YOUNGSTOWN — President Jim Tressel is unwavering in his expectation that Youngstown State University will come through this pandemic stronger than before, but cautions it may take time and be difficult.

The university is using the acronym GROW — Gratitude, Reassurance, Opportunity and Working together — as it moves into the 2020-21 school year and beyond.

• G — In his state of the university address on Wednesday, he expressed gratitude for the work of faculty, staff and students in how they adjusted last spring when COVID-19 forced a close to campus classes.

“I know this is unlike anything I can even imagine. If I were 19 years old in the middle of my college career and something like this happens — your patience has been amazing,” he said. “Thank goodness you’re technologically inclined because we were thrust into that environment.”

He also expressed thanks to the state and federal governments for supplying guidance and funds that allowed YSU and other state universities to continue operations.

“The CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act helped a lot of our students who had financial problems,” Tressel said. “We were able to refund some room and board and parking fees for students.”

Tressel said Gov. Mike DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton, a YSU graduate and Ohio’s former health director, have been important in assisting the university to develop guidelines for the reopening.

The university is working closely with the Youngstown and Mahoning County health departments, as well as following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We know this will not be a semester without some cases,” Tressel said. “We’ve been working lock step with our local governments. We’ve created a city / university compact, knowing each person has their role.”

YSU also is a member of the Intra-University Council of Ohio, which is a compact of 14 northeast Ohio universities working together to make sure the schools can remain open.

• R — for Tressel’s reassurance to students that the university has worked to create protocols for a safe return. Students will take the Penguin Pledge stating they will take care of themselves by following basic rules for social distancing, the wearing of masks and cleaning of areas.

He emphasized that these behaviors also should be maintained everywhere students go on and off campus.

“We have to take care of our community,” Tressel said. “We are not in a bubble. We have students participating in internships., visiting off-campus sites and taking part in various things happening in the community.”

The university has 10 hand-washing units around campus, where 720 students can wash their hands every hour.

YSU is employing students for its Pete’s Clean Team to sanitize high-use areas around the campus. Other students have been hired as part of Penguin Patrol, which will encourage those on campus to maintain safe social distancing and wear masks.

“There will be fewer students and less density on campus,” Tressel said. “Classrooms and residence halls will be filled at no more than 50 percent capacity.”

YSU will be encouraging students to have smaller gatherings and follow protocols. It will provide five modalities for learning: traditional, agile hybrid, virtual, online live and web-based.

• O — for opportunity, to use this time to move forward in new ways.

“We are in good position, because for the last two years the university has been working on its strategic plan,” he said. “We provide a huge economic impact to the region. It provides nearly a $1 billion impact to the region.”

Tressel the pandemic may help reinforce the importance of higher education. “This may be the greatest time for higher education,” Tressel said. “We are turning to our innovators and our thinkers, our leaders, doctors, nurses and others for answers.”

• W — working together. “We’ve got to really believe that through this tough situation that we’re a part of, every single one of us has to have that unwavering faith that we’re going to get through this, and that we’re going to be better for it, and that we’re going to become a better Youngstown State University than we’ve ever been — but we can’t ignore the difficulty of the challenge,” Tressel said.

rsmith@tribtoday.com