Good afternoon!

I want to again thank you for your cooperation in helping protect the health and safety of our Griffon family by taking steps to control the spread of COVID-19. As of today, Sept. 4, we have 24 current confirmed cases among our students and employees, with three self-isolating on campus. None of our cases have required hospitalization.

The above information, as well as the 7-day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases, is now posted on a new dashboard on our MWSU COVID-19 response webpage. There is also a link to the State of Missouri鈥檚 COVID-19 dashboard for statewide and local information. Missouri Western鈥檚 data will be updated every Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoon. These numbers and others will help guide our future decisions about Missouri Western鈥檚 daily operations.

Our numbers appear to compare favorably with many of our peer institutions, but it is vitally important that we remain vigilant by maintaining physical distance with others, wearing face coverings, practicing good hygiene, sanitizing frequently used surfaces and staying home when we鈥檙e feeling sick or experiencing a fever. Our combined efforts will help us keep our campus safe and healthy for everyone.

If you have a confirmed case of COVID-19, or have been in close contact with a confirmed case, please let us know so that we can take steps to notify those you may have been in contact with and keep our campus as safe as possible. Positive cases and close contacts should be reported through our online reporting tools for students and for employees.

All my best,
Elizabeth

Hello, Griffon family:

Thank you for all that you have done to help ensure the health and safety of our campus community by taking steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 on campus. As of today, Aug. 28, we have聽 29 current confirmed cases of COVID-19 among our students and employees, with one person self-isolating on campus. Thankfully no one聽 has required hospitalization. We are also monitoring the number of individuals who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. This number is beginning to increase. We currently have 67 individuals who are in quarantine. lasts 14 days, even if you feel healthy or test negative COVID-19.

If you have a confirmed case of COVID-19, or have been in close contact with a confirmed case, please let us know so that we can take steps to notify those you may have been in contact with and keep our campus as safe as possible. Positive cases and close contacts should be reported through our online reporting tools for and for , which are located on the MWSU COVID-19 response webpage .

After our second week of classes, we have a few adjustments and clarifications to make to our policies to help protect our campus community:

1. Physical distancing, maintaining at least six feet between yourself and others, is required whenever possible, whether inside or outside.

2. Face coverings are required in all shared indoor spaces, and in outdoor situations where physical distancing is not being maintained. For more information on our physical distancing and face covering policies, please visit our COVID-19 website.

3. Outdoor basketball and volleyball courts are closed until further notice.

4. Open gym hours in Looney for recreational use are canceled until further notice.

Please note that these are temporary measures taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 on campus. We appreciate the value our campus community places on recreational opportunities, and are pleased that we are able to maintain many of them, including the Baker Family Fitness Center, Thomas Eagleton Indoor Pool, outdoor walking trails, disc golf, etc. In addition, we hope to add more supervised, structured recreational activities and additional physically distanced outdoor recreation opportunities.

We are continually monitoring the number of cases and evaluating our response, and will continue to update you as necessary.

Again, thank you for your efforts to help keep our campus safe and healthy. Have a great weekend!

Elizabeth

Dear Campus Community:

I hope the first week of classes went well. We appreciate everyone鈥檚 cooperation and commitment as we all work to ensure a safe return to campus this fall.

We know that it may not be easy, but I want to remind you how very important it is that everyone follows the COVID-19 safety protocols and guidelines to keep each other safe and healthy. Please continue to refer to the COVID-19 webpage for the latest updates, as we work to keep current with best practices for our campus community.

In addition to following the recommended guidelines, please remember to:

• Always wear a mask in all inside spaces, at all times, and practice social distancing whenever possible.

  • Masks must remain on throughout classes.

  • If you are in your own office space or residence hall room, you may only remove your mask if others are not present.

• Wear a mask outside as much as possible, and if you aren鈥檛 wearing a mask, you must practice social distancing of at least six feet.

• Practice good hygiene, wash your hands and sanitize frequently-used surfaces.

• Do not gather in large groups on or off campus where these protocols and guidelines are not practiced. Please review the guidelines for extracurricular activities here.

Each of us needs to take these rules seriously. 聽It is essential for everyone’s safety and the success of our academic year that everyone follows the guidelines.

Please join me in taking the Griffon Pledge to keep everyone safe. We are doing our best to provide a safe on-campus learning environment, but it is up to you to do your part as well. We appreciate the efforts each of you are making as we adjust to this new year.

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to keep all of our Griffons safe, happy and healthy.

All my best,

Elizabeth

Hello!

Today is arguably the most important day of the year here at MWSU. It鈥檚 the day we officially start teaching students. It鈥檚 the day we start connecting with, mentoring, motivating and educating Griffons. I am so excited to begin this journey with you.

Sometimes we can forget that students are our job #1. It鈥檚 easy when there is so much swirl going on all around us. It鈥檚 easy to get distracted聽 by the uncertainty and sometimes it can become very difficult to balance all the demands on our time and energy.

But the minute I interact with our students, I experience a renewed sense of purpose. I鈥檓 immediately reminded that we make a difference. We have such an impact on the lives of our students every single day. Their enthusiasm and excitement is contagious. And whether they are a new student experiencing life on their own for the first time, a returning student eager to reconnect with peers and mentors, or a nontraditional student looking to improve themselves personally or professionally, they have one thing in common: they chose to be here at Missouri Western. They chose us. They trust us to help them succeed and achieve their dreams.

