Staff Information

Good morning Dragons!

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidance easing their masking recommendations. Based on this, TU has decided to lift the mask mandate for students, employees and visitors to campus. This will take effect immediately and includes public, athletic events and performances. While individuals are no longer required to wear masks on campus, they are welcome to wear one if they choose. We support those who choose to continue to wear a mask or need to wear a mask due to health concerns.

In addition, students, faculty, staff and visitors are no longer required to complete the daily health assessment on the TU Mobile app. The Dragon Plan has been updated and reflects these policy changes. It can be found at fatemeeting.com/dragon-plan-2021-22

Enjoy the rest of your spring break – we look forward to seeing your smiling faces when you get back.

Sincerely,
Dr. Lillian Schumacher

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Campus update – COVID-19 pandemic

Greeting Dragons,

Welcome to the beginning of the spring 2022 semester. We are excited for the opportunities that a new year brings. This campus update highlights our response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

With the new guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control, an overview of our campus response and protocols for the spring 2022 semester are outlined below:

• Masks will continue to be strictly required while indoors. It is recommended that the campus community wear a multi-layer mask, N95 style mask or other high-quality face covering.
• The definitions of fully vaccinated as well as guidance for quarantine and isolation have been updated to reflect the CDC and Ohio Department of Health’s guidelines.
  • Fully Vaccinated:
    • If you received a booster dose of ANY COVID-19 vaccine.
    • If you completed the primary series of Moderna or Pfizer vaccines less than six months ago.
    • If you completed the primary series of Johnson & Johnson vaccine less than two months ago.
  • COVID-19 Exposure:
    • If you are fully vaccinated (new definition):
      • You will wear a mask around others for 10 days after your exposure.
      • Test for COVID-19 day five from your exposure.
      • If you develop symptoms or test positive, stay home.
    • If you are not vaccinated or not up to date:
      • Quarantine for FIVE days after your last exposure.
      • Wear a mask around others for five more days.
      • Test for COVID-19 at day five.
  • If you test Positive for COVID-19
    • Any person testing positive regardless of symptoms or vaccination status:
      • Stay home five days
      • Stay away from others as much as possible (isolate)
      • If you cannot stay away from others wear a three-layer mask or better
      • If you continue to have a fever or significant symptoms after day five, continue to stay home
      • Wear a mask for the next five days

If you have any questions, you can also refer to the COVID-19 section of our website. We will continue to communicate updates and/or additional protocols as necessary.  Let’s do our best to have a wonderful semester and together, we will continue to navigate through this pandemic and successfully get through it!

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Mid-semester check-in

Greetings Dragons,

As we approach mid-semester, now is a great time to take a moment to reflect on how your semester is going so far, how you are growing as a student and how you want the rest of the semester to be so that you end it strong. Midterms are here. Now is the time to do your best to stay focused, yet take the time to take care of yourself. Please know that your faculty, staff and administrators are here for you if you need anything.

As I reflect on our fall semester so far, I wanted to express my gratitude to you, the students, for your diligence and persistence in keeping each other and the campus safe. I, and others on campus, have noticed and appreciate your dedication to wearing masks and doing your best with social distancing to keep our Dragon community healthy. As the weeks go on, please know that your efforts do not go unnoticed and truly have me beaming with pride for our Dragon community.

The COVID-19 task force, my leadership cabinet and I will continue to reassess the campus’ response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I also continue to be very aware of the way the guest restriction policy impacts your experience on campus. The number of on-campus cases and in our community will continue to be monitored. Adjustments may be made to our response as things improve. As always, your health, safety and well-being are my first priority and your diligence in the precautions mentioned above will help us get through these times together.

Please continue to check fatemeeting.com for updates. There, you can find the COVID dashboard, with a complete count of COVID-19 cases on campus. It is updated weekly at http://ymzwel.fatemeeting.com/COVID19_reporting.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Updated COVID-19 precautions

Dear students,

Our most important job is to keep you, and all of us, safe.
Last year we created a COVID-19 Task Force, composed of several leaders within the institution representing multiple areas on campus. This group works with the local health department to create campus precautions and implement safety measures. From the beginning of the pandemic, our decisions have been based on CDC’s guidelines, recommendations and information.

After some input from students, we have decided to make sure that the COVID-19 response task force includes student voices. There will now be two student positions on the Task Force. The selected students will be asked to represent their peers in sharing their feelings, concerns and recommendations on the pandemic and TU’s safety precautions. More information on those positions and how to apply will be coming soon. Please think about serving on the task force and/or encourage your friends to do so.

As we move through the academic year, knowing that we are still not out of the woods, the task force, the presidential cabinet and I will continue to make decisions to keep our students, faculty and staff as safe as possible from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Please remember, that we are doing our best navigating throughout this process, and it has been brought to our attention that we need to take a hard look at our communication strategies as we are making these safety decisions. As such, I wanted to address the recent recommendation to close the dining hall. The CDC continues to recommend that everyone, regardless of vaccine status, wear a face covering as a means to limit the spread of COVID-19. The dining hall, by nature of being a place to eat, was a location the task force identified as being a potential for high spread (i.e. many students, together, not wearing masks while eating). We originally thought that making the dining hall to-go only would decrease students congregating in groups without masks. However, we have found that students are still congregating, just in different locations. As a result, we are happy to announce that we have asked AVI, our Food Service partner, to open the dining hall again – at half capacity and still offer to-go options for students. Hopefully, by opening at half capacity, it will decrease the number of areas for congestion while still allowing students to enjoy the dining hall. We will continue to monitor this and if our active cases of COVID-19 go down, we will revaluate this again.

With regard to the guest restriction enacted last week, I wanted to address the thought process behind that decision. Through our contact tracing efforts, we are finding that the most common cause for exposure continues to be students in close proximity to each other in social settings. It is incredibly important that students take the expectation to limit their exposure to other students outside of their “bubble” seriously. As such, this policy will remain in effect until we see numbers going in a better direction than they currently are. You can all help with this by wearing your mask and consider getting vaccinated.

I know these are difficult times and we may feel isolated or alone as each of us deals with challenging times differently. Please know we are here for you and we have health and wellness services, including counseling, in place for all of our students.

As a reminder, getting vaccinated is a safe and effective way to prevent contracting COVID-19, as well as significant illness in the event of infection. If you are interested in getting more information about the vaccine, please reach out to the Health Center at healthcenter@fatemeeting.com. Additionally, more information and frequently asked questions will be posted on the Tiffin University coronavirus page in the coming days. As you have questions, please reference this page.

Remember, the pandemic is an ongoing, ever-changing situation, which means each and every decision will be made with the best interest of our students, faculty and staff in mind. Just as we have through this entire experience, decisions will be made and reevaluated as things continue to evolve. We are making decisions that not everyone will like all of the time; this is a reality of today’s environment. But we will always do our best to act in the interest of safety first. We ask for your understanding and trust, as we work hard to keep campus safe.

Lastly, I encourage all of you to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather as this is a much safer place to congregate and spend time with your friends.

Remember we will get through this pandemic together and be stronger on the other side of it.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: COVID-19 precautions

Good afternoon Dragon Nation,

The health and safety of our campus is our top priority this semester, as we navigate through the pandemic. In light of the recent COVID-19 spikes on campus, we have decided to implement a few additional precautions. Below, you will find the policies, as well as the possible sanctions that will be determined upon a policy violation.

Mask Wearing:
All students must wear a mask indoors.

Cole Dining Hall:
Starting Friday, September 10, 2021, AVI will only serve to-go meals. No students will be permitted to eat in the dining hall.

Guest Policy:
Until further notice, no guests are permitted in on-campus housing. This includes guests from outside the university as well as anyone entering a residential building to which they are not assigned, barring emergency circumstances. It is essential to the success of containing and preventing illness spread that we do our best to keep the spread at a minimum. Violations of this expectation can result in a guest policy violation and/or failure to comply with policy violation.

Non-residential guests are limited to those that are essential for the ongoing care of the resident (i.e. healthcare aide or parent serving in that capacity). All other non-residential guests should arrange to meet their residential host outside, maintaining appropriate social distancing. Residents must register their essential guests with Residence Life and Housing through the Disability Services Office. This will include contact information as well as dates, times and durations of planned visits.

Health and Safety Hazard:
Students are responsible for maintaining a safe and healthy living environment in both their specific residence facility (in residence halls, houses, and apartments) as well as in the common areas, bathrooms, and hallways of their housing units and the Tiffin University campus in general. Should students create an environment either intentionally, maliciously, or unintentionally that creates an unhealthy, unsanitary, or hazardous environment for others, they will be subject to action through the Student Conduct Process. This includes but is not limited to propping all doors into residence halls, houses, and apartments.

Failure to Comply Outcomes:

• Students are advised that the University expects full cooperation, respect, and honesty with University officials, Tiffin University Security, Tiffin Police, Seneca County Sheriff’s Deputies, civil officers, or Residence Life at all times. The failure to act in such a manner results in formal disciplinary action. This includes, but is not limited to when a student:
• Is being contacted by a Student Conduct Hearing Officer in regard to a conduct meeting and does not report.
• Is assigned a sanction as a result of a conduct meeting and does not complete it within the given deadline.
• Is asked to identify themselves to Residence Life, Campus Security, and/or other University officials.
• Is uncooperative, disrespectful, or evasive toward University Officials (including RAs and Campus Student Security).

Conduct Outcomes:

• On-campus guests violations, mass gathering limitations violations, health and safety violations, or failure to comply violations:
  • Moving forward, any violations of these policies will result in a mandatory two week Interim Housing Removal, Interim Loss of Privilege or Interim Suspension. This is a temporary restriction of access to certain campus areas, properties, buildings, living units, public spaces, parking lots, activities, etc. Students will be restricted from university housing, public spaces, etc. during this time. This sanction will not be appealable.
  • Additional violations may result in dismissal from the university.
• Outside Guests Outcomes:
  • Students who bring unapproved guests to campus may result in permanent Loss of Housing Privilege or immediate dismissal from the university.
    • Housing Sanctions or Restrictions – The University reserves the right to remove anyone from housing immediately should circumstances warrant it. This action can be temporary or permanent. Once a person has been removed from housing or placed with restrictions, that person no longer has guest access to residential areas of campus. Housing Sanctions or Restrictions include:
      • Housing Removal – The immediate removal from Tiffin University Housing either permanently, or for a set period of time.
      • Loss of Privilege – The withdrawal of a privilege, use of a service, participation in a program, event, or activity for a set period of time. This sanction may prohibit a student or organization from participating in extracurricular or athletic activities.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also recommends the following best practices for people to protect themselves:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
• Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available
• Avoid close contact with those who are sick
• Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or your sleeve
• Avoid touching your eyes, mouth and nose
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects
• Stay at home when you are sick
• Practice social distancing, leaving at least three feet between you and other people
• Wear a cloth mask in public when you cannot social distance

Thank you for your cooperation and if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: COVID-19 update

Greetings Dragons,

As we get closer to the beginning of the semester, we are still living with the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic. The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff continues to be of paramount importance to Tiffin University. As such, Tiffin University strongly recommends, but does not require, students, faculty and staff to get the COVID-19 vaccine. If you would like information about where you can get the COVID-19 vaccine, please email healthcenter@fatemeeting.com. Please note, per CDC guidance, individuals who are fully vaccinated and are found through the contact tracing process to be a significant exposure to someone with COVID-19 will not have to quarantine unless they are showing symptoms.

