Dear Doane Students, Faculty, and Staff,
As we reach the one year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on our campus, I feel pride for how the Doane community has handled such a turbulent period in our history.
And fortunately, it’s clear now that hope is on the horizon. Vaccinations are becoming more readily available to Doane’s faculty, staff and administration. Cases of COVID-19 on our campus and locally are also beginning to steadily decline. And we have you — the students, faculty and staff of our Crete, Lincoln and Omaha campuses as well as online — to thank in making sacrifices over the past year to ensure the health and safety of all at Doane University.
Because of your ongoing efforts, we are committed to reopen all campus locations as close to 100% as possible for Fall 2021, with campus operations that continue to prioritize health and safety while restoring a vibrant campus experience.
Throughout the coming months, Doane’s COVID-19 Risk Assessment Team and Leadership Response Team will commence planning for Fall 2021 based on the assumption that a majority of the Doane community will have received the COVID-19 vaccine by mid-August. We’re heading in the right direction, but the challenges of this pandemic still remain and we will continue to practice diligence in the coming months.
Here are some of the ways we hope to see life at Doane moving forward during Fall 2021:
Academics
- Classes that would have typically been in-person before the 2020-21 academic year are expected to return to in-person and at full capacity.
- Online classes will continue to be offered as they were before and during COVID-19. These classes are asynchronous in format.
- We will continue to use hybrid and distance learning classes when they are determined to be an effective way of offering a class. These classes meet at regularly scheduled class times, using Zoom or other online platforms, for synchronous class meetings.
Residential Campus Experience
- Residence Halls will continue to be welcoming spaces where students can study, gather, and engage in activities with their roommates and floormates. We hope to return to full use of study spaces, common spaces, kitchens, and laundry facilities. Isolation housing will be provided for students as needed.
- Dining spaces are expected to operate at a larger capacity with fewer restrictions following local and state directed health measures as well as university policies.
- Student Experience offerings such as campus traditions, leadership and service opportunities, career services, counseling, health services, and other opportunities for positive social connection are expected to return to normal. Flexibility and accommodations will be provided for students on an individual basis.
Athletics
- Doane Athletics will continue to follow campus policies and health directives set by the NAIA and GPAC.
Faculty and Staff Returning to Work
- Doane University created a Return to Work plan in summer 2020, which will continue to be implemented as the situation on campus improves.
- Our priority is to have all employees back on campus safely by the start of Fall 2021. Employees and their supervisors will continue to work with Human Resources to determine the best option for their unique situation and department.
Campus policies and guidelines for COVID-19 testing, isolation/quarantine, contact tracing, masking and physical distancing will be determined closer to Fall 2021 based on local conditions and directed health measures.
Local and campus risk levels will continue to be monitored throughout the summer months. Plans will be adjusted as new information becomes available about the threat of COVID-19 transmission in the community, locally, and nationally. The health and safety of the Doane Community will continue to guide decision-making.
Sincerely,
Jacque Carter
President, Doane University