The Miami University Health Services Information hotline number is 513-529-3003 . This line is updated with the most current information as it is made available.

Miami’s Institutional Response Team (IRT), composed of senior staff members from across the University, was activated earlier this week and has been working continuously with officials from the Butler County Health District and the Ohio Department of Health. As part of the team’s work, they are processing plans for possible next steps after the test results come in. IRT will be providing daily updates to the Miami community via email, social media, and the University website.

Miami University officials are extending the full refund withdrawal date to February 10, 2020. Questions regarding withdrawal from the university should be directed to the One Stop office.

Miami continues following protocol established by the CDC and has confirmed with the Ohio Department of Health that guidelines remain in place-they do not recommend preventatively isolating individuals who have traveled to China.

The decision came as cases have begun to appear in people who had not traveled to China during the outbreak.

The World Health Organization declared on Thursday that the new coronavirus outbreak is a global health emergency, acknowledging that the disease now represents a risk beyond China, where it emerged last month.

Miami University has taken numerous steps to prevent the spread of illness across the campus, including steps such as these:

Individuals who have had recent travel within the last 14 days from affected regions and are experiencing symptoms or who have been in close contact with those who are ill and recently traveled to affected regions are advised to make an appointment to see a medical provider. Students can call Student Health Service, 513-529-3000. Faculty and staff should contact their regular health care provider. For other illnesses, stay at home to avoid spreading illness to others until you have been without a fever for 24 hours.

Wearing face masks routinely is not recommended for people who are well. Handwashing and avoiding touching your face are the most effective method of illness prevention.

No, the flu shot is formulated to match influenza viruses expected to be circulating in the United States during the 2019-2020 flu season. The influenza virus is a different genetic makeup from the coronavirus. The coronavirus has many genetic variants, including the “common cold” that generally does not present serious adverse health risks.

At Miami, our Code of Love and Honor states that we demonstrate Love and Honor “by supporting and caring for [our] fellow Miamians." This means that we treat our fellow Miamians with care and compassion, even when (or especially when) we are anxious or afraid. We urge all members of our community to treat one another with compassion rather than suspicion.

Students can also help their families back home by letting them know they are taking good care of themselves. The best advice for not getting sick is to practice frequent handwashing and staying out of close contact with people who might be sick.

It's hard knowing people you care about are in the middle of a potentially scary situation far away. We know that this has been a difficult time for many members of our community. Please know we are here for you and encourage you to reach out for support. Students who want to meet with a counselor can call 513-529-4634.

In the event of a Miami student testing positive for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, the patient would remain isolated, receive appropriate medical attention, and continue being monitored by public health officials.

Quarantine is not currently recommended for those who do not meet the public health criteria for the coronavirus. Students who are ill with flu and/or cold-like symptoms should continue medically recommended practices, including monitoring their temperature and practicing good hygiene. Individuals who may have had an exposure or are arriving from affected areas are not required to be quarantined.

Any recent traveler from Wuhan or other affected area who has symptoms (fever and respiratory symptoms such as sore throat, cough, or difficulty breathing) should contact Student Health (513-529-3000) and make arrangements to be seen by a medical provider right away.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ohio Department of Health tell us the most effective means of protection are the same as those precautions that prevent other illnesses such as the flu:

The university already had been using these EPA-approved products and has increased touch-point cleaning in addition to common areas to include door knobs, light switches, etc.

County and state health officials have said screening of individuals who are well is not recommended at this time. Miami has contacted students who traveled to China recently and encouraged any student who is experiencing flu-like symptoms and recently travelled to affected areas to contact the University’s Student Health Center, 513-529-3000.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have recently increased the number of airports screening travelers to 20.

Miami University’s Office of the Dean of Students is in regular contact with the two students. Miami’s dining services staff have organized delivery of food to the students. They are remaining in their off-campus location and are not exiting their residence.

Isolation and quarantine are used to protect the public by preventing exposure to infected persons or to persons who may be infected.

Quarantine is used to separate and restrict the movement of well persons who may have been exposed to a communicable disease to see if they become ill. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms. Quarantine can also help limit the spread of communicable disease.

Isolation is used to separate ill persons who have a communicable disease from those who are healthy. Isolation restricts the movement of ill persons to help stop the spread of certain diseases. For example, hospitals use isolation for patients with infectious tuberculosis.

While these two terms are often used interchangeably, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, isolation and quarantine are public health practices used to stop or limit the spread of disease.

Miami University has activated the Institutional Response Team (IRT), comprised of senior staff from across the University. IRT has been working continuously with officials from the Butler County Health District and the Ohio Department of Health. As part of this work, plans are in place for next steps after the test results have been returned. IRT will be providing daily updates to the Miami community via email, social media and the University website.

Miami has been in contact with students who traveled to China over the break and provided instructions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) asking them to seek treatment if they are exhibiting symptoms and have traveled to the affected areas. We are monitoring and in communication with students on both the Oxford and Regional campuses who have not returned due to a variety of travel restrictions.

In addition to hand sanitizers at entrances, the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life has ordered an extra 3,000 personal bottles of hand sanitizer for all people going through recruitment. All Greek students and potential new members were also emailed last night (Tuesday) by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life with guidance.

At this time, all sorority and fraternity recruitment activities will continue as planned. We are continuing to evaluate and monitor the situation, working in accordance with the Butler County Health District recommendations.

In following the advice of the Butler County Health District and the Ohio Department of Health, we have isolated the two students who have met the criteria for being tested for the coronavirus. At this time, we plan to maintain our regular academic class schedule. This mirrors the protocol that is being followed at other universities, including Baylor University, Wesleyan University, Tennessee Tech University, and Texas A&M University, who also isolated students while coronavirus tests were being conducted.

If you have traveled recently to Wuhan, China, had close contact with someone who has been confirmed with, or is being evaluated for the coronavirus, you should:

Again, if you have not traveled to China or have not been in contact with a person known or suspected to have the illness, there is no reason to be concerned at this time . Review the CDC travel alerts for coronavirus for more information.

In the event of a Miami student testing positive for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus, the patient would receive appropriate medical attention and would be under monitoring of public health officials. We would work with any roommates or suitemates concerned about close contact to determine their needs.

Symptoms are similar to other respiratory viruses. If you have these symptoms it does not necessarily mean you have this new virus! Unless you have recently traveled to Wuhan, China or have been around someone ill with this new virus, your risk of getting sick is near zero.

Human coronaviruses are common throughout the world. Seven different known coronaviruses can infect people and make them sick. Some were identified many years ago and some more recently.

Miami Health Services and Student Life professionals acted quickly with appropriate protocol, and we will continue to follow the best practices currently known. We have proactive partners in local and state healthcare. We will post updated information on myMiami as it becomes available. Please check announcements there regularly. Jayne Brownell Vice President, Student Life Terri Buzzell Director, Student Health Service

We are assisting and supporting these Miami students who are awaiting test results. We continue to work closely with local and state healthcare professionals and the Butler County Health District and Ohio Department of Health. If you are experiencing symptoms and have traveled to the impacted area, please first call Student Health Services at 513-529-3000 to receive guidance on next steps. Miami has set up a call center to address any general questions or concerns at 513-529-9000.

On Monday morning, one student at Miami University presented at Student Health Services with very mild symptoms, and with their recent travel, met the criteria and are being tested for possible infection with the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Health providers quickly recognized that the presenting patient met the criteria for 2019-Coronavirus testing; results should be back from the CDC in the coming days. This student and his traveling companion are isolated in their off-campus residence while awaiting the test results. Miami and healthcare professionals continue to communicate and collaborate daily with the Butler County Health District and the Ohio Department of Health and are following their recommendations and protocols. We will share information with the community as it becomes available.

At Miami, we treat each other with compassion, care, and understanding. As always, our number one priority is the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and campus community.

For any general questions or concerns, we have set up a call center at 513-529-9000 that is staffed from 8 am to 5 pm (EST) this week. We also have developed [this] webpage to keep you updated with the latest information. I’d like to thank Governor DeWine, the Ohio Department of Health, and the Butler County Health District for their advice, guidance, and support. Soon, we will be posting the video of the press conference held this afternoon with Miami and representatives from these organizations. The conference provided important information that addresses many questions.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Ohio Department of Health tell us the most effective means of protection are the same as those precautions that prevent other illnesses such as the flu:

“Unless you have recently traveled from China or have been around someone ill with this new virus, your risk of getting sick is low. If you have traveled from China and are experiencing signs and symptoms, contact your doctor BEFORE going to work or attending class. Miami students, who meet this criteria and are experiencing signs or symptoms, should contact Student Health Services at 513-529-3000 for further instructions.”

