POSTED MARCH 12, 2020 - INFORMATION MAY HAVE CHANGED.

Dear students, staff and faculty,

Due to the continued spread of the COVID-19 virus, the Board of Regents has decided to extend spring break an extra week for students at Northern and all regental universities. This means classes are now set to resume on Monday, March 23. Please note: There have been no identified cases of COVID-19 virus at Northern, Aberdeen, and Brown County at this time.

We are currently assessing how to proceed from that point forward. Faculty should expect a separate message from the provost regarding instruction. This schedule change will not affect the remaining semester calendar, which will conclude the week of May 4.

Students are encouraged to stay home the week of March 15 if possible. However, we realize some of you may depend on campus housing and dining facilities. For those students, residence halls will reopen at noon and Dining Services will reopen at suppertime this Sunday, March 15. If you are returning to campus, please notify NSU Residence Life. Residence Life will follow up with an email with further instructions.

Campus remains open for faculty and staff and business operations will continue. We will notify you if that changes. Students (undergraduate and graduate) employed on campus should reach out to their direct supervisors.

We are currently evaluating large events, student activities and fine arts performances scheduled on campus this spring. We remain in contact with outside entities holding events on campus, particularly the South Dakota High School Association regarding the upcoming State B Basketball Tournament. We continue to seek guidance from NCAA and NSIC regarding athletic events and how the current seasons may be affected.

We are looking at options for our summer study abroad programs. We will also be limiting nonessential travel for all faculty and staff per the BOR announcement.

This is truly an unprecedented time for our institution, the state, country and world. There are a lot of thoughts and opinions regarding this matter, but the health and safety of our campus community is our top priority. I realize this affects the semester for many of you, and I appreciate your adaptability and understanding during this time.

As this situation continues to change daily, we will keep monitoring it and provide updates via email or our COVID-19 resource webpage. Let’s all continue to make safe, responsible health decisions. Here again is our list of best prevention practices:

• Stay home if you are sick.
• Cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze (with a tissue or into your sleeve).
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water (or alcohol-based hand gel).
• Avoid handshakes; opt for another greeting, such as bumping elbows.
• More preventative information can be found online at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and S.D. Department of Health.
• The CDC website for travelers lists at-risk destinations. (Locations may change on a daily basis.)
• The state now offers a South Dakota COVID hotline: 1-800-997-2880.

This ever-evolving situation is likely causing stress, fear and uncertainty, and this email likely does not answer all of your questions. We appreciate your patience, and we will continue to update you via email or our COVID-19 resource webpage. I ask that we work together to find solutions that allow us to maintain a healthy environment and ensure the best academic outcomes for this semester.

-President Downs