Unfortunately, the Seneca County Health Commissioner has determined that the community transmission of COVID-19 in Seneca County has reached a significant level and determined that all individuals, regardless of their vaccination status, should wear masks indoors. As a result, Tiffin University will follow this recommendation as a means of keeping our campus safe.

Additionally, in order to best understand the current landscape of the possible risks of future COVID-19 outbreaks, we are asking our campus community to voluntarily submit their vaccine status. Individuals may do so by clicking the link below or going to the TU Mobile App and tapping “Report Vaccinations.” You will be asked to upload a picture of your vaccination record card. Please make sure that the photo, including your name, vaccine information and dates, are able to be read by the health center staff in order to accurately and quickly adjust your campus pass.

COVID-19 Vaccine Reporting Form

As a reminder, all members of the Tiffin University community are required to complete the daily symptom reporting form before coming to campus or leaving their residential space. Every day, at 7 a.m. you should receive a notification through the app to complete your daily health assessment. If you have disabled notifications and would like to have that reminder, tap your profile, settings, notifications and enable health and wellness notifications. If these settings are already enabled, you may have to go to the app settings on your phone to enable them there. If you would like to use the web version of the daily symptom tracking form, you can use this link: Daily Pre-Screening Form

Individuals are also required to utilize the contact tracing QR codes posting on campus. As you enter a building, classroom or office space with a QR code, please scan in so that in the event of a COVID-19 exposure, we can appropriately contact trace for those who are unvaccinated who may need to quarantine. If you need links to access the contact trace for use without a smartphone, please email healthcenter@fatemeeting.com.

Please know that we understand that this isn’t the beginning of the semester that we all had hoped for. But hopefully, this is a temporary sacrifice as we continue to push through this unknown pandemic territory. We need to stay the course on keeping our community safe and together we will push through this until the pandemic is behind us for good! Students, please know we are here for you, to support you, and as a reminder, our counseling center can be reached by emailing counseling@fatemeeting.com.

Even though we will be wearing masks for the beginning of the semester, we do hope that the transmission rate in our county will return to lower numbers and we can lift this mask requirement. Additionally, this currently has no effect on other requirements we had in place last year. There are no limitations on gathering sizes, student organizations events, or course delivery at this time. It is vitally important that we all continue to follow our Dragon Plan and keep our campus safe.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the health center at healthcenter@fatemeeting.com.

Thank you,

President Schumacher

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Updated Dragon Plan

Greetings, students, faculty and staff,

It is with the utmost gratefulness that I reach out to you today with news for our upcoming fall 2021 return to campus. It is because of your respect and care for each other by complying with the pandemic protocols we had in place for the last 15 months, that we have made so much progress towards putting this pandemic behind us.

As a result, I would like to share with you our updated Dragon Plan (as of today) for the upcoming fall 2021 semester. This plan includes expectations aligned with our ICARE Values. I am confident that all Dragons will adhere to our expectations for the continued safety and well-being of others. You can find the Dragon Plan at fatemeeting.com/dragon-plan-2021-22.

The Dragon Plan communicates regular updates on our plan for returning to campus each semester, COVID-19 news and developments, and any new requirements or guidance that the University receives from our state and local health departments. Within this plan, you will find that we will not require masks and that we highly encourage you to get vaccinated. Having said that, we respect your individual choice and, therefore, will not require that all be vaccinated at this time. 

If you choose not to be vaccinated, you are encouraged to wear your mask for your protection while on campus. We will rely on the honor and honesty code for this. The only exception is we will ask for vaccination records as this will help us most effectively contact trace as needed.

Tiffin University will continue to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and regional and local health care partners to comply with directives and guidelines to safeguard our students, faculty, staff and visitors to reduce any new risks moving forward.

My very best wishes to each and every one of you this summer. Please stay safe and healthy over the summer months, and we’ll see you in August 2021!

Regards,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Fall Semester 2021

Dear Tiffin University Dragons,

Spring is upon us and, as a community, we continue to successfully navigate through these unprecedented times. Like so many others, we had to pivot due to COVID-19, and it has been a test of endurance since. Yet, I am so proud of the work we have done taking care of each other and following our Dragon Pledge. We have had very few cases of COVID through it all, and we are making it through positively; one day at a time; one week at a time; one month at a time; and we are doing it, together.

As a result, I am writing today to let you know that Tiffin University is looking forward to our fall semester with great hope for a sense of normalcy once again. As a result, we are cautiously planning for a traditional fall semester, starting on August 23, with a return to in-person classes, traditional classroom arrangements, as well as, normal housing policies and athletic schedules. The COVID-19 vaccines’ ongoing distribution and decreasing infection rates are reasons for hope, though we all know we must stay vigilant for a while longer. We continue to work with hope for the best, and we will be prepared for other fall semester scenarios, should it be necessary. We will have a back-up plan should limitations need to continue. TU will remain in close contact with our public health partners and continue to adhere to State guidance.

Please be assured that we will keep you informed every step of the way, and we ask that you check our website at fatemeeting.com/coronavirus for regular updates.

Because of our shared hard work, innovation and creativity throughout the pandemic, TU’s campus has grown even closer, stronger and better than ever. We are TU Strong! We look forward to welcoming you back onto campus, ready to embrace a new and exciting academic year.

Sincerely,
Dr. Lillian B. Schumacher
President

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Our commitment to the Dragon Pledge

Greetings Tiffin University community,

I hope each of you are enjoying the beautiful weather on this March day. It is so nice to see the sunshine in Tiffin, OH.

I am so proud of how we are following our Dragon Pledge.  It has been almost a year since TU and the entire country had to pivot due to Covid-19 and it has been a test of endurance since. We are getting through it; one day at a time; one week at a time; one month at a time. We are doing it successfully, together.

As we continue to get through it, let’s remember this is temporary and hopefully we are through the worst of it, especially if we all stick together and stay vigilant for just a little longer. Please stay the course; the more we do, the sooner the ramifications of Covid-19 will be behind us.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Campus Communication on Covid-19 Updates

Good afternoon TU Faculty, Staff and Students. I hope this email finds you well!

As we wind down the semester on campus, I ask each of you to please continue to stay strong and end our fall semester safe and sound. You have all done a phenomenal job taking extra care to be safe and compliant, following our Dragon Pledge to your best ability, and for that I thank you. Please continue to do this through the end of the semester, and together we will get through this!

A few updates and information as our students leave campus and come back in January 2021. You have my word that the safety of our students and employees is our priority, and we may adjust these plans depending on what happens with this pandemic. I ask that you do your best to understand this and support these decisions as best you can, knowing these are all temporary decisions to get us safely through this pandemic and our spring semester.

First, any student or employee who would like to take a COVID-19 test before leaving to go home for the break is welcome to do so. Please reach out to the Health Center to schedule a time to do this. You must schedule a time to ensure we are able to accommodate any requests. Tiffin University will pay for this rapid test. The contact information is below.

Second, students, upon your arrival back to campus for the spring semester, we ask that you get a COVID-19 test and bring verification of that back with you. If you arrive back to campus without verification of a test, we may test you before allowing you to get into your room. Minimally, you will need to complete the health assessment. We will also be conducting significant numbers of random weekly COVID-19 testing throughout much of the spring semester as our test supply allows. Students returning to campus from travel advisory states and all international students will be tested upon arrival to campus.

Third, the spring semester will start on Sunday, January 17, 2021, and we expect all residential students to be back on campus by this time. For the first two weeks of the spring semester, we will be conducting on-campus remote learning, using a variety of learning tools, as we ease back into the hybrid learning model for the spring semester. We may adjust this as the spring semester plays out.

We will continue to provide regular updates on the Covid-19 portion of our website. Please check this regularly.

A separate email will be coming at a later date specifically for employees with direction on how we will be working/operating once our students have left the week of Thanksgiving through the start of the spring semester.

Please direct any questions about our academic schedule to the office of the Provost at: officeoftheprovost@fatemeeting.com.

Please direct any questions about on-campus housing to Dean Herdlick’s office at: housing@fatemeeting.com

Please direct any testing issues to either Kali Smith at smithkali@fatemeeting.com or contact the Health Center at healthcenter@fatemeeting.com.
Sincerely,
Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Wednesday, October 8
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Campus Communication-Please read

Good morning Tiffin University faculty and staff,

I hope all are looking forward to our upcoming fall break. For those who are around, please feel free to stop by one of our many student events so long as you feel comfortable and plan to social distance. We have intentionally planned these events to keep as many students as possible from leaving campus.

As we look forward to the spring semester, I wanted to share our plan as of today, given where our campus, state and country are with the pandemic.

Our plan is to bring students back in time for our spring semester start on Tuesday, January 19th (Monday is MLK Jr. Day). For the first two weeks of the semester, all residential students will be tested and quarantined, taking classes remotely for no longer than two weeks after which time, we will resume the hybrid schedule for the remainder of the semester, unless otherwise determined. We will also test faculty and staff and accommodate as needed.

We will have some students back on campus earlier than January 19th as we accommodate athletic and other extracurricular activities.

Please know that this plan may change and we will adjust if needed. In the meantime, remember how well we are all managing through these challenging times and choose to be understanding and kind with each other and our students. We have got this; we are getting through this together and I appreciate everything our TU family is doing!

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Good afternoon Tiffin University faculty, staff and students,

We hope you had a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend.

We will continue to regularly update our campus community on Covid-19 related issues and encourage you to regularly check our website for up to date information http://ymzwel.fatemeeting.com/offices/campus-safety-security/coronavirus

Currently, we have 32 positive cases. Of those, 15 are positive open cases and 17 have recovered. Of the positive 15 cases, 7 are on campus in isolation, and 8 are living off campus. This data is effective starting August 17, 2020. After this week, we will update this information weekly as best we can, and refer you to our website.

As a second reminder, last week, Dean Herdlick sent out policy reminders to all students. If you haven’t yet, we encourage you to take the time to read these and abide by them. These policies have been created to keep our campus healthy and safe, and we plan to enforce them.

Please, do your part and abide by our Dragon Pledge and our health protocols, and avoid behaviors that put yourselves and others at risk. Doing so will help us all get through this safer and faster.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher

President

Friday, August 21, 2020
From: Dr. Peter J. Holbrook
Subject: End of Week Gratitude | Important Information for Next Week | Please Read

Dragon Faculty and Staff,

As we close our first week of classes, we can breathe a collective sigh of relief that we successfully navigated the first week of teaching and learning in our new “Split Hybrid” modality. Congratulations and cheers to a job well done. Our students were so excited to be back and I know they appreciated all you did to help them adjust to the new learning environment.

It has not been an easy week and we are experiencing the realities of educating students during a pandemic. Yet despite the associate challenges we did it! Your professionalism, commitment, and Dragon spirit made it happen. Please accept my heartfelt thanks and gratitude. You are all amazing.

Some items for next week.

Supporting students who are absent from class.

As we engaged in scenario planning over the summer we discussed, and planned for, a potential early “surge” as students returned to campus. While the number of confirmed positive cases at TU remains low, COVID affects not only those who have the virus, but also those who have come in contact with them and must, therefore, be quarantined.

This unfortunate reality of the pandemic is exacerbated by the fact that as it is so early in the term, students who are frustrated by their quarantine may opt to “stop out” for the semester, or longer. It is imperative that we do everything we can to retain these students – not only from a fiscal perspective but more importantly, to help them achieve their academic goals. Our objective is to maintain both academic continuity and momentum for the student. This is assured only when your class provides a sufficient curriculum for students to meaningfully maintain progress towards their chosen degree.