Miami is following the advice of public health officials in Butler County and the State of Ohio. At this point in time, we plan to maintain our regular academic class schedule. This mirrors the protocol that is being followed at other universities, including Baylor University, Wesleyan University, Tennessee Tech University, and Texas A&M University, who also isolated students while coronavirus tests were being conducted.

I am following up on our announcement this morning about two off-campus, Oxford students being tested for the coronavirus. Currently, these students are being monitored by public health and Miami University officials and are being isolated as a precaution. The Ohio Department of Health has indicated there are no confirmed cases in the State of Ohio at this time. Please be assured that Miami University is closely collaborating with the Butler County Health District and the Ohio Department of Health to treat these students and to take all appropriate precautions to protect the health and safety of the entire Miami Community. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates the risk in the United States is low.

Miami has updated its information website with additional frequently asked questions. The website also houses all communications that are being sent out from the University, as well as the livestream from yesterday’s press conference with health officials. The community is encouraged to visit this site regularly for updates. In addition, the call center (513-529-9000) will remain open this week during regular business hours.

Miami’s IRT, composed of senior staff members from across the University, was activated earlier this week and has been working continuously with officials from the Butler County Health District and the Ohio Department of Health. As part of the team’s work, they are processing plans for possible next steps after the test results come in. IRT will be providing daily updates to the Miami community via email, social media, and the University website.

As we continue to await the test results of the two samples sent earlier this week, we have taken many proactive measures to prevent the spread of illness across campus, including the following steps:

Miami University’s Institutional Response Team (IRT) and student health officials have been working alongside medical experts and Butler County Health officials using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for screening individuals who have flu-like symptoms. No new cases have emerged from Miami University or Butler County that require testing by the CDC.

IRT echoes President Crawford’s message from earlier in the week: “At Miami, we treat each other with compassion, care, and understanding. As always, our number one priority is the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and campus community.”

Additionally, the World Health Organization announced today that it is classifying the Novel Coronavirus a global health emergency. This new classification will help to free up global resources to further help contain the spread of the virus and treat those impacted. This change doesn't alter any of the current guidance regarding prevention measures. ODH noted that the CDC guidelines remain in place - They do not recommend preventatively isolating individuals who have traveled to China. Additionally, the guidelines involving preventative hygiene measures remain unchanged. Miami continues to follow these protocols.

As you've likely heard, the first human-to-human transmission in the United States was confirmed today in Illinois. Human-to-human transmission is not a new development and was confirmed shortly after the identification of the Novel Coronavirus. Similar to those previous transmissions, the case in Illinois involved intimate human contact, according to ODH.

Members of Miami’s Institutional Response Team (IRT) continue conversations and meetings with public health officials, including members of the Butler County Health District and the Ohio Department of Health. As stated in yesterday’s campus health update, no new suspected cases have emerged from Miami University, Butler County, or the State of Ohio that require testing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, we are still awaiting the test results of the two samples sent to the CDC earlier this week.

In the meantime, Miami continues to take proactive measures to prevent the spread of illness, and asks our community to take the same precautions to prevent getting the cold or flu. Please continue to visit Miami’s coronavirus information website for the latest information.

When the tests are complete, the CDC will deliver the results first to the Ohio Department of Health and the Butler County Health District, who will contact the students who have been isolated since Monday. Following the students’ notification, Miami University, the Butler County Health District, and the Ohio Department of Health will promptly hold a joint news conference to share the results.

We know many people are anxiously awaiting the results of the tests. The Ohio Department of Health sent the test samples to the CDC on Tuesday, January 28. The samples were received by the CDC the next morning and placed in the queue for testing. We know it takes 48 hours for the lab to grow the cultures necessary for testing, and that we are among a number of pending requests , as testing can presently only be performed by the CDC’s public health lab. While we had hoped to receive the results by today, the Butler County Health Commissioner indicated to us that given the late hour this is now unlikely.

Miami’s Institutional Response Team (IRT) and public health officials, including the Butler County Health District and the Ohio Department of Health, continue to await the results of two samples sent earlier this week to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). No additional suspected cases have emerged from Miami University, Butler County, or the State of Ohio.

As soon as we receive the test results, we will quickly relay that information to the community and the public via a joint press conference with the Ohio Department of Health and Butler County Health District. Please continue to visit Miami’s coronavirus information website for the latest information, as we continually update the frequently asked questions section of the site.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to advise that, for the general American public, who are unlikely to be exposed to this virus, the immediate health risk from the coronavirus is considered low. “The goal of the ongoing U.S. public health response is to prevent sustained spread of 2o19-nCoV in this country,” the CDC has said .

We continue to work closely with the Butler County Health District to identify members of our campus community who may be affected by these new guidelines and to contact individuals who have traveled to China over the past two weeks to assess their travel history and health status.

On Friday, United States Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the United States . With this announcement, the CDC is releasing additional guidelines for individuals traveling from China to the U.S., beginning tomorrow, February 2.

Miami’s Institutional Response Team (IRT) and public health officials, including the Butler County Health District and the Ohio Department of Health, continue to await the results of two samples sent earlier this week to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). No additional suspected cases of the coronavirus have emerged from Miami University, Butler County, or the State of Ohio.

Miami’s call center (513-529-9000) will reopen for the day tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. Please continue to visit the Miami coronavirus information website for any further updates. Again, thank you to all for your diligence this past week and in the days to come. We have experienced a tremendous outpouring of support from our community for the affected students. It has been inspiring to witness Love & Honor in action.

Even with this news, our student health providers ask that we all continue to be proactive in monitoring our health as we are still in peak flu season. As a reminder, the CDC and the Ohio Department of Health tell us the most effective means of prevention of illnesses such as the flu include:

Today we received notification from the Ohio Department of Health that the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) test samples sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were negative. We are so glad to hear that these students are on the road to recovery. I am also particularly grateful to the Ohio Department of Health and the Butler County Health District, as well as Governor DeWine’s office, for their leadership and guidance this past week. Their support was remarkable. I am thankful that Miami leadership and our Student Health Services/TriHealth personnel were prepared to take the right, proactive actions.

While we will continue to stay in close contact with the Ohio Department of Health and the Butler County Health District, this is the last daily update IRT plans to send out. We will, however, send updates if University, local, and federal guidelines change or other circumstances warrant. The call center closed at noon today; if you have any further questions, please email irt@miamioh.edu . The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff, as always, are our top priority.

While we want to take all precautions to advance the safety of our community, please remember that unless you have recently returned from China, there is no need to change any routine activities or behaviors related to the coronavirus. The best way to prevent the spread of any type of infection — including the flu, which is much more prevalent in the U.S. — is to practice routine hygiene etiquette:

In accordance with new federal guidance, any Miami University student, faculty, or staff member who returns to the U.S. from China after Sunday, February 2, at 5 p.m. EST will not be permitted to come to campus to work, attend class, or participate in any campus or community activity for 14 days after leaving mainland China.

While there are currently no confirmed or suspected cases of the virus in Ohio, for the safety of our University community, we are implementing additional guidelines consistent with yesterday’s federal public health recommendations.

As we announced last evening, the two samples that were sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to be tested for the Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) were negative. We also learned that the CDC and the U.S. Department of State (DOS) significantly updated their guidance on travel and guidelines for monitoring the health of those who have recently entered the U.S. from China.

The COVID-19 situation is rapidly evolving. We encourage members of the Miami community to strongly consider deferring non-essential international travel during spring break. Miami will make decisions about its summer study abroad programs in affected areas in the near future on a case-by-case basis.

Miami has already cancelled all of its programs in China for the foreseeable future, and urges students currently in South Korea and Italy to return to the USA as soon as possible to complete their studies. Miami is ready to support you in this transition.

China, South Korea, and Italy are now listed at Level 3 (Reconsider Travel) by the Department of State and Level 3 (Avoid Non-Essential Travel) by the Centers for Disease Control due to presence of the coronavirus COVID-19. Miami is restricting all travel to these countries.

If you have questions or suggestions, please send them to cmt@MiamiOH.edu . If you have questions about academic travel abroad, call Global Initiatives at 513-529-8600.

For now, updated travel restrictions have been announced and the university will update them as appropriate.

CMT’s efforts will focus on the health and safety of our community and meeting our educational responsibilities. Being prepared will require the efforts of many people in our community. Please help if asked. Even if you don’t have a specific role to play, we ask you to support those whose families, colleagues and friends may be impacted by the spread of the virus.

In the coming days and weeks, the CMT will be meeting and planning for the unlikely event of a local outbreak of COVID-19. The CMT includes the Provost, the Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Services, several members of the President’s cabinet, and leaders of operational units across campus.

The University’s Crisis Management Team (CMT) comes together when there is a potential for a crisis that could impact the on-going operations of the University. Containing the spread of a contagious disease presents challenges and will require the University to take proactive measures to protect the health and safety of all members of our community while working to maintain University operations and responsibilities.

Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that the global spread of COVID-19 makes it almost certain the United States will experience an outbreak. Miami University is closely monitoring COVID-19 developments, nationally and internationally, in conjunction with Tri-Health, the Butler County and Ohio departments of health and the CDC.

In January, when two Miami students were being tested for the virus, the University’s Institutional Response Team (IRT) responded. The IRT is responsible for responding to student-centered emergencies and crises and includes members from Student Life and other offices across campus; bringing a multi-disciplinary approach to student crises. In January and early February, the IRT communicated frequently with the Butler County and Ohio departments of health. With their support, Miami University

Protecting the health and safety of all members of the Miami University community is our highest priority. On rare occasions, an event such as a chemical spill, tornado, fire or health emergency will challenge the day-to-day operations of the University. Miami, like most colleges and universities, plans for these unlikely events. The University works first to avoid and then to mitigate the effects of any potential crisis.

In the long term, we can anticipate vaccines and other means to combat this virus, in the short term, we must all practice the behaviors which limit the spread of influenza and the coronavirus. Each of us must also stay informed and review our activities and travel plans to weigh the risks versus the benefits, and to adjust or cancel as necessary. Please visit this site for Miami information and to link to local, national, and global health websites. For now, classes will continue as scheduled, as the Crisis Management Team continuously monitors the coronavirus. The Crisis Management Team is meeting regularly, and will keep the website updated and the Miami Community informed.

We live in an interconnected, global world. The opportunities and advantages achieved through enhanced trade, travel, and access were not possible just a few decades ago. Unfortunately, with these increased interconnections contagions can spread quickly from nation to nation, as COVID-19 is doing today. This is a serious concern, but our global interconnectivity also means that health officials from across the globe can communicate, work, and plan together to address the coronavirus.

Today the Governor of the State of Ohio declared a state of emergency, as we learned that Ohio had its first three confirmed cases of the coronavirus, all in Cuyahoga County. We want to assure you that leaders across the University have been and are, working closely with Tri-Health, the Butler County Health Department, the Ohio Department of Health, and other state offices and officials, to safeguard the health of the Miami Community and, if necessary, to respond, should the virus reach our campuses or the local area.

For any general questions or concerns, we have set up a call center at 513-529-9000 that is staffed from 8 am to 5 pm (EST).

OSU is suspending in person classes until at least March 30. For now, all Miami classes continue as scheduled. Working closely with health officials to safeguard our community. No outstanding tests or positive cases at Miami. We are continuously evaluating, and will keep you informed.

We will keep everyone informed through this website. If you have any questions please call the University’s call center at 513-529-9000 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. today or 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. tomorrow.

We will continue to work closely with public health officials to monitor and evaluate the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is a quickly evolving situation and we must all be ready to act to safeguard the health of the Miami community. The University will be continuously assessing the situation over the coming days and weeks.

In addition to remote instruction, we are also reviewing opportunities for staff to work remotely and will provide more information soon.

Those employees and students who do decide to personally travel to a CDC level 2 or 3 country are required to report their travel to the University at the following email address travel@miamioh.edu . They will be required to be screened by University Health Services upon return.

All members of the Miami community are encouraged to avoid travel to any CDC level 2 (Japan) or 3 country and to closely evaluate the risks of all personal travel (domestic, international, or cruise ship) and to change or cancel personal travel plans as appropriate.

All University sponsored or supported international travel to a CDC Level 3 country (Italy, Iran, South Korea, and China) is being suspended for faculty, staff and students. University sponsored domestic travel will be limited to essential travel and must be approved by the divisional vice-president.

Students may choose to return to their permanent place of residence or stay on campus, where appropriate social distancing and enhanced preventative public health and hygiene measures will be actively encouraged. We urge all students to make the choice that is best for them.

One of the most effective measures to prevent the spread of the virus is to avoid large group interactions. Beginning tomorrow, March 11, 2020, Miami University’s U.S. campuses are suspending all face-to-face instruction in lectures, discussion sections, seminars and other similar classroom settings. Courses will be delivered by remote instruction through at least April 12, 2020. We are evaluating laboratory, studio and performance classes and the University will provide more specific guidance later this week. Residence halls, dining halls and all campus services will remain open.

Miami University currently has no confirmed cases of the coronavirus (COVID-19). However, in light of the Governor’s announcement today and the advice of the Ohio Department of Health to limit large gatherings, the University is taking a number of immediate actions to protect the health and safety of our community, which is our first priority. We recognize these measures may cause disruption to many but the risk of not acting outweighs the disruption.

We have seen the best come out of our impressive faculty and staff during these past few days. I have heard that our Chemistry department is already to go with remote delivery. Our English department has been working collaboratively to help each other with their particular challenges. Nursing has been keeping me informed of how they are serving their students in their unique situation. Some of us visited the call center last night to provide guidance and thank them for working endless hours often fielding questions for very angry members of our community. There are hundreds of individual stories of Miamians showing leadership and doing good things. Please keep doing the right thing, and helping each other serve our mission in this challenging time.

I know our President is accessible and works tirelessly to remain engaged with the university community. That does not mean he is best equipped to respond to questions about specific situations. Please ask your direct supervisor if you have questions; they will take questions up the reporting chain until a definitive answer is received. Students, please start with your instructors, advisors, etc. Faculty, please start with your department chair,etc. They are best equipped to make good decisions based on the particular realities of the local conditions.

Governor DeWine has indicated today that we need to be very protective of facilities like assisted living and nursing homes. It is highly likely that these internships and placements will be discontinued and it is probably time now to prepare for this eventuality. Other internships are subject to decisions based on the organizations and companies hosting these experiences. Companies may become more strict about having people gathering in person.

I apologize for generating confusion around labs, studios, etc. We have told students that we are taking our operations to remote delivery. Some will opt to leave Oxford. Thus, we cannot mandate that students attend face-to-face labs, studios, etc. We need to quickly transition to remote delivery of these experiences as best we can, or provide alternative pathways to mastery of course objectives, as quickly as possible. We appreciate your efforts and collegial collaboration in sharing with each other what is possible and what works. Keep up the sharing!

We remain open and classes are in session. However, in the hope of serving the public health needs of the moment, we have attempted to move as much to remote delivery as quickly as possible. You still need to hold office hours, but consider holding them with WebEx, phone call, email/chat options, etc. Our students need you as much or more than before!

Posting grades by name, social security number or Banner ID# using any medium or method in which students can view the grades of other students is a FERPA violation. In an online environment, you can be FERPA compliant by posting grades by using the Canvas gradebook. An overview of using the Canvas Gradebook is a great place to start

As we work to provide remote instruction for our students, please remember that the University rules and policies must be adhered to in all circumstances, including those governing the privacy of student education records. The federal Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act, commonly referred to as FERPA, requires that we maintain the privacy of all education records, which are broadly defined to include any information we maintain about our students. This includes course schedules, grade reports, bursar’s bill, student financial aid, academic information and disciplinary records.

Academic Affairs must curtail all but the most essential travel, either domestically or internationally. By essential, I mean where significant harm will come to our enterprise or to an individual by delaying or cancelling the travel. If someone is inconvenienced, or if a research project is delayed by a few weeks, that does not rise to the level of essential. Anything deemed non-essential should be rescheduled, moved to remote delivery like WebEx, or cancelled. Any travel must be approved by the Provost or another vice president in the reporting chain.

We are making the best decisions we can at any given moment. Many decisions we have to make are disappointing or disruptive, but our public health officials have said that limiting social contact is critical to slowing or stopping this virus. If we can drastically limit transmission for a period of a few weeks, we may be able to stop the threat and get back to business as usual. Every unnecessary gathering, whether at the university or socially, risks transmission of the virus to new hosts which then extends the time we need to be taking these drastic actions. We must eliminate any non-essential gatherings or events immediately. We can reschedule them after the crisis has passed, hold them remotely, or cancel them.

I want to pause and review how we have arrived at this moment, facing this particular set of ever-evolving challenges. First, let us acknowledge that none of us expected to be in this position even a week ago. We are faced with an unprecedented and unwelcome but nevertheless grave public health situation. Our public health partners, our health system friends, and our state officials have been frequently communicating recommendations based on the best information we all have at any given moment.

Yesterday we had a series of meetings with many members of the Miami University community, and I was heartened and impressed with the level of commitment and collaboration that we are already seeing around campus. I have heard of faculty working together to help each other, of departments we thought would be facing substantial challenges working to overcome them, and of our support centers making heroic efforts to quickly ramp up support. I am not surprised, but it is gratifying to see the depth of commitment we as a university have to continuing our high level of performance regardless of circumstance. As a reminder, there is a Continuity of Education website where you can find all the resources we currently have available.

We will be providing more details tomorrow on how we can go forward together. Thank you for your help and patience as we work through this quickly evolving situation.

