Coronavirus Announcements
Review the archive of all announcements
Update on COVID-19 Outbreak
Memo to faculty, staff and students 4/2/20
East Tennessee State University has learned that two members of its community have tested positive this week for the COVID-19 virus. One of the cases involves a student, and the other is an employee, and there is no connection between these two cases. We are pleased to report that both individuals are continuing to improve.
The Northeast Tennessee Regional Health Office coordinated contact tracing for both of these cases and will notify anyone who may have been in contact with these two individuals. Moving forward, the university will not provide updates on every confirmed COVID-19 case among our students, faculty, and staff. We send our best wishes to these two individuals and to the entire ETSU community and region during this challenging and difficult time.
For any questions related to coronavirus, including symptoms, testing, or exposure, contact the Northeast Regional Information Line at 423-979-4689 Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Joe Smith
ETSU Spokesperson
ETSU Health to transition drive-through COVID-19 testing site to Health Department
Memo to faculty, staff and students 4/1/20
With an increase in regional COVID-19 testing capacity, ETSU Health will close its drive-through COVID-19 testing site, located at 325 North State of Franklin, effective April 1, 2020. While the drive-through site will no longer be open, ETSU Health will continue to administer COVID-19 testing in its clinics.
"The local health department has just opened their drive-through testing sites in Washington County and the surrounding counties," said Dr. Jonathan Moorman, chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at East Tennessee State University’s Quillen College of Medicine. "These new sites are open to the public and, along with Ballad Health testing sites, are large enough to handle the demand for testing in our region at this time. These sites will test patients with symptoms of COVID-19 just as ETSU has done. We do not want to duplicate the same services they will be offering at these new sites."
Since its opening on March 17, ETSU Health’s drive-through site has administered approximately 500 COVID-19 tests. The site was one of the first drive-through testing sites in Tennessee and was instrumental in detecting the first few cases of community spread of COVID-19 in the Appalachian Highlands.
"While we will not offer our own drive-through testing, ETSU Health will continue to test in our clinics and to work closely with the Health Department and our health care partners throughout the region to monitor the community spread of COVID-19," Moorman said. "We are committed to continuing our efforts on the front lines to prevent, diagnose and treat the spread of the coronavirus."
Individuals with symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, cough, and shortness of breath can contact the Health Department at 423-979-4689 for screening and further information on testing sites.
Safer at Home
Memo to students, faculty and staff 3/30/20
Dear ETSU students,
Today Governor Bill Lee issued a "Safer at Home" order for residents of Tennessee in an effort to curb the ongoing spread of the coronavirus. This order will be in effect from 11:59 p.m., March 31, through 11:59 p.m. April 14, 2020. During this time, it is imperative that you stay at your residence as much as possible and that you minimize your contact with other people.
ETSU has taken several actions to help stop the spread of coronavirus and the Governor's order is consistent with the efforts that we have already undertaken. Faculty and students have transitioned to online coursework, and most staff are working and providing services remotely. This community effort has shown the true spirit of being part of the Buccaneer family.
In order to comply with this order, we wanted to provide you with guidance:
- Non-essential travel should be avoided (e.g. non-essential retail shopping or entertainment)
- You may continue to travel to work, to get groceries, or to purchase medicine or medical supplies
- Travel related to the care of pets or other people is also allowed
- Outdoor exercise such as walking is permissible, as long as you practice social distancing and take necessary precautions
- Coursework and academics will continue in the online environment
- University support services for needs such as counseling, disability accommodations, the food pantry, etc. will continue to assist students. More information is available here
- The University Health Clinic in Nicks Hall will continue to provide medical care for acute illnesses. Please call ahead to schedule an appointment. 423-439-4225
- The Department of Public Safety will continue to patrol and offer first responder services to campus. They can be contacted at 423-439-4480
- The ETSU Post Office, as a part of United States Postal Service operations, will remain in operation
- Gatherings should be avoided. Use technology to connect to your friends and family as much as possible
- Follow the CDC guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus
- The Department of Housing and Residence Life is communicating directly with our student residents to provide them with information and guidance related to this order.
Please help us prevent the transmission of this disease by doing your part. Our healthcare professionals are working hard to keep us safe, and we want to support them in this effort. Your care and compassion for each other, and for embracing this collective effort, is appreciated. Continue to visit the ETSU webpage for updates related to coronavirus.
