November 27, 2020
Message from the President
To all students and faculty members (fifth message)
TAKEUCHI Toshio, President
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
As measures to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) are implemented around theworld, the University’s “Novel Coronavirus Taskforce” (Taskforce Leader: President Takeuchi)
considers and decides on specific measures. It has released a total of nine “President’s Messages”
including the fifth revision and informed students, faculty members, and their families of theUniversity’s policies through the website with the motto of “don’t get infected and don’t allow
others to get infected.”
The University has been greatly impacted by the spread of the novel coronavirus.
For the six months from April, students have been learning primarily through online lessons, andhave been unable to speak directly with faculty members. They have also been unable to participate
in extracurricular activities, thereby missing out on opportunities to build valuable friendships,
which has resulted in great anxiety. I think it has been especially tough for new students, who havebeen unable to commute to university and have not been blessed with the conditions to experience
student life with their friends. I am deeply grateful for your cooperation in preventing infection inspite of being in such an unfamiliar environment.
To faculty members, who have gone to great lengths to create content for remote lessons, I’m sure
you have all experienced stress. However, this may also provide an opportunity to revise teaching
methods that have been used in the past. I would like to consider how education should take place
going forward, leveraging the features of the University and taking into account the results of thesurvey of students and faculty members concerning remote lessons.
I’m sure that faculty members, especially those working in the student affairs department, areswamped with inquiries from students with regard to matters such as course registration and amultitude of issues such as dealing with various support systems. Even faculty members outside of
the academic affairs division have been responding swiftly to a range of issues. I am grateful foryour support.
The University commenced face-to-face lessons in October, and university life has been graduallyexpanding. However, Tokyo raised its alert level to the most serious level of “infections arespreading” (level 4) on November 19 as a result of a marked increase in infections nationwide, andthere have been calls for strict measures as parties are expected to become more frequent over the
new-year period. Although it is possible that regular university activities such as international
exchange and extracurricular activities, in addition to education and research, will be limited as aresult of this, we consider the health and safety of everyone at the University to be our utmostpriority.
We are now entering cold and flu season, and we ask students and faculty members to continue todo their best to avoid infection, etc., (wear masks, wash hands regularly, practice cough etiquette,
avoid the 3Cs, and practice social distancing, etc.) in order to protect their bodies and their lives
from the novel coronavirus, practice thorough health management, and avoid going out and meetingpeople unless urgent and essential. As stated in the document “5 situations” that increase the risk ofinfection, particular care must be paid to eating and drinking, and I ask you all to pay particularattention to the points contained therein, such as the recommendation that masks be worn while
dining with others.
Going forward, we will need to establish and normalize a new way of life, and devise and build newwork-styles and social systems. The University is no exception.
Members of the University must work together to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus(COVID-19) and overcome this difficult situation. As President, I once again request that students
and faculty members of Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology exercise awarenessand responsibility to facilitate school and social life.