A REMOTE UNIVERSITY

Student Compassion Fund

Millersville University Rises to the Coronavirus Challenge $8,155,782 BY KATE HARTMAN $2,808,651 $37,121

Student Fees refunded CARES Act funding available Raised

WHAT IS A UNIVERSITY? Governor Tom Wolf rolled out all of these Is it a place? Is it a collection of students and the staff that supports them? Is it requirements for Pennsylvania as a whole, and Lancaster County specifically. the research and academic work that is While Millersville’s response to the completed? Is it a feeling of pride? pandemic came in waves as more When put to the test, like Millersville University was during the spring 2020 semester, it is easy to see that it is all of IT Help Desk Tickets addressed 2,284 Courses added for remote instruction 716 information was released by Governor Wolf, changes happened very quickly. On February 28, Dr. Wubah issued his 37,331 Zoom sessions these things and more. first communication to campus detailing The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, dominated and changed the trajectory of life for all members of local, national and international communities this spring. The Millersville community was no exception. how the Incident Response Team (IRT) had been formed to track the course of the pandemic. In the coming weeks, MU students who were studying abroad were called home, and by March 9, a decision to remote-learning modalities for a short period “The health and safety of our students, faculty and staff was of time after spring break had been made. On March 16, our immediate concern,” says Dr. Daniel Wubah, president of Millersville. “While no decision was easy to make, we knew the University needed to act quickly in order to protect our community. I am proud of the way we were able to think on our feet—transitioning all of our classes to online learning, and the majority of our staff to remote work.” with consideration of the directives coming out of the governor’s office, the Department of Health and Office of the Chancellor, it was officially decided that all face-toface instruction would be suspended through the remainder of the spring 2020 semester. “This is a challenge that Millersville University has never faced before. The prospect of transitioning classes and revising 200 Faculty participated in COVID-19 webpage views 89,006 1,791 Pairs of PPE gloves 159 PPE respirators 189 Training sessions for remote instruction Donated to first responders According to the Centers for Disease Control, COVID-19 is a new MU Video syllabi in the middle of the semester is no easy disease that had not previously been seen in humans. It appears Remote task, but I knew our faculty members were that it surfaced in Wuhan, China, and quickly spread to nearly every country in the world, with the World Health Organization (WHO) classifying it as a global pandemic. In order to slow the spread of the virus, many countries around the world, and states within the United States, instituted 7,746 1,490 1,050,680 New videos Students, faculty and staff added Minutes of video capable of making that change. Our biggest priority was ensuring the continuity of academic support for our students, making sure they could meet the requirements of their courses, and for those set to graduate, that they Degrees awarded 336 Graduate degrees 961 Bachelor’s degrees a variety of restrictions, including stay-atwould be able to do that on time,” explains home orders, social distancing guidelines Dr. Vilas Prabhu, provost and vice president and mask requirements for public settings. Stats as of May 2020 for Academic Affairs.

Classes that were previously that deal directly in face-to-face nonverbals,” he explains. “While this can scheduled to be face-to-face were student support—including Housing be observed through an online video suspended for a week while faculty were trained on online platforms, including D2L and Zoom, and classes were transitioned. Meteorology professor Dr. Alex DeCaria says there was some trial and error in figuring out what worked best for him and his students. As he describes, “I am not a PowerPoint professor…I rely on writing and drawing goofy pictures on the chalkboard.” DeCaria worked with Matthew Fox from Online Programs to set up his iPad so he could use it as a whiteboard that he could share with his students over Zoom. & Residential Programs, Counseling and Human Development, Learning Services, Academic Advisement & Student Development and others— the need to transition quickly and efficiently during this fluid situation was even greater. “Moving to online disability accommodations was very time consuming initially,” says Dr. Sherlynn Bessick, director of Learning Services. “Our most challenging tasks were to get all students registered with Kurzweil 3000, which helps students read, download documents from faculty, use speech-to-text features, translate from other languages to chat, it is not as authentic or robust.” Dr. Kelsey Backels of Counseling and Human Development identified similar challenges with seeing students over video chats or phone calls, but also with the distance from her colleagues. “It has been very important that we are there to support our students during this time,” says Backels. “Some students are opting for Zoom calls, and some prefer speaking over the phone, but it’s just not the same. Human interaction is so important in counseling. [Our staff ] is a really close-knit group. We work so effectively off of each other. When one of us has a tough session, we can support each other.” Helping students process all of the change this semester, including the virtual move to online learning but also the physical move off campus for Courses added for remote instruction 716 37,331 Zoom sessions 200 Faculty participated in 1,791 Pairs of PPE gloves 159 PPE respirators 189 Training sessions for remote instruction Donated to first responders MU Video [ COVID-19 Response ] Student Compassion Fund