In the same fashion, we can handle this next challenge, recognizing that we must, as the governor said, take steps as a society to save lives.

As I talk with many of you, I am heartened by the way everyone is responding to the new challenges we face daily because of the coronavirus. Thank you for coming together so quickly to figure out how best to move our educational mission forward through remote learning. I am energized by your enthusiasm to find solutions. This is the very definition of education.

Miami’s crisis management team is meeting now and into this evening to discuss what steps we need to take as a caring and concerned community to provide the best assistance possible for our faculty, staff, and students with children attending these schools.

Even though Miami University remains open and has no confirmed cases of the coronavirus, we appreciate that our community will be significantly impacted by Governor DeWine’s announcement this afternoon that Ohio K-12 schools will begin an extended three-week spring break starting Monday.

We know that some faculty experienced challenges relating to holding classes via Webex yesterday. IT Services has been working with Cisco to troubleshoot these problems so that the system will work well in the future. Faculty are encouraged to complete Help Desk Tickets when they experience difficulties so that IT can track salient and systemic problems and address them expeditiously. The Help Desk contact information is 529-7900, or you can communicate by chat via MiamiOH.edu/ITChat . IT Services will be issuing a survey to gather additional input so that they can continuously work to improve our technology systems.

The Miller Center for Student Disability Services is proactively contacting faculty who have students with visual and hearing disabilities to provide support. If you encounter a barrier relating to accessibility and accommodations for students with disabilities, you are encouraged to complete the Barrier Form .

Please only university supported software and tools, as that allows us to be more effective with supporting you. Also, those official packages are better suited to meeting the accessibility needs of our students.

ELearning Miami, eCampus Regionals, Center for Teaching Excellence and other units have been working feverishly to provide resources for faculty and students in this time of remote delivery of instruction. The Continuity of Education website is being frequently enhanced, and a survey is being sent to all faculty to gain insights on additional forms of support that are needed.

Late last night, we made the decision to recall our students from their overseas studies. Prior to President Trump’s address to the nation last night, bringing them back to campus was the last option we wished to pursue. With the heightened risks around European travel and new CDC regulations , we had to prioritize getting our students home safely and quickly. We regret having to interrupt their time abroad and be assured that we will work with the impacted students to ensure their semester can be completed successfully.

We made it through Thursday! I know that for many of you, this is your first experience with remote delivery of instruction and we are all learning a lot along the way. The last several days have us all on a steep learning curve but I know that we can and will get through this together as a community. If I could wish one thing for each of us, it is that we try and find the humor in these trying situations and celebrate any and all victories.

We are the Miami community, and we will work through this together. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support.

We realize this is unprecedented, and we appreciate the efforts all have taken to quickly shift our method of curriculum delivery and respond to the many challenges created. This is a quickly evolving situation, and we will continue to provide important information and significant decisions as they are made. Please visit this website to stay informed.

Many of you have asked about May Commencement. The ceremony is scheduled for May 15, over two months away. We will continue to evaluate the situation and when we have sufficient information, we will make a decision, which we will quickly share with all of you.

Housing guidance for students and parents, along with additional information for faculty, and staff will be forthcoming before the end of the day.

We understand that departing for the entire semester is not possible for all students, and special arrangements will be made for them to remain on campus.

Therefore, we have decided to complete the remainder of the semester through remote instruction. We are announcing this decision today, so that faculty will have the maximum amount of time possible to fully prepare to deliver the semester’s remaining course material remotely, and so that students and parents can plan accordingly as students depart campus. For those students who leave by March 27, 2020, and do not return, there will be an appropriate refund of room and board, details will follow next week.

We have been closely evaluating the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) and following the advice of the Governor and the Ohio Department of Health. The situation is rapidly evolving, and although there have been no confirmed cases of the coronavirus at Miami University, every action we take is to protect the health and safety of our University community. Based on the daily reports from the Governor and Ohio’s Director of Health, who stated yesterday that the coronavirus peak is estimated for late April or early May, we do not believe a return to our campuses for face-to-face instruction by April 13 is possible.

The health and safety of our community remains our highest priority. The uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus is a challenge for us all, and we will work to provide certainty wherever possible. We appreciate your patience and support.

As we go through this pandemic, something none of us has experienced before, we are depending on each other for strength and comfort. We will experience difficult days ahead, but, as the Governor said, "We will get through this." Together.

We thank our students for adapting to complete their semester through remote learning. We understand that not all students can leave their on-campus residence, and we will support them through the semester. For those who can depart, we thank them for returning home to finish the semester. Student Life has provided information to students on this process.

Thank you for continuing to apply social distancing and the other practices that the Centers for Disease Control recommend for preventing transmission. We continue to evaluate this rapidly changing situation and will keep you informed as to what it means to our community.

We should all expect more positive test results in the coming days as testing and exposure increase. As Ohio Governor Mike DeWine said at this afternoon’s press conference, "None of this should surprise us. It's not unexpected."

This afternoon we learned about the first coronavirus cases in Southwest Ohio. UC Health announced that four family members who were treated at their West Chester Hospital have tested positive, and they are now quarantined at their home. To the best of our knowledge, they are not members of the Miami Community. Still, our hearts and thoughts go out to them and their families, and we wish them a quick recovery.

We are Miami, we support each other, and we treat each other with compassion, care, and understanding. As always, our number one priority is the health, safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and the Miami community. As Governor DeWine has assured us all, “We will get through this.” Together.

We understand that many of you may wonder if you have the virus. If you have a fever or symptoms of respiratory illness, such as a cough or shortness of breath, you should call your healthcare provider or the Miami Health Center at 513-529-3000. It is important that you call first for guidance, and do not visit a healthcare facility before calling. If you are feeling ill, we encourage you to stay in your home. We continue to evaluate this rapidly changing situation and will keep you informed as to what it means to our community. Watch for additional updates which will be forthcoming today. We thank you for continuing to apply social distancing and the other practices recommended for preventing transmission.

The guidance of the Governor and the Ohio Department of Health is for all Ohio businesses to identify as many employees as possible to work from home. I will be meeting today with university leaders, and by the end of the day we will send to all employees a plan to allow most personnel to work remotely, beginning as early as the third shift today, at 10:00 p.m. Also, until further notice all university-sponsored domestic travel is canceled, including in-state travel, whether by air or automobile. For students, who remain in Oxford, a subsequent message from the Dean of Students will be forthcoming.

The health and safety of our community is our highest priority, and we want to keep you informed during this rapidly evolving health emergency. While we continue to have no positive cases at Miami, yesterday we learned that a member of the Cleveland State University community tested positive for the coronavirus. Our hearts and thoughts go out to our colleagues and students at Cleveland State. We should all expect more positive test results each day as testing and exposure increase. As Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has said, “None of this should surprise us. It’s not unexpected.”

Due to Governor DeWine’s order closing restaurants, which applies to university dining halls, students should expect “to go” meal options in the dining halls starting today. Familiarize yourself with the modified hours of operation on the Dining website.

We will continue to keep you informed of new developments and new actions as they are taken. Please review this website for more information; we are making updates daily. I am inspired and heartened as I watch our students, faculty, staff, community members and alumni respond to this health emergency with compassion, love and honor. This is who we are, we are Miamians and as our Governor and fellow Miamian assures us “We will get through this.” Together.

As we have taken steps to reduce the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), Miamians have responded to the challenge to swiftly shift to remote operations, for instruction, staff work, and course attendance, I am grateful to all of you for rising to this challenge as our Governor has stated, these actions will slow transmission of the coronavirus and will save lives.

If you have a fever or symptoms of respiratory illness, such as a cough or shortness of breath, you should call your healthcare provider or the Miami Health Center at 513-529-3000. It is important that you call first for guidance, and do not visit a healthcare facility before calling. If you are feeling ill, we encourage you to stay in your home.

We are urging all students, if they are able, to depart Oxford as soon as possible, there is no academic reason to stay; our faculty and staff have implemented remote learning and student support. Our residence halls will be closing on Saturday, March 21. Only students who have received permission may remain in the residence halls after that date. If you believe you cannot go home, you may seek an exception by completing the exception form.

The health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and local communities remain our greatest priority. We have learned of a positive test for the coronavirus in the Oxford area. We have confirmed it is not a Miami student or employee. We knew that positive cases would soon reach our area, and we should not be surprised. Our thoughts and hearts go out to them, their loved ones and family. We must be diligent and continue to focus on what we can do as community members. We must adhere to social distancing, and those practices recommended to reduce transmission of the virus:

I am inspired as I watch our students, faculty, staff, community members and alumni respond to this health emergency with compassion, love and honor. This is who we are, we are Miamians and as our Governor and fellow Miamian assures us “We will get through this.” Together.

