COVID Updates

The COVID Updates website has all of the updates for the spring 2021 semester at the ‘Ville.

February 23, 2021

With the 2021 spring athletic season set to begin, Millersville University Athletics has announced its spectator policy for home events held at Biemesderfer Stadium, Cooper Park, Seaber Stadium, and McComsey Tennis Courts. The policy was established to provide a safe environment while keeping in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Health requirements for gatherings.

Ticket priority for events will be offered first to families of student-athletes. Each student-athlete will receive two tickets to be distributed to family members. Families will be contacted directly by the athletic department with details of the registration process. 

A small allotment of tickets will also be available to members of the Black & Gold Club, alumni, Millersville University staff, faculty and students. These tickets are available through pre-registration only prior to each home event. Details of how to pre-register will be communicated directly to each of these groups. Registration links will be online at millersvilleathletics.com and available 24 hours prior to each home event.

General public and visiting team fans will not be permitted to attend events on campus.

The following rules must be followed at all times by fans and spectators while in attendance at an event on campus. Failure to comply with these rules may result in ejection from the event and venue.

•  Fans must wear a face covering or mask at all times.
•  Fans must remain physically distant from other families or groups when moving throughout the venue and waiting in a line.
•  Fans must remain in their “seating pod” with their family or group and remain physically distanced from others when moving throughout the spectator seating area. Sitting with another group or family is prohibited.
•  Fans are not permitted to interact with student-athletes, coaches, team personnel, or officials at any time. This also applies to family members of these individuals.
•  Fans are encouraged to review venue health and safety guidelines prior to arrival.
•  Fans are not permitted to tailgate or gather in groups on University property pre or post game.

For fans unable to attend events, all Millersville home events will be broadcast by the Ville Sports Network. Broadcasts are also available through the PSAC Network, which is available as an app on Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku.

February 19, 2021

INCIDENT MANAGEMENT TEAM OPEN HOUSE

Campus Community,

The Incident Management Team invites faculty, staff and students to join an upcoming Open House to learn more about the ongoing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep the campus safe and open.After a short presentation on our current situation, IMT members will be available to answer questions related to our mitigation and planning efforts, communication and social media initiatives, and other areas.

Two one-hour Zoom sessions are planned for next week.

Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021, from 4 p.m. –5 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2021, from 1:30 p.m. –2:30 p.m.

January 8, 2021

Dear Campus Community,

Happy New Year! I hope you found some time to rest and relax during the holidays and are looking forward to the start of the Spring semester on Wednesday, January 20. While we continue to be faced with the challenges of COVID-19, the beginning of the new semester brings a sense of, and reason for, optimism. The promise of a vaccine has been realized, actually we have a third one coming to market soon, and with it comes the opportunity to envision a life beyond the pandemic. This is a tremendous scientific achievement. I hope it inspires all of us, as educators and lifelong learners, to continue our academic and professional pursuits as we continue to take care of each other.

As we start the spring semester, I would like to remind our students that we will implement additional mitigation measures in response to the recent spike in COVID-19 cases. Students living in our residence halls and those who take face-to-face classes and/or are student workers on campus should quarantine for 10 days prior to returning to campus. In addition, students moving back into the residence halls will be tested for COVID-19 as part of the move-in process. Kindly consult the move-in guidance for details. Throughout the Spring semester, Health Services will conduct random surveillance testing to help identify potential transmission hotspots or clusters of infections. Students living in the residence halls and those who take face-to-face classes and/or are student workers will be randomly selected and notified via email to participate in voluntary surveillance testing. To report COVID-19 concerns or ask questions confidentially, email reportcovid@millersville.edu.

For the Spring semester, we will continue to provide instruction primarily via remote modality. Also, we will not take a spring break. Instead, we will take a series of small breaks that will occur on Monday, February 15; Wednesday, March 10; Thursday, April 1; and Friday, April 2. Finals will begin on May 4 and conclude on May 7. We also hope for, and are planning, in-person graduation ceremonies on campus this spring to honor our May 2020, December 2020 and May 2021 graduates.

Let me close by acknowledging that the past months have been tumultuous and difficult for each of us in different ways. The events of this week thrust childhood memories upon me of coups in Ghana, and with them reflections on the fragility of democracy. Such an event further strains our national sense of civility, but it should motivate us to continue to nurture and guard our strong community. Within a broader landscape of uncertainty, I am thankful for the community that we actively nurture at Millersville University. Together let us weave the threads of our EPPIIC values—exploration, professionalism, public mission, integrity, inclusion and compassion—into a common cloth of healing, hope and support for each other and our nation.

A reminder that students who need support are encouraged to contact the Millersville Counseling Center (717) 871-7821, chaplains within Campus Ministries, Health Services (717) 871-5250 and the Center for Health Education and Promotion (717) 871-4141. Employees impacted should contact the State Employee Assistance Program at 1-800-692-7459.

Let’s create a prosperous 2021 together. Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With gratitude,

Daniel A. Wubah

University President

 

December 16, 2020

Dear students,

I am writing to update you on new procedures for the spring semester for students living in the residence halls, students taking face-to-face classes, and/or students working on campus.

To keep you and our entire campus community safe:

1.  We request all students quarantine for 10 days prior to returning to campus.
2. Students living in the residence halls are required to be tested for COVID-19 as part of the move-in process. Health Services will administer the rapid test before you receive your room key. You will need to test negative or show proof of a negative test result received within 48-hours of your arrival to campus.
3. During the spring semester, Health Services will conduct random surveillance testing to ensure everyone’s health and safety. Testing will be voluntary, however for the health of our community, we urge you to comply. You will be notified via email if you’ve been selected for random testing. The email will include detailed instructions.

Millersville’s random testing program seeks to understand how SARS-CoV-2 affects campus by actively looking for where the virus may have been and where it may be going. It will also help identify transmission hotspots and clusters of infections using real-time analytic strategies and rapid campus communications. These new procedures are being utilized with the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff in mind. Additional details and reminders will be forthcoming.

Thank you for your continued support in keeping our campus community safe. I wish you all a joyful and healthy winter break!

Warm regards,

 

Brian P. Hazlett

Vice President, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management

 

November 12, 2020

Dear Marauder Family,

I hope that like me you have enjoyed the brief stretch of unseasonably warm weather. The bright, warm sunny days make it hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. With the thankfulness of that holiday in mind, I want to once again extend my deep appreciation and gratitude for all that you have done this semester to keep our campus community healthy and safe. I want to share a few important updates.

One of the characteristics of a vibrant community is communication, which involves listening to one another. As a result of feedback from our community and based on my discussions with our senior leadership team, we are going to revise our spring semester schedule to incorporate monthly breaks when no classes will occur. This decision is based on numerous conversations with faculty, staff and students and recognizes the need for opportunities to relax and recharge during the semester. Therefore, the spring semester will start on Wednesday, January 20. Breaks will occur on Monday, February 15; Wednesday, March 10; Thursday, April 1; and Friday, April 2. The last instructional day of the spring semester is Monday, May 3. Finals will begin on May 4 and conclude on May 7.

Next week Friday, November 20, will be the final day of face-to-face classes for the fall semester. All classes will resume remotely after Thanksgiving break on November 30 for the final two weeks of instruction.

For students in our residence halls, remember that the residence halls will close for the semester at 12:00 p.m., on Saturday, November 21. Residents who do not have extenuating circumstances and are not approved for break housing are expected to remove all belongings and properly check out of the residence hall before that time. Questions and concerns should be directed to Housing and Residential Programs, housing@millersville.edu.

