Coronavirus Updates

APU Students, Staff, and Faculty,

The past week has been an unprecedented time of transition at APU and for Alaska and the rest of the world. I want to thank everyone who worked so hard in the past week to make the transition possible.

The Governor of Alaska and the Mayor of Anchorage have both increased measures through advisories, mandates, and orders to help mitigate the spread of the virus as cases have been diagnosed in Alaska. Consistent with the specific details in these directives, educational institutions for purposes of facilitating distance learning are considered an essential function. The steps APU has taken in the past week related to the academic programs and business operations are consistent with these orders. APU staff and faculty are either telecommuting or appropriately working in socially distant environments when they need to be on campus. Please use email or phone to contact staff and faculty. If you have questions and are unsure of who to ask email AskAPU@alaskapacific.edu

It is also still critical that each of us do our part to follow the advisories, mandates, and orders for the safety and wellbeing of our families, friends, and communities.

To the Spring 2020 graduates, I know this is not how you expected to finish your last semester at APU. APU is committed to celebrating you and your tremendous accomplishments. We are evaluating options to recognize you this semester virtually as well as offering the opportunity to walk in a future traditional ceremony.

APU is actively monitoring the situation and hope to make decisions about summer courses and programs in the next two weeks. Resources, FAQs, and other information related to COVID19 are available on the University’s Coronavirus website.

APU, by standing together as a community, will emerge from this moment as a stronger, more resilient University.

Thanks,

Bob

Robert Onders MD JD MPA
President
Alaska Pacific University

Dear APU Community,

I am writing with an important update to APU’s response to the COVID-19 and our plans for the rest of the semester.

Classes Next Week

All face-to-face (in person) meetings of courses are canceled through Friday, March 20 to give faculty opportunities to plan for distance delivery. All online courses will continue as planned.

Transition to Distance Delivery of Classes

With the exception of science labs, music classes, and a few other classes that require face-to-face instruction, APU will move all courses, including intensives, to distance delivery for the remainder of the semester. Most classes will continue through Blackboard at their regularly scheduled times. Instructors will notify their classes about the arrangements for each particular course. Make sure your Blackboard notifications are turned on for the latest information about your classes.

Housing and Dining Services

Students living on campus should arrange to return home or move off-campus by Friday, March 20.  We are encouraging students to move off-campus as soon as possible. Exceptions will be made for students who have extenuating circumstances—contact Manda Hill (ahill@alaskapacific.edu) to make a request for an exception. On-campus storage is available through the summer.

• Limited dining options will remain available.
• We are evaluating a process to refund funding for housing and meals.

Advising

Faculty and professional advisors will hold office hours by phone, chat, or virtually for advising registration and other consultation. Contact your advisor directly to make an appointment. Registration for summer and fall 2020 will proceed as normal.

Other Campus Offices

Campus offices will remain open; however, you are encouraged to email or call for assistance. Moseley and the Atwood gym will be closed to external groups and other members of the public.

Commencement and Other End-of-Semester Activities are canceled

With travel restrictions and other limitations on large gatherings, we have made the difficult decision to cancel the commencement ceremony in April. Graduating students will be invited to participate in the Fall 2020 commencement to celebrate their achievements. We all also be making alternative arrangements for the presentations of Senior Projects, Ensemble, and Honors Assembly.

Although there have been no confirmed cases of the virus in Alaska, we are taking preventive measures to protect the health of our students, faculty, staff, and communities throughout the state, to help slow the spread of the virus, and to ensure students are about to complete their courses and educational programs in a timely way. By reducing the number of people on campus, we can help Alaska mitigate the risks of the virus. We realize you may have questions about this decision and other campus services. We will be evaluating our campus response continuously using the guidance of public health officials and will continue to update the APU community at least weekly through emails and posting on the APU website.

Please continue using good practices that will limit the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.

• Stay home when you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If water is not available, use hand sanitizer, with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• Cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing. Immediately throw the tissue in the garbage.

I appreciate your assistance and patience as we work through this dynamic situation. I know this is not the ideal way to end the semester, but APU is a resilient institution dedicated to the success of our students and the health of our communities, and we will continue to work together to respond effectively to this challenge.

We will be frequently updating the community and providing more details for both students and employees.

Thanks,

Bob

Robert Onders MD, JD, MPA
President
Alaska Pacific University

APU Community,

I am following up with an email to make sure everyone noted the information contained on our website and in our bi-monthly newsletter https://www.alaskapacific.edu/alaska-pacific-university-preparations-for-the-novel-coronavirus/

Although there are currently no cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Alaska it is important that each of us as individuals start using good practices that will limit the spread of respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.

• Stay home when you are sick and avoid close contact with others.
• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If water is not available, use hand sanitizer, with at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• Cover your mouth/nose with a tissue or sleeve when coughing or sneezing. Immediately throw the tissue in the garbage.

Additionally, some APU specific planning information is provided below.

• For APU-related travel-we will follow the CDC travel health recommendations and work with individuals or groups on a case-by-case basis for travel that falls outside of the current recommendations.
• For changes in schedule or closures-we will provide frequent updates as the situation changes. We will not have any set rules like we do for inclement weather and will instead make decisions as the situation dictates in consultation with public health experts.
• Academics and Classes-Distance delivery or other accommodations may become necessary for courses or individual students and faculty members. As with any illness, students who may be unable to attend a class meeting or residency should contact their faculty members for accommodation. Faculty members should contact their Institute Directors and the Provost office to make arrangements for modification of course delivery. APU has resources for technology-assisted course delivery (e.g., Blackboard, Blackboard Connect, teleconferencing) as needed.

In the event of a campus closure, the Offices of Campus Life, including Campus Safety, and Dining Services have contingency plans in place to ensure continued meal and residential services for students residing on-campus. Campus Safety will remain staffed and continue to conduct regularly scheduled patrols and 24/7 responses to calls for assistance.

We are also making extensive plans and taking actions so APU has contingency plans related to the health of our students and employees as well as business operations.

We will send out at least weekly updates on Thursday or more frequently if the situation dictates.

Thanks,

Bob

Robert Onders MD, JD, MPA
President
Alaska Pacific University