LIVONIA, MICH. - Madonna University President Michael Grandillo and several University work groups are developing plans to safely deliver face-to-face instruction to students for the fall semester at its Livonia campus and other centers around the State. The first day of classes will be Monday, August 31.
On March 12, 2020, when Governor Gretchen Whitmer called for a state of emergency, the faculty and staff at Madonna quickly responded and in just four days moved the remainder of the winter semester online, and provided virtual instructional support to students and faculty.
Thanks to the hard work, technological prowess, preparedness, and dedication of Madonna’s instructional design team and faculty, and to the flexibility and perseverance of its students, the winter 2020 semester was a success. Summer semester classes continue to be offered completely online, while the University prepares for the beginning of a new academic year this fall.
Madonna administrators, faculty, and staff members have every intention to safely resume in-person instruction, residential life, athletics, and other on-campus activities, for the fall 2020 semester. “We will work in concert with the Governor’s Office the Michigan Independent Colleges and Universities (MICU), and the NAIA to articulate and effect a safe opening plan for the fall semester,” said Grandillo. “We recognize too, that our plans are dependent on the continued decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in Wayne County and throughout Southeast Michigan.”
He also indicated that the plans will be in alignment with required safety measures, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines, and other community and University health safeguards. “The safety of our students, faculty, and staff is our top priority, and we will incorporate the best science, higher-education practices, and public health strategies to keep everyone safe this fall.”
Grandillo stressed that Madonna is adapting its models for instruction, residence life, and on-campus activities to protect the Madonna community, while continuing to deliver the personal, caring college experience that makes a Madonna University education distinctive.
While these measures cannot return the University to the normal of January 2020, Grandillo is confident that Madonna will be very close to that normal in the fall. He also stressed that while it is essential to plan to resume face-to-face instruction during these times, it also is contingent upon numerous factors, and plans will evolve as the situation develops. “We will be diligent in our plans to open safely, so that existing and new students continue to receive the top-notch Madonna education they have come to expect.”
For campus updates, please check the Madonna University website at madonna.edu/coronavirus.