To assist students during a period of quarantine, please click below to review the following strategies and consider implementing them in your classes.

Strategies for supporting students who are absent from class

Supporting students in the classroom

First, please allow me to congratulate both our students and faculty on your compliance with our “Dragon Plan” so far. It is clear to me that all of us are trying to “do our part” to keep our classrooms, and each other, safe. Of course, as we receive feedback on challenges and successes, our strategies for dealing with the pandemic will continue to evolve. With that said, I would like to share some updates related to our classroom management.

Additional disinfecting supplies, PPE, and trash receptacles have been added to all classrooms. If you need to request additional supplies, contact:

Debbie Larick at larickdl@fatemeeting.com

or

Jamie Bauman at baumanjs@fatemeeting.com

We have put together the following informational video that demonstrates classroom protocols for students. I ask you to take a moment at the beginning of each of your classes to share this 4-minute video with students.

Tiffin University Classroom Procedures Video

As a reminder, please don’t forget to take a quick moment to disinfect the podium/ instructor’s station in your classroom before you leave.

Finally, please remember that we should always endeavor to be gracious with our students (and each other), and keep their (and our) long-term success and the “bigger picture” in mind.

I want to close with a quote from Chris Guillebeau. It sums up what we have been doing to prepare for this past week and for the future we are leaning into.

If you want to achieve the unimaginable, you start by imagining it.

Be well and have a good weekend.

Best,

Pete

Good morning Tiffin University Faculty, Staff and Students,

We have prepared for the possibility that students would test positive for COVID-19 when we developed our Dragon Safety Plan. While this is not the position that we hoped to be in, there are students who have tested positive for COVID-19 since August 16. We are working continuously with the Seneca County Health Department and our contact tracing analysis indicates that almost all infections are coming from off campus gatherings where neither masks were worn nor physical distancing was observed and students infected are passing the virus on to others.

In order to keep our campus safe, we have asked these students to return home and to take care of themselves, and they may return when they are better. For those residential students who cannot return home, we will provide them with isolation housing. During the time that they are away, we will continue to trace who they have been in contact with, clean and sanitize rooms and gathering areas across campus, as well as assist any affected students with their remote classes. We will also make use of our isolation and quarantine housing for students waiting on test results or for those who have been in contact with affected students. This is not a surprising situation and is expected. We are prepared to mitigate it and move forward through the academic year.

In the meantime, please do your part and abide by our Dragon Pledge and our health protocols and avoid behaviors that put yourselves and others at risk. Doing so will help us all get through this safer and faster.

Students, please provide correct information and answer your phone or text when the Seneca County Health Department contacts you.

As more information becomes available and applicable, we will keep our faculty, staff and students informed.
Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Tuesday, August 10, 2020
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Tiffin University move-in updates

Good afternoon Dragon Nation,

There have been a few updates that we would like to inform you about. To help maintain a safe and healthy environment on campus, Tiffin University will be doing temperature checks of all individuals traveling to campus, both students and support individuals upon arrival. It is our recommendation that you check your temperature prior to heading to campus. Move-in groups who do not register a temperature of 100.3०F or higher will be given a check-in pass allowing them to receive their room key and complete other necessary check-in procedures.

On Friday, August 14, students checking in that are not involved with Cheer/Stunt and Cross Country, will be required to report to the parking lot of the University Health Center (new location) at 142 Jackson Street, Tiffin, Ohio 44883. Once you are there, please stay in your vehicle and call 419.448.3429 and an individual will come out and take your temperature.

On Saturday, August 15, there will be tents with temperature check stations set up in the Jackson Street Cul-De-Sac and the Gillmor Student Center parking lot. All individuals are to remain in the vehicle during the temperature check process. Students checking into Kirk, Zahn, or Huggins Halls will be using the temperature check station at the Jackson Street Cul-De-Sac, students checking into Clay Street Hall, Frieldey, or Craycraft will utilize the Gillmor Parking Lot temperature check station.

On Sunday, August 16, all students will be checking in at the Heminger center. A temperature check station will be set up in the Heminger parking lot. All individuals are to remain in the vehicle during the temperature check process.

If there is an individual in your vehicle that registers a temperature of 100.3०F or higher, nobody from your vehicle will be permitted on campus. If you live within 300 miles of campus, you will be required to go back home and quarantine for 14 days. If you live outside of the 300 mile radius, the student will be placed in our isolation housing for 14 days. A student may be tested for COVID-19 after an individual in their vehicle registered a temperature of 100.3०F or higher as a means of being released from the 14 day quarantine. The student must have test results that state they are negative for COVID-19 prior to coming back to campus. If the student is instructed to quarantine, or is placed in isolation housing, the student will need to register with the Office of Disability Services in order to receive accommodations for their course work.

We appreciate that this news is difficult, though it is not entirely unexpected given the rise in confirmed cases nationally, and in Ohio. The University remains focused on the health and well-being of our community, and we will continue our measures for social distancing as we all do our part to limit community spread, flatten the curve of infections, and protect those who are particularly vulnerable to this disease.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Fall 2020 re-opening plan

Good afternoon Dragons,

The beginning of the 2020-21 academic year is just around the corner and we look forward to welcoming students, faculty and staff back on campus. As we re-open campus, our top priority is to maintain the health and safety of the entire Tiffin University community.

Our staff have worked diligently throughout the summer on a re-opening plan for campus, called the Dragon Plan, and I’m thrilled to share it with you today. This live-document, which is housed on the TU website, has been created to communicate regular updates on the plan for returning to campus, COVID-19 news and developments and any new requirements or guidance that the University receives. We will continue to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and regional and local health care partners to comply with directives and guidelines to safeguard our students, faculty, staff and visitors and reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 on our campus.

Through the Dragon Plan, we believe that we have positioned our institution to follow the Governor’s Safe Business Practices and the Seneca County Public Health Guidelines.

Please take the time today to review and bookmark the Dragon Plan at fatemeeting.com/dragon-plan. Refer to this document for all questions and concerns related to COVID-19 and a safe return to campus for the start of fall classes on August 17, 2020.

We look forward to a great year!

Sincerely,
Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Greetings Dragon Faculty and Students,

We are looking forward to resuming seated face-to-face classes next week Monday, July 6. We have missed our students and faculty in the classroom!

Summer Term II will be a trial run to help prepare for a full opening for the fall semester, which starts on August 17, 2020. The number of COVID-19 cases continue to increase nationwide, including the State of Ohio. With this in mind, we have two goals for the Summer Term II Session. One, to keep our faculty, staff, and students safe by embracing a Commitment to Personal Responsibility. Two, to ensure that we can deliver classes in a face-to-face setting, which is the preferred delivery mode for many of our students.

To keep our faculty, staff, and students safe, we continue to closely follow the recommendations made by our state and county health department. We also monitor and follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization along with the guiding principles of the Responsible Restart Ohio plan to continue our efforts to protect the health of employees, students, and our community. Attached is our Restart Plan for Summer Term II.

In addition, we have adopted the guidelines below for classroom instruction. It is important that we practice a Commitment to Personal Responsibility, which means that we embrace our ICARE value of Respect to keep each other healthy so that we can deliver seated, face-to-face instruction. What this means is that we ask that you wear a face covering and practice social distancing while in the classroom. Likewise, you can help the University stay safe by whipping down your workstation before you leave the classroom. Sanitizing each classroom at the end of each session before another group arrives will supplement the ongoing work by our staff to clean and sanitize our classrooms on a regular basis throughout the day.

I believe that if we all practice a Commitment to Personal Responsibility, we will decrease the likelihood of the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Most of all, by taking personal responsibility and embracing our ICARE value of Respect, we will increase the likelihood that we can continue to offer classes in the desired face-to-face format and reduce the chance that we will need to revert to virtual classes.

To make it easy to take personal responsibility, The University has outlined the following guidelines for classroom instruction. You are to follow these guidelines each time you enter and leave a classroom. Please remember to practice good personal hygiene by handwashing frequently as this is the number one tip for preventing the spread of Coronavirus COVID-19. When soap and water are not available, the next best option is to use an alcohol-based sanitizer.

• Prior to coming on to campus every day, students are required to complete the health assessment If they show symptoms of COVID-19, they should not attend class and notify their instructor. The health assessment can be completed on the TU Mobile app and at http://forms.gle/dsgHJ8PimQMthpNr7.
• Temperatures will be taken prior to entering the classroom.
• Tiffin University will be implementing social distancing protocols with students being spaced at least 6 feet apart. Students and faculty should wear face-coverings to provide added levels of safety for all.
• Will limit any face to face class to a specific number of students and an instructor with seating set with 6 feet social distancing.
• Disinfect each classroom at the end of each session before another group arrives.
• Provide alternate activities for students who may be personally vulnerable or individuals they live with who are vulnerable as deemed necessary.

Again, we are looking forward to welcoming you back to campus next week. It is a milestone in helping Tiffin University reopen safety. Let me thank you in advance for your willingness to practice a Commitment to Personal Responsibility. By each of us doing our part, we will increase the likelihood of keeping our campus safe!

Good luck as you start your studies.

Go Dragons,

Dr. Peter Holbrook, Provost, and Chief Academic Officer

Tuesday, June 29, 2020
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Campus Communication for July on site hours

Good morning Tiffin University Staff and Faculty,

I hope you are all looking forward to the upcoming 4th of July holiday and a long weekend.

We continue to monitor developments with COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus) and closely follow the recommendations made by our state and county health department.  We also monitor and follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization along with the guiding principles of the Responsible Restart Ohio plan to continue our efforts to protect the health of employees, students, and our community.

As we look toward the month of July, we will continue our practices from the month of June. Please remember as we  continue this “new normal” in our workplace, we want every employee to be assured that we are taking the health and well-being of our entire campus community seriously.

Here again, are some things we are implementing to help keep our workplace safe and to support you through the month of July:

• On campus office hours will be 9am-3pm (please note, that if you are in an essential office setting or position i.e. Business office, facilities, mail room, etc…these hours may vary for you.  Please check with your supervisor to understand your July work hours).  Depending on your department and campus needs, your supervisor may choose to extend your telework schedule into July.
• More frequent cleaning and sanitizing.
• Access to hand sanitizer throughout the workplace.
• Access to our employee assistance program (EAP) and other mental health resources (contact HR for more information about this option).
• Staggered shifts may be implemented so fewer people are on-site at one time.
• More frequent communications on safety best practices to further support you and our community.
• Limits set on the number of people allowed to gather in rooms, conference rooms, and communal areas at one time to allow the ability to maintain the recommended six feet distance.

Here are some things we expect you to implement to help keep our workplace safe:

• Take your temperature daily before coming to work.
• Take the health assessment daily before coming to work here:  http://forms.gle/dsgHJ8PimQMthpNr7
• Go home if you feel sick.
• Wash your hands often, and for the recommended 20 seconds.
• Stay at least 6 feet apart when moving through the workplace.
• You may, but are not required to, wear a face mask or cloth face covering in the workplace.  We do highly encourage it when speaking or working directly with others.
• Be considerate of your co-workers (remember, we’re all in this together).
• Call, email, message, or video conference as much as possible rather than meet face to face.
• Be conscious and understanding of your co-workers who may be dealing with child care issues, illness or loss of loved ones.
• Speak with your manager, HR if you have questions or concerns.

Our return to work resource guide is attached again to help answer any questions.

