All in-person classes and events are suspended for the remainder of the semester; more details coming by end-of-day on Thursday.

Dear Truman Community:

Thank you for your extraordinary efforts to support our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Unprecedented situations require unprecedented efforts, and we are proud of the tremendous work our faculty, staff and students are doing in preparation for the possibility that in-person instruction would have to be suspended.  Many members of our community are stepping up in meaningful ways to help others to ensure our learning is disrupted as little as possible.  Within our power, we will ensure students can complete their degree requirements.

As was indicated in the March 11 email, this week was designed to be a week of transition.  There will be no penalties for missed connections, assignments, tests or quizzes.  With faculty and students working together, we can discover if there are areas for further instruction or training and quickly provide assistance and resources to those who need them.

Every day brings significant, new information about the COVID-19 pandemic.  I have heard from members of our community who are passionate that we should completely close Truman for the rest of the semester and from those who are equally passionate that we must allow everyone to return to campus and resume in-person classes so we do not further disrupt what makes a Truman education so special and valuable.  While I wish there was a perfect approach to satisfy these equally valid, but very disparate perspectives, there is not.  Based upon all of the information we have at this time, and with the support of the leadership of Faculty Senate and Staff Council and after consulting with Student Government, we have determined that the best course of action is to suspend all in-person classes and events for the remainder of the semester.  A decision about Commencement will be made at a later date.  I assure you that we did not make this decision lightly and like you, we are immensely disappointed that we cannot currently experience all the ways in which Truman is such a special place.

By the end-of-day on Thursday, March 19, we will provide information about the specific processes for students to either: 1) retrieve their belongings from on-campus residences; or 2) stay on campus for the remainder of the semester.  We will also provide information about additional University operations impacted by the suspension. Please continue to routinely check https://trualert.truman.edu as it provides the most-up-to-date information.

As these turbulent times continue, I encourage you to not only share your thoughts and ask questions (you can send your questions to covid19questions@truman.edu), but to also think about ways in which you can support the Truman and northeast Missouri communities.  I also encourage our community to extend grace and patience to those not just at Truman, but across all sectors of society, who must make and implement enormously tough decisions in this unprecedented time.  We are Truman and bad times should bring out the good in us.

Be well,
Sue