Reflections on Fall Semester

November 13, 2020

Dear UM Family,

Wednesday will be the last day of regular classes for the fall semester. In August, it was difficult to imagine exactly how the semester would unfold, but we all knew we were coming into a challenging year on the heels of a summer spent working hard to design and prepare for fall. We started the semester without much rest – many of us canceled or altered vacation plans, managed child care or distance learning for our children, worried about vulnerable friends and family members and juggled unanticipated circumstances as we continued to serve our university. COVID-19 has challenged us on many fronts, including work, home, family, friendship, community, mental and emotional health, and physical health.

These are times when words fail to adequately express our full emotion, but please know:

  1. We SEE you. We see how hard you’re working. We see how much you’re juggling. We see your care and concern for colleagues and our students. And we share that care and concern.
  2. We APPRECIATE you. How does a university weather a pandemic? We work together. We participate in difficult conversations, and we undertake difficult tasks. This semester has demonstrated your inspiring dedication to the UM family.
  3. We CARE about you. When we remind you of available resources and reiterate your options for flexibility or time off, it comes from a place of caring as we recognize the tremendous effort of every member of the UM family. We want to support you as you find the best ways to navigate these new challenges.

Many of you have asked whether UM will remain open through the end of the year, considering the early conclusion to the semester and the ongoing pandemic. As a publicly-funded state agency, the University must remain open per our normal operating hours, with the exception of designated federal or state holidays. While we will remain open and in service to the public, we also recognize that work schedules vary for employees hired into various types of positions. Likewise, the level of flexibility among positions varies as well. Working together, we hope we can provide flexibility to meet the needs of all employees while continuing to serve our students and our community.

While the University will remain open, it is our sincere hope that all employees will take much-needed and well-deserved time off over the coming weeks as 2020 comes to a close. Employees eligible for annual leave can refer to the guidance provided in the Annual Leave Procedure on the Human Resource Services website. UM also supports the concept of flexible work schedules for any position that is determined by the supervisor of the position to be conducive to one. Discuss this with your supervisor. There may be options for a temporary flexible schedule, even if your position has limited opportunities for flexibility when classes are in session.

Please also remember that UM offers the Employee Assistance Program to all employees and members of their household. EAP is designed to benefit our community by providing quality support in areas such as counseling, legal matters, conflict management, stress management and much more. Please see more information about EAP on the benefits website.

Finally, the Office of Organizational Learning and Development (OOLD) has created support and learning opportunities on topics ranging from well-being to new ways to work and teach. In the coming months, we hope everyone will take advantage of access to Linked In Learning’s catalog of courses to explore a new area of interest or get tips for working in these challenging times. 

Over the next few weeks, please watch for additional communications that outline resources to support employees over the holidays, including camps for elementary-aged children, resources from the Office of Organizational Learning and Development and UMOnline and updates regarding employee recognition and awards, holiday celebrations and operational planning for Winter Session and spring semester.

Please take care of yourselves and be kind to one another. We acknowledge the tremendous contributions of each member of the UM family in serving our students, our campus and our community during these difficult and unprecedented times.

Sincerely,

Seth Bodnar, President

Kelly Webster, Chief of Staff

Reed Humphrey, Acting Provost

Chris Palmer, Faculty Senate Chair

Taylor Gregory, ASUM President

Lucy France, Legal Counsel

Sarah Swager, Vice Provost for Student Success

Kent Haslam, Athletic Director

Paul Lasiter, Vice President for Operations and Finance

Charity Atteberry, Staff Senate Chair

Zach Rossmiller, Interim Chief Information Officer

Paula Short, Associate Vice President for Strategic Communications

Alicia Arant, Director of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Coordinator

Scott Whittenburg, Vice President for Research and Creative Scholarship

Mary Kreta, Associate Vice President for Enrollment

Barry Brown, Mansfield Library Interim Dean

John DeBoer, College of the Arts and Media Interim Dean

Tom Gallagher, Missoula College Dean

Larry Hufford, College of Humanities and Sciences Dean

Adrea Lawrence, Phyllis J. Washington College of Education Dean

Paul Kirgis, Alexander Blewett III School of Law Dean

Marketa Marvanova, College of Health Acting Dean

Tim Nichols, Davidson Honors College Dean

Suzanne Tilleman, College of Business Dean

Alan Townsend, W.A. College of Forestry & Conservation Dean

Nathan Lindsay, Nice Provost for Academic Affairs

Launch UM virtual tour.