Emergency Grading and Accomodations for Spring 2020
Memo to faculty and staff 3/30/20
Dear ETSU Colleagues,
Earlier today during a called meeting, the ETSU Academic Council approved the Response to COVID-19 Emergency Grading Accommodation for Spring 2020 recommendation that now allows ETSU undergraduate students to choose the pass/fail (P/F) option for some or all undergraduate courses in which they are registered for the Spring 2020 semester. This modification to the policy for undergraduate students will go into effect on March 31, 2020. Details related to submitting a P/F application – including timing and process – will be announced as soon all advisors are informed and a process identified to handle these requests. Please note that the modification is written so undergraduate students can actually determine a final course grade prior to opting for a P/F grade instead. A copy of the “Response to COVID-19 Emergency Grading Accommodation for Spring 2020” document is attached. Major highlights of the approved accommodation include:
- Undergraduate students have until June 15, 2020, to exercise the option to request a P/F grade for a course. This is only applicable for ETSU undergraduate students.
- The request for a P/F grade is made to the academic advisor and is then submitted to the academic dean (or designee) for final approval.
- Advisors will discuss with students the potential impact that earning a P/F grade may have on financial aid, scholarships, future graduate school applications, licensure, or other matters.
- College deans (or designee) have the authority to deny requests for P/F grading in the event this option could have a negative impact on the student’s long-term progression.
- At this time, this emergency modification of the Pass/Fail policy only applies to courses offering during the Spring 2020 semester.
Regarding graduate students, pass/fail is not an option. However, faculty are encouraged to use broader discretion to assign a grade of Incomplete as circumstances around the move to remote learning and COVID-19 warrant.
I want to thank our student and campus leaders for their attentive and thorough efforts during the past two weeks in creating this emergency grading accommodation. A Working Group was convened that conducted an extensive review of how other institutions oversee this process and also sought feedback and guidance from stakeholders such as Financial Aid, academic advising, department chairs, the Student Government Association, and Faculty Senate, among others. I commend this Working Group for their outstanding work, and the members of the Academic Council for the thorough discussion of how this modification can benefit our students.
Again, please take the opportunity to review this new grading accommodation closely, and should you have any questions, your academic dean will be willing to respond.
Thank you, and best wishes as we continue through this journey together.
Dr. Wilsie Bishop
Senior Vice President for Academics
ETSU Student Resources and Support
Video Message and Memo 3/27/20
Dear ETSU Student,
The important actions we're all taking to slow the spread of the coronavirus have made life harder for many people. If you're facing problems that affect your ability to complete the spring term successfully, we want to do everything we can to help.
- If you don’t have a place to live, contact the undergraduate student success specialist
(undergradsuccess@etsu.edu) or the graduate student success specialist (gradsuccess@etsu.edu). They are trained to put you in touch with community resources.
- If you don’t have enough to eat, ETSU’s Bucky's Food Pantry (423-439-8487) will pack a box for any student.
- If you can't afford to pay for basic needs, ETSU is giving small grants on a case-by-case
basis when no other means of aid are available. To make a request, fill out a CARE report.
- If internet access is a problem, Charter Communications is offering 60 days of free
internet to students. To enroll call 1-844-488-8395. Comcast has a similar offer available here.
- If you need health care, the University Health Clinic is providing medical care to ETSU students. Call 423-439-4225.
- For coronavirus testing, call ETSU Health testing call 423-433-6110. For Ballad Health
testing call 833-822-5523.
- If you want counseling, the ETSU Counseling Center (423-439-3333, counselingcenter@etsu.edu) is offering virtual and tele-counseling.
- For disability access and accommodations, contact ETSU Disability Services (423-439-8346, littleme@etsu.edu).
The challenges presented by this global health crisis are unlike any faced by our
community and our University. We are committed to do all we can to provide support
during this difficult time. We are one Buccaneer family.
We will be reaching out again in the next few days with an on-line survey to help assess ETSU student needs during this time.
Take care. Practice social distancing. If you need help, please reach out. Our Dean of Students, Dr. Michelle Byrd, is available for assistance and support (423-439-4210; byrdt@etsu.edu).
Sincerely,
Joe Sherlin
Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment
Video Message from President Noland's Notepads
3/25/20
COVID-19 and Academic Readiness
Memo to faculty and staff 3/20/20
Dear Colleagues,
The pandemic situation with Covid-19 is evolving rapidly. Over the weeks ahead, the University will be using several channels to communicate with you, as this is a very fluid situation and guidelines and parameters for action do change. Please check the university’s corona virus website (https://www.etsu.edu/coronavirus/) frequently for the latest information. In addition, you will receive specific updates that will often require attention and action on your part as faculty and staff. This is one of those messages.
In light of Dr. Noland’s communication today, I am sending this message to faculty and staff about the continuity of our education, service, and research missions. We are poised to resume instruction on Monday in an online format. I greatly appreciate all of the hard work of faculty and staff over the past several days to ensure we are ready for this transition. We must now pivot to provide online instruction for the remainder of semester. This will require continued flexibility, creativity, and understanding on the part of all faculty, staff, and students. Faculty should continue working with their chairs and deans to maintain instructional continuity, keeping students on track to graduation.
