Update for ESM Faculty and Staff–Moving Online for January

Dear Colleagues,

Earlier this evening, as I was finalizing a message to the Eastman community about the implications for Eastman about recent messages from the President and Provost regarding the start of the spring semester (in person), an emergency meeting of the Deans Council was called to inform us of the decision to pivot immediately to online instruction.  As we have experienced before, changes sometimes occur with a dizzying immediacy due to COVID.

I have called a meeting of the Eastman COVID Management Team for tomorrow morning, at which time we will work to clarify precisely what the online instruction will mean for Eastman.  We recognize that this move to online instruction will impact everything including teaching, concerts, guest artists, faculty and staff searches, and many other topics.  It is my goal to send specific information to our community by tomorrow evening.

For now, I assure you that we will weather this latest challenge caused by COVID.  For the past two years, we have managed to keep our community safe while teaching and making music thanks in large part to your vigilance, adaptability, flexibility, and positive attitudes.  In spite of the fatigue that has accompanied the ongoing challenges, your willingness to care for and support one another has strengthened our community.  For the sake of our students, I am once again asking everyone to don our COVID-foul-weather-gear, and for us to have all hands on deck, as we face this next challenging journey.

With my deep respect and appreciation,

Jamal