The following items were discussed in President Joan Gabel’s emails from April 9 through April 17.

On Thursday, April 9, 2020, the University of Minnesota President Joan Gabel sent an email to students, faculty, and staff about changes to the Summer and Fall 2020 semesters. 

Summer 2020

Summer term courses across the U of M system will continue through alternative formats. However, plans for new courses this summer have not been finalized as well as summer registration/orientation and other events hosted on campus during summer months.

Fall 2020

Decisions for fall semester classes will be made by early June.

The email also included the link for COVID-19: Stories, Insights, Expertise to provide COVID-19 news, research and developments made on the Twin Cities campus.

Commencement

On Friday, April 10, 2020, Gabel sent an email addressing commencement for the Class of 2020. 

“Commencement is a time when we come together in the presence of family and friends, and our faculty and alumni, to mark both a completion and a new beginning for our graduates,” Gabel stated in the email. “I want to express my sincere thanks to all of you who have reached out to share with me the importance of commencement ceremonies to you and your families. Though we will not be able to hold in-person commencement ceremonies in May, we are committed to celebrate you this fall in an on-campus ceremony, though it will be some time before we know specifics.”

The U of M system will be holding a virtual celebration for all graduates of the Class of 2020 on Saturday, May 16. The celebration will focus on the theme “Hail to Thee, a reference from Minnesota’s state song, and was chosen to reflect our admiration for your incredible resilience in these stressful times,” wrote Gabel.

On Wednesday, April 15, 2020, Gabel’s email celebrated U of M’s recent research and development of COVID-19 tests and potential solutions to treatment and vaccines. At the end of her email, she acknowledged UMD’s hockey player Scott Perunovich’s Hobey Baker Award.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test and serology test

U of M has developed a PCR test to detect COVID-19 in patients, as well as a serology test that is used to detect antibodies in previously infected patients. 

She included the following news articles on the university’s COVID-19 research:

Research Brief: How the novel coronavirus binds to human cells published on U of M News on March 30, 2020

Waltz: Restarting Minnesota Economy Requires Jump in Testing published on US News on April 13

New COVID-19 Test, Developed by U Researchers, Increases Daily Testing Volume published on U of M News on April 14, 2020

Mayo Clinic, U of M say they can help achieve testing ‘moonshot’ published on Kare 11 on April 15, 2020

Coventor ventilators

The FDA has authorized the production of a low-cost ventilator developed by U of M researchers called the Coventor. Traditional ventilators have been used for patients with pneumonia. Currently, ventilators are in high demand across medical facilities caring for patients with COVID-19. With the development of Coventor, physicians may be better equipped to care for patients. 

Protective masks

To address shortages of protective masks, U of M’s College of Design, Medical School, and the College of Science and Engineering has designed a prototype for a new protective mask. The masks are made from filters used in diesel engines and bendable wires. These masks were tested to be effective against 95 percent of small particles and will be produced at the Twin Cities campus for an emergency stockpile. 

Treatment and vaccine testing

Gabel wrote, “Ongoing U of M drug trials to explore potential treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 continue. We are one of a select few universities worldwide conducting high-level clinical drug trials related to COVID-19.”

On Friday, April 17, 2020, Gabel sent an email discussing upcoming virtual events.

A Town Hall meeting with Crookston, Duluth, Morris, and Rochester campuses on the systemwide strategic plan on Monday at 1 p.m.

The Board of Regents special meeting on Tuesday, April 21 at 9:30 a.m. This meeting will address the U of M system operating budget and financial risks, as well as new student enrollment. The Board of Regents meeting material and YouTube livestream are available online. 

At the end of the email, she thanks university governing bodies as well as “information and academic technologists, instructional designers, and all of our staff on our five campuses and beyond

“We have thanked many heroes in the course of our adjustment to the pandemic and we’ve greatly enjoyed highlighting our accomplishments with #UMNproud,” Gabel stated in the email. “I want to take a moment to highlight another group of heroes—our information and academic technologists, instructional designers, and all of our staff on our five campuses and beyond who are facilitating our work. I want to extend my deep appreciation to each and every member of these critical teams. They have worked day and night to support our instructors and make the transition this spring successful, and their work is not yet done. We know that the expertise and care that they bring to their work serves us all and have been critical to the continuity of instruction and other University services. You all make us #UMNProud.”