Summer Term II Restart Plan

Thank you for your patience and cooperation, as we continue to navigate through these times each step of the way.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Tuesday, June 26, 2020
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Summer Term II

Good morning Tiffin University Students, Staff and Faculty,

As you know, Tiffin University has been monitoring developments with COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus). Our University continues to closely follow the recommendations made by our state and county health department. We also monitor and follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization along with the guiding principles of the Responsible Restart Ohio plan to continue our efforts to protect the health of employees, students, and our community. This summer, the University has been working to address our student academic and non-academic experiences along with our safety and campus operations to prepare for in-person teaching and learning to resume Summer Term II.

You will notice various changes in the way our campus looks as well as new practices and guidelines. We understand these changes may be difficult and we are here to support you. Our goal is to collaboratively ensure you feel safe and secure so together we can navigate through today’s complexities given this pandemic.

Attached, you will find the Tiffin University Summer Term II Restart Plan outlining the new practices and guidelines effective Monday, June 29, 2020.

The health assessment can be completed on the TU Mobile app and at http://forms.gle/dsgHJ8PimQMthpNr7

Thank you for your patience and cooperation, and welcome back to campus!

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Friday, May 29, 2020
From: The Office of the Provost
Subject: On-Campus Summer Term II Classes Will Be Held Face-to-Face

Greetings Dragon Nation,

We are excited to welcome back students to campus for the Summer Term II Session starting June 29, 2020. If you are scheduled for a seated course on the Tiffin University campus you will be meeting face-to-face with your instructor. There is still time to enroll in a seated Summer Term II class. To access Schedules — go to: ACADEMIC RESOURCES/Schedules on MyTU or in Self Service/Search

To promote a safe return of students to the seated classroom, we will be implementing social distancing protocols with students being spaced at least 6 feet apart and highly encouraging students to wear face-coverings to provide added levels of safety for all. Classrooms, common areas, and frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned daily, with classrooms being disinfected throughout the day. Posters will be displayed with reminders on how to prevent the spread of germs. More specific protocols will be shared prior to the start of classes.

Students desiring to live in student housing during the Summer Term II Session are required to be enrolled in either a seated or online course. To sign up for student housing, contact housing@fatemeeting.com. All students will be placed in single rooms for Term II housing and the rate is $800 for the term. Specific safety and health protocols will be shared prior to moving in.

We are looking forward to the safe return of our students to campus. We have missed you all. Our ability to offer seated, face-to-face courses during Summer Term II is part of our plan to prepare for the full return of students to campus this fall. It will give us the opportunity to implement safety protocols and to adjust based on our learnings.

We will keep you informed in the weeks ahead as to our intentional opening of campus for fall classes. President Schumacher will provide additional details in a communication sometime in late June/early July. Our decision-making will continue to be guided by health and government officials as well as our commitment to keeping our Dragons safe and healthy. Have a safe and good summer.

All my best,
Dr. Holbrook

Tuesday, May 26, 2020
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Campus Communication and on site hours for the month of June

Good afternoon Tiffin University employees:

I hope you had an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend! I appreciate your patience with getting this information to you.

As you know, Tiffin University has been monitoring developments with COVID-19 (2019 Novel Coronavirus). Our University continues to closely follow the recommendations made by our state and county health department. We also monitor and follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, the World Health Organization along with the guiding principles of the Responsible Restart Ohio plan to continue our efforts to protect the health of employees, students, and our community. As we look at resuming our on campus business operations starting June 1, 2020 we will do this in alignment with supporting community efforts to control the spread of COVID-19, and responsibly getting Ohio back to work. As we return to work and begin this “new normal” in our workplace, we want every employee to be assured that we are taking the health and well-being of our entire campus community seriously.

You’ll notice various changes in the way our workplace looks as well as new practices and protocols. We understand these changes may be difficult and we are here to support you. Our goal is to collaboratively ensure you feel safe and secure so together we can navigate through today’s complexities.

Here are some things we are implementing to help keep our workplace safe and to support you starting June 1st:

• On campus office hours will be 9am-3pm (please note, that if you are in an essential office setting or position i.e. Business office, facilities, mail room, etc… these hours may vary for you. Please check with your supervisor to understand your June work hours). Depending on your department and campus needs, your supervisor may choose to extend your telework schedule into June.
• More frequent cleaning and sanitizing.
• Access to hand sanitizer throughout the workplace.
• Access to our employee assistance program (EAP) and other mental health resources (contact HR for more information about this option).
• Staggered shifts may be implemented so fewer people are on-site at one time.
• More frequent communications on safety best practices to further support you and our community.
• Limits set on the number of people allowed to gather in rooms, conference rooms, and communal areas at one time to allow the ability to maintain the recommended six feet distance.

Here are some things we expect you to implement to help keep our workplace safe:

• Go home if you feel sick.
• Wash your hands often, and for the recommended 20 seconds.
• Stay at least 6 feet apart when moving through the workplace.
• You may, but are not required to, wear a face mask or cloth face covering in the workplace. We do highly encourage it when speaking or working directly with others.
• Be considerate of your co-workers (remember, we’re all in this together).
• Call, email, message, or video conference as much as possible rather than meet face to face.
• Be conscious and understanding of your co-workers who may be dealing with child care issues, illness or loss of loved ones.
• Speak with your manager, HR if you have questions or concerns.

A return to work resource guide is attached to help answer any questions as you return to campus in June.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation, and welcome back to campus!

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Return-to-Campus Guide for Employees

Monday, May 18, 2020
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Campus Update

Dear TU students and Dragon family,

I can only imagine how restless you are about the upcoming fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters at Tiffin University, in light of the current health crisis facing our nation and world.

First off, I wanted to share that this year provided us some unprecedented opportunities for growth, and we are therefore stronger, more resilient, and better prepared for what lies ahead. We are in the midst of enhancing opportunities related to all student services, health and wellness outreach, academic advising, and career services outreach, among other services, to provide all TU students with as many connections points and a sense of engagement as possible. This pandemic has allowed us to persevere through any challenge, and more importantly thrive given the opportunity to pivot in extremely creative and innovative ways.

I will share that we are preparing to return to campus in the fall, to the greatest extent possible. Our plan is to begin the fall semester in August (actual date TBD) with our on-campus students physically with us and our online students, virtually with us.

We know that for our traditional student population, the best way to transform the education we provide is to do so by allowing students to interact with fellow students, develop friendships, engage in student activities, participate in athletics, reside in our residence halls and develop bonds with faculty and staff.

Of course, none of us has a crystal ball and we do not know how much the Covid-19 virus will be mitigated by August, and/or what parameters health experts and government officials (including the Governor of Ohio, the Mayor of Tiffin, and the local and state health departments) will place upon colleges and universities between now and then. However, there are optimistic signs.

The State of Ohio has fortunately been relatively low in terms of numbers of coronavirus cases. Just last week Ohio began the careful process of reopening the state, and Governor Mike DeWine and his staff continue to closely monitor our state and county statistics related to Covid-19. We are hopeful, given current modelling, that the virus will have subsided sufficiently to permit some version of on-campus classes and residential housing in the fall, as long as appropriate modifications are made to ensure social distancing, enhanced hygiene measures, de-densifying in common spaces, testing, etc.

My leadership team and I have been working around-the-clock to create multiple, adaptable contingency plans that can be implemented quickly, so that we are prepared for any scenario as the new academic year arrives.

The health, safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority. We also want to ensure our students’ academic continuity, so there is no disruption of their ability to achieve their academic goals and earn their degrees. Additionally, we are committed to fostering ongoing social interactions and community building among our students, even as guidelines and restrictions are created by government and health officials to deal responsibly with this unprecedented pandemic.

We must remain nimble through this. With the help of my leadership team and experts on campus, we are creating a continuity of operations plan that is as flexible as possible. It will allow TU and its students to move seamlessly into and out of any situation that emerges in the months ahead, regardless of what parameters are placed on us by health and government officials. Once our plan is in place, I will share more of its specific details in a communication to you sometime in late June/early July.

The exact trajectory of future events, of course, is impossible for any institution of higher education to predict. The development of rapid testing, treatment and/or vaccine for the virus could change the situation positively. Equally, a spike in cases could slow down openings. Governmental guidance, informed by science and data, regarding parameters for in-person classes and on-campus living will likely be forthcoming. For that reason, we are building an infrastructure that will allow us to pivot into different modes of educational delivery, if necessary, whether at the beginning or in the middle of the semester. Essentially, our adaptable contingency plans are built around three possible scenarios:

Scenario #1: On-campus classes and housing are permitted, so long as modified to protect the health and safety of students and employees, as guided by CDC directives, governmental protocols, etc. (For students and/or employees who have underlying health issues or otherwise have concerns about on-campus activities, online instruction options will always be available under any scenario).

Scenario #2: Blended in-person and online classes, and scaled-back on-campus housing, are recommended, in order to modify for health and safety purposes, at least for a period of time in the academic year.

Scenario #3: Fully online instruction is required for a period of the academic year, if the virus recurs and the government orders another period of shut-downs. Under this scenario, which we hope is less likely, we would develop the ability to move quickly and seamlessly back to campus as soon as health concerns subside.

Presently, our Institutional Response Team is focused on six task force areas aligned with this contingency plan. These six areas are: Health and Safety Protocols for Students and Employees; Academic Affairs and Online and Extended Learning; Housing, Food Service, Physical Plant and Auxiliary Services; Student Success; Athletic and Extra-Curricular Programs; and, Finance and Budget.

As I work with our Institutional Response team, which includes my leadership team, to complete the plan for this upcoming academic year, please know that we will continue to do so with the same care, foresight, judicious and data-driven analysis as we have done when the pandemic first impacted our institution in March. At that time, thanks to the remarkable efforts of many people at TU, we were able to provide necessary and exceptional services for our students, both academically and from a student engagement perspective. Correspondingly, using what we now know as we plan for the fall, we are confident that Tiffin University will be fully operational whatever comes our way. We expect more guidance from state and local officials in the upcoming weeks and will keep you updated as soon as our plans are solidified based upon those instructions.

We prioritize the Tiffin University educational experience to be a transformational journey for all of our students across varying modalities, programs and timelines. The experience is more than just one semester or one year. It involves being part of a life-long community; creating TU Dragons for life; living by a set of core ICARE (interdependence, communication, accountability, respect and entrepreneurship) values that drive our relational behaviors. A pandemic can, and will, impact aspects of the learning experience for a finite period of time. But these disruptions will pass. In the meantime, at Tiffin University we are and will continue to be purposeful, proactive and intentional in all that we do to continue resilience despite any temporary obstacles. We are Dragon strong!

We look very forward to seeing you in the fall semester, hopefully in person, on campus. We thank you in the meantime for your patience, consideration and support, in the face of these challenging times.

As I often tell my own children, make good choices, and stay safe and healthy in the weeks ahead. We will be back in touch with you again soon.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Campus Scenario Models graphic

Wednesday, April 29, 2020
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Campus Communication: Please read entire email

Greetings Tiffin University staff and faculty,

First and foremost, I hope that you and all of your loved ones are safe and healthy during this unprecedented time. It’s been challenging and tough at times, but we’re optimistic that we are getting through this in the best spirit possible, together.

As we look to the future, we are carefully planning and creating a safe and stepped approach to returning to work on campus. Having this approach to how we return to campus will allow us to continue to provide the level of service and support to our students that allows for them to be successful and we can transform lives through education in the safest environment possible. Each and every one of you plays a critical role in achieving this mission.