From November 21 to January 25, employees who can work remotely may do so if approved by their department head. Department heads are encouraged to take several factors into consideration when making a determination about remote work and they may refer to the November 9, 2020 email from Human Resources for specifics. Questions and concerns should be directed to Human Resources, human.resources@millersville.edu.

This semester we have demonstrated the best of our EPPIIC values by continuously acting with professionalism, integrity and compassion. We’ve all had difficult moments and tough days this semester, but the guidance of our Incident Management Team coupled with the resolve and tenacity of our faculty, staff and students, have made it possible for us to rise to the challenge. With sustained commitment we are well positioned to finish the semester safely. Best of luck to our faculty and students with the remaining weeks of the semester and thank you to all for putting our community first.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With gratitude,

Daniel A. Wubah

University President

 

November 10, 2020

Campus Community,

As per our Fall Implementation Plan, Friday, November 20 marks the final day of face-to-face classes for the fall semester. All classes will resume remotely after Thanksgiving break on November 30 for the final two weeks of instruction.

With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing across Pennsylvania, Millersville University’s Incident Management Team (IMT) recommended, and cabinet approved, that employees who can work remotely do so from November 21 until January 25 when the spring semester begins. This will allow for a thorough, deep cleaning of all work and teaching spaces and help keep our campus community as safe as possible.  On-campus essential employees, such as Facilities staff, should continue to operate as they are today.

Department heads should take the following into consideration when making decisions about remote work during this period:

• There should be some level of uniformity across the division where possible.
• If operational needs require employees to be on campus, they should be permitted to do so.
• Employees who cannot work from home, or who cannot perform all of their duties from home, are permitted to work on campus during this period; if employees can do a portion of their work from home they should be split between remote and on-campus work.
• Supervisors should be mindful of the differing mental health needs of their employees when making decisions.

While faculty and staff are not prohibited from coming to campus, you are encouraged, if possible, to not come to campus so we can place buildings in inactive or weekend mode with anticipated savings in electricity and heating expenses.

If you do come to campus, you are required to fill out the health screener questionnaire on the LiveSafe app or online before you arrive and comply with other health and safety guidelines while on campus.

If you have questions please contact HR (human.resources@millersville.edu) or your supervisor.

Diane L Copenhaver, SHRM-SCP | Executive Director
Human Resources

 

October 2, 2020            

Dear Marauder Family,

As we come to the close of the sixth week of the semester, I want to share feedback that I have heard from our campus community and make a few requests that will hopefully help us in the weeks ahead. There is no doubt that our collective response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been remarkable and I know that by continuing to act with professionalism, integrity and compassion we will successfully navigate this tumultuous time.

Firstly, this week, I heard from faculty as well as parents and students of challenges with transitioning to remote learning—especially in asynchronous classes. I know that many of you miss the daily classroom interactions and want to thank you for your ability to adapt, for the long hours you have put into your courses, and for your willingness to prioritize our community’s health and safety. I would like to appeal to our faculty who are teaching asynchronous classes to make an extra effort to engage our students in active learning. Some of our students in asynchronous classes have informed me that they would like more interactions with their fellow classmates and more access to and feedback from their instructors. I know how hard you are working to enhance learning due to your unwavering dedication to our students. As a community that is committed to high-quality education, I ask that we continue to prioritize our students’ experience and success.

Secondly, for staff and faculty who conduct business meetings, such as those occurring on Zoom or Microsoft Teams, kindly remember that our default practice is not to record the meetings. In circumstances where a recording might be beneficial, such as for instruction or training sessions, kindly inform all participants of your intent to record prior to initiating the recording feature. Note that the meeting host can select a default setting to record all meetings. This feature should be disabled.

Academic meetings using Zoom or Teams can be recorded for the purpose of review and students who are not able to attend the synchronous class.

Thirdly, we have to continue to be vigilant in our response to COVID-19. This includes using the health screening feature in the LiveSafe app, using face coverings, limiting gathering size and maintaining social distance. Kindly remember to send questions, comments, concerns and information to reportcovid@millersville.edu to help the Incident Management Team respond in a timely and effective manner.  In particular, I ask those staff who may be the first to hear information to use this resource to support our incident response.

Lastly, I hope you had the opportunity to participate in one of the two provost search open forums conducted this week. If you weren’t able to join the open forums, you can still share your responses to the questions in the survey available here.

My continued thanks to everyone in our community, for your work, for your care and for supporting each other.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah

University President

 

SEPTEMBER 28, 2020

Dear Marauder Family,

While the spring semester may still seem far away, it is just around the corner from a planning perspective. Hence, I want to provide an update on our scheduling plans. These plans were made in consultation with my Cabinet, our Incident Management Team (IMT) and discussions with faculty, staff and students. The decisions are based on the information we have available at this time—including university case numbers, our mitigation efforts and the regional and national COVID-response landscape. We have remained agile since the early days of the pandemic and will continue to do so in the days ahead. While unlikely, our plans for the spring semester may change if necessitated by significant changes in any of these areas.

The spring semester will begin on Monday, January 25 and will run straight through until Friday, April 30.  Monday, May 3 will be a Reading Day with no classes, followed by finals from Tuesday, May 4 through Friday, May 7. There will be no spring break. The instruction modality will be similar to Fall 2020, with majority of courses offered remotely. Experiential courses will be taught in person or hybrid modality. There will also be additional, case-by-case opportunities for faculty to offer synchronous, remote instruction using camera-equipped classrooms.

I know that we are all eager to return to a campus life that resembles our pre-pandemic normal. I miss having the opportunity to interact daily with faculty, staff and students in person. I miss sharing ideas, joys and accomplishments with the casual closeness to which we were accustomed. I also recognize that our efforts to keep campus density low is one of the main reasons that we have been able to keep our community case numbers manageable this semester and offers the best and safest path forward.

The success of this approach relies heavily on your continued adherence to campus health and safety guidelines. Thank you for continuing to use face coverings, limiting the size of gatherings and practicing social distancing. A special thank you to the IMT for their guidance and to all our faculty, staff and students for your strength, resilience and resolve.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah

University President

 

September 10, 2020

Dear MU Community,

The Millersville University COVID Incident Management Team (IMT), with the safety of campus at the forefront, has developed protocols for reporting cases to the campus community.

Three documents have been placed on the COVID Updates webpage to download, print and use as a reference.  These are easy-to-read visual flowcharts.

• Can I go into my Field Placement/Internship?
• COVID Response Protocol
• COVID-19 Positive Report from Student or Faculty member in F2F course or Staff member working with others

The IMT worked with personnel from divisions across campus to ensure that all protocols, precautions and procedures are properly in place to make our campus as safe as possible.

Our facilities and housekeeping staff have been following disinfecting and cleaning procedures as recommended by the CDC, with cleaning occurring on a daily basis.  All of our faculty, staff and students are practicing proper social distancing and wearing their face masks – thank you!  Over the summer, our campus was carefully analyzed to make sure that operations and classes can continue while following all of the proper safety protocols and recommendations.

What do we need from you?

• Every day each of us should complete the COVID screening on the LIVESAFE app.  If you answer any of the questions “yes” when completing your daily health check, do not report to work or class. Many of the symptoms of COVID-19 infection match closely with those from seasonal allergies or the common cold.
• If you feel sick or unwell, avoid coming to campus. This will ensure the safety of our campus.
• Always wear a mask and follow the recommended social distancing guidelines.  If a student has symptoms, they should contact health services. If a staff or faculty member has symptoms, they should report to their dean or supervisor, in addition to contacting their primary healthcare provider immediately.

