Massmail: Post-Spring Break Information

The latest updates about course delivery, events, meetings and travel are detailed in a massmail sent by Chancellor Robert Jones and Provost Andreas Cangellaris.

You can read the massmail online.

Massmail: Spring Break COVID-19 Safety Information

Dr. Robert Parker from the McKinley Health Center has sent a new massmail to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign providing updates and information about traveling over spring break.

You can read Dr. Parker’s massmail online.

Cleaning and sanitizing campus buildings

Facilities and Services has released updated information about their procedures for cleaning and sanitizing campus buildings in order to help reduce COVID-19 risks on campus. You can read more about the steps that Facilities and Services are taking to protect campus on the Facilities and Services website.

Sign up for Parent and Family Communications

The Illini Union Parent and Family Programs Office provides regular email updates to parents throughout the year about campus events and programs, issues of concern, and opportunities for parents and families to participate in their student’s collegiate career. As the university continues to respond to issues around COVID-19, the Parent and Family Programs Office is sending COVID-19 information specifically for parents and families of students.

If you would like to receive updates from the Illini Union Parent and Family Programs Office, please sign up here.

Massmail: COVID-19 update

Chancellor Robert Jones has sent a new massmail to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign community providing updates on the university’s many responses to the global COVID-19 outbreak.

You can read the Chancellor’s massmail online.

Cancelling Spring Break Programs

In light of continuing COVID-19 risks, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is cancelling all international spring break programs sponsored by the university. Additionally, university-sponsored domestic student spring break programs that require air travel are cancelled. University-sponsored programs are those that are affiliated with a course, financially supported by the university or include university faculty-staff chaperones. Vice Chancellors and Deans will be given the discretion to determine if domestic spring break programs that do not require air travel may proceed as planned.

We understand that cancellations may be disruptive. The university will work with departments and individuals to address any academic or financial implications that may arise because of these cancellations.

We understand that the continued spread of the virus is generating concern and uncertainty for many. We are continuing to work closely with state and local health officials on all medical issues and to implement precautions to help ensure the safety of all who live here.

Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we continue to make decisions and develop plans to protect our faculty members, staff and students on a constantly evolving issue.

Massmail Update: International Travel

On Monday, March 2 the University of Illinois issued new information in a massmail about study abroad programs. Four recent developments were discussed:

All students, faculty members and staff are required to leave Italy. 
New escalations of U.S. Department of State travel advisory to “Level 4, Avoid Travel” for regions of Italy have led us to suspend all academic programs in that country. In accordance with this decision and the federal direction, all students, and faculty members and staff on university business are required to depart Italy as soon as possible. This decision will impact 137 study abroad students in Italy. The full communication about this action can be found here.

All students, faculty members and staff are required to leave the Daegu region of South Korea, and encouraged to leave all sites in South Korea.
New escalations of U.S. Department of State travel advisory to “Level 4, Avoid Travel” for the Daegu region of South Korea have led us to suspend academic programs in that area. We are requiring all students, and faculty members and staff on university business in the Daegu region to leave the country as soon as possible. Additionally, we are also strongly encouraging students, faculty members and staff in any part of South Korea to depart voluntarily. These decisions will impact 15 study abroad students in South Korea. The full communication about this action can be found here.

In accordance with existing and escalating travel alerts, travel to China, Iran, Italy, and the Daegu region of South Korea on university business is being restricted.
All students, faculty members and staff are prohibited from traveling to China, Iran, Italy and the Daegu region of South Korea on university business or using university resources. This is an evolving situation; the list of countries may change rapidly.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has instructed universities to consider postponing or canceling student foreign exchange programs, and we are offering all study abroad students the opportunity to end their program early.
In response to a growing number of questions and concerns expressed by students and their families, we are offering all 852 of our study abroad participants in any location the opportunity to voluntarily end their program immediately and return to their permanent home. We are working diligently to arrange alternative methods to deliver instruction to any students who want to continue making academic progress this semester. We recognize that there can be financial and academic implications for students, and we are committed to working with them to the best of our ability to mitigate any negative impacts.

The full March 2 Massmail is available online.