Governor DeWine, Lt Governor Husted and Dr. Amy Acton announced plans to reopen the economy with sector-specific protocols for the safety of all Ohioans. It is mandatory that all organizations adhere to the guidance for the safety of their associates and visitors to their establishments.

For the month of May, Tiffin University will continue to follow the telework schedule that we have been operating on and encourage employees to continue to work remotely when as much as possible. This will allow us to ensure that we have the necessary resources available for everyone to return safely. Those of you who are reporting to campus because you are performing essential work functions in May, you will need to follow the following procedure for working on campus as diligently as possible…

Employees Working on Campus:

• Complete the Daily Health Risk Assessment at home before reporting to work each day. The mandatory self-screen procedure includes taking your temperature at home and completing a self-screening questionnaire required for coming to campus
• Each employee will be given masks daily that you will be required to wear the entire time that you are at work not only to protect yourself, but those around you. Please dispose of the mask at the end of your work day
• Employer-provided face masks are to be worn by all employees at all times while on campus. Personal masks will not be allowed
• Safety glasses and appropriate gloves – such as nitrile, neoprene, polypropylene or vinyl – should be worn while applying or cleaning with disinfectant spray
• Safety glasses also are required if you work within the 6-foot social distance & when pre/post cleaning your work area

Supervisors working on campus:

• Provide visual markers on floors for six-foot distancing, per CDC guidance
• Stagger breaks and lunch schedules
• Offer lunch breaks in vehicles instead of shared cafeterias or break rooms
• Employees need to bring their own meals and be able to eat them without use of microwave if possible
• Restrict movement between departments and/or functions
• Conduct phone/email/virtual meetings instead of in-person meetings, even when at office
• Limit meetings to no more than 10 individuals, provided appropriate spacing is possible
• Hold meetings in large spaces where people can spread out at six-foot intervals
• Space out desks and workstations; construct temporary walls between workstations when necessary to allow the ability to interact safely with others

Please review the attached guidelines and please contact Human Resources and or your supervisor with any questions. It is mandatory that you follow the safety procedures outlined in this communication when coming on campus. The University is committed to working with its employees to ensure an environment that is safe and without risks to health.

Stay safe everyone!

Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

Monday, April 20, 2020
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Graduation announcement

Dear Students, Faculty and Staff,

We were all heartbroken when the coronavirus pandemic forced us make different arrangements for spring commencement. We still want to recognize our students with a commencement day and award the academic degrees that they have earned through years of study and hard work.

Today, I would like to announce that Tiffin University will be hosting a virtual graduation ceremony on May 2 at 2 p.m.

This virtual ceremony will give students and their loved ones an opportunity to participate in a meaningful shared experience. Provost Dr. Peter Holbrook will lead the virtual ceremony, which will be posted on the University’s website at fatemeeting.com/commencement. Our Board of Trustee Chair, the President of the Alumni Association and I will give a few remarks, and each graduate’s name will be announced. We will be conferring over 800 degrees, and diplomas will be sent to students through the mail.

Dr. Reginald Wilkinson, President of Connecting the Dots, LLC, a consulting company, will deliver a brief message as well. Dr. Wilkinson was selected because of his impressive career achievements and the leadership that he has provided to his profession, as well as Tiffin University as a dedicated trustee since 2012. He has succeeded in his career and his life based his hard work and integrity.

Please be sure to keep an eye on social media the week leading up to graduation, as we plan to host commencement experiences virtually.
Thank you, everyone, for your hard work and perseverance during the last couple of months. Now it is time to celebrate the reason why we are here – our students.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Tuesday, April 7, 2020
From: Jacob Simon, Associate Dean of Students
Subject: Housing Updates

Hello all,

As you are supporting students through the rest of this semester, I wanted you all to have the latest information regarding housing for Spring, Summer, and Fall 2020.

Take care and stay healthy!

Please see the message below that students received yesterday:

Hello Dragons!

Whether you are still on campus or have returned home, I hope this message finds you well. I wanted to send along some updates regarding campus housing during the coronavirus pandemic. Please make sure to read this entire email.

• Spring 2020 Refunds
  • If you have not already done so, please make sure to fill out the refund request form HERE.
  • Remember, in order for your refund to be processed, your room must be emptied and your key must be turned in.
    • If your room is empty and you still have your key, you can mail it in a padded envelope along with a paper with your name and housing location to:
      • Tiffin University
      • Housing and Residence Life
      • 155 Miami St
      • Tiffin, OH 44883
  • You will still receive a refund based on the date you initially left campus.
  • If you left campus before March 22nd, you are still eligible for a refund, just not any more than if you left on the 22nd.
  • Questions? Contact reslife@fatemeeting.com
• Spring 2020 End of Term
  • The Spring 2020 housing contract ends on May 1, 2020. All students are expected to have moved out, all of their belongings removed from campus, and their room key turned in to the housing office by May 1, 2020 at 10:00 AM.
  • Students who are currently on campus:
    • You may leave at any time during this semester but will not be permitted back to campus once you have moved out.
    • As a reminder, all university policies are still in place, including the amended guest policy revision listed below:
      • Only individuals who are registered Tiffin University students who are maintaining their room reservation through the Spring 2020 semester are permitted in university housing. This policy is to encourage the mandatory social distancing enacted by the CDC and the Ohio Department of Health. Violations may result in actions taken by the office of student conduct and could include the student’s removal from on campus housing.
      • The CDC and State of Ohio Department of Healthy is observing a six-foot social distancing guideline. This applies to all spaces on campus as well.
  • Students who already left campus but still have items in your room
    • You will receive an email with a link to sign up for a move out appointment. This will be done through Google Calendar. More instructions will follow in an email specific to your housing location. Please schedule intentionally.
  • Questions? Contact reslife@fatemeeting.com

• Summer 2020- Term I
  • Tiffin University will not be offering summer housing for Term I.
  • Only students who are absolutely unable to go home as a result of coronavirus related travel restrictions (international students) or those who already are considered independent students with the office of financial aid. If this situation applies to you, please email reslife@fatemeeting.com for more information regarding crisis housing.
  • All other students should plan to leave campus by May 1st.
  • Questions? Contact reslife@fatemeeting.com
• Fall 2020 Housing
  • You MUST wait to start the application until your class standing updates on the welcome page. It can take up to 30 minutes for your class registration to come through to the housing system.
  • The first round of timeslots will be sent on Wednesday this week. The timeslots to select housing will begin on Friday. If you do not receive a timeslot Wednesday, you will receive one on Monday, April 13th as long as your application is completed.
  • Questions about the housing process should be sent to housing@fatemeeting.com.

If you have any questions or are in need of any assistance, please contact reslife@fatemeeting.com.

Jacob Simon
Associate Dean of Students

Tuesday, April 7, 2020
From: The Office of the Provost
Subject: Announcement for Summer Term I Seated Classes | Tiffin Campus

Greetings,

Please see the following announcement from Provost Holbrook.

Summer Term I Seated Classes for Tiffin Campus Term I, May 5 – June 11

In response to COVID19, Tiffin University will transition the Tiffin Campus Summer Term I seated course schedule to a Live Virtual learning modality. These synchronous courses will include designated scheduled class meeting times for lecture and class participation held through video conferencing.

Note: If you are a SACM sponsored student: SACM has approved a max of 12 hours of online study for Summer 2020 due to the pandemic.Students returning to their home country will be limited to 12 hours of online study and will not be able to enroll in the live virtual seated courses being offered due to the synchronous format that will be used for these courses. For students remaining in/around Tiffin, Ohio, you are permitted enrollment up to 18 hours of instruction (combination of live virtual seated and online courses, with a maximum of 12 hours being online). For registration assistance contact Andrea Draper at DraperAC@fatemeeting.com or Dr. Terry Sullivan at TSullivan@fatemeeting.com

This announcement applies only to Term I seated Main Campus courses. Summer Online courses will continue to be offered as they always have been. Further decisions regarding Term II seated Main Campus courses will be made at a later date.

To access the Tiffin Campus Seated Summer I Schedule go to: MyTU Summer Schedule

Good morning TU faculty and staff:

On Thursday of last week, Governor DeWine extended the statewide stay-at-home order until May 1, 2020. With regard to higher education, the Department of Higher Education and Governor DeWine’s office continued to strongly recommend that colleges and universities, both public and private, continue to pursue strategies to reduce the need for students to be on campus, including enforcing the pursuit for strategies to reduce the need for faculty and staff to be on campus by maximizing any telework opportunities, while maintaining essential on-campus services, especially for residential students who cannot safely return home. Due to this mandate, we are extending the previous date of TU’s telework arrangement of April 20, 2020 to now May 1, 2020.

The health and well-being of our entire community — including each of you — is at the forefront of our thinking. So far, we have drawn down the number of students and staff and faculty on campus and will encourage this to continue. These decisions were designed to make TU safer for everyone with the goal being to protect the health, safety, and well-being of our community while allowing core University operations to continue as best we can.

All TU employees who can work from home should make arrangements with their supervisors to please do so. Of course, any employee who is sick should stay home and continue to take your temperature prior to coming on campus if you must come in to support essential operations. All of these policies are intended to keep sick or potentially sick people away from campus, so that it will remain safer for those who must continue to report to campus. Please continue to work closely with your supervisor to understand what your daily task and focus should be each day. The previous email sent out in March below has some helpful information for you to use to assist you in the teleworking arrangement.

Stay well!

Sincerely,
Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

Remote Access Policy 3-18-20

Tuesday, March 31, 2020
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: A quick note from the President

Good day Tiffin University Students, Staff and Faculty,

Just checking in on everyone…

I hope your week is off to a great start. It is Tuesday, March 31st; the last day of March already. 2020 is flying by despite current events!

I wanted to send a quick note just to say how proud I am of all of you and how you are handling these challenging times.

Students, you are trying your best, sticking with your coursework and trying new ways of engaging during this social distancing challenge and so many of you are upbeat and positive! Thank you for being such an inspiration for us all!

Staff and faculty, thank you so much for adapting, staying the course and working so hard for TU and our students! You are dedicated and resilient!

I thought I would share a quote that resonated with me when I read it this morning…

“Appreciate where you are in your journey even if it’s not where you want to be. Every season serves a purpose.” Author Unknown

Please know I appreciate you! Stay strong Dragons and GO GONS!!

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

Friday, March 27, 2020
From: Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Subject: Student refunds for the spring semester

Greetings Tiffin University Students,

I sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate through the COVID-19 challenges. I hope you are all doing well and staying strong academically and otherwise this spring semester.

We have made a decision on student refunds for the spring semester. We will be offering partial room and board refunds for eligible students.

Specifically:
Tiffin University will be administering refunds on a per day basis, as of Sunday, March 22 or when the student left campus, whichever is later. No additional refund will be awarded to students that left campus prior to March 22. Students who moved off campus, but left their belongings in their rooms, will still be eligible for a refund. Refunds will FIRST apply to spring 2020 semester student account balances. Any remaining refunds will be issued back to the student.

All Tiffin campus students are eligible for this refund, except students who receive federal, state and institutional aid (scholarships, grants, etc.) that cover the entire spring 2020 balance. Additionally, any student remaining on campus for the rest of the spring 2020 semester is not eligible for any refund.

Students requesting reimbursement must complete a form with residence life in order to receive any refund. You can find the form at http://tiffindragons.wufoo.com/forms/qfd2c7e0o4ylwg/ and the directions on how to fill out the form is attached.

The form must be completed by May 1 to be considered for a refund.