We will continue to keep you informed of new developments and new actions as they are taken. Please continue to visit this site, MiamiOH.edu/coronavirus for more information, as we are updating the site frequently to keep you up-to-date.

We know this is extremely disappointing; it was not an easy decision to make, and it is one we would have preferred to have been otherwise, but we must put safety first. Most importantly, it should not take away the pride you feel in your accomplishments, or the connections you have made here at Miami. The Class of 2020 has had a positive, lasting impact on Miami, and we will all celebrate your time here, even if it is ending differently than any of us expected. This is not the end of your Miami story, but the beginning of your journey as Miami alumni, and we look forward to seeing all of you back here many times over the coming years.

We treasure commencement, and the opportunity to celebrate the success of our graduates with their families, friends and loved ones. While the ceremony in May is canceled, we are exploring other, creative options to bring together our graduates and their families at a later date. In the coming weeks we hope to provide you with our plans for the Class of 2020.

Just last Monday, we all learned of Ohio’s first positive test for the coronavirus. In the following days we shifted to remote operations - first course instruction and then administrative as well. At first through April 12, and now through the end of the semester. We are continuing to evaluate the still rapidly developing impact of the coronavirus, and based upon the input of public health professionals and modeling from public health officials, I have determined that we can no longer plan to hold a commencement ceremony in Oxford on May 16.

As we navigate the changing COVID-19 landscape, the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and local communities is our top priority. I am heartened by the way the Miami community has stepped up to take on this challenge. The past two weeks have been like none other in most of our lives. I wish to thank our incredible faculty and staff who have quickly adapted to deliver instruction and student support services remotely, and to especially thank our students for their flexibility, understanding, and their commitment to complete this semester from a distance.

We understand that there are many questions and concerns as we navigate this extraordinary moment in our history. We continue to work closely with partners at the city and state to manage these challenges and will continue to share information as we are able.

If you have a fever or symptoms of respiratory illness, such as a cough or shortness of breath, you should call your healthcare provider or the Miami Health Center at 513-529-3000. It is important that you call first for guidance, and do not visit a healthcare facility before calling. If you are feeling ill, we encourage you to stay in your home. Please continue to practice social distancing.

We will continue to follow the guidance and advice of the Ohio Department of Health and to work closely with the Butler County Health Department. We will also communicate with the Miami Community as we learn more. This website is updated frequently to keep you informed.

Ensuring the anonymity of the individual who has tested positive for COVID-19 is important. If you are aware of their identity, please respect their privacy. Please abide by all laws related to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and personal health information (HIPAA), and expectations for the responsible use of social media. Miami is committed to doing all that we can to support this person and our broader community through what is a stressful and challenging time.

We are working with the Butler County Health Department to identify anyone with whom they were in close personal contact. Those individuals will be contacted and given direction.

A member of the Miami Community has informed us that they tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). The individual was last on campus on March 19, and is now self-isolating at their home outside of Ohio. Our hearts and thoughts go out to them and their loved ones.

Thanks to everyone who is sharing the many ways we can stay connected. We are Miamians, we help and support each other, and we will get through this together. Our future is one of hope.

It’s hard for all of us to be apart from each other physically, but it’s crucial that we limit our contact and practice physical distancing to stop the spread of this virus and save lives. Health and safety must be our top priority. For frequent updates about the coronavirus and how it’s affecting our Miami Community, please continue to visit this website.

It is important as we work remotely that we all continue our professional development. Please visit Miami’s HR website to see all of the resources available to faculty and staff . In particular, Skillport, Hoonuit, and Universal Call are wonderful online learning resources.

As for staying connected, we are planning a special message to the Miami Community on commencement day, May 16, to congratulate the Class of 2020. We are also exploring creative ways to bring the Class of 2020 back to campus in the fall. We still want to call their names and invite them to walk across the stage to recognize their accomplishments.Thanks for understanding our need to rethink commencement.

On the student front, many of you have asked about credit/no credit grading. We are reviewing our policy to revise the deadline and restrictions to allow students to select this option, if desired. Details will be coming soon.

Please continue to send in your stories to president@miamioh.edu . Hearing from you helps all of us feel inspired and connected.

Especially enjoyable is an assignment one of Will Brown’s students turned in. During his class about Louis XIV and the culture of his court at Versailles, Will, a Visiting Assistant Professor of History, offered bonus points to anyone who would demonstrate Baroque social dance steps from the Louis XIV era on TikTok or Instagram. One student really went for it, as you can see here: https://vm.tiktok.com/pcKQ2F/ . Great job!

On the remote teaching front, we are continuing to receive notes from students and innovations from faculty on new and exciting ways to teach and learn from a distance.

As he was heading out to deliver the equipment, Perry Richardson, our Regional Senior Director of Media and Community Relations, reported in. "Wow! My car is completely jam-packed with PPE, thanks to the generosity of our science faculty and staff on both campuses. I could barely squeeze a volleyball in my car right now."

Cathy Bishop-Clark, Dean of Miami Regionals, says that when Mercy Health – Fairfield Hospital reached out for any spare personal protection equipment (PPE), the Hamilton and Middletown campuses jumped right in, collecting gloves, goggles, gowns, face shields, and surgical masks.

During these trying times where we are all doing our part to stop the spread of the coronavirus by learning and working remotely, I thought we could all use some inspiration. I’m hearing uplifting stories of Miamians pulling together to help others during this unprecedented time and thought you’d enjoy them, too. Here are just a few of many. I hope to share more with you in the near future.

We are the Miami Community and we respond with care and compassion to support others. I thank all of you for your patience, flexibility and understanding as we continue to educate and support our students through these challenging times. Miami’s future is a bright one, and we will get through this together.

Summer orientation programs for new first-year and transfer students will be offered remotely this year. Beginning in May, new students and families will engage remotely with orientation content and with staff, faculty, and student leaders. New Miamians will receive additional instructions about orientation, as well as regular communication and support from Orientation and Transition Programs throughout the summer. New students will also experience a full schedule of Welcome Weekend programs upon arrival to campus in the fall.

For our students, we recognize that these unprecedented times have impacted your studies. Early this week, Provost Osborne and the Office of the Registrar will provide additional information about how you will be provided with enhanced flexibility for course grade options for this spring semester, including credit/no credit.

Earlier we promised that students who departed campus would receive appropriate refunds for room and board. We have evaluated those and other fees, and will be announcing the refund policy this week. We thank you for your patience as we complete the review and prepare the necessary guidance to facilitate these refunds.

The weekend of September 11, 12, and 13 will include all divisional recognition ceremonies, where the graduates will gather with their friends, families and loved ones, to have their names called and to cross the stage. Rather than a traditional main ceremony, the weekend will also include a community-wide event, to provide an opportunity for all graduates, their friends, families, faculty and staff to celebrate together. It will be a unique and special occasion at the Miami football game, with all in-game activities focused upon our graduates, and it will also include, at game’s end, the Class of 2020, gathering on the field in their academic regalia to form the beveled “M”. The Class of 2020 will forever be a very special class; as first year students severe weather canceled their forming of the “M”, and we wanted to honor them and mark their commencement with this opportunity to finally form the beloved “M” as a class. We hope all of the graduate from the Class of 2020 can join us for this special ceremony.

We envision two components to the commencement ceremonies for the class of 2020. On May 16, the actual commencement date, we are preparing a virtual recognition of our graduates, to mark the official conferment of degrees. In the fall, we are planning a weekend dedicated to celebrating and recognizing our graduates and their achievements.

We were all extremely disappointed with the need to cancel the commencement ceremony planned for May. Commencement is a cherished occasion for our graduates to celebrate with family, friends, faculty and staff, to have their name called, walk across the stage and to receive their diploma. Renate and I consider ourselves to be part of the Class of 2020 as well, we began at Miami when they began, during that summer four years ago. We want this to be a special celebration, and as promised we have explored creative ways to honor our graduates and to celebrate.

As we begin a new week with all of us doing our part to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, I wanted to provide you with some important updates. Leaders from across the campus have been working to address commencement, pro-rated refunds for room and board, summer orientation, and credit/no credit courses.

Let us assure you, Miami absolutely plans to hold classes on campus in the Fall and looks forward to welcoming a diverse and talented first year class. We are working with all of the Ohio public universities and are all planning to resume face-to-face classes on campus in the Fall.

For correct information from the Governor and the Ohio Director of Health, please visit coronavirus.ohio.gov . For accurate information regarding Miami, please consult this website.

Today there was an irresponsible and cruel April Fools’ Day joke launched on social media which misrepresented important Ohio public health information, and falsely stated that Miami would not resume in person classes in the fall.

Although our spring classes are being taught remotely, we are together in Love and Honor. We are absolutely planning to be back together on campus this fall. We are One Miami, and we will fight COVID-19 together.

