March 13, 2020: College moving to online instruction

March 13, 2020

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

These past weeks have been challenging for all as institutions of higher education have responded to the reality of COVID-19. In commitment to the health and well-being of the Concordia College community, to our ongoing academic mission, and to the general effort to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, Concordia College is moving to a higher level of response to this global health concern.

Instruction: The college is planning a shift from in-person to remote/online instruction for a period of time this spring term. Concordia will hold in-person classes on campus Monday and Tuesday, March 16 and 17. This will provide an opportunity for faculty and students to transition to new modes of teaching and learning. On-campus classes will be canceled March 18-20. Remote/online instruction will begin on March 23. Currently, the college plans to resume campus in-person instruction on Monday, April 13. During the intervening time, the college will continue to evaluate this rapidly evolving situation.

Residence Life: The college strongly encourages students living on campus to leave the residence halls by noon on Wednesday, March 18. Should students have a need to stay on campus, they may request to do so and Residence Life staff will work to accommodate them. Additional guidance will be provided in a later communication to all students. Dining Services will post modified hours and venues on its webpage as necessary. Students may return to the residence halls on April 12.

Events: The college is suspending all events, excluding academic instruction, as of 5 p.m. today, March 13, 2020. This includes both college-sponsored and hosted events.              

Academic Assistance and Support: The college will provide academic and student support services. More details will be shared next week.

Calendar Summary

• March 16-17: In-person classes continue
• March 18-20: Classes canceled
• March 18: Residential students depart campus by noon
• March 23: Remote/online instruction begins
• April 9-12: Revised Easter recess
• April 12: Return to residence halls
• April 13: Return to in-person classes (subject to continual evaluation)

Travel: All non-essential college travel, domestic and international, will be suspended March 18 through April 12. Exceptions must be approved by divisional vice presidents. Personal international travel is strongly discouraged.

College Business Operations: At this time, the college intends to remain open for regular business operations. Office hours may change and some services may be limited.

Campus Facilities: Details regarding utilization of campus facilities are still in discussion. The college will continue communicating decisions as they are made and continue to update our COVID-19 webpages.

The college will continue to update the COVID-19 webpages with information for students, faculty, and staff.

Be assured that Concordia College will continue to teach and support our students, albeit in different ways during a time when we strive to fulfill our mission through a complex and dynamic set of circumstances. We encourage students to focus on their academic goals, to follow recommended practices from the CDC and Minnesota Department of Health, and to show care for their friends, families, and neighbors.

Sincerely,

William J. Craft

President

Concordia College