COVID-19 Updates

Fall Announcements Related to COVID-19

July 9, 2020

Students impacted by proposed Homeland Security Policy

By Alec D. Gallimore, Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering

Colleagues:

Earlier this week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a preliminary announcement about online study eligibility for international students for the fall 2020 semester. The University of Michigan has issued a statement expressing its strong disagreement with this temporary policy, as have we at the College of Engineering. The University’s government relations office in Washington, D.C., also is advocating to Congress and the administration through the Association of American Universities and other organizations.

Let me state clearly that I join our leaders and those in higher education across the country in strongly opposing this and other new directives that have the potential to disrupt the education of our international students. Our international students, faculty and staff are a critical component of our global community, and we stand in solidarity with them through these troubling times.

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June 26, 2020

Students: Getting ready to welcome you back to campus!

By Dr. Anthony Waas, Aerospace Engineering Department Chair

Dear Aerospace Engineering Students:

The summer has been quite an interesting time! Whether you are here in Michigan, or in another corner of the world, I hope you are staying safe, healthy and active.

As you heard from President Schlissel and Dean Gallimore earlier this week, we are beyond thrilled to be able to welcome you back to campus this Fall for a public health-informed in-residence semester.

We cannot wait to see you back in the FXB Building, getting engaged in activities but at all times practicing safe distancing and wearing a mask to protect you and others.

The Fall semester will be designed to consist of a mixture of both in-person and remote experiences designed to deliver the top-quality education Michigan Aerospace Engineering is known for, structured to reflect our commitment to public health.

Of course, we recognize not all of you will be able to or desire to return to Ann Arbor. In particular, those of you who may need to travel internationally may have increased difficulties. For this reason, we will be providing you the option of choosing whether to return for a hybrid learning experience or study from home in a fully remote mode.
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June 26, 2020

Faculty & Staff: Fall 2020 & Campus Reopen Information

By Dr. Anthony Waas, Aerospace Engineering Department Chair

Dear Aerospace Engineering Faculty & Staff:

The summer has been quite an interesting time! Whether you are here in Michigan, or in another corner of the world, I hope you are staying safe, healthy and active.

As you heard from President Schlissel and Dean Gallimore earlier this week, we are beyond thrilled to be able to welcome you back to campus this Fall for a public health-informed in-residence semester.

We cannot wait to see you back in the FXB Building, getting engaged in activities but at all times practicing safe distancing and wearing a mask to protect you and others.
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June 22, 2020

Announcing a public health-informed fall semester for the University of Michigan

By Mark S. Schlissel, University of Michigan President

To All Members of the U-M Community:

I am pleased to announce that the University of Michigan plans to offer a public health-informed in-residence semester this fall. It will consist of a mixture of in-person and remote classes structured to reflect our commitment to promoting public health while fulfilling our fundamental mission of transformative undergraduate, graduate and professional education.

Thanks to the thoughtful and deliberate efforts of hundreds of members of the U-M community, our cautious optimism about the fall has coalesced into a path forward. Their work has given me confidence that we can do this safely, and we will continue to plan and prepare in the months ahead. We now have the opportunity to begin a new journey together, equipped with the very best guidance and ideas from our leading scholars, innovative students and expert staff.
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June 22, 2020

Excited to welcome you back to Michigan Engineering!

By Alec D. Gallimore, Robert J. Vlasic Dean of Engineering

Dear Michigan Engineering students:

Depending on how you are counting, it has been approximately 100 days since most of you left town en masse to continue your work from home. It was a rapid development, and one that was necessary both to keep you safe and flatten the curve of COVID-19 here in Michigan. I hope you are now all enjoying warmer weather and summer activities, wherever your current residence may be.

I am beyond thrilled to be able to join President Mark S. Schlissel in announcing that we will be welcoming you back to campus this fall for a public health-informed in-residence semester. This will be a mixture of in-person and remote experiences designed to provide our transformative Michigan Engineering education, while reflecting our commitment to promoting public health.
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March 24, 2020

A message from our Chair

By Dr. Anthony Waas, Aerospace Engineering Department Chair

To All Members of the U-M Aerospace Community,

I am writing to you to share some general updates and thoughts related to the COVID-19 Virus. I recognize that these are stressful times for all, yet I commend our students, faculty, staff, and the entire Michigan Aerospace community for their patience, flexibility, and energy in this unprecedented situation. Above all, safety is the utmost priority of our community. I have been thoroughly impressed with the Department’s steadfast dedication to safety over the past weeks, and I urge you to continue practicing healthy habits such as frequent hand washing and self-quarantining when necessary. By the same token, I cannot emphasize the importance of mental wellness enough. We encourage all to explore the resources provided by the CDC for managing stress and anxiety in these trying times here.

To help resolve this situation as quickly as possible, the Aerospace Department aligns itself with President Schlissel in strongly encouraging all members of the U-M community to follow the guidelines given by Governor Whitmer via the “Stay Home and Stay Safe” order. Staff members have been asked to work from home and we are taking steps to practice social distancing and implement deep cleaning within our facility. While this is an adjustment for all, I would like to assure our alumni and supporters that despite these disruptions, our operations will be minimally interrupted.

It is critical for our students and educational mission that we maintain continuity of research and operations during this uncertain time via teleworking. I implore workplaces to be as flexible as needed as we further integrate technology solutions into our day-to-day. I highly suggest everyone to refer to our full array of COVID-19 College of Engineering Resources, which can be found here.

As engineers, collaboration is our specialty. I have no doubt that in continuing to work together, adapting and adjusting each day as a community, we will successfully overcome this obstacle. 

Go Blue and Stay Safe.

Sincerely,

Anthony M. Waas

Richard A. Auhll Department Chair of Aerospace Engineering

Felix Pawlowski Collegiate Professor