Communications & Updates
Recent Updates
January 14, 2021
University of Louisville’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan
Our vaccine distribution plan
- UofL Health will administer the vaccine to university members who choose to be vaccinated.
- This is the order in which university members will be able to participate in the first phase of the university’s distribution:
- Employees and students who are actively involved in direct patient care
- Employees and students over age 65
- Employees and students over age 50
- Vaccination of groups not included in 1-3 above will follow this first phase of the vaccine distribution, in accordance with CDC and state guidelines.
- Names of our faculty, staff and students included in groups 1-3 are being sent to UofL Health by our Campus Health Services team. You do not need to take any individual action to have your name submitted.
January 5, 2021
Message from the Coordinating Committee to all FACULTY and STAFF about spring 2021 reminders
- (All) Required testing Jan. 4 to Jan. 15
- (All) Quarantine now if you recently returned from a location with a positivity rate of 15% or higher.
- (Faculty) Review the Spring 2021 Information for Faculty webpage on the COVID-19 website.
- (Faculty) Students have been told they will hear from their professors by Jan. 6. This is also the date their syllabus should be available for viewing on Blackboard.
January 5, 2021
Message from the Coordinating Committee to all STUDENTS about spring 2021 reminders
- Expect a note from your professors by Jan. 6
- Required testing
- Quarantine now if you are currently on campus or plan to be when classes start (Jan. 11).
- Get a flu shot.
- Wear a mask and practice physical distancing.
- Read the Spring 2021 Student Acknowledgement.
- Carefully review the Spring 2021 Information for Students webpage on the COVID-19 website.
- Contact the COVID Support Team for questions or concerns about the COVID-19 protocols.
- Reach out for help.
December 16, 2020
Message from the Coordinating Committee to all FACULTY and STAFF about spring 2021
- Once the COVID-19 vaccine is widely available, it will not be required but highly encouraged
- We will have monthly required testing
- Our quarantine protocols have changed
- We are finalizing a new health app
- The Spring 2021 Information for Faculty webpage is now available
- The 2020-2021 Information for Employees webpage still contains details about the university’s continued emergency temporary telecommuting guidelines
December 16, 2020
Message from the Coordinating Committee to all STUDENTS about spring 2021
- Once the COVID-19 vaccine is widely available, it will not be required but highly encouraged
- We will have monthly required testing
- Our quarantine protocols have changed
- We are finalizing a new health app
- The Spring 2021 Information for Students webpage is now live on the university’s COVID-19 website.
- Quarantine for 10 days at home prior to arrival on campus
- Get a flu shot
- Read the Spring 2021 Student Acknowledgement
December 2, 2020
Update on retirement plan contributions
As you know, COVID-19 presented unique and serious challenges for our 2020-21 opera+ng budget. To ensure that UofL would have sufficient funds to meet its obligations and deal with budget shortfalls, university leadership took several steps. These included:
- 5 percent unit budget reserves, and
- temporarily resetting institutional contributions to Employee retirement plans to a 2.5 percent base plus 2.5 percent optional match.
These and other necessary actions helped ensure the university would have the funds to meet its financial obligations, such as funding increased employee health insurance costs without increasing the employee premiums.
November 18, 2020
Message from the Provost to faculty re remote instruction
The governor has commended institutions of higher education that are planning to teach remotely after Friday, Nov. 20. He is not, at this time, mandating universities to be fully remote.
UofL already had planned to end face-to-face instruction next Tuesday, and so I know that some of you have final, in-person meetings and assessments scheduled for Monday and/or Tuesday. We agreed to ask faculty to consider whether what you have planned for those two days next week can be delivered remotely, and if so, to please make arrangements to be remote next week.
If, however, you have planned assessments or exams that are better delivered in-person, please communicate to your students as soon as possible that you will continue to administer these assessments in-person as you have already scheduled.