ETSU Health will continue to provide health care through its clinics operated by the Quillen College of Medicine and the College of Nursing. Faculty and staff who work in those clinics will continue to receive specific information and guidance about clinical operations from ETSU Health leadership. Other university service activities that cannot be accommodated in a remote or online fashion should be suspended.
As noted in Dr. Noland’s communication, we are moving to greatly limit the number of individuals on campus. This is an action based on the university’s commitment to flattening the pandemic curve. This requires further limitations in research activities on campus. Faculty members are being asked to suspend their on-campus research activities. Faculty members should work directly with their Chairs and Deans to wind down on-campus research activities. Contingency plans provide for the continued care of animals. Specific challenges that Faculty may encounter related to suspending research activities must be addressed with chairs, deans, and the Vice Provost for Research.
Today’s communication limiting access to campus means that Graduate Assistants cannot be working on campus to support administrative, research, or teaching activities. Their work must either cease or transition as appropriate to a remote or online location.
During this semester of online instruction, faculty members may not convene with their students physically face-to-face in a group either on-campus or off-campus. For example, faculty may not gather with their students at a local restaurant or other public venue for class.
If faculty and staff have materials or documents in their offices which they need to retrieve to continue your work in a remote location, please make plans/arrangements to do so as soon as possible. It is anticipated that there will be very limited access to buildings after Tuesday of next week.
While the above parameters impose restrictions that are foreign to our academic culture, these restrictions are being put in place for the health and well-being of our campus community and the region. It is imperative that we move aggressively as a University and region to activities that prevent illness and avoid the spread of the corona virus.
We are fortunate at ETSU to have the infrastructure and support structures available to rapidly move to remote teaching modalities. I am very appreciative of the work that Dr. Karen King and her colleagues in Information Technology Services and Dr. Amy Johnson and her colleagues in the Center for Teaching Excellence have done this week to assist with the on-line transition. I am receiving reports from each College today on the readiness for instruction on Monday. The Deans, Chairs, Faculty and Staff have done an amazing job of responding to this challenge. The resilience and the “can-do” attitudes that I have encountered all week assures me that as a University Community we are focused on our students and our mission of assuring that they receive the best education possible and are able to continue progress to achieve their educational and career goals. During these final weeks of the semester, it will important that we keep our Community focused on that mission. Let’s all look for ways we can lift each other up, keep spirits buoyed, and meet challenges with creativity and hopefulness. Out of adversity comes strength and opportunity.
“The beauty of the soul shines out when a person bears with composure one heavy mischance after another, not because she/he does not feel them, but because she/he is a person of high and heroic temper.” Aristotle
Let us all be people of high and heroic temper in the days ahead. I am so honored to work with individuals of your caliber.
Best regards,
Dr. Wilsie Bishop
Senior Vice President for Academics
COVID-19 Update
Memo to faculty, staff and students 3/20/20
Dear Members of the ETSU community,
As we approach the conclusion of spring break and resume classes on Monday, I want to thank everyone for the patience and dedication exhibited over the past week as we collectively strive to meet our teaching, research, and service missions. Our campus has worked around the clock to bring classes into on-line formats, develop new operating procedures so that staff can work remotely, implement enhanced support structures for our residential students, and countless other initiatives that rise above and beyond traditional job responsibilities. I convey my deepest and profound respect to the entire ETSU family for the manner in which we have come together in service to our university.
In light of a rapidly changing national landscape, ETSU will implement a series of new steps to ensure that we are positioned to play a leadership role on regional and state efforts to flatten the curve of the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Early next week, we will significantly reduce the scope of public access to our campus. We do not take these actions lightly but do so in an effort to secure the health, safety, and welfare of our campus community. We strongly encourage faculty and staff in the coming days to retrieve materials from their offices that you will need to ensure our continuity of operations. By the middle of next week, it is anticipated that access to campus buildings and facilities may be subject to further limitations. As we witness the emergence of COVID-19 cases at sister institutions across our region, we must recognize the extraordinary circumstances that define our near and distant horizons. At this time there are no reported cases of COVID-19 virus among the ETSU community.
The following outline a series of updates related to the operations of the university:
· All classes will remain in an online delivery methodology through the close of the spring 2020 semester. While our initial plans entailed the intent for all academic instruction to occur online through April 9th, the rapidly changing public health landscape necessitates that all courses remain online through the remainder of the spring semester.
· A decision about Commencement, which is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, has not been made at this time. We will provide an update on plans for graduation as soon as possible. All other public events planned for the remainder of the semester are hereby canceled.
· To the maximum extent possible, employees should work remotely until further notice. I recognize that not all employees can work remotely, and supervisors are thereby required to notify their appropriate Vice-President of those staff who are required to report to campus for their work assignments.
