COVID-19 Update: April 1, 2020
Dear UC Community,
We continue to monitor the COVID-19 crisis with your safety, health and well-being as our highest priority. We have the following updates to share:
- Summer Session Moves to Remote Learning: For Summer Session 2020 (May 11-August 8), we will continue our suspension of face-to-face instruction, lectures, discussion sessions, seminars and similar classroom settings and will conduct classes via remote learning only. Instruction that involves labs, studios, music lessons and clinical experiences may meet at the discretion of the dean provided that national and/or state regulations do not preclude such activities and that social distancing is observed and respected.
- Remote Working Extended: Our current practice of remote working will continue until further notice. Employees should use university-supported technology (e.g., WebEx, Microsoft Teams, etc.) to assist with remote work. Other platforms not supported by IT@UC present unnecessary privacy, security and support risks to the university. To clarify, the university remains open and all essential services will be maintained on all campuses.
- Residential and Dining Halls: Residence halls and dining halls will continue to be closed for Summer Session, except for students who have waivers.
- International Travel: We are extending our suspension of all university-related international travel through June 30, 2020. As previously indicated, this prohibition applies to all faculty, staff, postdocs and students, and includes any travel associated with scholarly activities as a UC employee, including travel funded by a government grant, foundation, company or other university. We continue to strongly discourage all personal international travel by any UC community members.
- Study Abroad: All study abroad is canceled and prohibited for the entire Summer Session.
- Domestic Travel: University-sponsored domestic air travel will continue to be limited to business essential until June 30, 2020. Approval will be given on an as-needed basis. We strongly urge extreme caution and judgment for your personal domestic travel, with particular attention to known outbreak areas.
- Reporting Requirements: Please report to University Health Services by emailing COVIDWatch@uc.edu with your name and cell phone number if you meet any of the following criteria: Anyone returning from international travel, returning from travel by cruise ship, returning from the Greater New York metropolitan area or other “hot spot” of the COVID-19 epidemic, having had close contact with an individual confirmed to have COVID-19 by laboratory testing or with a presumptive diagnosis of COVID-19, or living on campus in University Housing and having symptoms consistent with COVID-19 (including flu-like symptoms with chills, muscle aches, and diarrhea, cough, shortness of breath, or fever). In addition, the sudden loss of the sense of smell or taste can be an early sign of COVID-19 and should be immediately reported. For more information on the reporting process, see Remember to Report details.
- 2020 Spring All-University Faculty Meeting and President’s State of the University Address: The Spring 2020 All-University Faculty Meeting and State of the University Address scheduled for Thursday, April 9, can no longer take place in person due to the restrictions on large gatherings. A new date for the meeting will be identified for an online All-University Faculty Meeting to take place later in April. My State of the University report will be delivered via email in an upcoming message. Faculty Senate Chair Cynthia Ris will notify relevant faculty with additional details regarding the online Faculty Senate meeting that will still be held as scheduled on April 9.
I am enormously proud of the way our Bearcats community has demonstrated its understanding, flexibility, care and resilience during these unimaginable times. As we have all learned over the last few weeks, the circumstances surrounding the coronavirus global pandemic can change rapidly. Please continue to watch for updates on our COVID-19 website.
With appreciation,
Neville G. Pinto
President
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