Questions?

• Email us at reportcovid@millersville.edu.

The IMT is notified of positive cases and has a system in place to make all the necessary and required contacts and notifications including follow-up actions and procedures.

To our students, faculty and staff we want to say “Thank you” for doing the right things.  We also want to remind everyone that we need you to accept the responsibility of doing the right things and following our EPPIIC values to ensure that we are able to continue the semester in a safe environment.

Warm regards,

Your Incident Management Team

 

SEPTEMBER 1, 2020

Dear Campus Community,

As I mentioned in last Friday’s weekly update, the Fall 2020 COVID-19 Incident Management Team (IMT) at Millersville University is now up and running. The IMT will meet twice a week to refine and execute the Fall Reopening Implementation Team’s report. The IMT will also serve as the coordinating body for response activities across the University.

The IMT members are:

• Diane Copenhaver
• Dr. James Delle
• Dr. Victor DeSantis, co-chair
• Dr. Duane Hagelgans, co-chair
• Josh Hartranft
• Janet Kacskos
• Joanne Ocasio
• Tom Richardson
• Eric Sheppard
• Dr. Timothy Weaver
• Patrick Weidinger
• Dr. Sepi Yalda

Currently the team is working on two important matters. The first is developing a process for how to report on positive or suspected cases. The second is a process for making sure the appropriate people on campus are aware of positive COVID tests and deploying services where needed.

A dashboard is being developed for the Fall 2020 webpage that will list the number of positive cases, both active and cumulative, among students and faculty and staff. The dashboard will only indicate students who either live on campus or have been on campus, and faculty/staff who have been on campus. The dashboard will be operational by the end of the week.

In the meantime, I want to share that there are three active positive cases and two positive cases that are non-active. The three active cases are students who live off-campus and are self-isolating. The Pennsylvania Department of Health has been notified.

All future updates on COVID cases will be sent by the IMT co-chairs. If you have any COVID-19 specific questions please fill out the contact form on the Fall 2020 webpage.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah

University President

 

AUGUST 28, 2020

Dear Marauder Family,

Happy Friday. We’ve made it to the end of the first full week of the fall semester! As I traversed the pathways and hallways across campus this week, I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting and greeting our students and employees who are back on campus. Despite the low density of people on campus now, I can see and feel the excitement of our Marauders I have met so far. Classes have started and the provost has shared reports of a smooth start to online and face-to-face classes. I hope you’ve had the opportunity to watch my Fall 2020 Welcome Message.

The fewer faculty, staff and students on campus are in line with our efforts to reduce our overall campus density. I’m glad to see that some of those who are here on campus are following our health and safety guidelines, including wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing. However, I have seen a few people not adhering to this basic requirement. Remember that taking these precautions is essential to prevent the spread of the pathogen in our community. Also, not following these guidelines shows a lack of  commitment to our core values of professionalism and compassion. Also, all faculty, staff and students who come to campus are encouraged to use the COVID-19 screening feature that has been added to our LiveSafe app. We are all in this together and the health of our community is our collective responsibility!

This week I convened the COVID-19 Incident Management Team (IMT). Chaired by Dr. Duane Hagelgans and Dr. Victor DeSantis, the IMT will coordinate all matters relating to COVID-19 this fall. Dr. Hagelgans is an emergency management expert and regional emergency management coordinator in Lancaster County. Dr. DeSantis is the Executive Director of Community Engagement and Government and Economic Development and served as co-chair of the spring 2020 Incident Response Team. They are joined by leaders and subject matter experts from across the University and have already begun managing our day-to-day response activities.

As you are aware, we lost one of our students this week. I ask that you keep her and her family in your thoughts and prayers. For our students, I want to remind you that if you ever need any support, contact the Millersville Counseling Center (717) 871-7821, chaplains within Campus Ministries, Health Services (717) 871-5250 and the Center for Health Education and Promotion (717) 871-4141.

Let me remind our students that we are here for you wherever you are. Student Life programming has been developed for online and face-to-face attendance with events and activities happening weekly. This past week we held our Virtual Involvement Fairs for you to connect with clubs and organizations. They will continue to host events and welcome membership all year. Look for announcements in ‘Ville Daily and Get Involved.

For those students on and around campus, I am confident that you will show intensified respect and care for each other, and will make conscientious choices to prevent the spread of COVID-19. To reduce community spread of the virus it is imperative to limit social gatherings that fail to allow for healthy social distancing. I encourage you to practice healthy distancing, to wear your face coverings and to follow university policies and public health guidelines.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah

University President

August 24, 2020

Campus Face Covering Requirements

 The following are mandated requirements effective August 24, 2020, and until further notice.

1. All employees, students and visitors are to comply with PA Secretary of Health Levine’s July 1, 2020 order by properly wearing a face covering or mask on the campus of Millersville University. The campus of Millersville University includes public areas of campus periodically open for public use and visits such as the McNairy library, Student Memorial Center, Biemesderfer stadium, Winter Performing Arts Center and Lancaster Ware Center. Face coverings are required if the employee, student or visitor(s) are:
   1. In any indoor location where members of the public are generally
   2. Outdoors and unable to consistently maintain a distance of six feet from individuals who are not a member of your
   3. Driving or being transported in a vehicle with another person during work
   4. Engaged in work inside a building, on or off-site, and not alone in a private office
   5. When engaged in work outside and interacting in-person with any other person at a physically distance that is not six or more feet, except for members of the person’s own household.
2. Students are required to wear face coverings in all public areas of campus as well as in all academic buildings and
3. Students are required to wear face coverings while walking into dining areas, until seated to eat and again when leaving the dining
4. Students are required to wear face coverings when outdoors and unable to consistently maintain a distance of six feet from individuals who are not a member of their
5. Residential students do not need to wear face coverings in the rooms of their residence
6. Employees are to wear face coverings if requesting an in-person pre-assessment at Health Services rather than using the University LiveSafe App pre-assessment.
7. Employees are to wear face coverings when meeting with others in an office space, except for members of the person’s own household or residence.
8. Employees may remove their face coverings when working alone in a private office
9. Employees may remove their face covering when eating or drinking in an area separated from others by at least 6 feet or when outside and separated from others by at least 6
10. Employees may remove their face covering when operating a University vehicle or their private vehicle by themselves on
11. Employees and students are required to wear face coverings when food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution to
12. Exceptions to the face covering requirements are as follows:
    1. Individuals who cannot wear a face covering due to a medical condition, including those with respiratory issues that impede breathing, mental health condition, or a recognized disability.
    2. Individuals for whom wearing a face covering while working would create an unsafe condition in which to operate equipment or execute a task as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety
    3. Individuals who would be unable to remove a face covering without
    4. Individuals who are communicating or seeking to communicate with someone who is hearing-impaired or has another disability, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for
13. A face covering is a cloth material or mask, and proper wear requires having a snug fit around the face with the mouth and nose covered to reduce the spread of COVID-19 through respiratory
14. The university will supply employees and students with a face covering; visitors are expected to have face coverings when coming to
15. Each student and employee is responsible for the care and cleaning of their face
16. Face coverings may be reused multiple times so long as they are properly laundered and cared for.
17. Employees should ask their supervisor for a replacement when the face covering becomes worn or torn.
18. All community members are asked to educate visitors and others to this policy. Persons refusing to abide by this policy will be asked to leave campus; students may be referred to the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards, employees to their supervisor and the Human Resources office, visitors to University
19. In addition, to the wearing of face coverings, the following social distancing and disinfecting guidelines must be followed:
    1. As a rule, employees and students should work individually and not in teams, maintaining at least 6 feet of social distancing
    2. Employees and students should not eat lunch or take breaks together/in the same area if 6 feet of social distancing cannot always be
    3. Hand sanitizer stations are located in all university
    4. Employees, students, and visitors are encouraged to wash their hands often for at least 20 seconds and avoid touching their
    5. Employees and students are encouraged to disinfect their own personal work areas on a routine basis. Employees should only use university-supplied cleaning chemicals to disinfect work
    6. Employees should not share tools and other work instruments. If necessary, to share tools, these items should be cleaned before being

For the safety of students, staff and visitors to Millersville University and to avoid community spread of COVID-19, employees and students are considered to be members of the public who are congregating in indoor locations or working in outdoor campus locations. As such, they are required to adhere to this Policy.