· With the conclusion of spring break, many students have anticipated returning to campus for the remainder of the spring semester. I strongly urge all students to either remain at home or return to their homes as possible. Students who have previously received an exemption to live in the residence halls are encouraged to review the need for that exemption in light of the most recent changes to course delivery. This recommendation is made for the health and safety of the entire campus community and is based upon emerging CDC recommendations. For those students wishing to check out of housing, the Division of Housing and Residence Life will provide details regarding checkout processes and protocols. For those students who must remain on campus, ETSU is here to support you, and the Division of Housing and Residence Life will provide you with information regarding adjustments to housing and food service that will be implemented for the remainder for the spring semester.
· The university is developing a process for those students whose housing and dining service fees were covered through out-of-pocket expenses to receive prorated refunds/credits. Information on how refunds and/or credits will be issued is forthcoming and should be finalized by mid-April.
· As we move to limit the number of individuals on campus, we must also enact limitations on research activities physically underway across ETSU. I am asking that faculty members move to suspend their on-campus research activities. Faculty should work directly with their chairs and deans to wind down on-campus research activities. Challenges to suspending research activities must be addressed with chairs, deans, and the Vice Provost for Research. Additionally, Graduate Assistants should not be working on campus to support administrative, research, or teaching activities. Their work must either cease, or transition, as appropriate to a remote or online location. Finally, contingency plans are in place for the DLAR.
· The Sherrod Library will be closed to visitors, but online access to services will continue. In addition to the resources at the Sherrod Library, multiple national databases such as JSTOR have opened their services to public access. The library will provide information regarding how to access materials not available in our collection in the coming days.
· Extensive cleaning and sanitation started last week in ETSU buildings and will continue. All buildings will be locked, and faculty and staff with keys may have limited access to their offices and classrooms.
· Our COVID-19 website provides the most current information on any changes and updates to university operations.
Next week will be a time of significant transition for our all of us, and I thank you in advance for your patience as we move through these unprecedented times. I understand that the final stretch of the spring semester will proceed in a way that none of us envisioned; however, our focus on our institutional mission and commitment to our students are unwavering. While our work formats have changed, we remain open for business and focused on improving the quality of life for the people of this region. Thank you for your understanding during this time of uncertainty.
- Dr. Brian Noland
President, East Tennessee State University
Remote Work Procedures and Contact Information
Memo to faculty and staff 3/18/20
ETSU Faculty and Staff,
As our lives and daily routines continue to change in response to the Covid-19 outbreak, the Office of Administration would like to express appreciation and support the ETSU family. For weeks staff have been preparing and adjusting to the extraordinary circumstances in which we find ourselves. It is our desire that as many employees as possible be supported to work remotely. Please note the following information:
HUMAN RESOURCES
We strongly encourage every employee at ETSU to work remotely if at all possible.
Human Resources has suspended all existing telecommuting and VPN access policies and
has developed new broad and flexible protocols to accommodate remote work for most
employees as noted in the PERSONNEL OPERATING PROTOCOL.
Contact Information
email: hr@etsu.edu
phone: 423-439-4457
FACILITIES OPERATIONS
Operations is continuously adjusting staffing and procedures to address cleaning and
safety in our facilities. Additionally, we have contracted with outside vendors for
various needs to address disinfecting.
Contact Information
email: nelsonjs@etsu.edu
phone: 423-863-5767
CAPITAL PLANNING
The Office of Capital Planning is working with the State Architect and other state
entities to address transitioning bidding procedures to an electronic format. Workflow
related to the multitude of capital projects is being adjusted to continue planning,
design, and construction as appropriate.
Contact Information
email: baileyle1@etsu.edu
phone: 423-676-1475
PUBLIC SAFETY
Public Safety will maintain 24 hour service and availability. New services such as
camera patrol, engagement protocols, and response procedures have been implemented.
Contact Information
email: tiptonlm@etsu.edu
phone: 423-439-6900
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
Emergency Management has been coordinating and communicating with emergency response
officials and state officials to train and prepare for various issues. Staff is available
for online training and to answers questions or concerns.
Contact Information:
email: worleyp@etsu.edu
phone: 423-439-6114
ATHLETICS
ETSU Athletics is cooperating and communicating with officials from the NCAA, Southern
Conference, and the University. At this time, competition, recruiting, and spring
practices are cancelled. Athletics staff is focused on support of our student-athletes
and planning efforts to assist the University with critical functions and communication
during the outbreak. Staff will be available to assist other units with various functions.
Contact Information
email: athleticsdirector@etsu.edu
phone: 423-439-4343
Thank you for all of your hard work, flexibility, and patience during this time. None of us have every issue resolved or every question answered, but we will work together to serve our students, faculty, staff, and the community.