In the midst of all that is going on, remember to take care of yourself. Enjoy spring's beauty—at a safe distance from others. Laugh a little. Exercise is good, too. Miami's Red Brick Run (and walk) is going virtual for its 41st year. You can pick any day from April 25–30 to run or walk your 5k (3.1 miles) and then upload your results. For details, go to Miami Recreation's Special Events website . I hope you can join us for this activity.

The Miami Regionals' development team came up with a wonderful idea. They're working with their small-business partners, Raymond's Pizza and the Donut Shop, to send food and notes of appreciation to our courageous nurses, doctors, and other staff at our local hospitals. Of course, our vendors are following CDC guidelines during these deliveries.

To quote Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, a 1969 Miami graduate: "We do have it within our ability to fight back. When you stop moving, it stops moving. It can't reach someone else. Each one of us must do all we can to limit our exposure. We must stop enabling this enemy."

If you are part of the larger group that has been asked to stay home and work remotely, that can be frustrating. No doubt you want to go out and help. However, while we wait for this coronavirus to peak, the best action we can take is to stay home.

I especially want to thank our workers who must come to campus every day to perform essential services and operations. I am also hearing many inspiring stories about brave Miamians on the front lines of this pandemic, serving others at tremendous personal risk. We thank those Miamians in health-care professions for their heroic and lifesaving work.

As we head into April and spring semester's busiest weeks, I can't thank you enough for the creative ways you have overcome numerous obstacles so that you could successfully learn, teach, and work remotely. During this time of great uncertainty, we must be isolated and away from family, friends, and colleagues while we continue with working and learning. Although we are separated by distance, Miami carries on through your commitment and dedication. I am grateful for how you have continued to embrace our mission and stay true to our core values during these times apart.

Dr. Acton from the Ohio Department of Health tells us we have reached the top of the curve. Thank you for all you have done to stay at home and practice social distancing – you have made a difference; you have saved lives and together through our collective efforts, we are keeping others healthy, too. Now, however, is not the time to let our guard down, but the time to double down on safety to prevent a resurgence. We are Miami. We help, support, and care deeply about our fellow Miamians and our communities. We are in this together.

We are grateful to our students and faculty for their rapid shift to remote instruction. Thank you to our staff as well who have shifted to remote delivery of student services. The Center for Career Exploration and Success continues to offer 1:1 on-demand career advising appointments and mock interviews, and has scheduled virtual career fairs. They also provide online resources, such as VMOCK, for students to upload their resume and receive a score on impact, presentation, and (career) competencies. The Miller Center for Student Disability Services is working with our students who need adjustments to existing accommodations to succeed in this new environment, providing first-time support to others and offering strategies to all their students to adapt to new technologies and needs. They have also developed a Remote Learning Accessibility Toolkit that includes accessibility resources and tips for students, faculty, and anyone who is planning to hold a university-sponsored special event remotely. The Rinella Learning Center has moved to electronic delivery of tutoring and supplemental instruction (SI) and has seen an increase in the use of SI since the start of remote learning.

This week, Provost Jason Osborne and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Services David Creamer provided a financial update to University Senate. I thank them and the more than 600 engaged Miami community members who joined the meeting through WebEx. These are uncertain times; we are working with University Senate, campus leadership, faculty and staff, receiving feedback from our students, and are highly engaged with Ohio’s other public universities, as we plan for the future.

Even while separated, Miami continues to live our core values of student-centered education and service, from a distance. Renate and I are delighted to join the many members of the Miami faculty and staff who are calling our students to listen to them, share the many ways we can help, and thank them for their incredible flexibility to make the rapid shift to remote instruction. We enjoy hearing their optimism, hope, and inspirational stories during these unprecedented times.

I have never been more honored and humbled to be Miami’s president. The way all of you are responding to meet the challenge of this health crisis is a true act of Love and Honor—thank you for everything that you are doing, your compassion for others, patience and understanding.

You are not alone. We are not alone. Call on each other for strength and help and courage. Together we will persevere. We are One Miami.

“Courage has nothing to do with our determination to be great. It has to do with what we decide in that moment when we are called upon to be more.”

Many of us remember wondering how we could possibly advance during the financial crisis of 2008. Yet we did, and we will again. It wasn’t easy then, and it won’t be easy now. We will do what we always do, tap the best of who we are as Miamians. Some days that might mean you lean on others for courage; other days we look to you for strength. I recently came across this quote from our own Rita Dove ’73:

What we do know is the coronavirus is having an economic impact on all, including our students and their families. We have begun distributing $27M in refunds for room, board and other fees directly to our students. Our overriding commitment is to our students, and in these challenging times, I will be taking a voluntary 25% salary reduction, and other senior leaders will be taking a voluntary 10% reduction, with the savings directed to support our students.

We still expect everyone will return to our campuses this fall, and to welcome a diverse and talented first-year class for face-to-face instruction. We are all eager to see both old friends and new faces, and our passion to educate them is elevated. And as always, nothing is more important in our decision-making than the health and well-being of every single person in our community.

We know it’s hard for each of you to plan the future when you don’t know what May 1 will bring, the present extent of Ohio’s stay-at-home order. We will update you as soon as we know when and how we can all safely return to our campuses, keeping in mind that students and faculty will continue remote classes through the summer term.

We will be addressing those vital questions as we imagine what might happen in the coming months. In any case, we will continue to follow the best advice and guidance provided by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine ’69, Dr. Amy Acton, and the Ohio Department of Health.

On a more personal level, what will that mean to our Miami community? When will we return to campus, and what changes can we expect?

As our government and public health leaders prepare us for the next steps, all of us must continue to adapt and persevere. No one knows what reopening the local, national, and the world economy will mean at this point. People are understandably nervous about venturing back into the workplace and the world. What will be the new normal, and how will we find our footing in it?

It’s hard to believe that our spring semester started only three months ago, with thoughts already turning to the graduation celebration in May. Those days are a dim memory now as we learn, teach, and work remotely.

I am profoundly grateful for your ability to adapt and persevere in the midst of the great challenges all of us have been experiencing — both in our own lives and throughout the world. I can never thank you enough for sustaining Miami’s educational mission and upholding our shared values while so much around us is being disrupted.

I want to thank the entire Miami community again for adapting to this quick shift in the way we learn and teach and for continuing Miami’s educational mission during this pandemic crisis.

Summer’s online classes will follow the typical, posted summer session schedule(s) — May 19, 2020–August 8, 2020. We will also return to our typical grading practices and deadlines. For example, students will have the ability to select credit/no credit grading but only during the early part of the session.

With the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff always our top priority, we, like many universities, have decided to offer all summer classes online/remotely. During this time, we will be actively engaging the campus community to plan for safely returning to campus for fall.

I thank you all for the ways you have exemplified Miami - the ways you have lived our core values in these unprecedented times.

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. We wanted to provide you with an update on where we stand and what we have done. Rather than a letter, I wanted to speak to you of what we are doing for our students, our faculty, advancing Miami during a time of change, and living our core values. I encourage you to watch this video update.

I am grateful for the support so many are sending to us from a distance. Donations to support our students have been tremendous with over $250,000 contributed to the Emergency Needs Fund to date. I am humbled as I witness the Miami Community’s compassion and support for others and for our students. This is who we are. This is what we do. We are Miamians, and together we will persevere.

Although more may be unknown than known at this point, one thing is clear. As Miamians, our efforts are focused on supporting our students - and on May 16 and 17 we will celebrate the commencement of the Class of 2020. We will do this remotely from all areas of the globe, to learn more please visit our commencement website. In September we have invited the Class of 2020 back to campus to celebrate together in person, with family, friends, and favorite faculty and staff, on September 12 and 13.

To coordinate our own efforts, I have begun forming a reopening campus coordinating committee comprised of faculty, staff and students from across Miami University. The committee will oversee and coordinate the many efforts going on to safely reopen our campuses and to welcome our new and returning students this fall. We look forward to learning of their progress, and for us all to be together again soon.

Monday, Governor DeWine announced the plan to reopen Ohio. The reopening will occur in stages and as a Miami employee you should continue your current work arrangement, essential or remote, until otherwise notified. Your supervisor will contact you when the arrangement is to be changed. We encourage you to stay informed regarding Ohio’s reopening. The Governor’s press conferences are available on ohiochannel.org live at 2 p.m. daily and recorded for later viewing, also please visit coronavirus.ohio.gov, which is updated each day.

The novel coronavirus- COVID-19- has changed our world, our country and our University in just a matter of months. We have learned about the vital importance of public health and social distancing in our organization, and have worked together to flatten the curve. We have learned to teach and work remotely and to “hangout” on Google and meet on WebEx. We are experiencing the largest social and economic upheaval in most of our lifetimes, and we are physically separated from friends and loved ones. In the face of all of this change and adversity, we have much to be proud of. We have found new talents and strengths to appreciate in ourselves and others; and developed a firm resolve to get through this together.

