Coronavirus Update March 17, 2020: Campus services, commencement and remote update

Current Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation - Remote learning, working through spring term (6 p.m. March 17, 2020)

Dear members of the UCCS community,  

Extraordinary times require extraordinary action.  With the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 growing rapidly across our cities and communities, we at UCCS must take strong action to minimize the risk to – and do our best to maintain the health and safety of – our friends, families, neighbors and wider communities.

Effective immediately, we are extending remote learning and remote working until the end of spring term (May 15, 2020). Consequently, we are taking the following measures: 

• Remote learning for the rest of the semester: UCCS will transition to remote learning for all courses for the rest of the spring semester. This includes all on-campus labs, with very few exceptions. Students are encouraged to contact their individual faculty members with any questions about their specific classes. 
• Remote working for the rest of the semester: Employees will continue to work remotely from home for the rest of the semester. Only employees required to maintain campus safety and residential operations will continue to report to campus. Please visit the COVID-19 HR Guidance webpage for guidance, including student employee related information. We will continue to update this information regularly. We are already using remote meetings technology such as Microsoft Teams software to conduct meetings. This will ensure that we are able to replicate our on-campus operations on-line as much as possible. 
• Residence halls: Students living on campus must move out by noon Monday, March 23. The university will consider limited exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Students requesting to remain in the residence halls must contact Erik Newhouse at 719-255-3578 or enewhous@uccs.edu. Any student granted an exception should expect to relocate to another hall. A separate communication will be forthcoming from the Housing Office today, including information on a prorated refund policy. Dining will be available on a limited basis for those remaining on campus. 
• Wellness Center: Effective Monday, March 23, the Wellness Center will be moving to remote telehealth operations only.  
• Library resources for remote learning: Kraemer Family Library will begin to limit services effective immediately and will close for the rest of semester at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 20.  
  • Students, faculty and staff who need equipment to access remote learning and working may check out Chromebooks, laptops and WiFi hotspots on a first-come, first-served basis. They must check equipment out by Friday, March 20.  
  • This week's library hours are available online.  
• Commencement: Spring commencement for UCCS will not take place in person on May 15 due to safety concerns. We are working on other ways to celebrate this milestone with our graduates. Please expect more details in the coming days. 

COVID-19 information: In addition to the resource page covid19.uccs.edu and emailing questions to covid19@uccs.edu, you may also call (719) 255-719-255-4278 for answers to your questions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The previous phone number will still be operational to leave a voicemail, and a member of that response team will return your call. 

These are all difficult decisions, and ones we do not take lightly.  

We had hoped to finish out the academic year in the collaborative learning spaces of our beautiful campus. It is difficult to be away from our colleagues and friends, and I know this has been a time of anxiety and uncertainty for all of us. We know that there are services that are no longer accessible as we move to remote learning and working for the remainder of the semester. We are evaluating each of those to determine the next steps, and we will have more information for you soon. 

I would like you to know that our faculty and staff are tirelessly working to provide a continued quality educational experience. We are dedicated to ensuring as smooth a process as possible for our entire campus community. 

I am so grateful for the resilience and compassion of our Mountain Lion family. As we work through this challenging time, I send my very best.  

Respectfully, 

Venkat Reddy 

UCCS Chancellor