3/12/2020 2:28 PM
TO: Fayette Students
SUBJECT: President’s Announcement: COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Communication to UIU Faculty and Staff
Summary of Email Message to Fayette Students:
Fayette Campus Session 4 face-to-face courses will now begin on March 23, 2020
Online courses will continue to begin on March 16, 2020
Contact Student Life if you will be staying on campus beginning March 15, 2020
Go to UIU’s website for additional information https://uiu.edu/coronavirus/.
Dear Fayette Students,
The purpose of this message is to provide an update on University preparations and announcements related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and the impact on Fayette Campus.
Fayette Campus Session 4 Face-to-Face Courses: These have been delayed by one week with the new start date of March 23, 2020, with a possibility that the remainder of Session 4 may need to be shifted entirely to online learning. A decision to make the official determination to online learning will be made on March 19, 2020; this determination will be based on continued conversations with local public health agencies.
To reiterate, the current plan is to continue face-to-face instruction during Session 4 at Fayette Campus, beginning on March 23 and ending on May 7, 2020.
If you are enrolled in online courses, you will continue to begin your online course on the original start date of March 16, 2020.
Housing and Food Services:
- Housing: Will remain open beginning March 15. Out of an abundance of caution, Fayette students who are able, are asked to please stay away from Fayette Campus for an additional week. In some cases we understand that is not possible. If you are staying on campus during March 15-21, you are required to notify Student Life that you are on campus or to make arrangements to return to campus: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., (563) 425-5215; 8:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m., (563) 425-5372.
- Food services will also be available; however, Aramark will be proactively taking precautionary steps in the Servery and Café to protect their staff and customers.
Athletics: At this time, the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference has indicated the cancelation of all spring sports through March 31 and take additional measures. More information will be sent to student-athletes regarding details of how this will impact the spring sports season.
Study Abroad: At this point, UIU will be suspending all international travel until further notice. Additional communication will occur with those who may be affected by this suspension in regards to upcoming planned travel.
Events: We are reviewing internal and external events scheduled for the upcoming months. At this point, the decision has been made to cancel the Honors and Awards Banquet scheduled for April 4 at Fayette Campus. A decision has not been made regarding our 2020 Commencement. A comprehensive list of external and internal events is currently being reviewed and announcements will be forthcoming.
Cleaning and Preparation: We have been in regular contact with Iowa Department of Public Health officials over the last two weeks. We have mobilized a planning group that will guide implementation of non-pharmaceutical interventions (such as cleaning protocols) on campus and develop contingency plans to manage University operations in the event of an outbreak in our community.
Travel: We encourage you to be informed prior to any travel plans you may have. The CDC offers up-to-date travel information on their website https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.
While Upper Iowa University and the Fayette Community has not yet had confirmed cases of COVID-19, the local, national and global circumstances can change quickly. We are communicating any new guidance we receive through continuous updates of the website https://uiu.edu/coronavirus/.
As a reminder, please follow good public health practices to minimize the spread of illness. Officials suggest there is no need to change any routine activities or behaviors due to COVID-19 if you practice the previously described hygiene etiquette.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that any student experiencing the following symptoms of acute respiratory illness (e.g., fever, trouble breathing, consistent coughing) should refrain from going to class and limit their contact with others until they are free of fever (100.4° F or greater using an oral thermometer), signs of a fever, and any other symptoms for at least 24 hours, without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g., cough suppressants). Any student experiencing symptoms of this nature is encouraged to call appropriate medical care to avoid unnecessarily exposing others.
The intent of these measures is to keep our university community healthy and safe.
Thank you for your patience during this rapidly changing situation.
Sincerely,
William R. Duffy II, Ed.D., Ed.S.
President
Upper Iowa University
