2020.03.27
[IMPORTANT] Notice Regarding Learning (Classes) in the First Term (April 9–May 28)
Musashino University feels a strong sense of urgency in response to Tokyo Governor Koike's emergency press conference on the evening March 25 in which she provided "Guidelines for Action against the Highly Contagious Novel Coronavirus." At the press conference, Governor Koike pointed out that due to the characteristics of this virus patient groups (clusters) with light symptoms, which mainly include young people (ages 15–34), may infect people who are highly likely to experience severe symptoms, while unconsciously leading their daily lives. As a result they may endanger the lives of many people including senior citizens and people with preexisting diseases. As a university in Greater Tokyo, we regard this as an alarming situation.
Now that the end of this crisis is unforeseeable, our social responsibility is to establish an environment for students to start or continue their studies for the new semester and help students recognize that each of them can prevent many people from experiencing severe symptoms and contribute to saving lives by reflecting this attitude onto their behavior and voluntarily refraining from unnecessary daily activities.
In this context, we have further enhanced the guidelines announced on March 23, "Guidance and Action Regarding Classes in Response to the Spread of the Highly Contagious Novel Coronavirus" and determined here to take the following six actions regarding teaching and learning activities in the first half of the AY2020 as basic guidelines to thoroughly eliminate the risk of occurrence of patient groups (clusters).
- In the first term (Thursday, April 9 to Thursday, May 28), we will not provide face-to-face teaching but will provide (1) alternatives to classroom sessions (such as assignments and reports) and (2) education combined with study through online sessions as determined for each course. We decided that we have no choice but to deploy online sessions as well with the possibility of this situation continuing for some time as online classes are rapidly being adopted at overseas universities that face a larger spread of the highly contagious novel coronavirus.
- We will decide when to restart face-to-face teaching in classrooms in a comprehensive way based on the situation including the number of infected patients in Tokyo.
- 1In principle, we ask students to study at home in the first term. If you do not have an environment (such as unlimited WiFi) and equipment (ideally, a PC with camera and microphone) to study online at home, promptly prepare the environment and equipment with your family's understanding and cooperation.Do not leave your home to go to Internet environment.
- Students are to carry out the following two learning activities during the first half of the first term(Thursday, April 9 to Thursday, April 30).(1) Alternatives to classroom learning such as assignments and reports(2) Trial online classes including guidance to get used to the online class environment (university-wide educational preparatory learning to move to online classes).
- Full-fledged online classes will be provided during the last half of the first term (Friday, May 1 to Thursday, May 28). Online classes are provided for the first time in most courses at our university at this time.The faculty and students will work together and experience online classes through trial and error during the learning period in April and move to full-fledged online classes in May.
- Do not come to and enter the campus in April unless absolutely necessary. The same applies to all faculty members unless they receive special permission from their immediate manager to do so.
* We will provide information about classes to freshmen after course registration.
Please consider the above announcement as instruction given by the President of Musashino University to all concerned parties of the University. (This instruction is more binding than a request.) We will try to avoid the risk that related parties get infected as well as fulfill our social responsibility to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus in Greater Tokyo. We will also endeavor to select optimal measures to maintain the quality of education as this situation is expected to continue for some time.
We have to admit that our preparations to deploy online classes are not enough to keep up with the speed of the highly contagious novel coronavirus. We will start online classes by trial and error to determine a better method. To overcome this crisis, we ask our faculty and students to participate in classes through online interaction with the goal of Co-Creation to create new value together. Thank you for understanding and cooperation in advance regarding this matter.
Musashino University was founded to develop personal qualities based on the fundamental principles of Buddhism, the Four Great Vows (Shiguzeigan / Hotoke no negai).
I vow to bring happiness to all living beings.
I vow to purge our minds of complacency and conceit.
I vow to walk on all the infinite paths of righteous reason.
I vow to build a pleasant world of peace that offers purpose for living.
Well-educated people in modern society must have imagination and practicality to walk in the shoes of weaker people and think about how they can make contributions.
I sincerely hope that everyone associated with Musashino University actively perceives what is going on in the world, considers global challenges as your own and takes action, sharpening your senses to be empathetic to the pain and suffering many people are feeling.
March 27, 2020
Teruma Nishimoto
President
Musashino University
Contact details for inquiries
University Administrative Division,
Academic Affairs Administrative office (Ariake Campus)
Musashino Academic Affairs Administrative office (Musashino Campus)
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