AUGUST 21, 2020

The process to come to campus just became easier for faculty, staff and students. Effective today, the University has added COVID Screening to the LiveSafe App that is already in place for Millersville University. This new feature replaces the in-person daily screenings at Health Services.

Employees and students should download the LiveSafe App to their smart phone – links are below. Once the app is downloaded every student and employee will be required to answer the screening questions before coming to class and/or campus. Those who complete the questionnaire and do not have symptoms will receive a green checkmark indicating that you are cleared and can report to work or class.

Receiving a red X indicates that you are at risk for COVID. If you get a red X, employees should consult your healthcare provider and supervisor before reporting to campus, and students should contact Health Services before leaving their residence hall or home.

Be prepared to show proof to your supervisor/professor that you have completed the process.

To access LiveSafe you have a variety of options:

• For the Apple App Store go to https://apps.apple.com/us/app/livesafe/id653666211
• For Google Play go to https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.livesafe.activities&hl=en_US
• Web access – https://livesafe.jotform.com/202265356232853

You may also continue to go to Health Services (rear entrance of Witmer) for the screening during regular office hours.

Additional information on LifeSafe App sign-in:

Signing in to the “LiveSafe” App for the first time using a smart phone:

 Use your camera to hover over the QR code. At the top of your screen you will see the link that takes you directly to the LiveSafe App download.  Click on this.

From there, click on “Get” to start the process of downloading the app (this takes about 30 seconds).

After the download is complete, click on “open” and type in your millersville university e-mail address.

Then click on “Next” and type in your cell phone #.

Click on “Next” at the top right of the screen and create a password (minimum 8 characters).

Then, click on “Next” at the top right of the screen and it will ask if you want LiveSafe to use your location. You can choose “Allow” or “Don’t Allow.”

Next it will ask if you would like notifications – you can click “Don’t Allow”.

On the next screen you simply click on “OK!” at the bottom.

This will bring you to another screen. Click on the 3 lines located at the top left of the screen to bring you to “Settings”.

Click on “Settings”, and then click on “Manage Organizations”. When you see “Millersville University” appear, click on that.

To complete the process, click “Back” in the upper left corner, and “Back” again.

You will see the “Health Questionnaire Screener” appear in a grey box. Click on that and begin the screening.

 

AUGUST 20, 2020

Dear Marauder Family,

Yesterday afternoon, I was thrilled to participate in the closing ceremony for our Pre-Scholars Summer Institute Program. We are just days away from the start of the fall semester and the excitement on campus and in our virtual spaces is palpable. Our grounds crew is hard at work touching up the areas of campus that they’ve kept beautiful all summer, while our faculty and staff are putting the final touches on programs and courses.

To our faculty and staff, I know from conversations with many of you that you may have questions as we begin the fall semester. With this in mind we have established a website that provides answers to frequently asked questions by employees. You’ll find answers to questions such as “”Do I need to wear a mask?” and “Can I host an event on campus?”  alongside many others. We’ve also updated the Student FAQ. I encourage you to familiarize yourself with both resources so that you are well informed and able to share information with other employees and with our students.

To our students and parents, I hope that by now you have heard that last Friday our Council of Trustees voted to reduce the fall 2020 general fee by 27%. We recognize the financial challenges that many families face as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and seek to provide support in areas we control. The change in fees will be posted to student accounts in early September and will result in a reduction of $500,000 in charges to students. This move marks the second year in a row where we have reduced the total cost of attendance for our undergraduate students in line with our strategic goal to make our quality education affordable. In addition, we have also pledged to provide an additional $1 million for need-based financial aid to help our students and their families.

In closing, I want to again thank the Fall Reopening Implementation Team as well as all of our faculty and staff who have helped prepare us for online as well as face-to-face instruction. Next week, I will announce the task force that will lead and guide implementation of our fall reopening plans. Our plans have evolved and adapted, flexing with the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the process you have demonstrated stamina, perseverance and resilience. I am so proud about how our community has always acted with the best interests of our students at heart. I am immensely grateful of your work and know that we are well positioned for the fall semester.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah

University President

 

AUGUST 13, 2020

Dear Marauder Family,

I hope that you are feeling the same excitement that I am as we move closer to the start of the fall semester. The time remaining can now be counted in days and while this semester will present challenges it also presents an opportunity to practice our EPPIIC values in everything that we do. How are we going to do that? By exploring professionally while addressing our public mission in an inclusive manner with integrity and compassion.

Last week I shared a video entitled, “Millersville University Faculty & Staff Return to Campus Welcome Message Summer 2020.” I wish to remind every employee to watch the video on or before August 17, 2020. Each department has developed return to work plans in consultation with our Human Resources Department and our Office of Environmental Health and Safety. This is a good time to connect with your supervisor or department head to understand fall work status expectations (remote, on campus, split remote/campus) if you haven’t done so already. Employees who are in high-risk categories can apply for a flexible work arrangement (FWA) through an online portal available on our website. Your health, safety and well-being are institutional priorities while we work to meet the needs of our students this fall.

On Tuesday, I participated in a tabletop exercise organized by the Fall Reopening Implementation Team and led by Dr. Victor DeSantis and Mr. Pat Weidinger. The exercise allowed us to test our response to hypothetical scenarios of COVID-19 impacting the University. Nearly 50 individuals from across the University participated. It was not only an opportunity for me to see first-hand the quality and volume of work that has gone into planning our fall opening, but also to be reminded of just how much each member of the Team is contributing to our preparedness. I know that the same is true for many of our faculty and staff; for that I thank everyone involved.
This week also brought us new connections. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic five members of our University community have developed an online educational hub, the connectionspot.org, for preK-12 learners to learn about COVID-19 among other topics. We also connected a new fellowship of distinguished donors by establishing the Fiat Lux Society as a giving society that honors the extraordinary contributions of donors of transformational gifts. Among them is Lois Morgan, who added to her history of giving by committing $500,000 to fund The Morgan Fund for Athletic Scholarships to support intercollegiate athletic programs during this challenging time.

I hope that, like me, you find strength and inspiration in the stories of how members of our community are rising to the challenge of this pandemic while living our EPPIIC values.
Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah
University President

AUGUST 6, 2020

Dear Marauder Family,

As we prepare for the return of students for the fall semester, we expect it to be unlike any we have ever experienced. However, our goal is to make the educational experience as normal as possible for our students. While the decisions that will shape our fall have at times been challenging, I also sense an increasing level of excitement and determination that comes with knowing one’s path. We are now deeply immersed in the finer details of planning and preparation. With that in mind, I want to share news of a faculty and staff return to campus preparedness video as well as additional housing guidance for our students.

