Welcome Back - Important COVID & IFO Updates

Welcome back, faculty. I am compelled to begin this message with some comments related to the events that transpired at the U.S. Capitol last week. At a time when our democracy was validating the Presidential election and we are preparing for a peaceful transfer of power, it was horrifying to observe sedition and the insurrection that followed. I am sure many of you have spent time this week helping our students understand the actions of these extremists and the profound impact they will have in defining our history. Our collective response as a society will also have a defining effect on our nation; violence can never be tolerated and as a union of university faculty we strongly condemn the images, motives, incitement, and conduct of the actions of January 6.

The IFO has made an unwavering commitment to equity and inclusion, promoting a high-quality liberal arts education, and developing our students into active and engaged members of society. Now more than ever, we need higher education to address the issues that divide us. The role of faculty and systems of higher education is essential in helping our country deal with the normalization of rampant misinformation, the need to continue to teach students critical thinking skills as they engage with current events and how to navigate complicated historical contexts, including how to engage our national history of structural racism and white supremacy has never been more urgent. We are uniquely positioned and qualified to find the strategies to move our communities forward.

Faculty have worked harder than ever in the face of compounding tragedies and challenges. We understand this has taken a toll and have worked hard to address the mental health issues that have arisen since March. I am so proud of the work faculty, coaches, and counselors do every day and the profound role our institutions have in making our communities better.

COVID Vaccine Update
On January 7, the IFO sent a letter urging for the inclusion of higher education faculty and staff to Gov. Walz and the Minnesota COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation Advisory Group. This group provides recommendations to Gov. Walz. You can read the letter here. In addition, IFO Leaders are meeting with Gov. Walz on Friday, January 22 to discuss campus budgets and other legislative objectives.

COVID Higher Education Financial Support
The federal government passed a COVID relief package in December 2020. The package included funding for higher education institutions. There are still many questions to be answered for how these resources may be rolled out on our campuses, we’re incredibly thankful for the support and hope it helps our campus communities through these challenging times. Click here to read an FAQ sheet with more information about the financial support guidelines.

Estimates for COVID relief, by campus (click here to check other campuses):

• Bemidji State - $5M

• Metro State - $10.3M

• MSU-Moorhead - $5.9M

• MSU, Mankato - $14.6M

• Southwest MN State - $3.6M

• St. Cloud State - $13.8M

• Winona State - $8.9M

MinnState Total: $185M

We will continue to advocate our federal lawmakers for additional funding to help protect access, affordability, and quality. President-Elect Biden has made it clear he intends to push for a robust COVID relief package after being sworn in next week.

COVID Leave Policy Update
Starting January 1 and continuing until the end of the Governor’s Peacetime Emergency Order ends, MinnState employees continue to be eligible for up to 80 hours of paid Health, Care, and School Leave for full-time appointments, and a pro-rated amount for those in part-time appointments, when teleworking is not possible.

In addition to the 80 hours of paid COVID leave, MinnState employees may take up to 10 weeks of partially paid Extended School Leave to care for a child whose school or place of care is closed or whose childcare provider is unavailable due to COVID-19, if the employee is not able to telework. Click here for more information on the new COVID Leave Policy.

IFO Delegate Assembly Scheduled
The 2020 IFO Delegate Assembly has been rescheduled and will be held using a virtual format on April 16-17, 2021. More details will be released soon.

Conclusion
Thank you for your trust and support over the last few years, and especially the last 9 months. I’m proud and thankful for all the work our faculty, coaches, and counselors have done to help students. I’m also proud of our team for the work they have done to navigate the really important decisions being made to address the pandemic, structural racism, political division, and the many other challenges we’ve encountered.

Gov. Walz Issues Stay at Home Executive Order - Exempts MinnState

Moments ago, Governor Walz announced a Stay at Home Executive Order for all Minnesota residents. The Stay At Home Executive Order directs Minnesotans to limit movements outside of their homes beyond essential needs from March 27 at 11:59 pm to April 10 at 5:00 pm.

As part of the Executive Order, the governor has declared State colleges and universities as essential, which means the colleges and universities of Minnesota State are exempt from this order. Instruction will resume, as scheduled, on either March 30 or April 6 as previously announced.

All classes will be delivered using alternative modes, and campuses will remain closed to the public. Faculty may access campus for things like retrieving items from offices, performing maintenance on equipment used for labs, or to broadcast an online course. While on campus, faculty must practice the social distancing guidelines of the CDC. Students may also access the campus, if needed, for services not accessible at home.

The Chancellor will maintain campus-based essential services needed to support our students. A limited number of employees will be on campus to maintain infrastructure and provide services for students living in dorms. 

We understand the great effort needed to meet the challenges of this time. Each of our faculty has sacrificed to meet the needs of their students. Praise which I can offer does not do justice to the tremendous effort you have all made – but thank you, for everything.

We also want to take this opportunity to commend the bravery and hard work of all of Minnesota’s nurses, healthcare providers, police, first responders, and other public safety employees that are risking their lives each day to provide the necessary care for our residents. We take great pride in the important work our campuses do to prepare a large number of students in these vital areas. There is no doubt your contributions as faculty have prepared our State to take swift and effective action.

We understand things are changing rapidly. We will share information as it changes. Our website www.ifo.org/covid19-info will contain updated information about COVID-19 and your work as a State university faculty member.

As you take steps to protect your health and that of others, keep in mind that we are fighting a virus, not members of our communities. Discrimination, stereotypes, xenophobia, and racism remain as harmful to our campus and local communities as before the emergence of COVID-19.

As a reminder, you can further protect yourself and others by:

• Washing your hands often with soap and water; covering your cough and sneeze; avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

• Practicing self-care by eating a healthy diet and taking time to rest

• Frequently cleaning all commonly touched surfaces

• Avoiding large gatherings

• Staying home if you are sick 

If you feel you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, The Minnesota Department of Health recommends:

• Stay at home for at least 7 days, and for 3 days with no fever and improvement of respiratory symptoms – whichever is longer. 

• Use the CDC website on how to Care For Yourself at Home with COVID-19.

• If your household contacts were exposed to you while you had symptoms, they should try to stay home as much as possible for 14 days.

• They should closely monitor their health, and if symptoms occur, they must isolate themselves. More guidance on this can be found here: MDH COVID-19 Basics

• Use the CDC website for How to Minimize Spread.

In solidarity,

Brent Jeffers