I want to share how so many Miamians have generously supported our students during this time of crisis. Our Emergency Needs Funds for students has now surpassed $550,000 in contributions! Thank you so much to everyone who is working to support our students. Your efforts and gifts are greatly appreciated.

I invite all of you to view our virtual Commencement Experience on May 16 & 17. Created by an incredible team of alumni, staff, faculty, and Miami students, we are transforming our traditional May celebrations into a dynamic, immersive event designed to honor our graduates, showcase the Miami Experience, and be enjoyed by family, friends, and alumni from anywhere across the world. Please visit our Commencement website , and watch for this week’s Miami Matters to learn more.

While the stay at home order remains in effect, Ohio is reopening in stages this month. At Miami we will also begin to bring back employees to our campuses in stages. Until directed otherwise, all employees should continue their current arrangement, essential or remote, your supervisor will contact you when it is time to change the arrangement. The Crisis Management Team will be sending out additional guidance.

It is our plan and intention to return to campus in the fall. While our students are eager to start their Miami journey, or to return to visit old friends, interact with faculty, engage in research, and engage in all the experiences of our campuses, we must plan and put safety first. The planning will be coordinated by the Safe Return to Campus Planning and Coordinating Committee. The Committee will be co-chaired by the Chair of the Senate Executive Committee, Dana Cox, and by Gwen Fears, Assistant Vice President for Student Life - Assessment, Planning, and Transition. In addition, Ohio’s Inter-University Council (IUC), comprised of Ohio’s 14 public universities, has formed a committee for the safe return to Ohio’s campuses, Assistant Vice President for Health and Wellness, Steve Large, is representing Miami University.

Thank you for your support and adaptability. We will continue to keep you updated as we plan for the fall.

As we return to our campuses, we anticipate various safeguards and strategies: physical distancing, changes to dining facilities and how we serve food, frequent cleaning of facilities, and other actions to promote health and safety. To coordinate these planning efforts for a safe return in the fall, I have appointed a Safe Return to Campus Planning and Coordinating Committee. The Committee will be co-chaired by the Chair of the Senate Executive Committee, Dana Cox, and by Gwen Fears, Assistant Vice President for Student Life - Assessment, Planning, and Transition. They will be joined by an accomplished team of faculty, staff and students from across our campuses and will be advised by internal and external experts.

The health and safety of the Miami community is paramount, and while on campus in-person instruction is the plan for the fall, we will be prepared for various scenarios, as government direction and restrictions to protect the health and safety of our campuses must guide our decisions.

Miami has built strong relationships with local health officials, hospitals, government leaders, and first responders. We are collaborating with our Student Health Services experts, and we have further strengthened our relationship with our health-care partner, TriHealth, one of the top integrated health systems in Greater Cincinnati. TriHealth operates both McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital, as well as our full-service Student Health Center in Oxford. These relationships help us in addressing the spread of the virus and preparing our campuses for the safe return of students, faculty and staff in the fall. We also continue to work closely with the Ohio’s Inter-University Council (IUC), comprised of Ohio’s 14 public universities.

As we enter the summer session, we are planning to resume in-person instruction on all campuses in the fall. We continue to work with local public health officials and follow the guidance and directives of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Governor Mike DeWine, and the Ohio Department of Health to safeguard the health of students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campuses.

This spring has shown how Miamians come together to live our values of Love and Honor, and to support one another. I am humbled to be President of this great university which has instilled such values in so many alumni, students, faculty and staff—thank you.

I thank you all for living our core values and supporting each other during these challenging times.

I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy. We wanted to provide another video update to celebrate the incredible Class of 2020, honor our faculty and staff, provide a budget update, address the establishment of the Safe Return to Campus Planning and Coordinating Committee, and to share some of the inspirational stories of fellow Miamians.

As Miami moves forward in the planning process, there is a lot that we do not yet know, and many decisions have not yet been made. As these important discussions continue, we want your feedback and perspective to be included. It is up to all of us in the Miami community to work together toward our return to campus.

In order for us to best communicate with the Miami Community, we developed a new web resource that will both collect and disseminate information about our return. Use this website as your source destination for updated information about Miami’s plans. We encourage you to provide us with feedback and to ask us questions through a form available on the website. The committee plans regular, weekly updates every Tuesday to the community beginning next week.

Each week, the SR2C will update you on pertinent topics and information to keep you informed of the many discussions taking place on campus. Numerous committees are working to plan for our return to campus.

We expect that COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future and are planning accordingly. We continue to work with local public health officials and follow the guidance and directives of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Governor Mike DeWine, and the Ohio Department of Health to safeguard the health of students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campuses. We have further strengthened our relationship with our health-care partner, TriHealth.

Our committee is using a framework provided by the Inter-University Council of Ohio as a guiding document. This set of guidelines addresses the specifics of the safety of institutions of higher education. As we accomplish our goals, these guidelines will be an important way to focus our attention in the right place, and that we are taking a comprehensive view of safety on campus.

The Safe Return to Campus (SR2C) Planning and Coordinating Committee is a broadly representative committee charged with advising the president and the President’s Executive Cabinet. Great care has been taken to assemble a diverse group. This group includes representatives from a variety of stakeholder groups—faculty, staff, students, and the Oxford community—and is assisted by both external and internal advisers on public health and safety.

Miami is a caring, supportive community, and I thank you again for your support, your understanding, your patience, and especially your collaborative spirit, as we plan for the return to our campuses in the fall. We will continue to keep you updated as more becomes certain.

The committee co-chairs will provide us with weekly updates, the first of which was sent earlier this week. I encourage you to review their updates and visit the committee's web resource to stay up-to-date on our plans to return in the fall.

We have already begun a phased return to research and we will soon begin to provide more information for a phased return for other work areas as well. Coordinating our efforts is the Safe Return to Campus Planning and Coordinating Committee, co-chaired by the Chair of the Senate Executive Committee, Dana Cox, and by Gwen Fears, Assistant Vice President of Student Life. The committee is a highly accomplished and experienced team of faculty, staff and students from across our campuses, along with internal and external advisors. The committee will coordinate communication and actions among units on our campuses, and is charged to:

We are also working with TriHealth, our local hospital and healthcare provider, to develop a plan for testing and have set up a system to isolate and/or quarantine residential students who may be exposed to the virus so they can continue their studies in place while protecting our students, faculty, and staff.

As health and safety are always paramount, we continue to work with local public health officials and follow the guidance and directives of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Governor Mike DeWine, and the Ohio Department of Health to safeguard the health of students, faculty, staff and visitors to our campuses. We are also working closely with all of Ohio’s public universities to develop safety guidelines to facilitate the return to our campuses. Among other actions, we are planning to implement physical distancing requirements, daily health self-assessments, the use of face coverings, enhanced cleaning, partitions where appropriate, and take-out dining options. We will provide appropriate education and training on these and other actions we will be implementing.

After reviewing our academic calendar and considering scenarios to provide the highest probability of a full and healthy semester on campus, we determined that eliminating travel back and forth to campus at Thanksgiving is the best option for the safety and health of our students and their families, and for our faculty and staff. Therefore, we are planning to begin the fall semester one week early on Monday, August 17, 2020 and to complete all classes before Thanksgiving break, eliminating the need for students to return to complete the semester. Following Thanksgiving, all final examinations will be completed remotely. On campus accommodations will be made for those students in the residence halls who cannot depart. Information on December Commencement will be provided at a later date.

While our primary emphasis will always be on in-person, personal interaction, we must be creative and adaptable to meet public health measures such as face-coverings and physical distancing requirements. We will selectively employ high quality, evidence-based hybrid approaches where needed, particularly to accommodate students who may need to self-isolate, and those whose health conditions prevent a return to the classroom. In some cases, we may need to have courses online due to social distancing and space limitations. Regardless of the method of delivery, we are committed to providing a Miami-quality education, continuing our relationship-driven, liberal arts foundation, experiential-rich education, founded on character and intellect.

We expect that COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future and are planning accordingly. This fall, we plan to welcome our returning students and incoming first-year students to our campuses, our residence halls and to our classrooms. Our dedicated faculty are developing a full range of flexible and engaging curriculum delivery options to ensure the best possible experience for our students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all and has created great uncertainty, and all of us are asking what the fall will look like. Today I write to update you on our planning and preparations.

With the academic calendar set, we are looking forward to hearing more of your ideas and communicating regular updates to you.

We have also launched a scientific review team tasked with 1) monitoring current research on mainstream mitigation strategies such as hand washing and physical distancing; and 2) constructing detailed reviews of literature on emerging topics, such as drinking fountain usage.