- Jeremy B. Ross
Chief Operating Officer
Video Message from President Noland
3/18/20
Memo to Faculty/Staff and Students
3/17/20
All-
We are excited to announce ETSU Health will open an outpatient coronavirus testing/collection site at 2pm on 3/17/2020. The site will be located in the parking lot of the ETSU Health clinic, located at 325 North State of Franklin Rd.
Pre-registration will be required via ETSU Health’s Coronavirus Testing Hotline (423-433-6110), and registration will be unavailable at the collection site. The Hotline screening will involve a series of questions to determine if the caller needs testing; these questions will be related to fever and respiratory symptoms.
Access to the site will be via Professional Park Drive from the stoplight on State of Franklin Road. Testing must occur on the same date of registration, and patients must arrive in a private car with functioning windows to minimize exposure to the health care workers at the testing site. The patient will also be tested for influenza at the same time.
Collected samples will be sent to a commercial testing entity such as LabCorp, and both insured and uninsured patients will be accepted. Test results may be received within 72 hours, but this will depend on the volume of swabs the testing lab receives. Patients will be called with either negative or positive results; positive results will be forwarded to the health department. All patients will be asked to self-quarantine until the test results are received.
Patients needing medical evaluation should contact their primary care physician. If not already established with a physician, they are welcome to call ETSU Internal Medicine (423-439-7280) or ETSU Family Medicine (423-439-6464). ETSU Health clinics will continue to provide coronavirus testing within the clinic sites. Patients coming to clinics are advised to call the clinic so that staff will be expecting them. These patients will be given a mask and gloves upon entry to the clinic for their protection and the protection of other patients.
The total number of patients screened at the outpatient site will be limited for the first few days to fine-tune processes and keep our health care providers safe. The ETSU Health’s Coronavirus Testing Hotline can be reached at 423-433-6110. Registration hours are 8am-3pm and collection site hours are 8:30am-4pm.
Sheri L. Holmes, MD FACOG
Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
Chief Medical Officer ETSU Health
Vice-Chair Obstetrics & Gynecology
Quillen College of Medicine
Memo to Faculty/Staff
3/17/20
Dear ETSU Community,
As we announced in yesterday’s Weekly Update (March 16), staff has been planning for a process that allows for continuity of operations, affording the opportunity for designated staff and faculty to work from remote locations. The Office of Human Resources has been working with campus leaders to develop a protocol for select employees to transition to a remote/distance/alternative work environment.
Tomorrow, the Office of Human Resources will provide information to campus employees regarding this matter which, given the extraordinary circumstances this university and our nation are currently facing, will temporarily replace our existing current telecommuting policy until further notice.
We are actively striving to answer questions and resolve issues as they arise, and we thank you for your patience. ETSU’s anticipate that a significant volume of staff will be working from remote/distance/alternative locations in the upcoming days. It is critical to note that the university will remain open throughout the days and weeks to come. The institution’s commitment to our students and to our teaching, research and service mission will not waiver.
Thank you for all you do for ETSU.
Office of the President
March 17, 2020- Message from President Noland
March 16, 2020- Message from President Noland
COVID-19 Update for Students
Memo to students 3/13/20
ETSU Students,
We realize spring 2020 is a most unusual semester. The past week has been challenging for our community. At ETSU we are a family, and we want you to know the ways in which we support you.
Information on Coronavirus
Continue to check ETSU’s coronavirus website. We will continue to post regular updates where many of your common questions are
answered. Information on student employment and other topics of concern will be posted
soon.
Student CARE
Review the BucsCARE website which is meant to be a resource for students and for student
referral. BucsCARE includes the most referenced offices and campus resources in various
categories. This page includes a link to ETSU’s “Need Help?” site which includes a comprehensive listing to other resources by topic area and provides
the ability to file a report of a concern about yourself or others.
Counseling Center
The Counseling Center will be open and available to students. The main telephone line is 423-439-3333.
To reach Bucs Press 2 helpline, the 24 hour mental health hotline, dial 423-439-4841 then
press 2. This service is available 24/7/365.
University Health Services
If you are experiencing the symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, difficulty breathing)
then stay home. Do not go to a health care facility before you contact the provider
directly for instructions. You can also call the University Health Center at 423-439-4225
(M-F 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) or after hours at 1-888-915-7299.
Reminders
Students with appointments on campus, such as advising or meetings with faculty, are
encouraged to have those meetings using phone or Zoom.
Be sure to check your ETSU email throughout spring break. As we have shared multiple
times, it is important to be very mindful of the travel alerts and other information being released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
I wish each of you a restful, safe, and enjoyable break.
