March 17 - Updates on COVID-19

CAMPUS UPDATES

Updates to Chancellor Directive of March 10

Since Chancellor Gillman’s March 10 announcement that Spring quarter instruction will be remote, among other updates, UCI has taken additional aggressive steps towards “flattening the curve”. These include:

Ongoing closing or suspension of certain activities including research spaces. (See Research Ramp-Down below)
All on-campus residents should, if at all possible, return to their permanent addresses. (See Student Housing below)
Staff should work from home if at all possible, in coordination with their supervisors. UC President has issued guidance outlining up to 128 hours of paid administrative leave available through the end of the calendar year. (See UC updates below)
Policies on size of gatherings will evolve to be consistent with updated federal and state guidance.
Limits to food service – for the foreseeable future, food will be grab and go.
FRESH Basic Needs Hub is operating on a modified schedule.
The ARC and Crawford Pool are closed until further notice.
All campus events have been canceled.
Commencement in its traditional form for June 2020 is canceled. We are considering other alternatives, such as virtual celebrations or rescheduling.

Remote Spring Quarter Instruction

All spring quarter course instruction, including lab and studio courses, will be delivered remotely. Students will receive remote learning details from their instructors.

Student Housing

All on-campus residents are urged to return to their permanent residences. For those who are able to return home, UCI will accept termination requests for housing contracts for the remainder of the academic year, without penalty. Students intending to terminate their contracts must notify Housing by March 18, with a move-out date by March 29. Residence Halls and living communities will modify operations to comply with social distancing regulations. ACC residents will be able to terminate their contracts immediately.

Research Ramp-Down

Effective immediately the Office of Research is implementing plans to ramp down non-critical research through May 1. This must be accomplished by close of business on Friday, March 20. To the extent feasible, non-critical research should be shifted to remote operations (i.e., home), or postponed to a later date.

Student Services Status Page

Information about campus services available to students during the remote learning period is available online. This page will be updated as new information about student services become available.

Internet Connectivity for Students

The campus has put together a list of Internet connectivity resources for students who need to connect to broadband and Wi-Fi during this time. More details are available on the student resources webpage.

COVID-19 Event Policy Amendment

Student Affairs has issued an amendment to the campus event policy effective March 12, 2020 - June 30, 2020.

CAMPUS RESOURCES

Coping with the Stress of COVID-19

UCI Health offers tips on managing stress, taking care of your mental health, and tips for helping children cope with the COVID-19 crisis.

“What is Social Distancing?” Video

A new explainer video describes social distancing and how UCI community members can practice it and still engage in the necessary motions of everyday activity.

Disability Resources

UCI provides resources for our staff and students seeking reasonable accommodations for their job, classes, or housing.

March 13, 2020 – Campus Town Hall

Campus leaders came together for a town hall conversation addressing the most critical issues on student affairs, educational technology, research continuity, enrollment and financial aid, and the employee experience.

UC UPDATES

Executive Order: Paid Administrative Leave

UC President Janet Napolitano issued guidance to grant up to 128 hours of paid administrative leave with supervisor approval for employees unable to work for COVID-19 related reasons, effective for the period March 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

COMMUNITY AND NEWS

White House Issues “15 Days to Control the Spread” Guidance

U.S. President Trump released new guidelines for the public including closing schools and avoiding groups of more than 10 people, discretionary travel, bars, restaurants and food courts. The guidelines will be revisited and reviewed in 15 days.

County of Orange State of Emergency Declaration

This morning, the Orange County Board of Supervisors announced a State of Emergency (link is to a PDF) for the county. This follows previous declarations made by the Orange County Health Care Agency and California Department of Public Health.

UCI IN THE NEWS - COVID-19 Article List

Wired, March 17, 2020
Why the Coronavirus Hit Italy So Hard

The Washington Post, March 16, 2020
Coronavirus tests American democracy as planning begins for ‘worst case’ in November election

The New York Times, March 16, 2020
How Much Does Voting Spread Viruses?

The Intercept, March 16, 2020
Pandemic Planning Should Ensure All Votes Can Be Cast by Mail in November, Experts Say

KPCC, March 16, 2020 (Audio)
As California Seniors, High-Risk Populations Self-Isolate Amid Coronavirus Outbreak, How Are You Staying Connected?

Health Day, March 16, 2020
Hit by Coronavirus Panic? Look for Data Not Drama, Experts Say

Slate, March 16, 2020
The Coronavirus vs. Civil Liberties

Los Angeles Times, March 16, 2020
Ohio governor calls for postponing Tuesday’s Democratic presidential primary

On Second Thought – GPB, March 15, 2020 (Audio)
OST Full Show: Mitigating Coronavirus, Richard Hasen’s ‘Election Meltdown’

The New York Times, March 14, 2020
Could the 2020 Election Be Postponed? Only With Great Difficulty. Here’s Why.

Los Angeles Times, March 14, 2020
UC has a solution to the national shortage of coronavirus testing – do it in house