Dear Faculty and Staff,
We are almost done with finals week and the semester. For me this year, every day and each activity feels like a final capstone as I near retirement.
Commencement
I am looking forward to our in-person commencement celebrations this Saturday at Amsoil Arena. Seeing students complete the journey towards their degree is always a rewarding experience. Commencement is a day filled with joy, reflection, and appreciation. You can hear and see the excitement of our graduates in this video from the recent Kirby Commencement activities. This year, we are also welcoming back graduates from the 2020 and 2021 academic years, when we held a virtual program.
Congratulations to the students who are graduating this year. You have succeeded under immeasurably challenging circumstances, and I am thrilled to see your hard work come to fruition.
COVID
We’ve been through a lot this last year, but thanks to your diligence and enormous effort, the academic year has been successful. I am so grateful for all you have done to promote continued learning, wellness, and the protection of our community through high vaccination rates and other steps to keep yourself and those around you healthy.
While COVID-19 case numbers are currently low, we must not let our guard down completely. Please take a few moments to remind yourself of the basic but important steps that have proven to be effective in minimizing the impacts of COVID-19:
- Stay up to date on vaccines and boosters. It is the best protection you can have,
- Get tested. Appointments are available for students at Health Services. At-home tests are also available for free from the U.S. government and the state,
- Stay home if you are sick,
- Wear masks where they are required, or anywhere else you wish.
I am pleased to report that we have created a new ombuds position. This position is a designated neutral or impartial practitioner whose major function is to provide confidential and informal assistance to UMD faculty and staff. The search for the position is now underway and can be found online with job ID 346495.
Thank you for everything you do for UMD. I wish you all a wonderful conclusion to the spring semester and start to the summer.
Sincerely,
Lendley C. Black
Chancellor
