To MuroranIT students,

 

As previously announced, MuroranIT starts its online classes from April 22 in order to avoid creating closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact settings on campus. I believe that a lot of new undergraduate and graduate students have already started a brand new life in Muroran to make it to the university procedure like submission and receipt of required documents before the start of the first semester of Academic Year 2020. I assume that current students who returned to Muroran are also spending a busy time in preparation for the new semester. This year, with an aim to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at university, the faculty and staff are gearing up to implement online courses.

 

Things to do before the start of online classes: I would like MuroranIT students to be fully prepared to take online lectures by securing a solid e-learning environment, having an appropriate device, learning how to install and use e-learning platforms such as Zoom and Moodle based on the guidance instructions, and purchasing textbooks.

 

We consider to gradually adopt face-to-face classes if the new coronavirus epidemic tends to end, but, due to the rapidly increasing number of new coronavirus infection cases, it is highly likely that we have to extend the period of online classes to the entire semester. So, I recommend you to pay a close attention to the latest announcements from the university website at all times. As MuroranIT is also conducting an online questionnaire via Campus Square to confirm the location of all students, those who have not answered are advised to respond to it as soon as possible (for new students, user ID and password are required).

 

Here are the most important messages from me:

All students should arrive in Muroran in good health, and have two weeks of health observation period at home. At the same time, be sure to concentrate on online classes. Ensuring that you are in healthy condition through two weeks of health observation at home, come to MuroranIT when face-to-face classes start.

 

On April 14, we issued “MuroranIT Action Guideline against the spread of COVID-19 (BCP)” for MuroranIT members. I strongly urge all the faculty, staff, and students to act with a common understanding of this guideline to prevent the further spread of new coronavirus infection.

 

At the very moment, we are in the level 3 (For classes, online only) based on this action guideline. As the level is expected to be raised (or lowered) depending on the pandemic situation, be sure to keep up with up-to-date information from the MuroranIT homepage.

 

Some students may be concerned about their learning environment for online classes via live video streaming, but, as our faculty members and staff are doing their utmost to offer a good quality of online classes with meticulous care to students, I would like all students to continue to focus on essential information for web-based lectures from “University Response to COVID-19” on our official website.

 

I sincerely ask for your understanding and cooperation so that we can overcome this difficulty time together.

 

With best regards,

 

KUGA Yoshikazu

President

Muroran Institute of Technology