“I had a first thought about prerecording my lectures, and then using synchronous class time for questions and answers. I quickly found that students weren’t asking questions during the synchronous meetings, and I ended up teaching the same class twice—once pre-recorded and once live,” he explains. “So, I abandoned that approach during the first week and simply taught all four of my courses synchronously, just as if we were in the classroom. It gave them a sense English for our international students, note-take and other features.” “Once services were fully online, issues with students were very minimal and often a quick fix,” she continues. “It’s refreshing to know how our office and students were able to adapt so well.” While Zoom meetings and online technologies were able to fill the gaps for many task-oriented most students, has been the primary focus for Backels and her team. “Initially there was a lot of chaos and panic about how they were going to do this, but by the end of the semester, there was a lot more general angst about being stuck in the house,” she says. “It’s a general stress a lot of people are feeling during this time.” Stats as of May 2020 Degrees awarded 336 Graduate degrees 961 Bachelor’s degrees New videos Students, faculty and staff added Minutes of video Student Fees refunded $8,155,782 CARES Act funding available $2,808,651 Raised $37,121 of schedule and normalcy, and the opportunity to ask questions live.” “Although I am not anxious to repeat the experience, I’m ready for it should we have to continue online,” he says. Offices and departments across campus were also challenged to move their services online as all nonessential workers were asked to work remotely for the foreseeable future. This presented specific challenges for each office as services with ease, the in-person connection that enhances many interactions proved to be more difficult to translate. Dr. David Henriques, chair of Academic Advisement & Student Development, says Zoom meetings, Jabber, Calendly and email have been successful in helping their office advise students from afar, but nothing replaces in-person conversations. Part of that stress was attributed to moving out of the residence halls and either going home or finding alternate living arrangements for the remainder of the semester. While some students applied to stay on campus through Housing & Residential Programs, the vast majority left campus. The housing staff worked hard to communicate with students and create a plan for IT Help Desk Tickets addressed Courses added for remote instruction 716 37,331 Zoom sessions 2,284 employees familiarized themselves with new technologies and remote work expectations. For departments “Academic advisement is a collegial process and often requires reading body language, facial cues and other them to fully move their belongings out of their rooms, which began on May 18 and continued into June. 200 Faculty participated in COVID-19 webpage views 89,006 1,791 Pairs of PPE gloves 159 189 Training sessions Donated to first responders MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY • www.millersville.edu | 11

Despite the quick agreed or strongly person when it is safe to do so, I am changes this spring, agreed that they incredibly proud of the hard work all communication were able to access members of our community put forth between the the technology to ensure our students were able to University, its they needed. More succeed,” says Wubah. faculty, staff and students remained strong, and provided critical support during a tumultuous time. At the end of the COVID-19 webpage views 89,006 than 65% of the students agreed or strongly agreed that they had access to University resources, that administration and staff showed “Millersville University is more than just a campus or a place,” says Brian Hazlett, vice president for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management at Millersville. “We are a community, and this experience really proved that.”  200 Faculty participated in 1,791 Pairs of PPE gloves 159 189 Training sessions Donated to first responders semester, the Student Affairs and Enrollment Management division issued a survey to Millersville students that yielded positive results. concern for their needs, and that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the University’s response. “This great University rose to the Millersville University announced that academic instruction will be provided in a hybrid modality, including in-person, online and multi-modal instruction, for the fall 2020 semester. Classes will run PPE respirators for remote instruction Of 6,065 students surveyed, 81% of those responding agreed or strongly challenge presented by the coronavirus pandemic. While not everything went MU Video straight through from Aug. 24-Nov. 24 with no fall break. Thanksgiving recess agreed that the University provided as we hoped, including the need will run from Nov. 21-29, and classes effective communications regarding to postpone commencement and will resume remotely on Nov. 30 for the COVID-19, and 80% of students celebrate our impressive graduates in New videos 7,746 1,490 Students, faculty and staff added Minutes of video 1,050,680 remainder of the semester. Degrees awarded 336 Graduate degrees 961 Bachelor’s degrees

Stats as of May 2020

Millersville University Marching Band students meeting via Zoom.

