April 2, 2020
Dear Colleagues:
As Ball State University takes a series of aggressive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, it’s so encouraging to see that this situation is bringing out the best in our community.
Our faculty and staff have embraced this challenge with unwavering dedication. And our students have worked creatively with their professors to continue their learning. This extraordinary response reaffirms what I have come to know about the character and commitment of our students, our faculty and staff, and our neighbors.
In March, we replaced in-person classes with virtual instruction and other alternative learning options for the remainder of the Spring semester. At Ball State, we treat our students as learning partners from day one. This distinctive partnership allows our students to continue to receive exceptional educational experiences.
We are also fortunate to have a long tradition of providing premier distance education programs. U.S. News & World Report consistently ranks our online programs among the best. In response to this health crisis, our colleagues in the Division of Online and Strategic Learning have acted quickly and effectively to support our faculty.
Cardinals continue to demonstrate our enduring values, which include social responsibility. Ball State is about more than educating students. We’re also about serving our neighbors, near and far.
Our University is actively collaborating on contingency plans with Muncie’s other anchor institution, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. Those plans include preparing space in our vacated residence halls in case the hospital needs to summon additional staff who would work extended shifts and need a close place to rest and recuperate. We will share supplies and are investigating whether our simulation labs in our brand new Health Professions Building can be converted to serve actual patients. If needed, experienced practitioners on our faculty and staff will assist the hospital.
Our University has made the necessary accommodations for faculty and staff to work remotely, in accordance with Governor Eric Holcomb’s “Stay-At-Home” Order. And on March 27, our Board of Trustees unanimously approved an Extraordinary Temporary Paid Leave Plan. You can read about the details of this plan in the email I sent to faculty and staff after the meeting.
In a typical Spring, prospective students and their families would visit our beautiful campus, see our technology and amenities in person, and observe how our people live our University’s values. Although prospective students are at home this year, I hope they will take a virtual tour of our campus. We are making plans for other ways to virtually bring our prospective students and their families to our campus, and more importantly, we are finding ways to introduce them to our faculty and staff.
At this time in a typical year, we would look forward to Spring Commencement. Although COVID-19 forced us to cancel this year’s ceremonies, we are committed to celebrating the achievements of our May 2020 graduates. To share your ideas, please take the Ball State Commencement Survey. We have received a tremendous response so far, for which I am grateful.
These are just a few examples that demonstrate how Ball State is a special place. Working together, we have the opportunity to overcome this challenge. To keep our University community and neighbors informed, we have established bsu.edu/coronavirus and will continue to post updates as the situation evolves.
I am profoundly grateful to all of our students, faculty, staff, and community partners for their courage, their creativity, and their sacrifices.
Below are a few more stories that I hope you will enjoy and then share. Let your friends and colleagues know how “We Fly” at Ball State.
Sincerely,
