Thank You

Dear Twin Cities faculty and instructors,

Now that the spring semester is fully underway, I want to take a moment to thank you for all that you have been doing to support the University’s mission. While I try to express my gratitude in each message I send, I know that sentiment may get lost amidst the details and complexity.

Today I want to dedicate this message to recognizing your work, resilience, flexibility, and perseverance. For nearly a year now, we have been working in challenging circumstances. You have learned novel ways to teach, to conduct research and develop creative work. You have also engaged in new ways with students, with each other, with your professions, and with our communities. Many of us are working from home and managing family responsibilities as well as other challenges. I know, too, that the killing of George Floyd and the turmoil surrounding the election—on top of the COVID-19 pandemic—have been exceptionally stressful and have deeply affected many in our community on a personal level.

Although challenges remain, I know we all look forward with hope to the vaccines that will allow us to be together in person once again. I am grateful for our strong shared governance, as well as our campus and state health authorities, as we collaborate on plans that continue our academic and other missions while also ensuring the wellbeing of our faculty, staff, and students.

I hope that you have found the support you need during this challenging time. Remember that the University has a wealth of resources you can call on, including a strong Wellbeing Program and supportive services such as personal counseling through the Employment Assistance Program. I welcome your suggestions for how we could help you advance your teaching, research, and outreach. You can reach me, as always, at [email protected].

Sincerely yours,

Rachel T.A. Croson
Executive Vice President and Provost

email sent all Twin Cities faculty and all instructors scheduled to teach spring semester on February 3, 2021