Another concern that was expressed was the lack of graduate student representation on our committee. It was always our intention and we are pleased to announce that Brenda Tyrrell has agreed to join us.

From the feedback we are receiving from the website as well as individuals and groups of people, we are constructing a list of Frequently Asked Questions. These are helpful to us as we consider what communications are of high interest and urgency. As we are able to answer them, you will be able to find those updates on this website.

We read every message that comes across. This week, we noticed common themes of concern emerge like personal health, academic flexibility, and the status of public events.

As that announcement made its way around our community, we were pleased that many of you found the button for the feedback form on that page and jotted us a note about your concerns, ideas, and continued questions. You will now find a link to the revised academic calendar as well.

The Safe Return to Campus Planning and Coordinating Committee had a productive and busy week. As you are aware, the committee’s website launched last week, just in time for the announcement about the fall academic calendar.

There are many decisions to be made in the coming weeks. Your priorities are our priorities. Please continue to offer your creative ideas, alert us to new priorities, and ask questions. As new information is available, we will communicate it as quickly and effectively as possible.

We are also working with the Office of University Communications and Marketing (UCM) on a more strategic communication plan. We will continue to use the questions you are submitting to inform the continued development of our website to better communicate important information and decisions as they are made.

This past week we engaged in several focused and targeted discussions in an effort to closely examine and learn more about some key topics. An example of one of these targeted discussions was around the information released to students outlining plans for moving into the residence halls on campus. (You can read this announcement under the announcements tab, "To Students and Families.") The SR2C provided thoughtful feedback and suggestions on how that plan was to be communicated and further developed over the summer. This plan has a ripple effect on multiple areas of campus, and it was important for our committee to understand that impact from many perspectives.

One of the themes that we have identified is a desire for information about how we will engage with one another in the classroom and online. There are also many concerns about personal safety and worries about whether everyone will adhere to expectations of social distancing and face coverings. We recognize that these are important issues, and we will communicate more with you soon.

We are so grateful to all of you for providing us with your comments, ideas, questions and concerns. We are continually reviewing the feedback submitted via our website and we hope it continues. This feedback has been instrumental in helping our committee prioritize and focus attention on areas that you feel are urgent and important. We are also grateful to those of you who have reached out to committee members and provided your voice. Know that you are represented in each of our meetings and that you have been heard.

With admiration and gratitude for all that you have done for Miami during these trying times,

Please visit the Healthy Together website for detailed information. For significant or major changes in the plan, we will immediately message the community. Success will take all of us together.

Nevertheless, in this new “normal” of responding to the impact of COVID-19, I am confident that:

I want to thank the many employees who have been working on our campuses these last few months. We recognize and admire your dedication. In August, our campuses will be as beautiful and welcoming as they have ever been, but the ways we work, learn, and socialize on them will be very different.

Many of you have asked about plans for the September Commencement celebration for the class of 2020, Homecoming, Family Weekend, and fall athletics. We will have updates on these larger events no later than July 17.

The Healthy Together Plan is the product of countless hours of work from faculty, staff, students, external partners, and state health organizations. I am grateful to them and to the members of the Safe Return to Campus Planning and Coordinating Committee who gathered your input, heard your concerns, and incorporated your ideas. Thank you to co-chairs Dr. Dana Cox and Dr. Gwen Fears for your leadership.

The Healthy Together Plan rests upon what we know today. We will continue to monitor the situation every day and adjust and iterate the plan as required. It is flexible enough to respond to the quickly changing landscape. The plan was created with our own expertise on our campuses, TriHealth as our partner in student health, the Butler County Health District our partner in public health, the City of Oxford, our collaborations through the Inter-University Council (all 14 public institutions in higher education in Ohio), and the Ohio Department of Health. We will continue to collaborate. We are relying on the guidance and directives of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Governor Mike DeWine, and the Ohio Department of Health as we make these important decisions. All of Ohio’s public universities are working together to develop safety guidelines for the return to our campuses.

Our ability to return and share the Miami Experience this fall depends to a great extent on how committed we are to respect and care for one another and the communities of Oxford, Hamilton, Middletown, West Chester, and Luxembourg. Miamians, all of us together, must support and care for each other in these times when our nation and the world are striving to find ways to combat COVID-19.

We expect COVID-19 will be with us for the foreseeable future and are planning accordingly. Although no one can guarantee a campus that is free of the virus, we are making several important changes to help reduce the risks. The risk of exposure and possible infection is real and present in any community environment where large numbers of people are regularly interacting, including college campuses. In order to minimize the risk of exposure and infection, we all must remember that the health of each of us depends on the health of all of us.

I wish to introduce to you today the Miami University Healthy Together Plan. The Healthy Together Plan consists of information, policies, and guidelines focused on our collective health as a community and fulfilling our mission of delivering high-quality educational experiences this fall semester in the COVID-19 era.

Oxford undergraduate students and their families will choose from one of three options described in the letter to Oxford students.

Students will also have the option to construct a fully remote semester, and newly admitted and transfer students to the Oxford campus may elect to postpone their enrollment for a semester or for a year.

He added, "We expect students planning to live off-campus in Oxford will begin returning in advance of the August 17 start of classes. We encourage them to consider residing at home if circumstances permit or if they have significant health or family concerns."

“In the end, we hope, this will provide the best opportunity for a successful return to the Oxford campus later this fall,” Crawford said.

“We have heard from students and their families, faculty, and staff who are excited to return to campus and from those who have concerns about returning. This means offering our students several options for the fall semester,” Crawford wrote.

"Governor DeWine and his team have been wonderful partners through these turbulent times. I want to thank Governor DeWine for his leadership and continued support of higher education," said Crawford.

Miami is working with Butler county public health officials and following the guidance and directives of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Ohio Department of Health, and Governor Mike DeWine.

“When we began planning last spring, we had hoped that the COVID-19 pandemic would be in significant decline before classes were scheduled to begin. Instead, cases are rising in many states,” he wrote. “With over 40% of our Oxford students coming from outside Ohio, we’ve been monitoring the situation closely.”

“As a university, we must continue to be flexible and adaptable with the health and safety of our community as our first priority,” wrote President Greg Crawford in a letter to Oxford students.

Classes begin as scheduled Aug 17 for all students but will begin with all undergraduate classes on the Oxford campus being held online/remotely until at least Sept. 21. Undergraduate classes on Miami’s Regional campuses will also begin remotely on Aug 17.

Due to the changing dynamics of the COVID-19 virus in Ohio and throughout the United States, Miami University is now offering a variety of options to Oxford students for a phased-in approach to the start of the fall semester.

We are all facing hard decisions about when and how to come back to campus. As you have questions about how to make your personal decision for fall semester, please check the FAQ page or contact the temporary phone bank at 513-529-9000. If you have ideas or concerns about the university plans to return, you can still submit them via our website.

Many of you have asked about how we will care for the Mental Health of students this semester. You’re right to wonder and express concern; COVID-19 has changed the ways in which mental health services can be provided, what services are needed, and also the demand for these services. We have been actively thinking and planning for ways in which we can support our community in the coming semester. These plans are evolving to meet the changing needs, and are summarized here and you can find more information on the Student Counseling Services website.

Along with testing, we are working on ways to educate members of our community about how campus life will be different while COVID is present and what we can all do to stay healthy together. The Healthy Together Pledge to the Community is one way that we hope to clearly convey the responsibilities of each of us-students, faculty, and staff alike. We are also providing advice and feedback on the creation of educational modules on topics such as how to check symptoms and the reasons we cover our faces and physically distance when around others.

We are currently investigating systems that support individuals in assessing and tracking their personal health as it relates to COVID-19 symptoms. Additionally, a way to notify the institution of possible exposure related absences is under development for all faculty, staff, and students.

These partnerships are key elements of our plan to return to campus and details will be communicated as soon as possible. At this time we are not requiring a negative test upon arrival, but it will be important for all of us on campus to do daily symptom checks and be tested by a health care provider or at the university health center if symptoms are present.

We are coordinating with Tri-Health to build a sustained and systematic approach to testing on campus. We are also coordinating with the Butler County Health District on a reporting procedure and contact tracing efforts. And, in an effort to reduce the spread of this virus within our community, it will be important for all of us to participate in their efforts to trace that spread among your contacts.

As we continue to look forward to the start of fall semester, the Safe Return to Campus Planning and Coordinating Committee is providing input and feedback as parts of our plan continue to evolve. We want to share with you four different areas where you can expect more change and information in the coming weeks:

We are grappling with the same uncertainty and changing landscape as you are. It isn’t normal, it isn’t comfortable, and it isn’t ending anytime soon. We encourage you to keep reaching out and talking to people in your community; these are not easy conversations to have, but they are worth it. Please keep reaching out to us, too, and know that as a University, we are listening and hoping for your collaboration as we navigate this together.

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