Sincerely,
- Dr. Joe Sherlin
Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment
Appreciation and Information for ETSU Staff
Memo to Staff 3/13/20
Dear ETSU Staff,
As we approach the close of what has been an unprecedented week on our campus, I want to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated team of staff members for all you have done to support our students, faculty, and each other as we have navigated significant operations changes as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. I recognize that this has been a time of great uncertainty and concern as we transition all academic instruction online. There are many unanswered questions regarding how this will affect our daily operations. Please note that we are doing our best to answer these questions as quickly as we can, and I thank you for your patience as we work through a diversity of issues.
- Before many of us leave campus for the weekend, I want to provide you with a few updates
and, again, express my appreciation to everyone for your outstanding efforts over
the past week and in the weeks to come.
- The university will remain open under normal operating hours during spring break.
However, the Basler Center for Physical Activity and a few other services will be
closed. Staff members at these locations should expect to receive alternative assignments.
- Please take care of yourself and get some rest this weekend. This has been an incredibly
busy and stressful week. I encourage you to take time to reflect on the week and give
thanks for all that we have and will accomplish together at ETSU.
- Earlier this week, we launched a website where you can follow our response to the COVID-19 outbreak. I invite you to visit
this site regularly and to monitor your email inbox for further updates.
- I understand that this is a very stressful time for us as a campus community and a
nation. Should you need assistance through our Employee Assistance Program, please
call 1-855-Here4TN (855-437-3486).
- If you become ill, please do not come to work. The CDC has offered important tips for lowering your risk for acquiring the COVID-19 virus or other diseases.
East Tennessee State University is an institution where people come first, are valued, and are treated with dignity and respect. Thank you for all you do to support ETSU. Godspeed.
- Dr. Brian Noland
President, East Tennessee State University
Appreciation and Information
Memo to faculty 3/13/20
Dear Faculty Colleagues,
As we complete a week of focusing on how we as a university community can ensure that we maintain academic and business continuity for our students, faculty, and staff, I want to reach out to you as ETSU Faculty to personally express my gratitude for your willing spirit, positive attitudes, and energy. These are critical ingredients for us as a University Team as we go through the next few weeks of change and uncertainty.
As a collective faculty, you are offering nearly 3000 classes to students this semester of those classes close to 800 of them have been offered in an entirely online modality since the beginning of the semester. That means that between now and the week after Spring Break, we are looking at moving a significant number of classes to an online format. For some of you, this will not be a new experience, for others you will be making a transition to a new teaching style that at first will likely move you from your proverbial comfort zone. For that reason, the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE) and Academic Technology Services (ATS) are providing resources that will assist you with navigating our already existing learning management system (D2L) and our teleconferencing capability available through Zoom. Yesterday, with assistance, I offered a Zoom connection for the Academic Council meeting. I am planning for our next Academic Council meeting to be held entirely using Zoom technology. This is different and will require new ways of interacting, listening, and decision-making. I realize that, but I know we are a community of learners and problem solvers. I am confident that our faculty will be able to respond creatively and enthusiastically to the challenge.
Please visit CTE’s web site for tips and strategies (Basic Principles) for transitioning your course from face to face instruction to an online modality. Visit the ATS web site for information on schedules for training sessions. Also, we have had a number of faculty within colleges across campus volunteer to assist others with the transition of courses to online. Please take advantage of offers from your colleagues to assist. I know that during the first few weeks of transition we all need to have grace and leniency…for ourselves and our students as we adapt to change. This is a process that you cannot just flip a switch and have it occur. I do know that the next few weeks will be busy and often stressful, but as one faculty told his dean this week, “I will figure out a way to get it done.” I know that each of you is dedicated to providing our students with a quality education. Thank you for your efforts that will minimize disruption and allow students to progress toward their goal of graduation and success in their future.
With appreciation for all that you do every day for our students and ETSU.
- Dr. Wilsie Bishop
Senior Vice President for Academics
COVID-19 University Operating Status
3/12/20
East Tennessee State University officials continue to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak.
In light of this fluid situation and with the health and safety of our ETSU Community
as the top priority, the university is taking the following actions for all locations:
• All current face-to-face courses will move online effective Monday, March 23 for
three weeks (through April 9) as university officials continue to evaluate COVID-19
mitigation efforts. Everyone should prepare for online courses to extend through the
entire semester if necessary. Prior to April 9, the university will announce the official
decision on resuming face-to-face courses. Students will not be charged any additional
fees for courses impacted by this change. Experiential learning experiences such as
student teaching, service learning, clinical rotations and internships will continue.
Faculty will provide students with additional information about their specific courses.
Current online classes will continue as scheduled.
