Chancellor Ronnie Green’s annual welcome back message to campus included a hearty greeting for students, a thank you to faculty and staff, and a reminder about the need for all to follow health-related protocols.
The video, released Aug. 19, comes as the University of Nebraska–Lincoln community prepares for a return to in-person, on-campus instruction on Aug. 24. Students moved back to campus the week of Aug. 10 as the university is offering courses via remote instruction this week (Aug. 17-21).
“As we go forward into carefully planned, but let’s face it, uncharted waters, let’s always remember to give each other a good measure of grace and goodwill,” Green said. “Most of all, let’s enjoy the opportunity to be here on our campuses and have a great semester ahead.”
In the message, Green referenced recent shifts away from in-person instruction made by the University of North Carolina, Notre Dame and Michigan State. Green cautioned that the same could happen at Nebraska if the campus community — particularly students — failed to observe responsible behaviors (which include avoiding large parties and crowded bars).
“College is meant to be a socially engaging and learning experience — not a socially distanced one,” Green said. “But, if we act like this is any other year, the experience of being on campus likely will close down.
“To succeed, we must be smart and we must be united in our response. We will only be successful if all of us — whether on-campus or off-campus — practice necessary safety measures.”
Those measures include wearing facial coverings, observing social distancing guidelines, regular hand washing, using hand sanitizer stations on campus, and self-monitoring for symptoms of COVID-19.
Access Green’s entire welcome back message in the video above or here.
Details about the university’s ongoing response to the global pandemic are available here.
