Dear students, faculty, and staff,
As we near Thanksgiving break, we reach another turning point in the
semester. In addition, positive cases of COVID-19 continue to rise and
put unprecedented demands on our healthcare systems. I urge each of you
to continue to take measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19.
COVID-Related Updates
As noted in today’s email from University of Minnesota System President Joan Gabel, learning and research will continue under Governor Walz’s updated COVID restrictions.
As planned, our fall semester in-person instruction will conclude on
Wednesday, November 25. Classes that were in-person or blended will
resume via remote learning on November 30 (unless otherwise approved).
Please contact your instructor if you have specific questions about your
course.
With the current COVID precautions, we will implement some further adjustments to our campus operations.
- We ask all of you to stay at home as much as possible and limit your movement and interactions with others.
- The library will close and change to mail delivery or pick-up service of materials through the Darland mailroom starting this Saturday. Watch the library website for more information.
- Housing exterior doors will remain locked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, starting on November 26 and extending through the remainder of the fall semester and winter break. Housing and Residence Life will move back to step one of the Sunrise plan effective Sunday, November 29, with one exception. During the duration of the current pause under the Governor’s executive order, step one will not include indoor recreational facilities.
- RSOP programming and facilities (including the fitness center, gym, and pool) will be closed for use at the end of Friday, tentatively reopening January 4. The Rental Center (for outdoor recreational equipment) will remain open for curbside pickup. We encourage you to stay active and healthy on your own, to include taking advantage of RSOP’s virtual offerings.
- Children's Place on campus remains open and is compliant with the Governor’s current orders. Preschool in the Park (Chester) remains closed (and has been since early fall).
- Tweed Museum of Art is closed and Glensheen Mansion will close starting Saturday.
Also, just a brief reminder that COVID testing is available through your healthcare provider, community testing sites,
UMD Health Services (for UMD students, by appointment), and through our
mail-in saliva testing program. The mail-in saliva tests must be
requested by December 17.
Honoring Native American Heritage Month
November is Native American Heritage Month, and we acknowledge that the
University of Minnesota Duluth is built on the traditional, ancestral,
and contemporary lands of Indigenous peoples. It is important to
acknowledge the peoples on whose land we live, learn, and work as we
seek to improve and strengthen relations with the tribal nations of
Minnesota. Through a collaborative effort and with endorsement by the
Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, we are pleased to share our land acknowledgment.
I also want to recognize and thank our Native American students,
faculty, staff, and community members for their many contributions to
the University. We will continue to meet, collaborate, and consult to
ensure that we are increasing access to all aspects of higher education
for our Native American students, staff, faculty, and community members
and fulfilling our mission to serve all people of Minnesota.
Thank you for your continued support of UMD and to all members of our campus community.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
