June 4, 2020
Dear OUAVM Students, Faculty Members, and Staff,
The novel coronavirus state of emergency has been lifted for all of Japan, but the road ahead remains fraught with uncertainty as flare-ups of the virus and countermeasures to suppress them continue to make headlines. Our growing understanding of COVID-19, the disease the virus causes, brings no hope for an early end to the coronavirus pandemic. Accordingly, to coexist with the coronavirus, we at Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (OUAVM) must continue our educational and research activities while trying to minimize infection risks through avoiding the “three Cs”: closed spaces, crowded places, and close personal contact. In response to the government’s lifting of the state of emergency, we posted our policy, “OUAVM Response to the Government’s Lifting of the State of Emergency,” on our website on May 26, and we have been acting according to that policy. In this regard, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to OUAVM students, faculty, and staff for their hard work and zeal in adapting to this new environment: to students for proactively taking remote classes and to faculty and staff for building and instituting a remote learning system.
OUAVM has students from across the country. Some students, who have been unable to travel to Obihiro due to travel restrictions till June 18, have been taking remote classes in their hometown. Since some courses will begin in-class training and other sessions from July 13 (Monday), OUAVM has asked those who will take them to arrive in Obihiro by June 28 (Sunday), two weeks before the start. I ask everyone to take all the necessary precautions when they travel to Obihiro.
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, OUAVM is providing support to ensure equal access to remote classes, helping students equip themselves with adequate internet connections and providing them with rental PCs and routers. We will continue our support so that students can pursue their studies and enjoy their time at OUAVM with peace of mind. To this end, I ask students to feel free to contact us whenever they have concerns or problems with their studies or daily life.
I am committed to ensuring, through well-thought-out measures, the coronavirus pandemic will not negatively impact OUAVM’s overall capabilities as an institution of higher learning and that OUAVM will continue to thrive in the coming months and years. I will continue to closely monitor COVID-19 infections and communicate our responses to the changing situation to you promptly.
Sunrise follows even the darkest night. Let us all meet this challenge together!
OKUDA Kiyoshi, President of OUAVM
