Return to Learn Update, July 6, 2020

I hope everyone had a pleasant holiday weekend. I am writing today in response to questions that have been raised about fall scheduling.

At the most recent faculty town hall, I was asked how it will be determined whether a faculty member teaches a FlexSync classroom in person or remotely. My answer hasn’t changed:

It is our expectation that faculty assigned to teach a FlexSync course will be present in the classroom unless there is a health or other reason why they cannot be physically there. Anyone who has a concern about teaching in a classroom should have a conversation with their dean.

We are committed to the health and safety of our faculty, staff, and students and working to ensure proper protections in the classroom and throughout campus. To that end, we will work to accommodate faculty concerns as much as possible.

At the same time, we need to keep in mind that students have been very clear that they are anxious not to repeat their online experience of the second half of spring semester. This is particularly true of our new entering first-year students who do not want a repeat of their online final semester of high school. It is also important to note that the expectation of faculty presence, and student ability to be, in the classroom will continue to be evaluated throughout the remainder of the summer and into the fall semester with changing COVID-19 conditions.  

I understand this is a frustrating situation.

We all want certainty and clarity about what the fall will look like. We are working every day to try to clarify that picture. Our Return to Learn groups, which include faculty and staff bargaining unit representatives, are working hard and sifting through ever-changing guidance coming down from the Governor's Office, Minnesota Department of Health, the Office of Higher Education and the System Office. Our work groups are providing us with a plan that fits our campus, faculty, staff, and student needs while remaining flexible and allowing us to adapt to changing conditions.

We have seven weeks until fall classes begin. The situation is fluid and evolving daily. We have seen an acceleration in infections in recent weeks.

I’m asking for patience as our planning work progresses and as we adapt to changing circumstances.

If you have questions, ideas, comments, or concerns, please email me at: provost@mnsu.edu.

As always, thank you for everything you do for our students and our university.

Stay safe.

Kind regards,

Matt

Matt Cecil, Ph.D.
Interim Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs