LETTER BY THE RECTOR MARTIN BAREŠ
TO ALL AT MASARYK UNIVERSITY
Ladies and gentlemen,
Dear colleagues,
Dear students,
As the rector of Masaryk University, I am now addressing you in an extraordinary situation. We
have to openly acknowledge that the spread of the novel coronavirus is becoming a truly global
problem and challenge. And we have to admit that the situation facing our university, society
and country is unprecedented in living memory.
There are now three key tasks ahead of us:
1. As an institution and as individuals, we must endeavour to reduce as much
as possible the potential spread of the novel coronavirus. The university
management and our Emergency Committee that meets several times a week have been
taking preventive measures, such as cancelling in-person classes, prohibiting any mass
events at the university, travelling abroad and accepting visitors from abroad.
2. It is also key for our university to be ready to extend help to the society at
large and to those who now need it the most; to show solidarity and offer a helping
hand whenever possible and needed. I would like to appeal for all of you to consider
where and how you could help. One of the areas where help is needed is providing
childcare to health professionals and their families. Many healthcare facilities have been
struggling with staffing issues as some of their employees must take care of their schoolage
children and cannot attend work. If you are able to help, please contact your dean or
the head of your economic unit or write to koronavirus@muni.cz. Another option is to
help the most vulnerable groups, particularly elderly people, with their grocery and
pharmacy shopping and any other activities that could mean a higher risk of exposure
for them now and in the upcoming days and weeks.
3. Finally, we have to keep the university up and running. I promise you that the
university management will look for solutions that will enable all students to transition
smoothly into the next phase of their studies once the current crisis has passed. We will
look for viable options and endeavour to make sure that none of our students are unduly
hurt by the current situation. The university management vows to be as accommodating
as possible to all students in this respect.
To conclude with, I would like to say that the situation we are facing must be approached with
respect and caution but not with fear. We must think and act calmly and with a clear head but
also in a decisive and determined manner.
As we enter the second century of our existence, our university and our community find
themselves in a situation that none of us has ever had to deal with. However, the true nature of
institutions – and people – comes out in times of crisis and we now have the opportunity to
prove how strongly we are tied to our roots: the ideals of T. G. Masaryk such as courage, wisdom,
openness and humanism.
As one university and one community, we must and we will act together as one – calmly,
responsibly and with solidarity. And I believe that we will come out of this crisis unified and
stronger than before because we are Masaryk’s university.
Yours faithfully,
Martin Bareš
Rector
Brno, 12 March 2020