To our faculty and staff, you may have seen the notice in ‘Ville Daily alerting you to a new preparedness video entitled, “Millersville University Faculty & Staff Return to Campus Welcome Message Summer 2020.” You will receive an email in the coming days that notifies you of the opportunity to view this video. I encourage all faculty and staff to view the video on or before August 17, 2020. Please contact our workplace training coordinator with questions (Wendy.Bowersox@millersville.edu). A special thank you to our staff in Safety and Environmental Health, Facilities Management, Health Services and Human Resources for putting this video together and to all of our employees who are preparing our courses, programs and spaces.

To students who plan to live in The Villages, Shenks Hall or Reighard Hall, the housing opt-out period has now ended. Students who previously requested housing by filling out the housing application forms and did not cancel/opt out of housing will have a housing space secured. Building and suite assignments will be available to view on your MAX account beginning Wednesday August 12, 2020. Once room assignments are finalized, students will receive a link to schedule their move-in time during one-hour timeslots between 8:00a.m. and 8:00p.m. from August 17 through August 23. Thank you for your patience as we moved toward the one-student-per-bedroom model. Additional information regarding housing and other topics can be found on the Student FAQ.

While the responsibilities of preparation require that nearly every meeting or conversation centers on the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s also important that we take moments to care for ourselves and to celebrate each other. Therefore, I want to share a story of how our rising senior, Mamie Covell, is embodying our EPPIIC value of Public Mission by serving as student advisor to the Millersville Borough Council. Her civic-minded work is an inspiration, particularly as we join more than 650 campuses in the “ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge.” This non-partisan initiative is designed to increase student voting rates with a goal of achieving 100% student voter registration. Let us celebrate the diverse thoughts and ideas that higher education inspires, while also instilling a passion for civic responsibility and engagement.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah

University President

JULY 31, 2020

Millersville University is a strong university that will continue to flourish in the future and our faculty and staff are the foundation of our strength. We all know that we are facing a global pandemic that has brought serious consequences to our University. We are meeting this challenge by relying on our EPPIIC values, most important right now are integrity and compassion. We consistently live by and practice our institutional principles, standards and beliefs. To that extent, we are doing everything we can, through a variety of measures, to ensure an affordable, accessible, quality education, now and in the years to come.

With a projected enrollment decline due to the COVID-19 pandemic, necessary health and safety precautions that reduced on-campus residence hall capacity and the subsequent projected shortage in revenue from tuition, housing and dining, we are anticipating financial challenges. The current projections are based on numbers before the move to 80% remote courses were announced earlier this week.

As part of the process, MU has engaged in difficult but necessary talks with Association of Pennsylvania State College & University Faculties (APSCUF) leadership to discuss the possible need for faculty retrenchment. This step is a contractual requirement under the collective bargaining agreement with a deadline of Aug. 1 for the 2021-2022 school year. There is no plan at this time for retrenchment. In making this notification, we join nine of our sister institutions within the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE).

As we continue to look at our operations to better align costs with revenues and follow guidelines from PASSHE, MU, like other academic institutions throughout the country, may have to make future decisions that impact personnel. Know that this is definitely not my hope.

At MU we are a close community with great relationships between faculty and staff. I look forward to working closely with the entire campus community during these difficult times. Our relationships have been built based on transparency and having a common vision and goal for our campus. Together, we have already accomplished the monumental task of moving all classes online in the middle of the spring 2020 semester and I know, that by working together, we will come out of this pandemic a strong, viable university.

While it’s a trying time, together we have come through so much and I am confident that by working together, Millersville University will succeed.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

Warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah,
University President

 

JULY 30, 2020

Dear Marauder Family,

Earlier this week I announced our plans to move instruction to a primarily online/remote modality this fall. With this approach, more than 80% of fall instruction will be offered remotely. While I realize that this was welcome news to some, I also know that it came as a disappointment to others, and I wish to share that the decision was not made lightly. Last spring, we planned a multitude of scenarios for the fall. We winnowed those scenarios down over the summer and ultimately decided that the move toward primarily remote instruction best positions us to support the health and safety of our faculty, staff and students this fall.

In line with that effort, final revisions to the fall schedule are now complete. To our students, you should be able to review your courses in Web Schedule or in Max. If you want to change your schedule, kindly contact either your major advisor, department chair, or one of our advisors in the Department of Academic Advising before doing so. You can contact one of the Academic Advisement faculty: Dr. David Henriques (David.Henriques@millersville.edu or at 717-871-7611), Mr. Joe Sciaretta (Joe.Sciarretta@millersville.edu or at 717-871-7609), or Dr. Margaret Mbindyo (Margaret.Mbindyo@millersville.edu or at 717-871-7608).

I know that the eyes of our faculty and staff are now fixed on the fall semester. Within the planning and preparation lies hundreds of stories of individuals who are demonstrating our EPPIIC value of exploration as they develop new ways of teaching, inspire new ways of learning and foster new ways of being a community. While the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced unwanted and unimaginable challenges into our fall semester preparation, I know that our community of Marauders is well equipped to carve the path forward.

To meet students’ transitional needs while attempting to ensure the safety of all involved, we are shifting our orientation programming to an online delivery. In fact, our orientation program has been offering aspects of the program online since March. This includes an online tutorial, weekly meetings with incoming students, weekly social media challenges, and online transition workshops. The orientation staff is now working to provide online content for the start of the semester such as a University welcome, meetings with academic departments, and Diversity Equity and Inclusion programming  using Zoom, Webex, YouTube Live and other remote formats.  This approach will reduce density on campus while still allowing students who are not living on-campus to have a full orientation experience.

This weekend we will begin to welcome students back to campus with the start of our Pre-Scholars Summer Institute. I look forward to hearing of their success and celebrating the glimmer of normalcy their presence will bring to campus.

In closing, I wish to remind the University community to continue to check the Fall 2020 website for updates and to extend a special thank you to our faculty and staff. I know that you are not only firmly committed to the success of our students and to our mission of providing high-quality education at an exceptional value, but that you are also creative, caring and capable of carving the path.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah
University President

JULY 29, 2020

Dear Students,

Beginning with the Fall 2020 term, The Textbook Room at Millersville University will transition textbook services to a new virtual bookstore model where course requirements are available exclusively online. The new platform is designed to provide you with affordable course materials, convenience and choice. Please see below for some Frequently Asked Questions.

Where is the Online Bookstore?

Visit it online at Millersville.textbookx.com. The Online Bookstore is powered by TextbookX and works in partnership with Student Services, Inc. 

How does it work?

When you log into the bookstore with your MyVille account, you will see a personalized page with the courses you are registered for plus the course materials that your faculty have assigned for each course. You can then select from the new, used, rental and eBook options available. You can also select from Marketplace options which are sold by students around the country and other third-party sellers at heavily discounted prices.

What’s different?

Students will see a larger selection of formats as well as larger cost savings through the new site. However, textbooks will not be available for purchase in the University Store (on-site) going forward (Online only). Students should order their books in advance of the start of classes both to ensure they arrive in time for the first day of classes and to take advantage of the lowest prices available from the Online Bookstore’s inventory. You will be notified when the Online Bookstore opens for each term.

What about Delivery?

Course materials can be delivered to the campus or to your home. On campus pick up is located in the University Store in the Student Memorial Center.

What happened to the University Store?

The University Store is still in the SMC and here to support you. We will continue to have your favorite MU apparel and gifts as well as school supplies, snacks and toiletries. Remember, textbooks will NOT be for sale at the University Store, so please plan ahead for the upcoming academic terms by reviewing and ordering the course materials you will need before the beginning of the semester at Millersville.textbookx.com.

