Weekly Update from Chancellor Jones (Week of Feb. 1)

We are reminding students to participate in essential activities only until at least Feb 8.

For the first several weeks of the semester, students should limit their in-person interactions to only the most essential activities. The target date for lifting essential activities only is Monday, Feb. 8 but it could be sooner or later depending on what the data shows about the virus.

We are reminding our university community to maintain their regular testing schedule and follow COVID-19 safety protocols.

Continue to check the testing locations page or your Safer Illinois app before testing at your usual location. Please note that this semester, students who are out of compliance may also lose access to university Wi-Fi, Zoom, Compass and other technologies.

We are providing students with PPE kits for the new semester.

Students can pick up free PPE kits on the second floor of the Illini Union Bookstore with their i-cards until Feb. 11.

We are continuing to share updated vaccine information.

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is leading vaccination distribution in our county, and the university will share vaccine information with you as it becomes available.

I am grateful for your efforts as we work to maximize the safety of our university community. Please feel free to direct questions to covid-19@illinois.edu.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones

Chancellor

Vaccines available for select in-person employees

CUPHD has announced that COVID-19 vaccine appointments are now available for select in-person higher education employees. Eligible employees will receive a separate email with additional information.

Eligibility for select in-person higher education employees include:

  • In-person employees at the Childhood Development Lab
  • In-person employees at University High School
  • In-person employees at University Primary School
  • In-person employees at Orchard Downs Preschool
  • Instructors teaching at least one in-person class for the Spring 2021 semester
  • In-person researchers located at sites designated for Shield-related saliva collection, research development and/or COVID response; sites contracted for state and local community engagement
  • In-person Facilities & Services employees
  • In-person Housing/Student Affairs employees
  • In-person Technology Services employees
  • In-person Division of Intercollegiate Athletics employees

For more information, please visit the Vaccine page.

View the full message to students, faculty and staff.

Weekly Update from Chancellor Jones (1/25 – 1/29)

We are reminding students to participate in essential activities only until Feb 8.

For the first several weeks of the semester, students should limit their in-person interactions to only the most essential activities. The target date for lifting essential activities only is Monday, Feb. 8 but it could be sooner or later depending on what the data shows about the virus.

We are reminding our university community to maintain their regular testing schedule and follow COVID-19 safety protocols.

Continue to check the testing locations page or your Safer Illinois app before testing at your usual location. Please note that this semester, students who are out of compliance may also lose access to university Wi-Fi, Zoom, Compass and other technologies.

We are asking instructors and students to continue to work together on absences for in-person classes.

The Office of the Provost is asking instructors to continue to work with students who miss in-person classes due to restricted building access to ensure they can continue to make academic progress. Students should also review each course section’s attendance policies, which should be in the course syllabus, and establish open communication with instructors by asking for clarification on any aspect of these policies. 

We are providing students with PPE kits for the new semester.

Students can pick up free PPE kits on the second floor of the Illini Union Bookstore with their i-Cards until Feb. 11.

We are continuing to share updated vaccine information.

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is leading vaccination distribution in our county, and the university will share vaccine information with you as it becomes available.

I am grateful for your efforts as we work to maximize the safety of our university community. Please feel free to direct questions to covid-19@illinois.edu.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones

Chancellor

Message to instructors: Spring 2021 Student Testing Update

The Office of the Provost is asking instructors to continue to work with students who miss in-person classes due to restricted building access, to ensure they can continue to make academic progress.

In parallel, the university encourage students to communicate with their instructors or the Office of the Dean of Students if they encounter any challenges.

View the full message to instructors.

Weekly Update from Chancellor Jones (1/18 – 1/22)

We are reminding students to participate in essential activities only until Feb 8.

For the first several weeks of the semester, students should limit their in-person interactions to only the most essential activities. The target date for lifting essential activities only is Monday, Feb. 8 but it could be sooner or later depending on what the data shows about the virus. Updates will be communicated accordingly.

We are requiring students to receive two negative on-campus test results between Jan. 15-24.

In order to participate in on-campus activities, it is required that all undergraduate and graduate students receive two negative on-campus test results, no sooner than three days apart between Jan. 15-24. For more information, please visit the Spring 2021 Return to Campus page.

We are reminding our university community to maintain their regular testing schedule and follow COVID-19 safety protocols.

