Academics Updates

Recent recommendations regarding COVID-19 have resulted in a decision to take proactive measures at the University of Mount Union. The University has established a Confirmed Cases Reporting web page that provides updated data regarding confirmed positive cases on campus. Please visit this site regularly to stay informed.

Effective Thursday, March 19, the University is ceasing face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the spring semester.

Temporary Academic Policy Change for Spring 2020

S/U (Pass/Fail) and “W” (Course Withdrawal) Options in Response to COVID-19

As part of Mount Union’s commitment to ensure the continued academic success of our students in an effort to keep them on track for graduation, the University has made the decision to extend both the satisfactory/unsatisfactory (S/U) and withdrawal (W) deadlines to the last day of regular classes for the 2020 Spring Semester – Wednesday, May 6, 2020. During this temporary change in academic policy, for the 2020 Spring Semester only, students can elect to change any regularly graded course to an S/U option or elect to withdraw with a W grade up to this date. Neither option will adversely affect a student’s term or cumulative GPA.

Temporary Academic Policy Change

Please see the FAQs below for additional details.

FAQs

How are recent recommendations impacting course delivery?

Effective Wednesday, March 18, the University is ceasing face-to-face instruction for the remainder of the spring semester, including final exams.

This is a necessary and prudent course of action and the one that best protects the health and well-being of the Mount Union community while allowing our faculty members to continue to prepare for virtual learning that meets the academic quality standards for which the University is known.
How do I access on-campus resources from off campus or at home?

We recognize the need of our faculty, staff, and students to access University data when they are not physically on campus. The use of a VPN allows members of the Mount Union community to securely access Mount Union network resources from off campus, as if they were on campus. VPN access is not needed to access resources such as iRaider (portal.mountunion.edu), Self Service (selfservice.mountunion.edu), D2L/Brightspace (D2L.mountunion.edu), Office365, ADP, and campus email. However, if you would like to access your individual or department file space, such as H:\ or S:\ drives, you will need VPN access. If you would like to request VPN access, please review the new Remote Access Policy and complete the Technology Remote Access Request Form. This link is applicable for faculty, staff, and students.
Will labs and clinicals resume over the summer for PA and PT?

Students in clinical disciplines (both graduate and undergraduate) will be returning to lab and clinical settings using protocols adopted to comply with federal, state and local safety guidelines for group size, personal protective equipment, and monitoring for COVID symptoms. These practices and policies will continue to be updated as indicated by the UMU pandemic planning team, as informed by local public health officials.
How will the University continue to address the changing situation related to COVID-19?

The University has convened a COVID-19 preparedness group that is meeting regularly and monitoring this evolving situation daily.

When making decisions regarding public health issues such as COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), the University will always work cooperatively with and follow the guidelines and recommendations of leading health organizations, including the National Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention, the Ohio Department of Health, the Stark County Health Department, and the Alliance City Health Department.

In this particular situation, the University has also been in close contact with state government officials, peer institutions, and other higher education professional organizations.

As this group continues its work, the University will be certain to communicate decisions and other COVID-19 related protocals and details to the campus community in timely manner.