KEEPING CAMPUS HEALTHY DURING COVID-19

The staff who work in Health Services know the reality of being on the front lines in the fight to protect our students’ health and well-being. That is true every semester, but when our community is facing a global pandemic, their work becomes even more vital.

Nurse Supervisor Joanne Ocasio and Nurse Practitioner Lauren Blevins team up to talk about what it has been like to keep our community healthy this spring, and let our students know they’re here for them—whether in person or through a computer screen.

How has COVID-19 impacted the services you provide to students?

We have shifted our services to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and to keep our students and staff safe. We have set up TeleMedicine using the platform Zoom to be able to connect students remotely without sacrificing all social contact. It is nice to be able to see the faces of our students and know they are doing okay. You can’t look in somebody’s ear online, but you can get enough information to help them. We have some students who are on chronic medications, and it is important that those students don’t run out. It’s critical that we continue to provide these services to our students, so it’s fortunate that we can conduct Zoom meetings with them. These are special circumstances, but we have been doing what we can.

What precautions are you taking when you see students in the office?

We do see some of the students in the office; however, this is limited to the students currently on campus or in the surrounding community. We have only been using one exam room, and we clean it after every patient. This change was implemented to act in accordance with recommendations from the University, local and federal government. We accept that this is an ever-changing environment, and we will continue to adapt to comply with the mandates established by Governor Wolf.

What challenges have your staff had to face?

The clinical staff at Health Services are “essential” employees, which means that when the University closes, our staff will continue to work our scheduled hours. We take temperatures every morning and follow safety protocols at all times. As change has been rapid, our staff implemented a “morning huddle” to discuss any alterations in our practices, to develop new policies and to collaborate on methods to better serve our students. Currently, we are transitioning to a new electronic medical record to comply with the guidelines for e-prescribing medications, which has come with its own set of hiccups. However, if there is anything healthcare workers are good with, it’s adaptability.

What has been the most rewarding part of this process?

As healthcare workers, our service is always rewarding. We got into this career to help people and to make an impact in the lives of others. We reached out to students who remained on campus by supplying “self-care” packs. Many students expressed appreciation that we are still here for them. Feeling valued by our students and knowing that our services make these unprecedented times just a bit easier on them is a reward in itself. And we know you are only as strong as your team. We are fortunate to work with a great group of compassionate and hard-working individuals. We also appreciate the partnerships we have with other departments across campus.

Do you see any technology impacting the way you provide services even after we return to campus?

Telehealth will still be a big part of how we do things, but there will probably be more restrictions as time goes by. Online technologies do not replace the face-to-face interactions with students. We understand the importance of change to mitigate the spread of the virus, but we are eagerly looking forward to the return of students on campus and business as usual. We will continue to support our students in any way we can and will be here waiting for them when they return.

COVID-19 forced all educators to transition their coursework online. Millersville alumni who work in school districts both near and far met this challenge head-on; and some recent graduates, who were student-teaching this spring, worked to assist their host teachers in the process. A few alumni take us through that transition below.

ROBERT GANTZ ‘17M Eastern Lebanon County, 1st Grade

How did you feel about the transition to online learning? I felt very conflicted about the transition to online learning, more for the students than for myself. I know the challenges technology poses for families, especially with the younger kids that I teach. My time at Millersville taught me to be flexible and responsive to the needs of the kids so I’ve been able to adjust my practices accordingly and even help some of my colleagues do so. What has been the biggest challenge and the biggest reward? The biggest challenge has definitely been not being able to interact with my students every day. That is hands down the best part of teaching and why we do what we do.

The biggest reward has been seeing myself and my colleagues grow during these times. We have had to think outside the box and outside of our comfort zones to reach the kids, and it’s been great to see. How have your colleagues been working together? I believe [my colleagues] are working better collaboratively now than we were when we were in the building together. We are really using each other’s strengths during this time, and the technology has helped immensely.

