Resolution

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic poses an unprecedented and extraordinarily severe threat to higher education, the University of Dayton included; and

WHEREAS, faculty, staff, and administrators from every corner of the University of Dayton are stepping up to meet this moment in history; and

WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended professional and personal lives, with devastating losses for some of our families and hardship for all; and

WHEREAS, while we continue to travel on a journey with an unknown end, the campus community has stepped forward to face the crisis with creativity, innovation, pragmatism, and a deep care and concern for our students and each other; and

WHEREAS, the staff and faculty, with their commitment to high quality learning and student support, have taken a proactive approach and developed a robust and transparent prevention, testing, and protection plan to support living and learning on campus; and

WHEREAS, faculty have adopted a highly flexible approach to learning and teaching during an unpredictable time, and are giving greatly of themselves to our students; and

WHEREAS, faculty and staff have sustained creative ways of nurturing faith through participation in prayer, study, and service so essential to our mission; and 

WHEREAS, staff have developed innovative ways to meet their usual responsibilities while simultaneously assuming new pandemic-related tasks to serve the campus community; and

WHEREAS, researchers are overcoming obstacles to continue their important efforts and some have led a regional effort to produce Personal Protective Equipment and perform other pandemic-related research; and

WHEREAS, the University of Dayton Arena served as one of the first COVID-19 testing centers in the state, demonstrating UD’s service to the greater Dayton community; and

WHEREAS, the campus community has worked together in the Marianist spirit of collaboration, exhibiting dedication, resilience, fortitude, humility, and faith in service of the common good; and

WHEREAS, their efforts have led to record enrollment and a robust research agenda during a time when many universities are struggling; and  

WHEREAS, the Board of Trustees values the way faculty, staff, and administrators have made shared sacrifices to carefully steward the University through challenging times while singularly focused on the University’s mission of educating the next generation of servant-leaders.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Trustees of the University of Dayton offers this resolution of deep gratitude to members of the University of Dayton community, knowing that their selfless hard work is contributing to our mission-based impact and will continue during the course of the pandemic, and that their collective efforts will continue to strengthen this Catholic, Marianist university. 

APPROVED at the Board of Trustees Meeting this _15th__ day of _October__, 2020.