit those on this Google form by noon on Friday, August 21.

I wish we could meet together for our usual start of the semester breakfast. For those of you who are on campus next week, please stop by Northern Shores Coffee Shop on Monday, August 24 or Tuesday, August 25 between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. for a complimentary cup of coffee, provided by UMD Catering.

Thank you and stay well.

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor 

Title IX Coordinator

 Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,

You may be aware that recent federal legislation requires several changes in the ways colleges and universities handle Title IX issues. At the Board of Regents meeting on July 30, the Board approved the University of Minnesota’s plan for meeting the new requirements, which need to be in place by August 14, 2020. One change in the federal requirements is a more prescriptive determination of who can and cannot serve as a university’s Title IX Coordinator.

Unfortunately, this new requirement prevents Vice Chancellor for Student Life and Dean of Students Dr. Lisa Erwin from continuing her service in this role. Because she is in the line of decision making for student issues, she can no longer serve as the coordinator.  

Dr. Erwin has done an outstanding job as UMD’s Title IX Coordinator and has made many contributions locally and nationally to Title IX related policies and practices. I appreciate her ongoing service, dedication, and advocacy to matters related to Title IX.

Dr. Jennifer Mencl has agreed to serve as UMD’s Title IX Coordinator for one year while we evaluate the new UMD policies and procedures required by the Federal Government. Dr. Mencl’s new duties are in addition to her continued assignment as Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Effectiveness.

Please join me in thanking Dr. Erwin for her service as Title IX Coordinator and expressing our appreciation to Dr. Mencl for assuming this additional responsibility.

Sincerely,

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Resources and Updates for Fall Semester

 Dear Colleagues,

I hope you are well and doing your best to manage the rapid changes and uncertainty we are all facing. With just a few short weeks before the start of the fall semester, I want to provide you with the latest pandemic-related information and resources. We share information like this to keep you well-informed and to help you navigate situations we are all likely to experience this fall.
 
Resource Guides
Please take time to review this guide regarding what faculty and staff should do if a student is exposed, shows symptoms, or tests positive for COVID-19. If you have questions about this guide, please contact vcsl@d.umn.edu.

Understanding that there may be individuals who do not comply with the expected health and safety measures on campus, Student Life created this useful guide of strategies for encouraging compliance with face coverings to help you navigate those situations. 

Face Covering Distribution
All faculty, staff, and students will be provided two cloth face masks. These maroon and gold masks can be washed and reused. Faculty and staff will receive their masks in the mail in the next couple of weeks. Face shields will be distributed to face-to-face instructors and frontline staff who may need a shield to facilitate communication. Cloth mask distribution for students will happen around campus beginning August 24 at various distribution sites.   

Class Modality
As a quick update to the modality of classes being offered this fall, right now about 47% of undergraduate classes and 49% of graduate classes are either in-person or blended. Along with that, 80% of undergrads and 61% of graduate students have at least one in-person or blended class on campus. These numbers will fluctuate as students make changes to their class schedules over the next month.

Campus Access
Effective August 17, campus buildings will go back to their normal access hours of 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.

International Travel
The international restriction for all university travel by students, faculty, and staff has been extended to November 20, 2020. Domestic travel by staff or faculty using personal or fleet services vehicles is allowed, but faculty and staff domestic air travel for university purposes is discouraged unless absolutely necessary.

We strongly encourage all students, faculty, and staff considering travel, whether for work, study, or personal reasons, to explore the travel resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as well as your selected airline.

On-going Resources:

• UMD Return to Campus Website
• • Faculty and staff COVID resource page
  • FAQs
• ITSS Keep Working, Teaching, and Learning
• Office of Human Resources Workplace Guidance for COVID-19

As we continue to respond to life during COVID-19, many of us are experiencing unusual stress caused by health concerns, uncertainty about what comes next, and factors that are out of our control. I encourage you to take care of yourself and please continue to support one another. Take advantage of University resources as you need them. As indicated by the several communications you have received, we have plans in place to assist you, but there may be gaps. Please share with me or the Vice Chancellors what we are missing to help you have the best possible experience in these difficult times.

Thank you for your continued dedication to UMD and our students. 

Sincerely, 

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor

Chancellor's Welcome for All Staff and Faculty, Monday, August 24, 2020

Dear Faculty and Staff,

While precautions around COVID-19 keep us physically distanced, I ask you to join me and our colleagues virtually on Monday, August 24 at 10:00 a.m. for our annual faculty and staff welcome.   

Please mark your calendars and watch for a link to join closer to the date.

Thank you and stay well.

Lendley C. Black
Chancellor