Recent Program Features

Good morning,

With six weeks until classes begin in the fall, I wanted to update you on the fall planning that is taking place.

While the start of the school year feels like it is just around the corner, it’s important to note that six weeks is a very long time when we are in the midst of a pandemic. The planning we have done to date is focused on remaining flexible and ready to adapt to changing pandemic conditions. Every decision we have made is re-evaluated continuously as new guidance comes to us from the System Office, the Minnesota Department of Health, and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

I encourage everyone to take a look at our campus COVID-19 Preparedness Plan recently posted on the Return to Learn web site. Here is a direct link to the document:

https://mankato.mnsu.edu/about-the-university/news-and-events/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-and-the-campus-community/return-to-learn/timeline-and-planning/covid-19-preparedness-plan/

That living document is a high-level overview of our safety and other plans and is updated as things change.

There are more specific plans being developed by each of the Return to Learn action teams, which are made up of administrators, faculty, staff, and students. Some of those plans, such as the notification procedures and daily self-screening guidelines, have been posted on the RTL site, here (links to student, employee, and visitor notification procedures on the right hand side of this page):

https://mankato.mnsu.edu/about-the-university/news-and-events/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-and-the-campus-community/return-to-learn/safety-measures/

Other elements of our fall plan are still in the works. I will email you to highlight essential parts as they are approved and posted.

Once again, I want to encourage everyone to be patient. The situation is fluid, and the guidance we base our work on is ever-changing. Dozens of dedicated faculty, staff, students, and administrators are working hard this summer to plan for a wide variety of scenarios. Like you, we are monitoring events closely. I will continue to update everyone at least weekly as we get closer to the start of the fall semester.

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

Thank you for all you do for our students and our university. Stay safe.

Kind regards,

Matt

In the mid afternoon of yesterday, I was at the balcony of my apartment sipping my drink and having a feel of the sun. The atmosphere was conducive and relaxing. while I was living in the moment and minding my business, all of a sudden the weather changed, the clouds became dark and it started raining. It rained not for long, then a rainbow appeared in the sky. I quickly took pictures of how beautiful the sky looks with the rainbow.
In my home country Ghana, a rainbow signifies hope. so when I saw it in the sky, it demonstrated that there is hope during this difficult time. I smiled believing that whatever we are going through in this tough time including COVID-19 pandemic will end soon. All we have now is hope. No matter how big COVID-19 has affected or is affecting us, we should not give up, we should keep holding on to hope, that things will get better soon.
I will encourage everyone to be strong during this hard time. Remember, no condition is permanent...... We will get through this.

Poem by an anonymous international student worker on prevention and the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Prevention 

I met death today 

It smiled at me 

And called out for me 

It breathes in my way 

But I had a mask 

It approached me from afar 

It touched a lot of people on its way to me 

It stretched out its hand for me  

But we were six feet apart 

It managed to touch my hands  

But I washed, o I washed 

For how long I do not know. 

Till it washed off 

I finally learnt a way to defeat it 

Follow the rules and leave 

Or disobey the rules and die. 

This drawing is a representation of the world during COVID-19 pandemic. 

On one hand, this drawing shows that the world is in a deep depression due to COVID-19.  The dark color is the symbol of the depression. The white mask and the red viruses characterize COVID-19. The world is crying and saying “Help!” because COVID-19 has killed a lot of people. Moreover, the world is going through economic and political crises due to this pandemic.  

On the other hand, this drawing shows that there is hope. The sun is a sign that there is hope. If people follow the recommended guidelines, we will be able to reduce considerably the spread of this virus. There is also hope because they are recoveries. Moreover, scientists and front-line workers are working hard to save the world.