Bookstore benefits for students:

• Log in to see a personalized page showing only the courses you’re registered for and the corresponding course materials.
• Select from a variety of textbook formats including new, used, eBook, and rental.
• Shop from the peer-to-peer marketplace, where you can save an average of 60% off list price.Price match guarantee on new books.
• Choose free delivery options for select orders over $49 (not including Marketplace items).
• Sell your books back on the website (any time, any book, you name the price).

JULY 27, 2020

Dear Marauder Family,

The start of the Fall 2020 semester is about four weeks away and my leadership team is actively working on creating an optimum environment for our students to continue their education when classes begin. We are acutely aware of the continued spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and very mindful of our students’ desire to be engaged in the unique Millersville experience.

For the past several months, our faculty and staff have worked diligently to develop plans that will not only provide for the health and safety of our students this fall semester, but also position them for success in the years beyond this crisis. These individuals have accomplished so much by demonstrating an amazing ability to respond to immediate challenges presented by the pandemic while planning to operate within the constraints it will impose in the days ahead.

Our mission is to be a community dedicated to high quality education at an exceptional value. As a community we have a responsibility to safeguard the health of our faculty, staff and students. That responsibility has guided our decision-making throughout this crisis; necessitating that we take strong action to protect our community while providing a high-quality education. 

Courses and Course Schedules

In light of the continued increase of COVID-19 cases nationally, fall instruction will be provided primarily in online/remote modality. Over 80% of the instruction will be offered remotely. This approach may include synchronous teaching and learning where students are required to be present on specific dates and times, and/or asynchronous teaching and learning where students have the flexibility to enter the course when they are able. Most experiential courses requiring student participation on campus, including science and engineering labs; performing, visual or studio arts; and clinical, field and student teaching placements, will be offered in face-to-face and/or hybrid modalities. This approach will further decrease population density on campus and assist us in making our safety and mitigation efforts more effective.

This transition to primarily remote instructional modality will require further revision of the class schedules, which will be completed and uploaded for your review no later than the morning of Thursday, July 30. After reviewing their schedules, students should immediately contact their academic advisor or department chair if they have questions or need to make changes. You may also contact the Office of Academic Advisement and Student Development (717-871-7607, Sherry.Mull@millersville.edu).

Housing

In the interest of reducing the overall density of individuals on campus, we will welcome a reduced number of students into campus housing using a one-student-per-bedroom approach. This method will prioritize the health and safety of our students by helping provide adequate social distancing in the residence halls.

Unfortunately, this approach will also limit the total number of students that we can accommodate in our on-campus housing. We are therefore offering the opportunity to cancel your housing contract to those students who planned on living in The Villages, Shenks Hall or Reighard Hall. To cancel your housing contract for the Fall 2020 Semester, please log into your MAX account and complete the housing questionnaire that first appears. If you are not ready to decide, please select no. If you later decide to cancel your housing please go to “Student Services-Housing and Dining-My Housing-Applications-Fall 2020 Housing Cancellation Request.” The deadline to opt out of your housing contract is 4 p.m., Monday August 3. After the opt-out period closes, we may need to notify some remaining students that we are no longer able to provide housing to them for the fall 2020 semester.

As announced previously, the semester will begin on August 24 and will continue through November 20 without stoppages for Labor Day or Fall Break. Students who reside within on campus housing will be expected to depart campus on November 20, the Friday before Thanksgiving. The remainder of the semester, even for face-to-face classes, and final exams for all classes, will be completed remotely.

Campus Spaces and Services

Campus spaces such as classroom buildings, the Upper Deck at Gordinier Hall, the Student Memorial Center and the Francine G. McNairy Library and Learning Forum will be open. Use of those spaces will follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as phased (red, yellow, green) social gathering restrictions established though directives from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. For example, the Francine G. McNairy Library and Learning Forum will be open, but access to study spaces will be by reservation only.

All student support services, including advisement, tutoring, career services, disability services and counseling services will continue to be provided remotely. Millersville University Health Services will continue to provide remote services and assistance to all registered students.

I look forward with alacrity to begin each fall semester, especially when new students arrive, and continuing students return with excitement to start a new academic year as a community. Therefore, I share in the disappointment that this fall’s modality will bring to many of our students and their parents. Know that these decisions are made with our faculty, staff and students in mind and with the knowledge that better days lie ahead. I encourage you to continue to check the Fall 2020 website for the latest updates and information, consult the Student FAQ for answers to frequently asked questions, and to stay alert to email messages in your Marauder email.

In closing, I wish to thank members of the Fall Opening Committee from across the University community who continue to guide our fall reopening activities. The work of that committee, which is led by our Provost and our Chief Technology/Innovation Officer, is reflected in the information shared here and will be evident as we begin the Fall 2020 semester. I cannot thank them enough. I know that their passionate commitment to the health, safety and success of our students drives their late nights and early mornings, their work-filled weekends and their cancelled summer plans.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah

University President

July 22, 2020

RE: Information on Course Schedule and Campus Housing

Dear Millersville Student,

We are working diligently to welcome you back to campus in the fall to begin a new academic year. As you know, Millersville University will offer fall classes in-person, remotely and using a hybrid modality. For example, a vast majority of experiential courses such as labs, clinical placements, field placements, performing arts, studio courses and student teaching assignments will be offered inperson. Additionally, a significant number of first-year courses will be delivered in a face-to-face or hybrid modality. Approximately 60% of all courses will be taught using a remote learning modality.

Your revised class schedule will be ready for your review tomorrow morning. I urge you to carefully review your individual schedule and contact your academic advisor if you need any assistance in making changes to your schedule. Please pay particular attention to any synchronous activity in your online or hybrid classes. If you need assistance in finding your academic advisor contact information, it can be found in D2L or contact your department chair.

Additionally, if you planned on living in The Villages, Shenks Hall or Reighard Hall, the University is providing you with the opportunity to reconsider for the Fall 2020 Semester. We recognize this is an unprecedented time and that you may be reconsidering your housing options as you review your course schedule.

To cancel your housing contract for the Fall 2020 Semester, please log into your MAX account and select “Student Services-Housing and Dining-My Housing-Applications-Fall 2020 Housing Cancellation Request” by 4:00 p.m., Thursday, July 30. Students may cancel due to their class schedule or own personal preference.

Our faculty and staff have worked hard over the past few months to prepare for the fall semester in order to provide you the highest quality instruction that you deserve and expect from Millersville University while ensuring your health and safety in returning to campus. These steps will allow us to decrease the density of individuals on campus in order to mitigate the spread of coronavirus and provide the safest teaching and learning environment possible, under difficult conditions caused by the pandemic.

We wish you a safe and healthy summer and are eagerly awaiting seeing you in the fall.

Stay Well,

Vilas A. Prabhu
Provost and Vice President

Brian Hazlett,
Vice President for Student Affairs for Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management

July 8, 2020

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

I am writing to provide clarification on requesting flexible teaching arrangements for the Fall 2020 semester.

As you are aware, Deans have been working closely with Department Chairs and faculty to identify which fall courses will be taught fully online and which will have a face-to-face component. Faculty should continue to work with their Deans to reach mutually agreeable solutions by July 10^th, at which point a second draft will be submitted to the Office of the Provost.

As stated in my June 30^th email, the university has developed an online process for requesting flexible work arrangements for the fall semester.  I encourage you to utilize this link to regularly check the CDC guidance to confirm your current risk status as the CDC guidance is changing frequently.