Continue to check the testing locations page or your Safer Illinois app before testing at your usual location. Please note that this semester, students who are out of compliance may also lose access to university Wi-Fi, Zoom, Compass and other technologies.

We are continuing to share updated vaccine information.

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is leading vaccination distribution in our county, and the university will share vaccine information with you as it becomes available.

We are reminding our University Housing and Private Certified Housing residents to comply with quarantine and isolation guidelines.

Isolation or quarantine as directed by CUPHD is mandatory. To expedite the contract tracing process, University Housing and Private Certified Housing (PCH) facilities are working with CUPHD to contact and isolate or quarantine residents. Students who fail to comply with public health directives from University Housing or PCH could also be subject to disciplinary action.  

I am grateful for your efforts as we work to maximize the safety of our university community. Please feel free to direct questions to covid-19@illinois.edu.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones

Chancellor

Massmail: Vaccines for Champaign County residents 65 years of age and older

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) announced today that COVID-19 vaccines are now available for Champaign County residents who are 65 years of age or older.

View the full message.

For more information, please view the Vaccine page.

Massmail: Increased Precautions – Essential Activities Only Until Feb. 8

For the first several weeks, students should limit their in-person interactions to only the most essential activities: taking COVID-19 tests, attending class, purchasing groceries and food, going to work, engaging in individual outdoor activity, attending religious services and seeking medical attention. This also means that once you arrive on campus for the semester, you should avoid travel outside the Champaign-Urbana area.

The target date for lifting essential activities only is Monday, Feb. 8 but it could be sooner or later depending on what the data show about virus spread. Updates will be communicated accordingly.

View the full message.

Massmail: Vaccines for Champaign County residents 65-74 with certain conditions and 75+

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) announced today that COVID-19 vaccines are now available for Champaign County residents who are 65 to 74 years of age with certain health conditions designated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vaccines are also available to Champaign County residents who are 75 years of age or older who were not able to schedule an appointment previously.

View the full message.

For more information, please view the Vaccine page.

Massmail: COVID-19 Testing Exemption Process

All students living on-campus or residing in Champaign, Urbana, or Savoy are required to test even if they are taking a fully online schedule. In addition, the university’s COVID-19 testing policy requires all students working on-campus, attending in-person classes, or participating in any on-campus activities to participate in the on-campus testing program.

The university has developed a process for students who are living locally (Urbana, Champaign, and Savoy) and who are not coming to campus during the Spring 2021 semester to apply for an exemption from the COVID-19 testing requirement. Exemptions will be granted rarely and only to students who can demonstrate that participating in the testing program is especially burdensome to them.

Effective Friday, January 15, students who wish to apply for an exemption should submit their information at go.illinois.edu/CovidExemption.

Only students who are living locally and NOT coming to campus are eligible to request an exemption.

Students who were granted an exemption from testing in the Fall 2020 semester will need to reapply for a Spring 2021 exemption at go.illinois.edu/CovidExemption.

View the full message.

Weekly Update from Chancellor Jones (1/11-1/15)

We are requiring students to receive two negative on-campus test results between Jan. 15-24.

In order to participate in on-campus activities, it is required that all undergraduate and graduate students receive two negative on-campus test results, no sooner than three days apart between Jan. 15-24. For more information, please visit the Spring 2021 Return to Campus page.

We are extending hours at on-campus testing locations on Jan. 23 and 24.

Please check the Testing Locations page or your Safer Illinois app before testing at your usual location.

We are sharing information about Spring 2021 in our COVID-19 Briefing Series.

The captioned briefing from Jan. 12, Supporting our University Community during Spring 2021, is now available to watch.

We are asking students to submit their positive off-campus COVID-19 test results.

Undergraduate and graduate students who test positive for COVID-19 at an off-campus location over Winter Break should submit their positive off-campus COVID-19 test result through the MyMcKinley Portal.

We are limiting the Safer Illinois app and Boarding Pass building access to maximize safety. 

Between January 15 and January 24, the Safer Illinois App and Boarding Pass will be reset for the Spring semester, at which time building access will be shown as denied. Graduate or professional students who have research or work duties that require access to campus buildings from Jan. 15-24 should work with their supervisors to arrange for building access.

I am grateful for your efforts as we work to maximize the safety of our university community. Please feel free to direct questions to covid-19@illinois.edu.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones

Chancellor