• Students should stay home after spring break and resume classes online from their
permanent residence. Please recognize the transition to online course work will require
flexibility and patience on the part of faculty and students. Students living in campus
housing who are unable to return to their permanent residence or are participating
in experiential learning experiences may apply for an exemption to remain on campus.
Residents will receive instructions and further information by email from the Department
of Housing and Residence Life. University officials are exploring options that may
allow potential credit or prorating for unused portions of housing and meal plans
if face-to-face courses do not resume for the spring semester.
• All ETSU events scheduled through April 13 are cancelled; however, some events may
be rescheduled at a later date and updates will be provided. During this time, in-person
gatherings or employee/student organization meetings should be minimized. Everyone
is encouraged to follow recommended COVID-19 mitigation procedures and social-distancing.
Please take advantage of teleconferencing resources available through Zoom.
• Most other university operations, with the exception of face-to-face courses and
activities listed above, will continue. Faculty and staff will continue to report
to work at this time. Students with appointments on campus, such as advising or meetings
with faculty, are encouraged to have those meetings using phone or Zoom.
Everyone is encouraged to engage in social distancing for meetings and gatherings
and to follow mitigation protocols recommended by Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. Please continue to check your email throughout spring break for additional
announcements. The latest information, including resources and previous announcements,
is available at www.etsu.edu/coronavirus.
ETSU is an institution where people come first, are valued and are treated with dignity
and respect. These decisions are being made to protect the health and safety of the
ETSU Community and that of the surrounding region. Your continued patience is deeply
appreciated.
-Dr. Brian Noland
President, East Tennessee State University
COVID-19: Domestic Travel Suspended
Memo to faculty, staff and students 3/11/20
As part of our ongoing efforts to monitor the COVID-19 outbreak and to protect the health of the campus community, East Tennessee State University has made the decision to suspend all outgoing university-related domestic travel effective immediately. This suspension is in place for domestic travel through April 30, 2020. This follows the announcement from this past Monday (March 9) that all outgoing university-related international travel is suspended through June 15, 2020. At this time, university-related domestic athletics travel for competitive events is not restricted and we will continue to follow guidance as provided by the NCAA and the Southern Conference.
Rare exceptions for domestic travel may be considered on a case-by-case basis. Anyone requesting an exception should submit this request to his or her supervisor for first level review. Specific details about the implementation of this directive will be available in the coming days. ETSU will reimburse employees and students for expenses associated with international and domestic business trips that are canceled due to COVID-19 and for which they cannot receive reimbursement through other means. This includes airfare, hotel cancellation fees, conference registrations and other pre-paid items. Those seeking reimbursements should work with the respective department that is sponsoring the trip, and steps to cancel your domestic and international travel will be available at ETSU’s coronavirus response website.
This suspension is applicable to university-related domestic and international travel and does not apply to personal travel plans. As we move closer to Spring Break, I encourage you to be prudent in following information being released from the CDC regarding travel alerts and any other information that is being provided from the health departments and other organizations that is applicable to where you plan to travel. In regards to next week’s break, anyone who plans to be away from campus next week is encouraged to take items with them, such as books and laptops, which would allow them to resume their academic and administrative responsibilities from a remote location if necessary.
Our dedicated website will continue to provide the most up-to-date information regarding the university’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Thank you for your continued attention to this matter.
COVID-19 and Planning for Spring Break
Memo to students 3/11/20
As we approach Spring Break when most of you will be away from our campus, the university wanted to provide an update on our planned response to the COVID-19 outbreak and offer suggestions on things you should do before you leave campus.
Many colleges and universities in the United States where outbreaks have occurred have made the decision to suspend in-person, or on-ground, class meetings and to move all instruction to an online format. At this time, ETSU will move forward with normal class schedules and academic operations; however, depending on how this outbreak progresses in our state and region, it is possible that a similar decision could be made for our campus in the near future. In light of this, we encourage all students to be prepared for a change in operations.
- Before you leave campus for the break, take any books, items or learning materials
with you that you might need, such as your laptop and other devices, to complete your
coursework from a remote location. You should also take personal items with you that
you would need if you have to be away from campus for an extended period.
- If you are new to D2L (Desire2Learn) and Zoom – both distance learning technology programs frequently used by ETSU – it is important for you to start becoming more familiar. Our Academic Technology Services team has an informative website that serves as a great starting place for new users.
The use of tools like D2L and Zoom will help sustain continued academic operations in the event there is a disruption to on-ground classes. Our faculty understand that the possibility exists that in-person classes may be moved online and are planning accordingly.
As we communicated with you yesterday, it is important to be very mindful of the travel alerts and other information being released from the areas where you plan to travel for Spring Break. Thank you for your continued attention to this matter, and may each of you have a restful and enjoyable break.
