Mar. 11, 2020

Dear Students,

We know there is concern and anxiety around the COVID-19 issue – both on our campus and in the community. The situation is fluid and continues to evolve. The health and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff – especially those who are at greater risk – are at the forefront of our decision making and planning.

Today, the Nevada System of Higher Education asked all NSHE institutions to be prepared to transition to remote/virtual instruction no later than April 3. This allows faculty across the various institutions time to prepare course materials to ensure you can continue your classes and progress toward your degrees.

As we transition to spring break next week – and many people leave campus – we will continue to monitor the situation closely to determine next steps, all in consultation with local health officials.

We ask all individuals who feel ill to stay home and follow recommendations from the Southern Nevada Health District, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Student Health Center and Faculty and Staff Treatment (FAST) Center. We are asking faculty to accommodate students who feel ill or have concerns about attending in-person classes.

Travel: Effectively immediately, UNLV is suspending indefinitely all individual student international travel and all faculty-led student group travel. Study Abroad is notifying affected students.

If you have any travel plans, please check and monitor travel advisories before and during your trip, including from the CDC and U.S. Department of State. We are amid a rapidly evolving situation. Any travel, even domestically, could result in restrictions on your return, such as quarantine, based on the situation at that time. If you are planning to travel to an international destination, be aware you may face unpredictable circumstances, travel restrictions, challenges returning home or accessing health care while abroad.

Athletics: In alignment with the NCAA’s decision on its upcoming championship events, UNLV and UNR will conduct upcoming athletic competitions with only designated staff in attendance. The institutions will continue to evaluate and assess the impact of COVID-19 in consultation with local health officials, the Mountain West Conference and campus colleagues and continue to follow federal, state, and NSHE guidelines and best practices.

Campus operations: All normal business operations will continue over spring break and into the foreseeable future.

The health and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and visitors remain our top priority. While UNLV does not currently have any presumptive positive cases of COVID-19, we know that may change. UNLV will continue to closely monitor information released by the Southern Nevada Health District and the CDC. We will continue to reach out to you as the situation evolves and update information at unlv.edu/coronavirus. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.

Warm regards,

Marta Meana, Ph.D.

UNLV President