BROOKE KEEFER ‘18 Orendorf Elementary School, 3rd Grade

How did you feel about the transition to online learning? It was very hard to tell my 18 students that we would not be back for some time. They were all very upset, and my main goal was to make them feel safe and loved. The transition was definitely difficult for me. I missed being in the classroom and interacting with my students, but I knew that I needed to be that familiar face for my kids during this time. What has been the biggest challenge and the biggest reward? The biggest challenge was not being able to spend the day with my students in the classroom. I get to see my students on video chat, but it is not the same as being together in the same room. The biggest reward has been the increased interaction with families. We have a Facebook page that we are very active on. It is great to build that connection between home and school. How did your district help you during the process? Our district did a wonderful job keeping us informed. They were very quick to put an online education plan in place and provide us with valuable online resources and webinars.

ANDREW TEPPER-LARDON ‘20 Student-taught at Landisville Middle School

How did you feel about the transition to online learning? I was very curious and interested in what the online learning was going to look like. I was up for the new challenge and ready to tackle it. As for the students, I was nervous for them, as many need support to reach the material and I was hoping we could support them enough online. How were you able to support your host teacher? I supported my mentor teacher in any way she needed. I helped to navigate the online tools available. I joined in on faculty meetings, department meetings, team meetings, class meetings and individual help meetings. I also helped create organization materials to inform the students of our new way of learning. Have you created any special projects? I collected materials for the Learning Support Schoology page to give the students help in math, reading, writing, organization and online learning. I helped create a school-wide schedule for class Google Meet sessions, and created social skills lessons and activities that focused on coping strategies during this time.

DANIELLE GREENE ‘20 Student-taught at Gerald G. Huesken Middle School

How did you feel about the transition to online learning? At first, I was nervous about the transition because this was an unprecedented situation, but Conestoga Valley School District quickly decided that they were going to do everything in their power to provide a path forward for their students’ education. I was excited for this new challenge, and my mentor encouraged me to have an active role in the online enrichment page we were developing. How did you support your host teacher? All of the 8th grade science teachers monitored the online science enrichment page, so every teacher was collaboratively responsible for the entire 8th grade. I assisted the team of teachers by creating review videos, answering student questions, providing feedback to student submissions, and being present during online Q&A conferences with the students. What has this experience taught you about teaching? You need to expect the unexpected and be prepared for things to not go the way you planned. This experience has shown me that online teaching is something I will likely pursue as part of my future teaching career.

BOARD EMERITUS STATUS is an honor that few have received in the history of the Millersville University Alumni Association (MUAA). It is awarded by the board president to recognize alumni who have dedicated significant time and talent to the MUAA, and therefore the University, over the years.

Catherine “Kitty” Glass ‘53

Kitty Glass, associate professor and catalog librarian emeritus, guided the library in its transition from printed catalog cards to an automated online catalog, and has archived a variety of materials including monographs, textbooks, videocassettes, filmstrips, pictures, rare books, maps, prints and broadsides. She was responsible for selecting the library’s children’s books, resulting in a very strong Juvenile Collection that is well-used by students taking education courses. For the past two decades, Glass has served on numerous boards including the MU Alumni Association Board of Directors, Student Services Inc. Board of Directors, Treasurer of the Association of Pennsylvania College and University Faculties and the Homecoming Committee.

Her numerous volunteer activities have included Class of 1953 60th Reunion, Freshman Convocation, Move-In Day, Senior Send Off, Alumni Association Events Committee, Millersville Parade Committee, Alumni Fall Fling, Commencement, numerous alumni receptions in the local area, MU After Work events and many other activities. She is also a member of the American Library Association and the Association of College and Research Libraries.

Glass received her undergraduate degree in library science from Millersville University and master’s degree in library science from Drexel University.

Dr. Richard Frerichs Ph.D. ‘64, ‘69M

Rich Frerichs, professor emeritus of educational foundations at Millersville, has served the University as dean of resident life, dean of men, associate director of financial aid and chair of the Department of Educational Foundations. He’s worked closely with the alumni association, serving as president, president-elect and past president, as well as holding positions on alumni

The following individuals were awarded Board Emeritus status at the February board meeting. They were eligible for the award by serving on the board for three terms, celebrating their 50th anniversary, and distinguishing

themselves in service to the MUAA. association committees. Frerichs continues to play a role in Millersville athletics. In addition to securing athletic fundraising sponsorships, he was a voice at football games for 40 years and basketball games for 30 years.

He was awarded Millersville University’s highest honor, the President’s Medallion, by President Francine McNairy in 2013. In addition to receiving the alumni association’s Distinguished Service Award (2006) and Outstanding Volunteer Service Award (2010), he received Phi Delta Kappa’s Distinguished Educator Award (1998) and Millersville University’s Sara Lindsley Person of the Year Award (2009-10). He also serves on Millersville’s Council of Trustees.

