March 11, 2011

UCF will move to remote instruction effective Monday, March 16, to minimize health and safety risks to the UCF community, especially as students and faculty prepare to return from Spring Break.

Classes that are currently online will continue Monday. All other classes will be ready for online instruction by Wednesday. Information is currently available at ucf.edu/coronavirus/coronavirus, and more updates will be shared via email with students and faculty over the next few days.

Remote instruction will continue for at least two weeks. Because courses are being moved online, students should not come back to campus for the next two weeks. Fourteen days is the period in which secondary transmission to others is thought to be highest, and UCF advises against any additional travel during this time.

Students should stay at or return to their permanent residences. Residence halls will remain open for residents who do not have an alternative place to stay, and certain campus services may not be available.

All UCF campuses will remain open for employees, who are expected to continue working. Student employees should contact their supervisors for guidance.

It has become increasingly clear that social distancing is critical in preventing the spread of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). Social distancing means avoiding mass gatherings and settings with large amounts of people and maintaining distance from others when possible.

As UCF has previously shared, the Florida Department of Health advises that anyone returning from a country that has a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Level 3 Travel Health Notice self-quarantines for 14 days upon return. If you have returned from one of these countries in the past two weeks — or will soon be returning from one of these countries, please immediately contact Student Health Services at 407-823-2509.

Those who have traveled to CDC Level 2 countries or taken a cruise should monitor their health, limit interactions with others for 14 days after returning to the U.S., and immediately self-isolate and contact their health care provider.

For more information regarding current CDC travel advisories related to COVID-19, visit: cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/index.html.

Since January, UCF has been working to diligently prepare and plan for the university’s response to COVID-19. With new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Florida every day, today’s decision prioritizes the safety and wellbeing of our campus community members – many of whom have traveled during this week’s Spring Break. It also aligns with guidance from the Florida Board of Governors and the steps all public universities in Florida are taking.

UCF will communicate updated information in the coming days, including at the website ucf.edu/coronavirus/coronavirus. In this dynamic situation, we will continue to prioritize the health and safety of everyone at UCF.