Weekly Update from Chancellor Jones (May 18 – May 22)

Despite the ways COVID-19 has disrupted every aspect of our lives, I have never been prouder to be a member of this community. I am truly grateful for your patience, passion and perseverance during this pandemic. 

We are partnering with public health officials to help you receive testing.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign employees are invited to participate in the free, drive-through COVID-19 testing being conducted at Marketplace Mall.

We are developing updated cleaning and disinfecting strategies and service levels.

These actions strive to help deter the spread of the virus in campus facilities and protect the well-being of students, faculty, staff and guests.

We are partnering local leaders to ensure our greater community is safe when the stay-at-home order is lifted.

Local businesses can take the pledge to show that they are doing their part in maintaining the well-being of our community.

We are reminding our university community about the importance of social distancing.

The health and safety of our entire community remains a top priority of the university.

We are using Illinois innovation to help fight COVID-19.

An Illinois team is working to shorten the amount of time it takes to process a COVID-19 test.

Thank you for your continued patience as we navigate COVID-19. Please feel free to direct questions to covid-19@illinois.edu.

Robert J. Jones

Chancellor

Weekly Update from Chancellor Jones (May 11 – May 15)

We are so excited to welcome the Class of 2020 into the Illinois alumni family. While we are planning a rescheduled in-person ceremony worthy of what they deserve, watch the May 16 virtual celebration and congratulate our amazing Illinois graduates. 

We have established a framework to ensure a safe, careful and deliberate transition back to on-campus operations.

This recovery initiative will be managed by the COVID-19: Executive Steering Committee on Return to On-Campus Operations in collaboration with seven mission-specific working teams that include broad representation from faculty, staff and students from across campus and across disciplines.

We are collaborating to produce emergency ventilators.

Belkin is producing an emergency ventilator based on the Illinois RapidVent concept. They plan to produce at least 10,000 ventilators, pending FDA Emergency Use Authorization that they have applied for. 

We are producing masks to help fight COVID-19.

A research group in chemical and biomolecular engineering is using a 3D printer to supply emergency and healthcare workers with PPE.

Thank you for your continued patience as we navigate this pandemic. Please feel free to direct questions to covid-19@illinois.edu.

Robert J. Jones

Chancellor

Weekly Update from Chancellor Jones (May 4 – May 8)

I hope you will take a few minutes to watch my video message to our university community. As we enter the end of the semester, I am truly grateful for your patience and I am so proud to be part of the Illinois family. 

We are actively planning protocols to put in place once employees who have been working remotely can begin returning to on-site work.

Though we are still under the stay-at-home order from Gov. J.B. Pritzker, we are preparing detailed plans for how we will implement this transition.

We are using technology to keep students, faculty and staff connected while they are away from campus.

Units across campus are keeping Illinois connected remotely.

We are getting ready to virtually celebrate the Class of 2020.

The university is planning a rescheduled in-person commencement ceremony when it is safe to do so. Until then, join us for a virtual celebration to congratulate our amazing Illinois graduates. Tune in live on Saturday, May 16 at noon via go.illinois.edu/celebration.

I am grateful for your continued innovation as we navigate this pandemic. Please feel free to direct questions to covid-19@illinois.edu.

Robert J. Jones

Chancellor

End of the year message from the Chancellor

At the end of a truly unprecedented semester, Chancellor Robert Jones has a message for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign community.

Extending cancellation of summer events through July 5

With the recent extension of the state’s stay-at-home order and uncertainty about what restrictions on gatherings might remain in place after that order is lifted, we have made the decision to extend our cancellation of all university-sponsored summer events through July 5. The previous cancellation of university-sponsored summer camps is extended through August 15.

We will adopt the following phased approach to decisions about the status of events after July 5 through the rest of the summer and into the fall semester.

  • May 1 –July 5: All university sponsored events are cancelled or must be delivered in an online or remote format.
  • June 1: University guidance will be announced for events between July 6 – July 31.
  • July 1: University guidance will be announced for events between Aug. 1 – Aug. 15.
  • July 15: University guidance will be announced for events between Aug. 16-Aug. 31.
  • August 1: University guidance will be announced for events between Sept. 1 – Sept. 30.

We believe this phased approach offers the best option for units to make appropriate plans for operations through the summer months. We also want to ensure that our local businesses and individual members of our community have early notice and more time to make any accommodations.

We define summer events as organized activities sponsored by the university and/or held in university facilities that involve gatherings of small to large groups of people. Examples would include conferences, institutes, weddings, clinics and concerts.

We know this is disappointing news, but the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and the community in which live, must be our top priority. All of our decisions related to summer and fall events will continue to be guided by the directives from the State of Illinois and advice of our local public health officials.

Thank you for your continued patience and kindness as we navigate these uncertain times.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones
Chancellor

Weekly Update from Chancellor Jones (April 27 – May 1)

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to an academic year no one ever imagined. As we enter the end of the semester, I am thankful for your continued patience and innovation.

We have updated move-out information for University Housing residents.

University Housing residents who can safely do so are encouraged to return to campus to move out of residence halls. 

We are extending academic deadlines for students.

In response to requests from our students and in consultation with the Academic Senate, we are extending some key deadlines for student course grading and credit decisions.

We have information for members of our community targeted by scams.

Several members of our international community have recently been targeted by scams. If you are concerned you may have been contacted by a scammer, we encourage you to report it to UIPD.

We are extending our cancellation of university-sponsored summer events through July 5.

With the recent extension of the state’s stay-at-home order and uncertainty about what restrictions on gatherings might remain in place after that order is lifted, we have made the decision to extend our cancellation of all university-sponsored summer events through July 5.

We are using Illinois innovation to contribute solutions to COVID-19.

A group of Carle Illinois students created an isolation pod that reduces patient contact while continuing patient care.

To view past updates, visit the Weekly Update archive. Please feel free to direct questions to covid-19@illinois.edu.

Robert J. Jones

Chancellor