If you have any questions, please direct them to our residence life office reslife@fatemeeting.com.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

How to Sign Up for Direct Deposit of Student Disbursements/Refunds

Friday, March 27, 2020
From: Joseph Simcoe
Subject: Virtual Nationals

Hello everyone,

I know we are going through some crazy times.

Since our National Championship was canceled due to the Corona virus, a group has initiated a “Virtual National Championship” where each match is posted on twitter and voted on for the winner. Each “match” has a 15 minute window of voting.

I am asking that if you have twitter and have not yet followed @tiffinwrestling please do so and vote for the guys. We will be sharing the matches as they become available to vote. We are trying to make this as fun and interactive and as fun as possible for all the student athletes involved.

The twitter page puting on the virtual tournament is @VD2NCAA

Thank you for your time, support and I hope that everyone is staying safe during all of this.

Best regards,

Joey Simcoe

Director of Wrestling Operations
Head Men’s Wrestling Coach

Tuesday, March 24, 2020
From: Frances Ford
Subject: Fwd: Seneca House

The Seneca House will remain physically closed for appointments during the COVID-19 crisis. I will remain available however, for telephone consultations between the hours of 10am through 2pm Monday-Friday for any health related questions or concerns. Please call 419-448-3429 during these hours; I will also be available by e-mail at fordfj@fatemeeting.com.

I am looking forward to the day when things are back to normal; until then you are all in my thoughts and prayers.

Fran Ford
Certified Nurse Practitioner

Tuesday, March 24, 2020
From: Dan Clark
Subject: Updated Information on 03.23.20 Moodle Outage

Dragon Family>

We have received initial information from our Moodle host concerning yesterday afternoon’s outage. They believe it was caused by a significant increase in Moodle use nationally that temporarily overwhelmed their systems. They shut down the sites to work with their partner AWS (Amazon Web Services) to scale up resources to meet demand, and will continue to monitor the situation and search for any specific root causes that may have contributed to the service disruption.

As institutions all over the country move into uncharted territory, we should not be surprised to experience temporary disruptions like yesterday’s outage. Based on articles and information we have reviewed, worldwide internet usage is up an estimated 67%. For the most part, the system is holding together well and we are confident that any issues that confront us can be dealt with quickly and ultimately, overcome.

Please know that the COEL and ITS teams team here at TU and all of our technology vendors are all aware of how important Moodle and other online resources are to everyone, and we will be vigilant in minimizing issues when and if they arise.

To make certain we get important information out to everybody as efficiently as possible, we have adjusted our communication procedures to disseminate information through both email and the TU app if there is an issue.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

onward,

Dan

Monday, March 23, 2020
From: Wes Kruger
Subject: Bookstore closed website open with FREE shipping

The Bookstore will be closed starting Tuesday 24th till further notice. The Bookstore website will remain open with FREE shipping. If you have any questions or concerns please let me know.

Thanks

Wes Kruger
Store Manager
TU Bookstore

Sunday, March 22, 2020
From: Lillian Schumacher, President
Subject: Campus Communication-PLEASE READ

Dear Members of Our Campus Community,

This afternoon, Governor Mike Dewine and state health officials issued an order directing all residents of Ohio to stay at home or their place of residence effective tomorrow at midnight and until April 6, 2020 or until further notice.

Our campus has already taken a number of proactive actions to help protect the health and well-being of our community that are consistent with the new order, including:

• Ending in-person instruction for the spring semester;
• Minimizing the number of people on campus through remote work arrangements that went into effect on Friday March 20, 2020;
• Ending non-essential business-related travel.

Nevertheless, we will continue to do more to comply with this state-wide order. As an institution of higher education, our campus will only remain open to provide essential services. We will need to further minimize the number of people on campus as much as possible while still maintaining the critical functions of the University, including offering safety and security as well as “to go” meals for our students who still remain on campus.

• At this time, only those employees who must be on campus to maintain critical operations and functions should come to the campus beginning Tuesday, March 24, 2020.
• Our campus housing and dining services will continue operations as planned in order to support those students who need to remain in campus housing.
• Student Health Services will continue to provide service to our students who remain in the area in a virtual setting.

Please submit any payroll information for 3/31 payroll to Lori Longo no later than close of day (COD) tomorrow, Monday, March 23, 2020.

We are in the process of evaluating additional actions that may be required as a result of this statewide order, and will write again with additional updates as soon as possible. The health and well-being of our community is our top priority, and will continue to guide the steps we take to address these extraordinary circumstances.

This pandemic is unfolding, with new information available at regular intervals. Please remain informed and keep yourself and your family safe during this time. We stand ready to assist you as we move through this situation together. Please continue to care for yourselves and each other, as Dragons do.

Sincerely,
Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

Friday, March 20, 2020
From: The Office of the Provost
Subject: Registration Notice for Tiffin Campus Students | Murphy Academic Support Center | Please Read

Greetings,

In response to COVID-19 and to better serve you, the following changes have been made.

Registration Update

We have made the decision to delay registration for Summer and Fall 2020 by 1 week while everyone continues to adjust. The updated registration calendar is below:

• March 30: Seniors, 82+ credit hours completed as of Fall 2019
• April 1: Juniors, 55-81 credit hours completed as of Fall 2019
• April 6: Sophomores, 28-54 credit hours completed as of Fall 2019
• April 8: Freshmen, 0-27 credit hours completed as of Fall 2019

**All students must be authorized by their advisor for registration. Contact your advisor by email for a virtual advising appointment

**General Advising Questions? Email: academicadvising@fatemeeting.com

**Registration Questions? Email: records@fatemeeting.com

Murphy Academic Support Center Update

The Murphy Academic Support Center will be closed starting immediately. However, academic support services remain available remotely in order to provide continued assistance to students.

Peer tutoring is still available virtually by appointment. Schedule an online tutoring appointment at TutorTrac or by calling 419-448-3324 between the hours of 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. Please provide your cell phone number when scheduling your appointment and a tutor will call you during your scheduled appointment time. For step-by-step assistance making a tutoring appointment online, please view Tutoring Tutorial

Online Tutoring hours are as follows:

• Monday – Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
• Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Sunday 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

For questions or assistance, please contact tutor@fatemeeting.com.

Friday, March 20, 2020
From: Nadia Lewis, SHRM-CP
Subject: Mandatory health protocol effective 3/20

Greetings Tiffin University Staff and Faculty,

Providing a healthy and safe campus environment is our top priority for Tiffin University, particularly during the continued, complex, COVID-19 pandemic.

We continue to stay in close contact with the Ohio Department of Health, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Governor’s Office as we rely strongly on their guidance in our decision making.

The Governor has asked all businesses to have employees take their temperature each day prior to reporting for work. If a person has a temperature of 100.0 F or higher, it’s mandatory that you stay home. In order for the University to comply with this request, we ask all employees to take their temperature prior to coming to TU’s campus. If an employee has a temperature of 100.0 F or higher, please remain home and notify your supervisor and primary health care professional.

If an employee is teleworking and become ill, they should notify their supervisor and take sick time in order to have the opportunity to help themselves to heal properly. It is critical that employees do not report to work while they are experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills or fatigue. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that employees remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications.

Stay well!

Nadia A.V. Lewis, SHRM-CP
Assistant Vice President for Human Resources

Thursday, March 19, 2020
From: Lillian Schumacher, President
Subject: Note from the President: Additional resources

As we continue to navigate through the coronavirus pandemic, I wanted to take the time to let you know about some additional resources we have learned about that may be of interest and ease some potential strain.

Our ITS team has compiled a list of offers and information for internet access:

• FCC agreement: The Federal Communications Commission has stated that providers will waive late fees and not cutoff service for lack of payment and open hot-spots.
• Comcast COVID-19 response: Comcast is now offering free WiFi for two months to low income families, plus all Xfinity hot-spots are free to the public during this time.
• Charter Free Internet offer for two months: Charter will offer free access to Spectrum Broadband and WiFi for 60 days to new K-12 and college student households.
• AT&T COVID-19 response: AT&T now offers open hot-spots, unlimited data to existing customers and $10/month plans to low income families.
• Verizon COVID-19 response: At this time, Verizon has no special offers, but is following the FCC agreement.
• Sprint COVID-19 response: Sprint is following the FCC agreement and is providing unlimited data to existing customers. As of Tuesday, March 17, 2020, Sprint will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge.
• T-Mobile COVID-19 response: T-Mobile, too, is following the FCC agreement and is adding plus unlimited data for existing customers. Soon, T-Mobile will allow all handsets to enable hot-spots for 60 days at no extra charge.

We suspect that many of these offers will change in the next few weeks, so check back if you don’t take advantage of them today.

We have also been alerted to Enterprise Rent-A-Car’s College Student Travel Assistance program to help college students get back to their families. You can find more information at College Student Travel Assistance.

We will continue to update you with any new offers that our team hears about.

Thank you,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher
President

Wednesday, March 18, 2020
From: Lillian Schumacher, President
Subject: Campus Employee Communication-PLEASE READ ENTIRE EMAIL

Good day Tiffin University Staff and Faculty,

Providing a healthy and safe workplace is a top priority for Tiffin University, particularly during the complex, evolving COVID-19 outbreak. We write today to share guidance on how best to care for our people and workplace and prepare for business continuity as we respond to COVID-19 and related issues on our campus. This email serves as your notification on Telework and adjusted hours of on campus operations temporarily, beginning Friday, March 20, 2020. Additional information will come from Human Resources; please be looking out for this on a continual basis.

An attachment is included from Jason Marson, CIO, with technology related information and process.

Please remember that to date there have been no confirmed cases of COVID-19 on campus or in Tiffin, Ohio or Seneca County.

Tiffin University’s priorities in making policy and operational decisions are:

• To protect the safety and health of our entire community, in part through social distancing;
• To sustain academic programs and operational continuity;
• To minimize the possibility of income disruption to our valued and highly appreciated workforce, especially those most vulnerable;
• To continue to find the best way to focus and be here for our students and care for them the best way possible;
• To encourage equity as decisions are made

Telework
We are taking steps to minimize the possible transmission of COVID-19 and promote the best practice of social distancing. Beginning Friday, March 20, Tiffin University is moving to an operating status of a telework flexible environment. In support of this effort, we are encouraging telework for all employees where possible given our current operating status pursuant to the COVID-19.

Senior leaders and Human Resources will work together to identify employees whose positions allow for telework at the present time. Supervisors are strongly encouraged to enable employees to telecommute whenever its possible. Decisions about which positions are conducive to telecommuting should be made in consultation with each Dean or Vice President (or their designee). All employees who telecommute are expected to continue all necessary work in support of the University’s operations, as scheduled on a daily basis, to keep daily track of their hours, and to request and report any exception time.

Enabling telework wherever possible will significantly limit the number of people on campus, which will help to further protect the health and safety of those who must be here. Employees whose positions require them to work on campus should practice social distancing, such as not congregating in groups, and maintaining a distance of six feet away from other people. Some positions may require employees to have a dual practice of telecommuting and working on site on campus when needed, in those circumstances, operational hours for employees working on campus starting Friday March 20, 2020, will be 10am-2pm. This teleworking arrangement will extend through April 20, 2020 to which we will further assess the conditions at that state and time.

