Recent Program Features

Dear Minnesota State University, Mankato Students,

As you may know, Spring Break has been extended again for students. Spring Break continues until March 29, and your classes will resume with online and alternative delivery on Monday, March 30.

This is a complex and fluid situation and we appreciate your patience.

Your professors will reach out to you soon with more information about how courses will be delivered. In the meantime, we encourage you to log into e-services (https://www.mnsu.edu/eservices/) and enable text messaging so we can keep you posted with the latest information.

We want you to know that helping you continue to progress toward graduation is our top priority as we all confront this global pandemic crisis. We know you have many questions and we stand ready to answer them as best we can in this unprecedented situation.

• For the latest information on the situation, please consult our campus Coronavirus page: http://www.mnsu.edu/coronavirus
• For information about succeeding in online learning, please consult our Keep learning page: http://www.mnsu.edu/keeplearning
• If you have questions about Residential Life, please contact us at: reslife@mnsu.edu
• If you have other questions about student life, please contact us at: student-affairs@mnsu.edu
• If you have questions about academics, please contact the Office of the Provost at provost@mnsu.edu

Thank you again for your patience as we work through all the details surrounding this transition to online and alternative learning. We want you to succeed and we pledge to help you any way we can in the coming days and weeks. Stay safe and we will be in touch again soon.

Kind regards,
David P. Jones, Ph.D.

Dear Faculty and Staff,

This afternoon we received new guidance from the System Office indicating that until further notice, all colleges and universities and the system office are directed to take immediate action to implement telework for all employees unless work responsibilities require an employee to be physically present on site. By Friday, March 20, 2020, any employee who can work from a remote location will be required to do so. I have attached the Chancellor’s Memo on the topic for your review.

I have called an emergency Cabinet meeting tomorrow afternoon to discuss the details of the telework plan for Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Please know, our campus leadership has already been working on telework planning and many of our offices are prepared for this change with some beginning telework tomorrow. All employees who have not yet planned for telework should stand by for more information and speak to their supervisors.

We will provide more information as soon as we can. In the meantime, please let me thank all of you for everything you are doing to help our students through this crisis. I could not be prouder of our campus community. Our university is a special place and please know that I appreciate you and all that you do.

Sincerely,

Richard Davenport
President

Memo to Leadership Council from Chancellor Malhotra

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

I regret to inform you that we have determined at this time to cancel our spring commencement ceremonies on May 9, 2020. We understand that many students and their families were looking forward to this day of celebration, and we are sorry that we will be unable to proceed with our normal celebrations. We are taking these precautions because we care about everyone’s safety and well-being.

We are looking at creative alternatives to celebrate our spring graduates. Additional details will be shared as plans are finalized. Regardless of any alternative option this spring, please know that students scheduled to walk in the spring commencement will be welcome to join us for the fall commencement ceremony, if they so desire.

More information as it becomes available on future commencement plans will be available at www.mnsu.edu/graduation or submit your question via email to events@mnsu.edu.

Please continue to be safe and well.

Sincerely,

Richard Davenport
President

Good afternoon,

Earlier this week you received a message from me instructing everyone that individuals who could telework should prepare to do so by Friday, March 20, in an effort to protect the health and safety of our campus community. Obviously, this action causes a major disruption to our normal business operations. I am proud of the proactive response by many offices to respond to these disruptions and provide alternative modes of completing our necessary work.

I am also pleased that despite the upheaval in your workdays, you have remained committed to serving our students. This has been a particularly difficult time for them, with everything from how they learn to where they live, work and eat changing on a daily basis. I ask that you continue to keep their needs in mind as you adjust to working remotely or with limited operations.

My message today contains many “need-to-know” details about our campus operations during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Building Closures:

To protect the safety and well-being of staff who need to remain on campus or intermittently access their offices, all university buildings will be closed to the public and locked at the end of the business day today, Friday, March 20.

Exterior door access is available to employees with your Mav Card at the designated electronic door.  Please call University Security at 507-389-2111 for assistance. 

This closure does not apply to the Library, University Dining Center, or Residential Life buildings, which will remain open to provide services to students.

Business Services Operations:

The majority of the Business Services Office staff will be telecommuting to various degrees.  With this mind, please review the attached instructions for completing and submitting forms and supporting materials to the Business Services Office. If you have questions regarding this document, please contact Steve Smith at steven.smith@mnsu.edu or Rick Straka at richard.straka@mnsu.edu.

Parking and Bus Operations:

Please see the attached memo from David Cowan regarding parking and bus operations.

Mail and Delivery Services:

Mail and Delivery services, including Fed Ex, UPS, and other packages will continue at this time. Please contact Tammy Trcka at tamara.trcka@mnsu.edu or 389-2173 if you have questions about any changes to your department’s mail delivery location.

StarAlert:

Please update your contact information in StarAlert so you are receiving important Minnesota State University, Mankato campus, and Minnesota State system messages. Access to StarAlert can be found here: https://my.mnsu.edu/account/

MMB Self Service:

Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) would like all state employees to update the following My Personal Information components in Self Service as soon as possible.

1. Add or update your personal information summary so we can reach you during an emergency. This includes your address, phone numbers, and email. Indicate your preferred mode of contact.

2. Complete or update the pandemic availability question to indicate if you are able or unable to work during a pandemic event based on specific criteria.

3. Complete or update your skills profile with your license and certificate information. Identify any license or certificate information you have, even if not associated or required for your current position. We may use this information if needed to quickly find employees with the necessary skills to assist in maintaining critical services to Minnesotans.

For help, go to the My Personal Information section of Self Service and select Instructions. Pertinent help is on pages 15-17.

Questions?

Contact your supervisor or human resources office. Continue to check mn.gov/bereadymn and the Minnesota Department of Health Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) website often for the latest information.

Thank you for your attention to these matters. As always, stay home if you are sick, cover your cough, and wash your hands regularly.

Sincerely,

Richard Davenport
President

Business Services Office Communication

Bus and Parking Memo