-Dr. Joe Sherlin
Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment
COVID-19 Information
Memo to student 3/10/20
The COVID-19 outbreak continues to be a significant topic of concern here in the United States and around the globe. ETSU has been closely following this situation since early January and has adhered to the guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding travel alerts and other precautions.
I want to assure our students and parents that there is no higher priority than the health and safety of our community. We have a team and several task forces on campus that are monitoring the outbreak and are meeting daily to assess the potential impact on the many aspects of our operations. Specifically, extensive preparations are being made in the event that face-to-face class meetings are suspended for a period of time and that instruction moves to an entirely online format. I also wanted to let you know that additional cleaning precautions are being implemented, and we have built a website that provides the latest information on ETSU’s response to this outbreak.
We encourage all students to be mindful of this situation as they finalize any spring break travel plans and to closely follow the travel guidelines from the CDC and from the state health departments where they may travel. Our pledge is to keep the university community updated on any new developments or changes in operation.
-Dr. Joe Sherlin
Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment
Preparation for Instructional Continuity
Memo to faculty and staff 3/10/20
ETSU is committed to the progress of our students and share the belief that they deserve to receive a quality educational experience. Whether that experience is on campus or using online tools, we should all do everything we can to fulfill our promise to our students. We anticipate adjustments to the way we conduct our teaching may be necessary in order to ensure our students continue to make academic progress. We need your help in making these adjustments possible.
In the event the University suspends face to face classes for some period of time this semester, all faculty need to make preparations over the next week to deliver courses using our university-wide online learning tools— primarily D2L and Zoom. D2L and Zoom are available to all faculty and students. If your college uses additional on-line resources please be sure that all faculty and students are familiar with those systems. Laboratory, clinical, performance and other experiential course offerings will need to be addressed on an individual college by college basis. Your deans are sources of information and guidance in this area. Please note that in the event of suspension of face to face classes, it is likely faculty and staff will continue to report to work according to current CDC recommendations.
- Dr. Wilsie Bishop
Senior Vice President for Academics
ETSU suspends university-related international travel
Memo to faculty, staff and students 3/9/2020
Effective March 9, the university is suspending all outgoing university-related international
travel through June 15. This includes all travel related to teaching, study-abroad
programs, research, internships, conferences, presentations, performances, and athletics.
The university will be continuously reassessing its operations in light of the evolving
COVID-19 situation. The Office of International Programs is working one-on-one with
students who are currently studying abroad. At this time, no restrictions are imposed
for university-related domestic travel. For university-related international travel
that is canceled, the university will assist with reimbursement of travel expenses
on a case-by-case basis.
With the university spring break March 16-20, members of the ETSU community are expected
to follow travel guidance from the CDC in addition to any treatment or monitoring by any health official. Please keep in
mind that if you are planning personal travel, the university strongly recommends
that you be mindful of the potential risk of disruptions to your plans, especially
those traveling internationally. Continually changing travel restrictions may impact
those seeking reentry to the United States and your ability to successfully return
to class and/or work. Travelers returning from Level 2 or 3 CDC travel notice areas
will not be allowed to return to any ETSU campus or facility until they complete a
14-day self-quarantine and show no symptoms associated with COVID-19. The university requires that all individuals adhere to the Tennessee Department of
Health regulations and restrictions related to travel.
- Dr. Brian Noland
President, East Tennessee State University
Message from the President
3/9/20
East Tennessee State University is closely monitoring the outbreak of COVID-19. The safety and health of the ETSU community is our highest priority, and we take any threat very seriously.
Since the outbreak began, we have followed the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Tennessee Department of Health and the Washington County Health Department and have remained in close contact with our students participating in study abroad programs in affected countries. In addition, we have shared information with our campus community about important prevention steps, such as handwashing, that we can take to reduce our risk.
We have created a dedicated website to provide the latest announcements, answers to frequently asked questions, resources and measures that we put in place to address this rapidly changing situation.
At this time, there have been no cases of the virus diagnosed at ETSU. However, as
the coronavirus continues to spread, the health and safety of the ETSU community remain
top priority. This is not a time to panic; instead, our administration is actively
preparing for potential disruptions in operations, while hoping that the impact is
minimal.
I have appointed several working groups to meet and prepare contingency plans and
recommendations if the outbreak continues to spread:
-ETSU Health
-International Programs
-Student Life and Enrollment
-Academic Affairs and Registrar
-Information Technology
-Finance and Administration
-Facilities
-Campus Communication Team
-Athletics
A designated leader from each group is providing regular updates to the President’s
Office. University officials have also met with Ballad Health, government leaders
and public health officials to coordinate response efforts.
We are committed to keeping you informed of any updates, further developments, or
changes in operations. Please check back to this website often for the latest information
and announcements.
- Dr. Brian Noland
President, East Tennessee State University