Message to Faculty and Staff, Aug. 27, 2021
Greetings, Mavericks!
Today brings a close to our first full week of in-person classes and campus events for the majority of our University community since March 2020. The energy and excitement was palpable. I enjoyed meeting many of you throughout the week as I explored campus and stopped by the various events occurring in the Centennial Student Union and outside on the Mall.
Last week I communicated a number of actions that have been put in place so we can remain in community this semester: requiring masks in all indoor spaces, proof of vaccination or testing requirement for employees, student workers, and graduate assistants, as well as for students who live in campus residence halls or participate in select campus programs and activities. These efforts remain in effect.
The Minnesota State system is in the final stages of building out a system-wide technology solution that will assist campuses in tracking both COVID-19 vaccination attestations as well as weekly testing for employees. This solution will be used across all campuses and at the System Office. More instructions on how to utilize the technology tool and the testing protocols will be shared prior to the Sept. 8 effective date. In the meantime, please review the attached Vaccine Policy FAQ which provides clarification on the policy implementation.
As an aside, a very special “shout out” to Vice President Mark Johnson and the entire IT Solutions team here at Minnesota State Mankato for leading the system effort on the development of this tool. Your expertise and partnership were specifically noted by the Vice Chancellor of Information Technology. Well done!
I know that during times of change and uncertainty, many questions are raised and assumptions made. For example, this week I heard there is some chatter that we are preparing to pivot to all online in October. Let me be clear, we have every intention of continuing our in-person experiences in and outside the classroom for the foreseeable future.
We do our best to share information as soon as possible in this very dynamic and ever-changing environment. Know that you will hear from me directly if there are any broad changes to our University operations. We also always post the most recent information on the Frequently Asked Questions page of the Coronavirus and the Campus Community website. And, you can email provost@mnsu.edu if questions remain.
I want to thank you for one of the best weeks of my professional career. It has been a pure delight being here with you this week.
Enjoy your upcoming weekend. And, Go Mavs!
Edward S. Inch, Ph.D.
President