For faculty and staff who cannot work from home (including employees currently designated for required attendance)
While we encourage telework for eligible employees, there is some work at Tiffin University that simply cannot be done from home. For those employees whose duties cannot be completed at home, supervisors will adopt practices to minimize the spread of infection and protect the well-being of our community, including the following:

• Establish flexible work schedules for staff where possible to reduce the number of people working near one another at the same time (the expectation is that everyone still works an eight hour day unless other arrangements have been made)
• Implement social distancing practices meant to reduce close contact in the workplace (e.g., maintain a distance of 6 feet from others)
• Consider transitioning all meetings to phone or virtual formats
• Maintain open office hours of 10-2pm to best support and serve our students
• During this time, employees are permitted casual dress code which will consist of jeans, Tiffin University shirts, jackets, sweatshirts and comfortable shoes.

We are in the process of developing more specific guidelines for departments to assist them with the transition to telework, and will distribute them soon. We will continue to assess the situation each day, and will provide important updates via email. Please take good care of yourselves and each other during this difficult time. Below are some helpful tips to aid our employees to transition to a telework environment.

Teleworking tips for employees
Employees who telework often learn that working remotely is different than they expected and that it requires specific skills and habits. The following tips will help you get to work while at home.

1. Define your workspace.
   • Experienced teleworkers will tell you that it’s often difficult to stay focused at home. We are creatures of habit and most of us are used to our normal home routines. Establishing a workspace, even if it is your kitchen table, gives your brain a cue that it is time for work. Wearing attire that you may wear to the office even if it is your “casual Friday” attire may cue the brain. You should remain capable of reporting to work if your presence is requested by your supervisor.
2. Master the basics
   • Set up call forwarding and how to access your voicemail from home.
   • Know how to remote into Tiffin University’s remote network and other online tools you use regularly.
   • Options such as Moodle, Zoom, Google hangouts, WebEx or another virtual site may be used to stay connected to colleagues.
   • Plan for video calls/meetings by making sure you know how to turn on your computer’s camera and microphone, being aware that your colleagues may be able to see the background behind you.
3. Set daily goals, track them and share your progress.
   • You may be surprised by how differently the workday passes without the comings and goings of an office to break things up or influence what you do next. Start each day of telework by writing down what you need to achieve and then track your progress. Pay attention to how long tasks take you and start adjusting your daily goals to match your current rhythm. Communicate with your supervisor and/or colleagues if you think your telework plan needs to be adjusted.
4. Eliminate distractions.
   • Home can mean pets, children or a favorite hobby are only a few feet away. Depending on your living arrangements, you may need to hang a “do not disturb” sign so your family members don’t interrupt you. Pets often need a closed door to keep them away and you might need headphones to block the noise.
5. Prioritize privacy.
   • Whether you are in your home or a common area, take five minutes to assess the privacy of your workspace.
6. Continue to employ security best practices.
   • Situations like this are prime phishing opportunities. Remain vigilant for security concerns and be sure to report suspicious emails to TU’s ITS Department.
   • A terminal server or VPN can also allow you to safely connect to a remote network of computers as if you are there.
   • Ensure that your operating system, internet browser, and software are current on all updates.
   • Do not use your school email to sign up for nonbusiness/educational related sites.
   • Do not use the same password for multiple sites(especially your University credentials).
7. Stay connected.
   • Many people say they do not call or instant message colleagues who are working remotely because they don’t want to bother them. Remember, they are working. You should feel confident about calling or messaging an employee who is teleworking anytime you would’ve normally walked to their office or called them if you were working on-site.

I am deeply grateful for the highly professional and tireless work of all of our Tiffin University leadership who are focused on proactively managing the COVID-19 situation. I understand these steps will be challenging for all of us, but I am confident that we are moving forward wisely and expeditiously to promote the health and welfare of our Tiffin University Community.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

Remote Access Policy 3-18-20

Tuesday, March 17, 2020
From: Nancy Gilbert, Executive Assistant to the President
Subject: TU Community Meeting Cancelled

Due to restrictions set by Governor DeWine, because of COVID-19, the TU Community meeting scheduled for April 1, 2020 in the Marion Center has been cancelled.

Wishing you good health and well-being,

Nancy

Tuesday, March 17, 2020
From: ITS Communications
Subject: Coronavirus scams and phishing attempts

Avoiding coronavirus-related phishing attacks

As news about coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves, cybercriminals are trying to take advantage of the fears associated with it by sending phishing emails designed to infect computers, collect personal information, and steal money. The I.T.S. Department would like to remind our employees to remain vigilant around recognizing and reporting phishing emails tied to coronavirus.

Below are a few tips to help you avoid potential threats and remind you what you should do if you should become a victim of phishing:

• Slow down. Always read emails carefully and do not click on links purporting to be from the World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or others claiming to be experts or to have information about the virus.
• Ignore offers for vaccinations, ads claiming to prevent, detect, or cure the coronavirus, and requests for online donations to crowdfunding sites or charities.
• Beware of emails that entice you to click links to fake alerts that warn you about breakouts in your local area.
• Remain alert to phishing attempts sent via other channels such as SMS text, iMessage, WhatsApp, and others. Scammers are even making fake posts on social media to get your personal information.
• Never provide personal or company information to anyone without verifying that the request is legitimate. Watch for spelling or grammar mistakes, which can sometimes signal illegitimacy.
• Remember to always assess sender details, hover over links to see where they lead, and report it if you think you spot a phishing attempt to pctech@fatemeeting.com.
• If you believe you have clicked on any phishing attempt always contact the helpdesk immediately at extension 3430 (option #2) or off campus at 855-664-1200.

Visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) for the most up-to-date information about coronavirus.

Monday, March 16, 2020
From: Lillian Schumacher, President

Good evening students,

Due to the State of Ohio Governor’s announcement this afternoon, effective tomorrow, we will close the Gillmor gymnasium, weight room and areas of the Heminger Center.

My sincerest apologies for having to do this.

There are potentially additional announcements coming this week and I will provide updates based on these within the next seventy-two hours. Please be patient as we finalize some of our decisions in the best interest of all students and our Tiffin University employees.

Sincerely,
Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

Monday, March 16, 2020
From: Lillian Schumacher, President
Subject: Telecommuting (Teleworking) as a temporary option during COVID-19

Dear Tiffin University Staff and Faculty,

The world health community continues to monitor closely the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, named “coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID-19). At this time, no one knows how severe this outbreak will be. First and foremost, we want to maintain a safe workplace and encourage and/or adopt practices protecting the health of students, employees, customers, visitors or others. We also want to ensure the continuity of business operations during this pandemic. Tiffin University continues to provide work-at-home flexibility to employees who are at high-risk (individuals who are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness i.e., older adults, chronically ill or immuno-compromised like heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, etc…). In most cases, Tiffin University employees are expected to work on the physical campus. However, due to the current pandemic environment, and especially if you are considered high-risk, a remote work arrangement is a viable alternative and in some instances may become a temporary expectation.

Remote work allows an employee to work all or part of the work week from a location other than the campus, such as a home office or while traveling.

Remote work is an alternative that may be appropriate for some employees and some positions. It is not a University-wide benefit, and does not change the University’s “at-will” employment terms and conditions. Employees working remotely are subject to all University policies and procedures, regardless of work location. These arrangements must be approved by your Vice President and or Dean along with Human Resources, and can be modified at any time.

This guidance is for supervisors, employees and departments and is designed to help set up temporary remote work arrangements quickly and successfully.

1. 1. What is teleworking and how does it differ from other forms of remote work?
      Telework is a work arrangement in which some or all of the work is performed from home or another off-site location. In general, regular office hours are worked and deviations from that schedule require supervisor approval.

1. Which factors should departments consider when determining if telework is possible?
   • Operational requirements
   • Security of work data
   • Technological capabilities and equipment necessary to perform job duties
   • Productivity
   • Accuracy of records reflecting time worked by non-exempt employees.

Additionally, the following provisions must be adhered to:

• Productive work is expected of remote workers and is not to be considered a substitute for childcare or other dependent care;
• Acceptable attendance requirements and tracking methods must be utilized;
• Expectations regarding communication, deliverables and measuring productivity must be established with your supervisor;
• The appropriate use of necessary equipment and supplies, including electronic hardware, software, and devices must be determined;
• Great care must be taken to ensure the security of all institutional documents, reports, records and equipment.

Human Resources can provide additional guidance to employees and supervisors upon request regarding remote work options and agreements.

Thank you,
Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

Sunday, March 15, 2020
From: Jacob Simon, Associate Dean of Students
Subject: Cole Dining Hall Update

Hello Dragons,

With regard to Governor DeWine’s order restricting dine-in restaurants, the Cole Dining Hall will continue to operate but only in a to go format.

Starting with breakfast on Monday, March 16th, students will enter the dining hall as usual and will make their selections. All dining options will be plated to-go for patrons to enjoy elsewhere on campus. Cups, lids, and straws will be available for drinks and salads will be premade.

For any students with special dietary needs, please email Chef Todd at foodservice@fatemeeting.com to make arrangements before coming to the dining hall.

This process will run for all meals moving forward unless specified otherwise.

If you have any questions or concerns during this time, please know that you can reach out to any of us in Student Affairs. We are here for you!

Jacob Simon

Friday, March 13, 2020
From: Lillian Schumacher, President
Subject: More Campus Communication regarding athletics-PLEASE READ

Good afternoon TU students, staff and faculty,

As promised, I will continue to communicate whenever information is new or updated. To that fact, please read the attached press release from the NCAA, specifically for all of our Division II programs as a result of our Presidents’ meeting earlier today.

Thank you.

Attachment 1:
Effective immediately, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference has canceled all spring athletics competition and championships. All team-related activities are suspended through April 6, 2020. Following that date, institutions will review and implement team-related activities at their discretion as permitted by NCAA legislation.”

OFFICIAL STATEMENT
GREAT MIDWEST ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

Attachment 2:
FOR RELEASE (NOON ET):
Great Midwest: COVID-19 Official Statement
Friday, March 13, 2020

INDIANAPOLIS – On Friday morning, the Great Midwest Athletic Conference provided an official announcement regarding the status of remaining spring athletics competition and championship sport offerings for the remainder of the 2019-20 academic year.

Effective immediately, the Great Midwest has canceled all spring athletics competition and championships. All team-related activities are suspended through April 6, 2020. Following that date, institutions will review and implement team-related activities at their discretion as permitted by NCAA legislation.

The Great Midwest Presidents Council provided a unanimous decision in light of the impact of COVID-19. The legislative actions were taken and conducted in the best interest of protecting the student-athletes and the entirety of the campus communities.

Conference and institutional administrators will continue to monitor developments and work with the NCAA to ensure the best interests of Great Midwest student-athletes and member institutions are met moving forward.

Friday, March 13, 2020
From: Lillian Schumacher, President
Subject: More Campus CommunicatIon – PLEASE READ

Good afternoon TU students, staff and faculty,

I hope this email finds all of us doing well and enjoying the sunshine!

Just a quick update for you…effective immediately, any TU campus student (meal plan or not) will be able to eat in the dining hall. Thank you to our AVI Food Service partner! Students, just make sure you have your student ID with you.

I just left there and it was great food! Enjoy!

Wednesday, March 11, 2020
From: The Office of the Provost
Subject: Important Email | Read | Online Instructions

Greetings, Dragons!

As you are aware, the University has transitioned your seated courses to an online modality for at least the next two weeks in response to the COVID-19 disruption. In addition to your health and safety, your academic success is of vital importance to us. In order for you to ensure the successful completion of your courses throughout this transition, please review and abide by the following.

First and foremost, we appreciate your ability to adapt to doing your course work online during this period of time. Thank you!

Second, it is crucial for you to understand that classes have not been cancelled or postponed. Students are expected to maintain an active presence and “check-in” to your Moodle shells at least once a day to review important information and actively engage in online coursework and activities, as appropriate.

