Message from President Armacost, July 10, 2020
Please watch my video.
Dear UND Campus Members,
Recent national trends with the COVID-19 pandemic show a marked increase in the number of new cases. Although North Dakota still has a low infection rate, we have also seen a significant increase in the number of cases over the last week.
The North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, in its May meeting, took a position to ensure each of our 11 member schools returned to on-campus classes this fall, and to do so with your safety as our #1 priority. In five short weeks, we welcome back to campus 13,000 students, faculty, and staff, and our collective efforts and individual behaviors will drive how our campus will be impacted by the virus.
UND has been well-prepared to implement a return-to-campus plan, as our Pandemic Working Group has been in full swing since March 11. This group has met daily under the leadership of Jed Shivers, Vice President for Finance & Operations; Jen Berger, Emergency Operations Director; and Eric Plummer, Associate Vice President for Public Safety and Chief of Police. The team has broad representation across campus, and our faculty, staff, and Student Senate leaders join the working group once a week for input, questions, and updates. Together, this team has developed a comprehensive set of guidelines that should reduce the risk of disease transmission on our campus.
We will continue to monitor both national and local trends in COVID-19 spread, to test aggressively, and to adjust our campus risk level according to key leading indicators, as shown on our Healthy Hawks restart site. Our campus protection measures have been more aggressive than what we have seen across the state, and that will continue. When we universally practice physical distancing, wear face coverings, avoid crowds, and practice good hand hygiene, we keep each other safe and protect the most vulnerable among us. This relies upon your actions and encouraging your peers and colleagues to do the same.
As we prepare for these physical changes to our campus life, we must fully recognize the emotional and mental impact of what we’ve been through. We have had limited social interactions with our friends and families for four months. Many are trying your very best to balance work or school life with family life. Those with school-aged kids have somehow managed this balance, serving both as a UND team member and as a full-time educator to one or more children. Those with aging or sick family members in their homes have had to live under extreme caution as they try their very best to keep their homes free from COVID-19. For many families, the long-term financial uncertainty heightens stress levels.
For those seeking additional support during this time, a general list of resources can be found within our Healthy Hawks resources page. For faculty and staff, let me draw your attention to our Employee Assistance Program, a great avenue for support. Our students should reach out to Student Health Services, to One Stop Student Services, or to the University Counseling Center, depending on your needs.
Together, we must look out for each other. Let me encourage supervisors to work closely with each of your members to address their concerns and to check on their well-being during this tough time. If you haven’t already done so, make sure your team members take well-deserved leave, as the pace will start picking up in the days leading up to the start of the fall semester. Our students will be returning to campus after a significant break, so let me call on faculty and staff to pay close attention to their needs.
Finally, in the wake of recent policy changes impacting our international students, you must know how important you are to our UND community. The International Center is a great resource for you, and they will continue to keep you updated on news we hear from around the country.
Your homework assignment this weekend is to call a colleague whom you haven’t seen since March, just to see how they are doing. The support we give each other is critical. Let’s work hard to keep each other safe while we learn and discover.
Andy Armacost
UND President
Links
Heathy Hawks: http://blogs.und.edu/coronavirus/
Healthy Hawks Resource Page: http://blogs.und.edu/coronavirus/resources/
Employee Assistance: https://www.thevillagefamily.org/ (800) 627-8220
Student Health Services: https://und.edu/student-life/student-health/
One Stop Student Services: https://und.edu/one-stop/
University Counseling Center: https://und.edu/student-life/counseling-center/index.html