In circumstances where a faculty member’s request to teach a class or classes fully online have been denied by the Dean, the faculty member should submit a formal request for flexible teaching arrangements through Human Resources. You may do so in one of the following ways:

1. Request for Flexible Work Accommodation Form: This online form should be completed if you are requesting to have one or more face-to-face classes converted to fully online delivery based on (a) personally meeting CDC criteria for increased risk of severe effects from COVID-19 or (b) ADA-related conditions. A link to the form can be found here.   While not required, health care providers may complete the FMLA Employee Serious Health Condition Certification form to document CDC- and/or ADA-related medical conditions. That form can be found here. This form (or other medical documents) can be directly uploaded to the request form, which is sent directly to the Executive Director of HR/CHRO (Ms. Diane Copenhaver) and the MU Benefits Manager (Casandra Miller), or faxed to HR at 717-871-7950.

1. Family Medical Leave Act: Faculty who would like to apply for leave during Fall 2020 should submit an FMLA request to HR. The form can be found here.

Additional information regarding this process and links to all relevant forms can be accessed on the Fall 2020 Work Accommodation webpage.

Medical documentation will be confidentially reviewed by Human Resources only. Faculty will be contacted by HR or the Dean/AVP within 48 business hours of submitting a request form. Faculty whose requests for flexible work arrangements have been denied will have the option to submit a follow-up request for FMLA.

If an agreement to teach fully online has been reached with the Dean, faculty will not be asked to transition their courses to face-to-face delivery. Therefore, faculty whose Deans have approved requests to teach fully online in Fall 2020 do not need to submit a flexible work request but may do so if they wish.

Sincerely,

Vilas A. Prabhu

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

 

July 2, 2020

Dear Millersville University Students:

The faculty and staff at Millersville University have been working hard to prepare for the Fall semester. We would like to update you on changes that are being made to the Fall schedule, including preliminary information about the course delivery format for the Fall 2020 semester.

You are now able to check your schedules to see which courses will be delivered with required on-campus activities and which will be taught entirely online. Courses appearing on this version of the schedule labeled as online or distance education will be delivered fully online. Courses with assigned classrooms, days and times may be fully on campus or may have blended online assignments. In either case these courses will require you to be on campus.

Please note that this is a preliminary schedule and as our fall planning progresses, there will be additional updates to the schedule. For example, some online classes will require you to login in at specific times to interact with your professors and fellow students (synchronous), others will be delivered asynchronously. More details about blended and fully in class courses will also be available after July 17.

On July 17 we will share more specific details about Fall courses. Therefore, at this time we ask that you please do not change your schedule. You will be able to access more information and make better informed decisions about your schedule after this date. If you change your schedule now, it is possible that you will have to revise it again later.

At this time, if you have immediate questions about your Fall schedule, please contact your academic advisor(s), the Chair of your Department or, if you are an Exploratory Studies student, Dr. David Henriques at david.henriques@millersville.edu.

We are working hard to ensure that you will have a productive and successful Fall semester. The faculty and staff cannot wait to have you back in our classes either on campus or online.

Sincerely,

Vilas A. Prabhu, Ph.D., M.B.A.

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

June 30, 2020

From: Office of Provost

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

In accordance with the Office of the Chancellor’s 2020 Fall Framework, the university has developed an online process for requesting flexible work arrangements for the fall semester.  The deadline for requests is July 10, 2020.  Requests received by the deadline will be given priority over requests received later.

Instructions for submitting requests for accommodations, as well as blank medical documentation, FAQs, and other resources, can be found here.  All requests must be received through this process and will be reviewed by Human Resources in accordance with any applicable laws, university policy, relevant Collective Bargaining Agreements, and the OOC 2020 Fall Framework.  Medical documentation will only be viewed by the appropriate Human Resources staff and will not be shared with supervisors.

Human Resources will work with the appropriate Dean/Director and Cabinet member to respond to each accommodation request.

Please direct all questions regarding the fall accommodation request process to human.resources@millersville.edu.

Sincerely,

Vilas A. Prabhu

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

June 26, 2020 Dear Marauder Family, The first days of summer have arrived. While we miss the normal summer camps and other visitors who keep campus energized at this time of year, we have also had the good fortune of warm days filled with blue skies. I have taken advantage of the longer days by taking more frequent walks around our beautiful campus. Despite the evidence of summer all around us, our thoughts are actively focused on the fall. Following Governor Wolf’s guidance, Lancaster County enters the green phase today. This phase lightens social restrictions on the size of gatherings and business occupancy while maintaining requirements for wearing masks in businesses. We are encouraged by the progress made in Pennsylvania and locally to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and remain cautiously optimistic about our planned reopening for the fall semester on August 24, 2020. On campus, we have opened the stadium field and track, tennis courts and rugby field for individuals who desire recreational and fitness activity. We ask that you comply with the posted health and safety protocols. Summer Session II is in full swing with robust enrollments in the online environment. For our students who want to get ahead, I encourage you to register for available seats in Summer Session III classes, which start on July 13. Last week I provided information on plans for reopening campus this fall, including plans for academic instruction, on-campus housing, dining, as well as health and safety procedures. This week I would like to note a minor change to our academic calendar. On campus instruction will begin on August 24, 2020 as noted previously and continue straight through until Thanksgiving recess, which will now begin on Friday, November 20. Classes will be held on Labor Day and during our normal fall break in order to extend the Thanksgiving recess. Classes will resume remotely on November 30 for the final two weeks of the semester, including final exams, which will be delivered remotely. These changes will help us maintain the continuity of campus life and further ensure the health and safety of our community. I appreciate your understanding of these changes and again encourage you to visit the Fall 2020 website (https://www.millersville.edu/fall2020/) often for updates and to fill out the inquiry form on the Fall 2020 website if you have questions. As we navigate these dynamic, and at times uncertain days, we are also mindful of the economic costs for businesses and the hardships faced by individuals in Lancaster County and around the world. This past week I announced the establishment of our Office of Community Engagement, Governmental and Economic Development (CEGED). As one of the region’s leading public universities, it is our responsibility to address this economic challenge head on and play a lead role in the region’s economic resurgence. Doing so strategically and effectively requires a central office to coordinate and manage this effort. Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic must extend beyond campus to build partnerships that strengthen the communities we serve. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind our faculty and staff that while Lancaster County has entered the green phase, only employees who have been approved by their supervisors should be on campus on a regular schedule. All employees in this group must report to Health Services for a rapid health screening before going to their work location. Please consult the Fall 2020 website for additional information and guidance related to returning to work on campus. I hope that the start of the summer season finds you well and that you are able to spend time outdoors and enjoy the best that the season has to offer. In the coming weeks, my Vice Presidents and their teams will communicate additional detailed plans for fall 2020.  I will also communicate with campus in my July monthly newsletter, so please be on the alert for that email publication around mid-month. Be kind, be safe and stay healthy. With warm regards, Daniel A. Wubah University President

June 19, 2020

Dear Marauder Family,

In just over two months, we will begin the fall 2020 semester at Millersville University. I have missed seeing everyone and I am excited for the semester to begin. As I announced last week, classes will start on August 24, 2020. In this week’s update, I would like to share some additional details with you about the fall semester. These plans have been developed to protect the safety of our students, faculty, staff and surrounding community.

Some highlights of the fall semester are:

• Academic instruction will be provided in a hybrid modality, which includes in-person, online and multi-modal instruction. Employee and student safety and an effective learning environment are primary considerations in employing these modalities.
• Students will be welcomed back to campus in both our on-campus housing and Student Lodging, Inc. housing.
• Dining will be open on campus with social distancing modifications and more options for grab-and-go meals.
• Everyone in our community must adapt to the new normal of wearing face masks, use of good hand washing and disinfecting procedures, and adhering to social distancing requirements.

