> > FROM PRESIDENT JOHN HAGELIN > > March 12, 2020 > > Dear MIU community members: > > I ask you to read this letter carefully. > > I understand your concerns and apprehensions about the COVID-19 virus. Across > the country, there is unprecedented uncertainty about how America should > respond to this public health challenge. > > We have been working closely with the Iowa Department of Public Health in > formulating a strategy that places the highest priority on the health and > safety of our students, staff, and faculty. > > Other schools are closing down for the remainder of the year, but we know > that for many of you, particularly our international and independent > students, this would be very impractical or costly and (for international > students) could result in termination of your studies. > > WORKING TOGETHER > > So our strategy requires that we all work together to do what’s necessary to > make it through this health crisis. > > We must respond as a community, not as individuals. This will require new > flexibility from all of us. > > We don’t know exactly what type of threat we face, but the US Center for > Disease Control says > <https://mum.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&id=1e2f29c467&e=96804a1a9c> > this: > > It’s likely that at some point, widespread transmission of COVID-19 in the > United States will occur. Widespread transmission of COVID-19 would translate > into large numbers of people needing medical care at the same time. . . . At > this time, there is no vaccine to protect against COVID-19 and no medications > approved to treat it. Nonpharmaceutical interventions > <https://mum.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&id=bc9c9d2485&e=96804a1a9c> > would be the most important response strategy.. > > The policies I describe in this letter are not just a necessary > inconvenience. They’re vital to the life and health of all of us. > > All these policies have a single purpose: To minimize contact with people who > may have been exposed to the virus and prevent the introduction of COVID-19 > into our community. > > 1 – Postponing Spring Break and starting the April block on Monday, March 23 > > All subsequent blocks will similarly start one week earlier than scheduled. > > At present, there are no known cases of COVID-19 in the Fairfield area. > Therefore, we do not want MIU students, faculty, or staff to travel outside > Jefferson County unless they have a very good reason. > > We know some of you have made Spring Break travel plans, and we apologize for > the inconvenience. > > Please know we have balanced this inconvenience with the serious health risks > of traveling outside of Jefferson County at this time — risks for you and, > when you return, for our university community. > > Fortunately, airlines are now allowing for refunds or credit for future > travel at the current time. > > 2 – Asking everyone not to travel outside Jefferson County > > All international and domestic travel for students, staff, and faculty > outside Jefferson County, Iowa, is not approved or appropriate until further > notice. > > If individuals do travel outside of Jefferson County, they will likely be > required to engage in a mandatory isolation period of 14 days when they > return. This means no public interaction during that period, to be monitored > by the Campus Nurse. > > If you believe you have special circumstances that require such travel for > medical reasons, contact our Campus Nurse Vina Miller (ext. 3411). > > For other urgent travel permissions, please contact these people to obtain an > Urgent Travel Pass: > Students — Vice President Rod Eason in Student Life, 641-472-1204 (ext. 1204) > or [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> > Faculty — The Dean of Faculty office (ext. 1161) > Staff — HR Director Carol Passos (ext. 4826) > Grantees and other IAA living on-campus may contact Tom Brooks = > [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>. We recommend that they don't leave > town or risk a 14-day self-isolation. > 3 – Promoting online, in-room teaching for our Fairfield on-campus courses > > We’ll do this as much as possible. This is to minimize our physical contact > with other people. Minimizing contact won’t be easy when we live and eat in > the same buildings, but living together is unavoidable because so many of our > students are international or independent of their parents. If students can > study in their dorm rooms or at home, they will face less exposure to the > coronavirus. > > 4 – Keeping Annapurna safe > > All diners must sanitize their hands at the portable hand sanitizer outside > the entrance to the dining hall. This will reduce the transmission of the > virus if anyone is carrying it without knowing it. Annapurna will be open > only to MIU students, faculty, and staff. > > Only On-campus Grantees and Sponsorship Recipients including other on-campus > IAA may eat in Annapurna. > > 5 – Cancelling public events temporarily > > Again, to minimize exposure. > > 6 – Doing as much as you can remotely > > Financial Aid, Enrollment Center, Student Life, HR, banks — please > communicate with such places by phone or email rather than visiting. > > 7 – Maintaining “social distance” > > This means maintaining a distance of at least six feet from others wherever > possible and avoiding groups. > > 8 – Suspending group program temporarily > > For Meditators and Sidhas. Sidhas are encouraged to synchronize their program > with the main morning > and evening program times. > > 9 – Taking good care of yourself > > Make sure you get plenty of sleep. Wash your hands often with soap and water. > No handshaking. Cough or sneeze into a tissue and discard it (or use your > elbow if you don’t have a tissue). For more details please see our Self-Care > webpage > <https://mum.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&id=5590a74f00&e=96804a1a9c>. > > 10 – Staying home if you’re not feeling well > > If you’re not feeling 100% — especially if you’re coughing, have a fever, or > are short of breath — it’s essential that you stay away from other people. > * * * > We believe these policies provide the best alternatives for a difficult > situation. > > We’re fortunate that MIU is relatively isolated and so far there is no > coronavirus here. Fairfield one of the safest places to be during this > uncertain time. > > As we strive to address this challenge and make the best of it, we hope you > will offer your own suggestions. > These policies may change as circumstances change, so please check our > updates page > <https://mum.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&id=51e3b11b2e&e=96804a1a9c> > frequently. > > Thank you all for helping keep our campus community safe and healthy. > > With best wishes for all, > > John S. Hagelin, PhD > President > Thank you for reading! > Copyright © 2020 Maharishi University of Management, All rights reserved. > You're a student at MIU, thank you! > > Our mailing address is: > Maharishi University of Management > 1000 N 4th St Mr#689 > Fairfield, IA 52557-0001 > > Add us to your address book > <https://mum.us15.list-manage.com/vcard?u=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&id=69238f0d2c> > > Want to change how you receive these emails? > You can update your preferences > <https://mum.us15.list-manage.com/profile?u=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&id=69238f0d2c&e=96804a1a9c> > or unsubscribe from this list > <https://mum.us15.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&id=69238f0d2c&e=96804a1a9c&c=26d8c5353c>. > > > <http://www.mailchimp.com/monkey-rewards/?utm_source=freemium_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=monkey_rewards&aid=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&afl=1> > > <https://mum.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&id=1a473f60c1&e=96804a1a9c> > > <https://mum.us15.list-manage.com/track/click?u=91021a9eff0e73b148ea78278&id=9ef9f8cccf&e=96804a1a9c> > <mailto:[email protected]>
[FairfieldLife] MIU's Important Information on Covid-19
Dick Mays [email protected] [FairfieldLife] Sun, 15 Mar 2020 18:48:27 -0700
