Coronavirus Update March 11, 2020: New campus actions implemented

Current Coronavirus (COVID-19) Situation - UCCS update (11 a.m. March 11, 2020)

Today, I am announcing several campus actions to help limit COVID-19 risk on campus. We will continue to fulfill our mission by ensuring that students are able to meet their educational requirements and faculty are able to continue their research and scholarship, and the campus will remain open to allow that to occur.

The campus will remain open with regular hours, including dining and residence halls, and will continue to operate campus services and facilities. But, as local, national and global public health recommendations shift to include mitigation of transmission, we are proactively taking steps protect the campus and the community.

The campus is taking the following actions, which will be in effect until further notice. We will be providing further guidance in the coming days and provide direction about how to implement each of these decisions:

• Remote Teaching and Learning – UCCS is working with deans to begin the transition to teach remotely to reduce the number of people on campus and increase social distancing. After Spring Break, UCCS will use remote learning for two weeks (March 30-April 13) for those classes that are able to do so. In-person classes will begin again Tuesday, April 14, unless a different decision is made prior to that date. Faculty will determine how best to use technology, such as Canvas, Microsoft Teams or WebEx, to enable students to complete their educational requirements. This is consistent with what several other institutions are already doing.
  • The faculty and the individual college deans, with approval of the Provost’s Office, will determine classes that are not able to meet remotely. Additional communication from deans and vice chancellors will be provided to faculty and staff. Students in those classes will receive specific instructions by Thursday, March 19.
  • The library will remain open for students to access computers and resources. 
• Remote Work – High-risk individuals, including those with a chronic health condition or a compromised immune system, can work with their supervisor to determine remote work options. Additional information will be available on the Human Resources website today.
• Domestic and International Travel – All travel, international and domestic, is restricted through the end of April. Exceptions must be approved by the Provost for academic units and the Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance for other units.
• Events – All large campus-sponsored events through the end of April will be evaluated case-by-case by the Interim Vice Chancellor for Student Success.

The safety of our community is our top priority. We realize that our COVID-19 policy guidelines will cause disruption—and that you will have additional questions based on the above information—but the risk of not acting outweighs the inconvenience of these temporary measures. 

The university has activated its Incident Management Team, a group of more than 30 individuals from each area of campus, that have been working on the campus response to COVID-19. We are continuously updating the coronavirus information page in accordance with these decisions, and we will follow up with more specific guidance on next steps later today and in the coming days.

I appreciate your patience and cooperation. We are grateful to faculty and staff for their tremendous efforts during these challenging times. I am confident that with your help we will get through this successfully. 

Venkat Reddy
Chancellor