Frerichs received his undergraduate degree in biology and a master of education both from Millersville University and his doctor of education from University of Delaware.

Dr. Dominick DiNunzio ‘53

Dominick DiNunzio began teaching and coaching following his service in the U.S. Army. He embarked on an impressive career with Pemberton Township School District in New Jersey in 1960, from which he retired as assistant superintendent.

In addition to being an active member of the Millersville University Alumni Association, including serving as board president and participating in numerous committees, DiNunzio has volunteered with Pemberton Rotary Club, Free Mason Affiliations and Sons of Italy in America. He was awarded the Paul Harris Fellow (Rotary Club), the Legion of Honor (Chapel of Four Chaplains), Outstanding Service Award (MUAA) and the Distinguished Service Award (MUAA). Dominick has given generously of his time and talent to Millersville for decades. His breadth of knowledge of Millersville history has even been spotlighted during the New Student Welcome and Pinning Ceremony so that the newest generation of Marauders may understand and value the traditions that have been established before them.

DiNunzio received his undergraduate degree in industrial technology from Millersville University, his master of education from Rutgers University, and his doctor of philosophy from Walden University.

KEVIN MAHONEY ’81

ALUMNI NEWS Penn Medicine CEO on the Frontlines of COVID-19

EVENTS

Kevin Mahoney spent his career preparing for a moment like this. A 1981 graduate of Millersville University with a degree in economics, today he’s the CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Mahoney is responsible for making critical decisions that keep both hospital employees and patients safe during the coronavirus pandemic. He lives in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with his wife, where he has been having “too many Zoom and blue jeans meetings” during quarantine.

Kevin Mahoney ‘81, Penn Medicine CEO

How did your education at MU help prepare you for your career?

I left Millersville with more than just a degree. During my time there, I learned a lot about myself and who I wanted to be. I was immersed in an environment that fostered exploration, professionalism and compassion. Millersville faculty created a dynamic learning environment that allowed me to thrive. Most importantly, I met my wife, Pam Kane ‘82, during our sophomore year and we will be married for 37 years this August.

Which faculty members made an impact on you?

Clarence Jefferson Randolph, David Ostrovsky, Paul Nichols and Terry Madonna had an impact on me. Each saw a student in me when I didn’t see one in myself. Professor Randolph spent hours counseling and mentoring me. We reconnected decades later via email and stayed in touch until his passing. David Ostrovsky taught me the power of effective communication.

What advice would you give to any prospective students considering a career in healthcare administration?

Understand the rules but don’t let them hold you back. Say yes to every opportunity you can. Keep pushing forward toward your vision. As health care leaders, we should be striving to put ourselves out of business, to close every hospital that we own, to help people be as healthy as they can be without artificial intervention.

The general public was surprised by this coronavirus outbreak. Were you surprised from a medical professional’s standpoint?

In healthcare, you spend your career preparing for moments like this. When initial reports surfaced of a novel coronavirus that was rapidly spreading in Wuhan City, China, the team at Penn Medicine immediately took action. COVID-19 spread faster than many anticipated and continues to wreak havoc. Despite this, we remain steadfast and ready to tackle whatever this virus throws at us.

What have been some of the largest challenges of this experience from your perspective?

One of the largest challenges is the disruption to our daily lives. We are all adapting to a new normal, which changes as this pandemic unfolds. While this is a challenging time, the people in our region are resilient. In the face of adversity, people are finding new ways to maintain some sense of normalcy.

What do you hope this pandemic teaches us for the future?

An appreciation for what we have and a little humility. Many countries across the globe are under siege. Yet we are all citizens of the world: from Lancaster to Philadelphia to Madrid to Lombardy to Wuhan. Each day, the news brings a blend of horror and heroism. Taking care of each other is a pledge to our brothers and sisters of the world—to humanity.

Are there protocols or actions you hope to maintain at Penn Medicine even after this is over?

This pandemic has launched us into a new way of delivering patient care, faster than any revolution in history. It necessitated the rapid expansion of digital health services and accelerated the use of artificial intelligence to rapidly diagnose and expedite treatment.

Are you a Marauder on the front lines? Email your story to mualumni@millersville.edu.