So today, let鈥檚 all come together to welcome our students back. Let鈥檚 come together to find ways to help them succeed. Let鈥檚 come together to remove barriers and provide the tools they need to complete their degrees and graduate. Because while the first day of classes is the most important day of the year to me, commencement is my favorite day. When that day comes, I look forward to celebrating their accomplishments with you and their friends and families.

Thank you again for all you do to help our students succeed. Have a wonderful start to the school year!

All the best,

Elizabeth

Greetings!

Thank you to all of you who tuned in for our virtual kickoff meeting. In case you missed it, a link to the recording can be found .

As we are gearing up for next week and the start of classes, I want to thank you again for your dedication to our students and Missouri Western. We have faced challenges none of us expected in the past year. Looking ahead, we still face challenges, and we can only overcome them if we work together and focus our energy on enrollment, retention and student success.

In order to achieve that goal, I believe it鈥檚 important to create opportunities for listening and learning. I want to identify problems and collaborate to find creative solutions. I will continue to meet with faculty and staff leadership and other members of the campus community. I will also commit to sharing updates with the campus community so we are all apprised of important factors that affect our University.

I also want to charge each of you with creating an environment within your various areas that fosters communication, teamwork and creative problem solving. We need to build trust and a collaborative spirit within our teams in order to tackle the challenges ahead. We can do this, but only if we work together.

I shared a video at yesterday鈥檚 kickoff that featured our students telling us what Missouri Western means to them. If you missed it, you can view it . It鈥檚 a good reminder of why we are here and what we can accomplish if we work together toward common goals.

I also would like to share the link to the University鈥檚 . As we welcome students back on campus, it is critically important that we are all familiar with the guidelines and expectations associated with a safe return to campus. The health and wellbeing of our campus community remains our priority, and we will continue to keep you updated as we respond to this fluid situation.聽

As we spend this week getting ready for classes to begin and to commence the important mission of teaching and learning, I want you to know how appreciative I am of all you do. I know we are up to the challenges ahead.聽

Wishing you all the best and an excellent start to our academic year!

Greetings!

I know you have all been very busy as we prepare for the start of classes on Aug. 17. The early start date shortened many of our timelines, and I am very appreciative, again, of everyone鈥檚 flexibility and willingness to go the extra mile as we adapt to our current situation.

Plan Week and the All-Employee Kickoff Meeting will look different than it has in the past, but it still provides an important opportunity to learn, collaborate and connect with our colleagues. We will also have many opportunities in the coming weeks to support and celebrate our students as they move in and participate in Griffon Edge. Please take note of the following meetings and activities:

All-Employee Kickoff Meeting
Monday, Aug. 10, 9 a.m.

I would like to invite you to join me (virtually) for our annual employee kickoff. This will be my first opportunity to address the entire campus community, and I am very much looking forward to sharing my thoughts and reflections as we look to the start of the semester.

Griffon Edge
Thursday, Aug. 13 – Saturday, Aug. 15
Our new students will be arriving on campus this week to participate in Griffon Edge, their first experience connecting with their peers and learning about Missouri Western. A wide range of activities for incoming students are scheduled throughout campus. Please see the Griffon Edge website for schedule and details and be aware we will have lots of new Griffons on campus. Be sure to give them a warm welcome, a friendly wave or offer of assistance if needed.

There are also several volunteer opportunities for employees to get involved in welcoming students to campus:

Griffon Greeters are needed to assist new students during the move-in and check-in process from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Aug. 11-12. Greeters will answer questions, direct people and welcome our students to campus. If you are interested in being one of the first individuals to welcome our new students, please sign-up for a day and time.

Griffon Edge Welcome Team. New Student Initiatives has called for volunteers to help greet new students as they arrive on campus for Griffon Edge from 7:30 – 8:30a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, and Friday, Aug. 14. Bring your enthusiasm to welcome our new students as they walk/drive by. Volunteers are encouraged to wear Griffon Gear. Deadline to volunteer is Sunday, Aug. 9..

Griffon Guides. New Student Initiatives has added an additional employee volunteer opportunity for the first two days of class, Aug. 17-18. We are looking for Griffon Guides to help new students find their classroom buildings or offices as they transition onto campus for the fall semester. You can sign up to be a Griffon Guide.

Western Welcome Week. This year, departments will have the opportunity to host tables during the first week of classes, Aug. 17 – 21, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Formerly called Western Warmup, Western Welcome Week will take place in Blum 218 and 219. Space is limited to 20 organizations or departments per day due to space and occupancy limits. Interested organizations or departments can .

I am very much looking forward to welcoming everyone back and kicking off the new academic year!

All my very best,
Elizabeth

Hello!

Today marks my official first day as interim president of Missouri Western. I am humbled to have been asked to serve, and I promise you I will do my level best to live up to the expectations and responsibilities of the position.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Board of Governors for the confidence they have placed in me. I would also like to thank President Wilson for his leadership through the challenges we have faced over the past year.

It is not an easy time to lead or serve in higher education. I want you to know that I appreciate the hard work and dedication of the entire campus community as we work to make progress and overcome challenges. During my transition to the role of interim president, I have been engaging in conversations with faculty and staff leadership. These conversations will continue because I believe I can lead better when I have taken the time to listen. It is critical that we maintain an open dialogue and cultivate collaborative solutions.

Know that the University鈥檚 leadership team and I are here to serve and support you. It鈥檚 critical that we move forward and focus on the future and success for our University, our students and our employees. In the coming months, we want to spend time listening and learning so we can gain a deep understanding of the challenges that you face as you work to meet the daily needs of our students and campus community.

Our employees are at the center of what makes Missouri Western a special place. Thank you again for all you do.