We will not take a fall break this semester to minimize travel from and back to the University campus. Our goal is to decrease COVID-19 exposure risks from travel and proactively prepare for a possible “rebound” of the virus. Other important features of the calendar include:

• Classes will run straight through from Aug. 24 – Nov. 24.
• Thanksgiving recess will run Nov. 25 – 29.
• Classes will resume remotely on Nov. 30 with the final two weeks of the semester, including finals, delivered remotely.

The “Fall 2020” website (https://www.millersville.edu/fall2020/) is the hub for our detailed plans. I encourage you to check it often. I will also send additional updates throughout the summer. Meanwhile, if you have questions, please fill out the inquiry form on the Fall 2020 website.

While we frame how we will learn, work and live on campus this fall, we will remain flexible in order to adapt to changes in conditions or policies. As we prepare for the fall, please remember our EPPIIC values of exploration, professionalism, public mission, inclusion, integrity and compassion, and consider your own role in making our semester a safe and constructive experience for all.

Be kind, be safe and stay healthy.

With warm regards,

Daniel A. Wubah
University President

Highlights of Fall 2020:

• Academic instruction will be provided in a hybrid modality, which includes in-person, online and multi-modal instruction.  Faculty and student safety and an effective learning environment are primary considerations in employing these modalities.
• We are committed to welcoming students back to campus in both our on-campus housing and Student Lodging, Inc. housing.
• Dining will be open on campus with social distancing modifications and more options for grab and go meals.
• Everyone in our community must adapt to the new normal of wearing face masks, use of good hand washing and disinfecting procedures, and adhering to social distancing requirements.

Guidelines for Classes

• The semester will feature a far greater number of online courses than we usually offer; as many as 50% or more of our courses will be delivered fully online.
• Most courses that require a practical or hands-on component, as well as most courses taken primarily by first-year students, will be delivered face to face in our labs and studios.
• Some courses will be taught multi-modally. Because we may need to modify the number of seats in some classrooms to minimize the possibility of COVID-19 transmission, these “multi-modal” classes will be taught with some students in the classroom and other students connecting remotely.
• We have spent the summer upgrading the technology in 60 of our classrooms to allow for greater flexibility this fall.

Important Dates

We will not be taking a fall break this semester in order to minimize travel from and back to the University campus. The thinking is to decrease COVID-19 exposure risks from travel and proactively prepare for a possible “rebound” of the virus.

• Classes will run straight through from Aug. 24 – Nov. 24 with no fall break.
• Thanksgiving recess will run Nov. 25 – 29.
• Classes will resume remotely on Nov. 30 with the final two weeks of the semester, including finals, delivered remotely.

Housing

• On-campus housing will be open for the fall semester.
• The residence hall buildings are being modified in ways to limit crowding and interaction in public areas, to minimize the spread of the virus.
• Roommates should operate as a “family unit,” acting in ways that protect each other’s health.
• Visitors of students will be limited to those that reside in the same residence hall.
• On-campus housing will close for the remainder of the semester on Nov. 24.
• For students with extenuating circumstances, and approved by Housing and Residential Programs, break housing will be offered.
• No cost adjustment will be made to housing impacted by the shift to remote instruction after Thanksgiving.

Dining

• Dining will be open on campus with social distancing modifications and more options for grab and go meals.
• Dining will be closed during Thanksgiving Break, Nov. 26 – Nov. 28
• Dining will be open Nov. 29 – until the end of the semester.
• “Declining Balance” plans will be available for use upon students arrival beginning Aug. 17.
• Any “Declining Balance” dollars unused from the Fall Semester will rollover to the Spring Semester.

Tuition and Fees

• Tuition and fees will not be impacted by the shift to remote instruction after Thanksgiving break.
• Bills will be sent out in July.

Athletics

• Athletics – We are committed to proceeding with intercollegiate athletics this fall, contingent on guidance from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), the state of Pennsylvania and other appropriate groups.

On Campus Activities

• All non-instructional meetings, such as faculty office hours and student advising will be conducted remotely (i.e. Zoom and Teams meetings).
• Co-curricular student activities sponsored by the University will follow social distancing guidelines. The guidelines will be established and enforced for non-instructional student facilities (i.e. Student Memorial Center (SMC) and the Francine G. McNairy Library and Learning Forum, etc.)
• Resources and guidelines will be provided for students to use spaces on campus that follow CDC guidelines, and will be in accordance with the phases of opening directives from the Commonwealth (red, yellow, green). Facilities like SMC and the library will be operating at lower capacities to comply with state and local health guidelines.
• The Pennsylvania Department of Health outlines parameters in each of the reopening phases. Lancaster County is currently in the Yellow Phase, which prohibits large gatherings. Once the county moves to Green Phase, we’ll be allowed to have events with crowds up to 250, provided social distancing requirements can be met. Decisions on events will be made on a case-by-case basis, depending on crowd size and availability of adequate space.

Safety

We are using health and safety guidelines from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Pennsylvania’s Department of Health (PA DOH).

• Masks will be provided to all students, faculty and staff and their use will be mandatory.
• Each person will be responsible for the care and cleaning of their mask and must have their mask with them at all times.
• Cleaning, disinfecting and sanitation efforts throughout campus have been increased to meet appropriate CDC guidelines.
• Frequent hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer will be encouraged.
• Everyone must be vigilant and maintain social distancing (minimum of six feet of distance).
• Classrooms and general meeting rooms are being re-organized/rearranged to aid in social distancing, including adding markings to the classroom floors to denote acceptable/safe social distances.
• Classrooms and general meeting rooms are being upgraded with technology (audio and video) to allow for concurrent in-person and remote learning wherever possible.
• Building entrances and exits are being modified to indicate directional flow (one way in, and another way out of the building), point of service operations are being modified with barriers and floor markings to maintain social distancing, lounges and waiting areas are being modified to reduce population density, and many other measures will be made to try to mitigate the spread of the virus.
• We plan to decrease the number of staff on campus on any given day. Using a rotation schedule, we are committed to providing in-person service, while providing for social distancing for our employees.
• Many employees will continue to work remotely and will not be on campus.
• All meetings will continue to be performed using Zoom or other virtual meeting technology.

COVID-19 Testing, Health, Counseling and Behavioral Wellness Services

In order to implement the process of contact tracing the University is partnering with local healthcare professionals and members of the PA DOH.  Our contact tracing and testing protocols will direct students and staff to appropriate health care and testing facilities, if needed. We will monitor and update these protocols as guidance evolves. Millersville University is also training a variety of individuals in the process of contact tracing, to provide a knowledge base to prepare them to assist the PA-DOH and local healthcare professionals if needed.

Millersville University Health Services, located in the Witmer Building, will continue to provide guidance, education and prevention and keep the campus educated and informed of best practices. The Health Services professionals will coordinate and communicate with other regional and local healthcare professionals and will be the contact for the PA DOH.  Health Services will continue to provide remote services and assistance to all registered students.

For the safety of our students and staff, Health Services will not be accepting walk-in appointments.  They request that you call first to speak with a member of the nursing staff.  Please call for a phone evaluation Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. at 717-871-5250.  Any medical concerns that cannot be addressed through a virtual visit will be scheduled for a face to face visit at Health Services for those students living in the surrounding community.

The Counseling & Human Development Center staffed by trained and licensed psychologists will continue to provide services remotely this fall. Students who are registered for fall 2020 classes are eligible for services (individual and group) and may contact the Counseling Center at 717-871-7821 to make an appointment or for more information. The Center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.