The University of Minnesota Board of Regents. Photo courtesy of the University of Minnesota.

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents approved Monday a resolution to delay campus move-in and to begin courses solely online for at least two weeks.

U of M President Joan Gabel sent an email systemwide on Friday afternoon announcing her proposal to be considered by the Board of Regents at a special meeting Monday morning. The proposal, approved 8-3 by the Board, officially delayed the move-in dates for the Duluth, Rochester and Twin Cities campuses by at least two weeks. Students living on campus at the Crookston and Morris campuses had already moved in before Gabel’s announcement. Courses are also to be delivered wholly online for at least two weeks systemwide.

The move, according to Gabel’s email, is intended to “provide additional time to evaluate new and emerging federal testing guidance, as well as continued evaluation of techniques used to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.”

The meeting lasted over two-and-a-half hours, and heard contrasting arguments from both sides of the issue. Regent Richard Beeson of St. Paul voted no, citing that with 75% percent of students living near campus, that population will drive COVID-19 rates regardless.

“I would rather close the campus down right now … or have the students move in as scheduled,” Beeson said.

University of Minnesota Medical School Dean Jakob Tolar contrasted this, adding his belief that the University system has been “ahead of the curve” regarding COVID-19 procedures.

UMD Health Services in Duluth, Boynton Health in Minneapolis and Olmstead Medical Center in Rochester have reported serving 500-plus patients in-person each week, a number which is increasing, as well as over 1,000 weekly telehealth appointments,the majority of which concern mental health. The three health centers are also working in conjunction with the Minnesota Department of Health for COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and quarantine and isolation support.

In addition to health and safety concerns, the Board also examined financial implications. The University plans to prorate housing and dining costs, ultimately resulting in an estimated $5 million loss across the three affected campuses.

Incoming freshman Hayley Ringhand next to Champ at UMD’s Bus Hub. Photo Courtesy of Hayley Ringhand.

The option to potentially allow the Duluth campus to decide separately from the Rochester and Twin Cities campuses was discussed, but quickly withdrawn after University of Minnesota Duluth Chancellor Lendley Black said UMD is “prepared to support whichever decision the board may make on this.”

Before the vote, students and parents joined forces in an online petition requesting the university to allow students at system campuses to move in on time. It captured over 1,800 signatures as of Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of which were placed after the conclusion of the Board’s meeting.

Among the signers is Todd Ringhand, whose daughter, Hayley Ringhand, is an incoming freshman to Duluth.

“The University of MN should have had their act together a long time ago,” Todd Ringhand’s comment on the petition said. “Its [sic] time to take a chance at normalcy!”

Todd Ringhand and his family had taken work off and made hotel reservations, expecting to help move Hayley Ringhand to UMD’s campus from their home in Rosemount, Minnesota. Now their plans are forced to change.

“Two weeks from now I'm back on call so I've gotta find someone to cover for me,” Todd Ringhand said.

Half-packed and ready for the next chapter, Hayley Ringhand is now left spinning in questions.

“Half my clothes are already in boxes,” Hayley Ringhand said, “Do I finish packing? Do I not? If they push it back two weeks, are they gonna push it back another two weeks? Are we ever going to move in? Everything is up in the air right now.”

The family has two other college students attending South Dakota State University and North Dakota State University. Todd Ringhand believes that those schools were much better with communication and preparation and stated that he thinks UMD should have taken notes.

Hayley and her father Todd at Duluths Aerial Lift Bridge. Photo courtesy of Hayley Ringhand.

“There are precautions we can take,” Hayley Ringhand said. “[I feel that] UMD hasn’t really said anything about the rules or anything about that. [Gabel’s] early emails made me feel confident, but then Friday came and suddenly nobody knows.”

From the perspective of a parent with students in school across three states, Todd Ringhand believes that UMD should be prepared for the semester, but is in a sticky situation as its campus must follow the systemwide directives of the President and the Board.

“If they’ve really been prepping since June, you’d think they’d have a better plan,” Todd Ringhand said, “It all points back to they weren’t ready and they don’t wanna admit it.”

After watching the 153 minute Board meeting in its entirety, the father-daughter pair both feel a disconnect between the Twin Cities and the other four campuses. Only two of the Board’s twelve regents are listed as holding degrees from UMD while eight are listed as holding degrees from the Twin Cities campus. None are listed as holding degrees from the Crookston, Morris or Rochester campuses.

Parents and students among Facebook groups associated with UMD’s Class of 2024 largely mirror the Ringhand’s sentiments. Comments from students range from disapproval of the Board’s decision to threats of withdrawal. Some students say they already cancelled their housing contracts and intend to move into apartments or other off-campus housing options.

Hayley Ringhand argued that incoming students are seeking any form of normalcy, and that she is afraid any further delays will take away from her college experience.

“We want to make those connections with our teachers and professors and we aren’t going to get those opportunities,” Hayley Ringhand said, “It’s just disappointing that we don’t get to have the same experience as most people.”

Despite crafting the proposal herself, Gabel made it clear to the Board when she said, “there are no good choices here. There are no choices that are crisp and obvious.”

Move-in and in-person coursework dates are to be reevaluated at a later date.

The following votes were made by the board:

Anderson: ABSENT

Beeson: No

Davenport: Yes

Her: Yes

Hsu: No

Kenyanya: Yes

Mayron: Yes

McMillan: Yes

Rosha: No

Simonsen: Yes

Swiggum: Yes

Chair Powell: Yes

U of M delays move-in, starts online; parent, student reaction