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Midland Announces Finalized Plans For Fall Semester

FREMONT- Midland University has announced the final decisions for the Fall 2020 semester. The video and pdf document gives specific details on how  academics, social life, the performing arts, and athletics are expected to run. Midland University President Jody Horner released a statement along with the newly updated plans.
jody horner
On March 9, 2020, Midland pivoted to remote instruction and learning due to COVID-19. We were among the first universities in the nation to do so. As a result of the global pandemic, all university activities were canceled, the majority of students returned home to continue their classes online, faculty and staff began working remotely, and our Fremont and Omaha locations closed.
On May 1, 2020, we announced our intent to reopen and return to in-person classes for the Fall 2020 semester. Since then, teams from across the university have been thoughtfully considering various scenarios that would allow for a safe return. The following guiding principles underscored this work.

  • Ensure the health and safety of our Midland community.
  • Emphasize protection not just for ourselves but for each other and the larger community.
  • Enable students to progress toward their goals and degree while participating in
    co-curricular experiences to the extent possible.
  • Ensure the long-term sustainability of the institution and its mission.

With regard to safeguarding the health and safety of our Midland community, we have been partnering with experts including Methodist Health System, Three Rivers Public Health Department, and others. We are also leveraging resources that are available to us through institutions such as CDC, UNMC, ACHA, etc. For a full list see ‘References and Resources’ at the end of the pdf document. As additional health updates become available, we will review and apply them as appropriate for our community.
The Senior Leadership Team (SLT) met on June 1, 2020, to review initial plans from each department. A draft plan was then shared with faculty and staff for their feedback. From there we determined a set of actions to take and incorporated them here. As we go forward, it is highly likely that conditions will change, and that circumstances beyond our control will result in modifications to our plan and/or deviations from it. We will continue to work closely with local and state officials and monitor current events to make modifications to this plan as appropriate.
CDC provides considerations vs. regulations noting, “Institutions of Higher Education (IHE) officials can determine, in collaboration with state and local health officials, whether and how to implement these considerations while adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the IHE and the local community. Implementation should be guided by what is feasible, practical, acceptable, and tailored to the needs of each community.”
Reopening our campuses is a complex decision. We want to provide our students with a robust Midland experience while at the same time, limit their exposure to the virus. While it is unreasonable to assume that we can eliminate the risk of student, faculty, or staff exposure to COVID-19, we are confident that our plan is comprehensive and informed by the best public health information and guidance currently available.
Jody Horner, President
To view the detailed outline of plans for the Fall Semester, use this link: https://www.midlandu.edu/ReturntoCampusPlanFall2020

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