This is a weekly update on the campus Roadmap to Fall 2020 from the UNC-Chapel Hill Office of the Provost, issued Thursday June 25.
Dear Carolina Community,
In my role as Executive Director for implementation of the Roadmap for Fall 2020, I will provide updates to the Carolina community every Thursday.
This week we have made several updates to our Roadmap. We are carefully addressing your questions and concerns while putting guidelines in place to meet our responsibility to provide a safe environment for our return in the fall.
Testing and Tracing
Campus Health now has testing information for students, post-doctoral fellows and their eligible partners and spouses. Campus Health also has information on how close contact tracing is conducted by Campus Health with guidance from the local Health department when students and post-doctoral fellows test positive for COVID-19. Environmental Health and Safety has put similar testing and tracing protocols in place for faculty and staff. Both Campus Health and EHS are working closely with Orange and surrounding counties to ensure proper reporting and tracing.
As a reminder, based on information and advice from our campus and community experts, testing everyone prior to their reentry to the campus could create a false sense of security. The CDC does not recommend widespread, asymptomatic testing, and instead recommends that all individuals take preventative measures to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. This is consistent with the advice of our own infectious disease and public health faculty experts.
Transportation and Parking
Parking will remain available in lots throughout campus for employees and students through July 31. Permit and hourly fees for students, employees, and daily visitors will not be charged through this period when parking regulations are not in effect. Fire lanes and reserved spaces, including accessibility spaces, are not available for parking without the appropriate credential. Parking regulations for campus will go into effect on August 1.
Our transit partners have made several operational changes, including requiring face masks and reducing occupancy. Learn more at the Town of Chapel Hill’s dedicated COVID-19 transit page or find a list of transit partners on our Roadmap page.
Academics & Instructional Delivery
There are several important updates on the Academics and Instructional Delivery pages
- New standard meeting times for fall 2020 class days.
- Student Schedule view in ConnectCarolina will be unavailable June 24 – June 30 so most undergraduate and graduate courses can be realigned within the new extended day schedule. Students should be able to view their courses on ConnectCarolina from July 1 forward.
- Registration for continuing students will be closed June 24 – July 20 to allow schools, departments, and the Registrar to update and make changes to ConnectCarolina. Classrooms will be assigned during the downtime and course information will continue to be updated including modes of instruction and course times.
Carolina Away
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions has provided an update on Carolina Away with information on courses, learning communities and an FAQ. Admissions e-mailed all incoming students, hosted a webinar and is asking students to update us with their plans by June 30.
Masks and Physical Distancing
Carolina’s infectious disease faculty experts have stressed the importance of masks and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization, and state and local public health officials have been consistent in advocating for the importance of masks in reducing the likelihood of transmission and acquisition of the virus.
Our Community Standards pages have been updated to emphasize the importance of masks and physical distancing to maintain a safe and healthy environment
- The University’s guidelines on wearing face masks, effective immediately
- Face masks must be worn in all classroom settings by students, faculty, staff, and visitors from the time they enter the building to the time they leave the building and in indoor spaces. In dining halls, masks must be worn except when eating or drinking. In addition, masks must be worn in outdoor settings where physical distancing is not possible.
- In the classroom setting and other common indoor settings, students, faculty, staff, and visitors must observe a minimum of 3 feet physical distancing “mask to mask.” Masks must be worn in these spaces. Schools will have the discretion to expand distancing greater than 3 feet for certain classrooms.
- Away from campus, Orange County requires face masks in restaurants, grocery and retail stores, in public transportation vehicles and in any indoor or outdoor situation where a 6-foot physical distance cannot be maintained.
We are in continuous conversation with University leaders, and faculty, staff and students as we make these updates, and all our decisions are guided by evidence-based decision making with our UNC-Chapel Hill public health and infectious disease faculty experts.
We are collecting these updates and other communications on the Carolina Together website, and you can contact me with your questions, concerns and feedback using this form.
Sincerely,
Bob Blouin