NSU Virtual Campus Town Hall Recap

More than 150 faculty and staff tuned in for Northern State University’s Virtual Campus Town Hall on Tuesday, May 5.

NSU President Dr. Tim Downs opened the question-and-answer session saying he’s proud of how everyone has responded to changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“You’ve adapted, you’ve improvised, you’ve made it work,” Downs said.

Now, Northern is working on best practices for safety as employees return to work this summer, and as students return to school this fall. The university is also preparing for various enrollment scenarios and working to prepare potential budgets. These processes will take well into the summer, Downs said, but campus will be kept informed as plans are developed.

In trying times, Downs said, history shows that communities and cultures prevail when people are drawn together for a common cause.

“Our common cause is to continue offering a great educational and co-curricular experience to our students,” Downs said. “I’m confident that we’ll come out of this viral period succeeding as an institution, in order to sustain our community, our students and each other.”

Below is a summary of topics discussed during Tuesday’s session:

Staff Returning to Campus: The governor’s executive order for remote work lasts through May, though Downs said some employees will return to work sooner. That includes facilities staff, who will follow social distancing protocol as they work on maintenance and groundskeeping to prepare campus for fall. Most employees are expected to return June 1, and there will be a lot of safety procedures put into place at this time. If anyone has concerns about coming back, they should contact Human Resources to determine if work can be done remotely.

Safety Supplies: Northern is in the process of ordering safety supplies in preparation of staff returning to campus, such as masks, gloves, hand sanitizer, etc. Staff will be informed as to what items will be available and what they should plan to bring themselves.

COVID-19 Testing: When asked if faculty, staff and students could have access to COVID-19 testing upon return to campus, Downs said that idea would need to be explored to determine if it’s possible, in consultation with our campus health center provider, Avera. When individuals present any symptoms they are asked to stay in place and contact a health care provider (as testing hasn’t been accessible to everyone).

Campus Open to the Public: Though employees will return in June, Downs doesn’t expect all campus facilities will reopen to the public at that time. Timing still needs to be determined, but everything would be open by fall when students return.

Enrollment Numbers: Like other colleges, Northern’s numbers are a little behind. As college students are trying to finish online courses, they are not registering as fast as they usually do, so it’s important to work to get them enrolled, Downs said. Though new enrollments are also a little behind, there are positive indicators, such as being on target for residence hall numbers. Northern is working to determine how to safely hold HOWL orientation events in June. NSU Vice President of Enrollment, Communications and Marketing Justin Fraase said the university is looking into opportunities such as keeping local transfer students from going back to their institution, and also offering a limited number of single occupancy rooms. Fraase said there are a lot of unknowns, and enrollment is really going to be a team effort. Downs added that when it comes to recruitment and retention of students, everyone must play a part.

Budget Impacts: This week, Northern’s leadership has been tasked by the Board of Regents to develop budget scenarios for potential enrollment reductions of 10, 15 and 20 percent in response to any potential changes that may come out of a special legislative session set for June. While Northern currently has ample cash reserves, it can’t continue to use them every year. Any measures taken now or in the future are for the long-term sustainability of the institution.

Administration Positions: In response to a question regarding new administrative positions, Downs and NSU Provost Dr. Michael Wanous both said excellent faculty have been hired to serve in those roles. They encouraged anyone with questions to contact them directly. Downs also pointed out that Northern has been reducing administration positions the past few years, mostly through reorganization after an individual leaves.

COVID-19 Virus Questions: If a secondary outbreak occurs, Downs said everyone must be prepared to convert back to online. If an outbreak occurs at another S.D. university, Downs said Northern would be in constant communication with the BOR, but would not necessarily shut down. If a case occurs on the NSU campus, that person will be required to isolate immediately (on campus if a student; at home if an employee). Downs stressed that no one should come to work sick; stay home and contact your doctor.

Student Opinion: When asked if students have been surveyed to determine their thoughts about coming back, Downs said that’s something the taskforce developing a back-to-school plan will consider. Northern has sent messages to spring graduates and will post a congratulatory video on Saturday. There are also plans to recognize spring graduates during homecoming and winter commencement.

S/U vs. Grades: If a student opts for an S/U this semester, they may later retake the class for a grade instead, said NSU Registrar Peggy Hallstrom.

Scholarships: As of today, there is funding for all academic and athletic scholarships to be honored this fall.

CARES Act Funding: Northern has less than $330,000 in CARES Act funding available for students, and almost 100 applications have already come in. Downs said any student impacted by COVID-19 should be encouraged to contact Financial Aid.

Fall Sporting/Fine Arts Events: The NCAA is coming out with guidelines, and Northern will look to those for guidance. When it comes to events, things will be different in terms of spacing, whether it’s an athletic event or fine arts performance.

Gypsy Day Contingencies: While there isn’t currently a contingency plan in place for homecoming festivities, Downs said that will be part of the back-to-school planning.

Collective Bargaining: Downs and Wanous submitted a proposal to Faculty Senate for the process to move forward with a COHE agreement transition plan, proposing a taskforce of faculty and administration working together on parts of COHE that will be covered by institutions. That will include determining how to revise and/or adopt the Standards Document.

Impacts on 7/10 Rule: Despite the need for social distancing, Downs said changing the 7-10 rule has not been discussed, and would be counter to being fiscally efficient.

Construction Projects: The current situation isn’t impacting construction on campus. The only major project currently underway is the Regional Sports Complex, and Downs said the contractor has assured they are able to continue while practicing social distancing. On-campus construction is being funded by the Educational Impact Campaign, which has enough funds to begin work on the on-campus sports complex. Other campus upgrades, like the roof of the Johnson Fine Arts Center and the Barnett Center track are funded by the higher education facilities fund (HEFF). HEFF funds are set aside strictly for facilities across S.D. Board of Regents campuses.