Today, Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs Hongtao Yu announced in an email to Morgan State University’s community that the university will resume normal classes on Monday, Oct. 9.
Earlier this week, university President David Wilson gathered his cabinet and several chosen advisors and together, a meeting in which they decided to cancel classes for the remainder of the week, postponed or canceled homecoming events, and gave faculty and staff the option to work asynchronously. Monday will mark a return to normalcy following the Tuesday night shooting that rocked the campus and greater Morgan community.
“We recognize this may be a challenge for some of our students, for a variety of reasons,” wrote Yu. “To that end, we have directed all of our faculty to provide flexibility in responding to student needs for the next week…. We are asking both instructors and learners to work together appropriately along with the support of Department Chairs and School/College Deans.”
In the email, Yu urged professors to allow students levity when returning to in-person classes and for upcoming midterms – suggesting asynchronous classes for both professors and students, hybrid modalities where applicable, meeting students’ needs as requested, adjusting the weight of midterm assignment calculations, pivoting to an alternative assignment or even extending deadlines. The email also acknowledges that some classes may not be adaptable to asynchronous or hybrid structures – and leaves that decision in the hands of the professors.
In short, Monday will have two functions: to welcome students back to their respective departments and to end the brief pause Morgan’s community experienced.
Yu said he hopes this will foster a safe and secure community for students and all campus constituents.
Professors who have concerns about a student can submit an online form to the university. Any students desiring counseling services have the option of contacting Morgan’s counseling center or using U Will, a 24-hour counseling service that is free to students.
Any student wanting lenience during this time is advised to contact their professors.