November 12, 2020
Update from Coordinating Committee on UofL response to COVID-19
With less than two weeks of in-person instruction remaining, we must remain vigilant to finish the semester on a positive note. The university is taking the following steps:
- We are continuing to offer testing for students, faculty and staff and encourage all who are currently on campus to be tested before leaving for the Thanksgiving holiday. Testing information is available here. If you are displaying COVID-19 symptoms, call Campus Health (502-852-6446) for guidance on getting a rapid test.
- We encourage students, faculty and staff on campus to be tested again immediately following the Thanksgiving holiday if you are returning to campus. Most students should be able to complete the semester remotely after in-person instruction ends at Thanksgiving and return in January.
- We are asking students to isolate as much as possible and to avoid large gatherings before returning home to your families.
- We are encouraging faculty and staff who are working remotely to continue doing so and for supervisors to review their units for possible additional remote-work opportunities. Student-facing offices, clinics and other designated offices must continue to be staffed. Supervisor approval for moving to a remote work status is required. Please see the remote work guidelines.
- We also are requiring all students, faculty and staff to wear masks, follow physical distancing guidelines and wash your hands frequently to avoid spreading the virus.
October 30, 2020
Resources to combat stress available to students, faculty, staff:
We want to assure you that your mental health and emotional well-being are important to us.
There are resources available to help you cope with issues you may be facing.
Our Counseling Center offers a variety of resources. The Counseling Center has also created a virtual toolkit with self-care tips and resources for coping with uncertain times. You can find more information on the Counseling Center website or by calling 502-852-6585.
- Faculty and staff have access to free counseling and life management services through the university’s Employee Assistance Program. Human Resources is offering several other services (attached) designed to help battle stress.
October 27, 2020
UofL’s response to governor’s recent red zone announcement:
We have updated our definition of exposure
We continue to ask all deans and vice presidents to allow staff who can work remotely to do so
We ask for better mask compliance in all campus libraries and the Student Activities Center
Winter commencement ceremonies will be conducted virtually
Visits and tours on campus should be postponed unless they are essential
October 23, 2020
Flu Shots Required for UofL Students, Faculty and Staff:
This year, we are requiring students, faculty and staff who are coming to campus to receive a flu vaccination
All sites are closed on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 3
After Nov. 6, shots will be available at Campus Health Services on both the Belknap and HSC campuses
October 19, 2020
Required COVID testing continues through Oct. 23:
Thank you for your efforts to help us prevent widespread instances of COVID-19 on our campuses
Any faculty, staff or students who come to campus and who have not been tested since before Oct. 5 are required to be tested for COVID-19 by Oct. 23
October 16, 2020
University extends course withdrawal date, responds to pass/fail questions:
We have pushed the Fall 2020 course withdrawal date to Nov. 17
The university will not reinstate a pass/fail policy implemented for the Spring 2020 semester
All units and/or programs that award scholarships extend their appeals processes so that students whose Fall 2020 GPA adversely impacts their scholarship status may make an appeal to maintain funding
We will move the start of the Spring 2021 semester to Jan. 11, and we will be offering a two-day Spring Break Thursday and Friday, March 4 and 5
October 15, 2020
Changes to spring 2021 semester calendar:
Changes and key dates for spring 2021
Our Pivot to Spring
October 1, 2020
Personal travel guidance and reporting concerns:
Guidance for personal travel
Cardinal Principles and reporting concerns
September 25, 2020
COVID testing suggested now, to be required after Fall Break:
Following the Labor Day holiday, we have seen a slight uptick in cases.
We are encouraging faculty, staff and students to be tested for COVID before Fall Break.
We will again require all faculty, staff and students who come to campus to be tested between Monday, Oct. 5, and Friday, Oct. 23.
September 18, 2020
Update to the UofL community:
Please complete the anonymous Coronavirus Behavioral Health Mindset (CV-BHM) Survey by Friday, Sept. 25.
September 9, 2020
Update to the UofL community:
- Required COVID testing for faculty, staff and students will continue on the Belknap and Health Sciences campuses through Friday, Sept. 18.
- Flu shots to be available Sept. 21
September 3, 2020
The Provost provided the following updates to the UofL community:
- We are extending the testing period to Friday, Sept. 11.
- Our shared success thus far
- Weekend Reminders