We have instructed the faculty to use the Announcement forum in Moodle as the primary conduit for official course-related communication. Even though your instructor’s announcement posts will trigger an email to your fatemeeting.com account, you should be sure to check ALL course discussion forums regularly (at least daily) to be sure you have not missed any important information. If you have questions about accessing your course in Moodle and finding the Announcements Forum, check out this video:

http://youtu.be/bXjTUeYcLQM

Over the next few days, you should expect ongoing and detailed Moodle Announcements from each of your instructors outlining how each of them has decided to adjust the course to transition it to the online delivery. It is possible, and even likely, that several activities, assignments, and assessments will be adjusted to give you the best chance to achieve attainment of the course learning outcomes, and successfully complete the course.

Remember, your instructors want you to be successful, and given the disruption, will undoubtedly demonstrate some flexibility as you work through the upcoming weeks. However, your success is ultimately up to you. As long as you maintain an active presence, engage the course activities earnestly and put in the effort necessary to complete the tasks and assignments to the best of your ability, your grades will not suffer. In fact, you might surprise yourself with your resilience and adaptability, skills that will serve you well in the future.

If you have never been an online student, you will find time management is critical. It is recommended that you set aside at least the time you spent in class to review your courses in Moodle and interact with your instructor and peers.

As always, if you have any technical questions or concerns, please contact the Moodle Support team at moodlesupport@fatemeeting.com and we will be glad to help.

Finally, please remember to take care of your health by following preventive guidelines, which can be found at fatemeeting.com/offices/campus-safety-security/coronavirus/response-plan.

Again, thank you for leaning into and adapting to this instructional change. It is all being done with your health and safety in mind.

Best,
Peter J. Holbrook, Ph.D.
Provost and Chief Academic Officer

Wednesday, March 11, 2020
From: Lillian Schumacher, President
Subject: More Campus Communication – Important, Please Read

Good afternoon Tiffin University Staff and Faculty,

The world health community continues to monitor closely the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the disease it causes, named “coronavirus disease 2019” (COVID-19). At this time, no one knows how severe this outbreak will be. Given this uncertainty, and the fact that the seasonal influenza (flu) virus is also widespread, we are taking proactive steps to address a number of business concerns. First and foremost, we want to maintain a safe workplace and encourage and/or adopt practices protecting the health of students, employees, customers, visitors or others. We also want to ensure the continuity of business operations in the event of a pandemic.

Yesterday afternoon, Governor DeWine held a conference call with all Ohio college and university presidents, followed by a press conference later where he outlined the steps he advises organizations to take in light of the coronavirus. He specifically advised all higher education institutions in Ohio to move to remote learning for classes as soon as possible for a period of time. In addition, he asked that all large events, such as indoor sports and other performance events, be contained or discontinued.

As communicated yesterday, in order to maintain this safe and healthy environment, Tiffin University will continue all classes through our online modality effective TODAY, Wednesday, March 11. Campus will remain open, and all staff and faculty should report as normal. As the situation and our response to it continues to unfold, you will receive regular updates from me and/or other University leaders with more specific details. As I have shared with you in my previous emails, we continue to monitor the evolving public health situation related to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Tiffin University will provide work-at-home flexibility to employees who are at high-risk (i.e., chronically ill or immuno-compromised prior to this outbreak). If a supervisor allows remote work that is at the discretion of each Dean and/or VP ONLY. If we have more risk within our population, we will reassess. All employees and their supervisors will need to work closely with HR and keep us informed as to each absence and provide status updates.

We ask all employees to cooperate in taking steps to reduce the transmission of communicable diseases in the workplace. Employees are reminded of the following:

• Stay home when you are sick.
• Wash your hands frequently with warm, soapy water for at least 20 seconds.
• Cover your mouth with tissues whenever you sneeze, and discard used tissues in the trash.
• Avoid people who are sick with respiratory symptoms.
• Clean frequently touched surfaces.
• Our facilities department will work with each department to assist with providing alcohol-based hand sanitizers throughout the workplace and in common areas. Cleaning sprays and wipes will also be provided to clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces such as telephones and keyboards.

Employees are encouraged to use telephone and video conferencing instead of face-to-face meetings as much as possible during this time. We encourage employees to postpone all non-essential campus meetings that may or may not include external guests, vendors and business partners. ITS support services are available to employees who need assistance with setting up remote meetings, interviews and any additional technology resources to aid in safe continuation of daily operations.

It is critical that employees do not report to work while they are experiencing respiratory symptoms such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills or fatigue. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that employees remain at home until at least 24 hours after they are free of fever (100 degrees F or 37.8 degrees C) or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medications. Many times, with the best of intentions, employees report to work even though they feel ill. We provide paid sick time and other benefits to compensate employees who are unable to work due to illness. Employees who report to work ill will be sent home in accordance with these health guidelines.

While we currently do not offer formal telework arrangements, Tiffin University will consider, on a case-by-case basis, requests from employees to work from home during this time. While not all positions are conducive to telework, those positions with primary job duties that can be effectively performed remotely will be given consideration.

We recognize that these actions will raise many questions about specific situations. We have tried to anticipate many of your questions. Please do keep Human Resources informed of your questions and concerns and do check the COVID-19 website regularly for updates. We will continue to provide updates via email as the situation changes and as new decisions are made.

All other normal campus operations will continue at this time.  Supervisors should be making plans around essential personnel and telework in case the university needs to take more aggressive actions in the future.

Again, we know this is an exceptionally challenging time for our campus, and it will take all of us working together to navigate this most difficult situation and protect the health and well-being of our Tiffin University community.  Our sincerest thanks in advance for coming together as TU Dragons do to make extraordinary things happen at this extra ordinary time.

Stay healthy and positive; again, this too shall pass!

Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

Tuesday, March 10, 2020
From: Michael Herdlick, Dean of Students-Director of Facilities
Subject: Re: Important Tiffin University Communication-Please read including attachment

Good afternoon everyone,

As a follow up to President Schumacher’s earlier email regarding the Coronavirus, please note that the Cole Dining Hall will remain open during this time period as well as the The Wall Street Pub. If you do have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at herdlickm@fatemeeting.com
Thank you and have a good evening

Michael Herdlick
Dean of Students-Director of Facilities

Tuesday, March 10, 2020
From: Lillian Schumacher, President
Subject: Important Tiffin University Communication-Please read including attachment

Greetings Tiffin University Faculty, Staff and Students,

In response to the recent confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in the United States, and the state of Ohio, Tiffin University, in consultation with state and local officials, has established a plan to protect its students, employees, visitors and the Tiffin community against any possible threats of the virus, likely or unlikely.

At this time, it is important to note that currently there are zero incidents of COVID-19 at Tiffin University and in order to maintain this safe and healthy environment, Tiffin University will continue all classes through an online modality effective Wednesday, March 11. Please note, this change will remain in effect until Sunday, March 29, unless notified otherwise.

Students are welcome to consider whether or not they remain on campus or go home; however all students are expected to complete all course work online per individual faculty instruction.

Normal operations for staff will continue until otherwise notified.

In an effort to prevent any illness whatsoever, individuals outside of the campus community will not be permitted to attend any scheduled events on campus through Sunday, March 29, unless notified otherwise. This includes all indoor events; community members are welcome to attend outside events, at their own risk.

At this point in time, I cannot state how long this plan will remain in place. It may be extended and/or changed between now and March 29. We will do our best to keep everyone informed.

For those of you who have scheduled events through the end of the semester, that include students, alumni and/or community events indoors, I mandate that you be proactive and cancel or reschedule these events until summer or later, especially for any individuals that need to make travel plans to get to campus. A decision regarding our annual Honors Ceremony and Commencement will be made at a later date.

Your understanding and cooperation is appreciated. Hang in there. This too shall pass!

Sincerely,
Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

Attachment:
PUBLIC RELATIONS STATEMENT

Office of the President – Dr. Lillian Schumacher
Today is March 10, 2020

In response to the recent confirmed cases of the Coronavirus in the United States, and the state of Ohio, Tiffin University, in consultation with state and local officials, has established a plan to protect its students, employees, visitors and the Tiffin community against any possible threats of the virus, likely or unlikely.

At this time, it is important to note that currently there are zero incidents of COVID-19 at Tiffin University and in order to maintain this safe and healthy environment, Tiffin University will continue all classes through an online modality effective Wednesday, March 11. Please note, this change will remain in effect until Sunday, March 29, unless notified otherwise.

In an effort to prevent any illness whatsoever, individuals outside of the campus community will not be permitted to attend any scheduled events on campus through Sunday, March 29, unless notified otherwise.

Understand that all decisions related to the safety and welfare of our campus and the community may change at any time, and to that end, the University will address all issues as appropriate as communicated by Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President, or her designee.

Please be mindful:

• Students and employees who have symptoms of the flu should isolate themselves from others. Those who have confirmed cases of the Coronavirus will be required to go home and not return to campus without the consent of a medical doctor.
• International and other Tiffin campus students with confirmed cases and who live far away, will be quarantined in designated University housing facilities.

Tiffin University will continue to implement additional measures as directed by the U.S. Government and the Ohio Department of health to prevent the disease from spreading and will continue to encourage students and employees to take care of their health by following preventive guidelines set forth in the plan which can be found here.

Dear TU faculty and staff,

As spring break is here and the news regarding COVID-19 (coronavirus) changes daily, the Provost and I send this memo about how we are preparing and will continue to stay close to any new developments and ensure they are communicated in a clear and timely manner. Our priority remains, as always, to ensure the health and welfare of our campus community and business partners around the world.

Many TU students have spring break travel plans to destinations around the world, while many faculty members may have travel plans also during this break and moving forward, some of it associated with University programs and research.

If you are planning to travel in the near future, it is important to be aware that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) maintains a website for Travel Information related to COVID-19, and is recommending that travelers avoid all nonessential travel to countries at Warning Level 3. That currently includes China, South Korea, Italy, Venezuela, and Iran. But these ratings can change rapidly. We advise you to consider carefully any travel to countries with reported COVID-19 outbreaks and take into account the possibility of delays and quarantines when returning to the United States. While the University has a limited mechanism for monitoring faculty travel, we strongly encourage you to share any travel plans with your department chair in order to facilitate University assistance if the need arises.

Our Dean of Students has and will continue to communicate to students to remind them of important safety considerations. The Office of International Affairs is also closely monitoring this, as well as providing the proper support and guidance to our international students who are traveling. Tiffin University will cancel any study abroad programs, at any location for which the CDC sets a warning level 3, or the State Department sets a warning level 3 or 4.

Finally, we are aware that stigmatization may occur around coronavirus. The CDC has developed a webpage offering guidance on countering this stigma. Please help us prevent stigmatization by becoming familiar with the facts about COVID-19, and supporting community members with compassion and kindness. There is a FAQ sheet attached for your review which was published by the Ohio Department of Health.

The University is committed to keeping our community informed about critical decisions and also the best ways to stay healthy. Our foremost concern is the health and safety of our faculty, students, staff, and our Tiffin community. Rest assured that a University team is closely monitoring the situation and following advice and directives from the CDC, the Ohio Department of Health, and the U.S. Department of State.

Let me close by saying, we are committed to providing you with clear and fact-based information. We welcome your feedback and questions on any matter concerning this evolving situation.

Sincerely,
Dr. Lillian Schumacher, President

COVID-19 FAQs from Ohio Department of Health