Dear UNCG Community,

As we complete our first week of classes at UNCG, we are proud of the efforts across our community to work together in the face of significant challenges. We are seeing many examples of our students and employees embracing our community standards and doing the right things the right way. Still, we know the COVID-19 pandemic has created waves of anxiety and uncertainty about our path forward here at UNCG, across the UNC System, and in fact across the entire higher education landscape. We hear you – our students and families, faculty and staff, and neighbors. It is a daily challenge to balance our efforts to fulfill our mission and serve our students.

Here is What We Know: We MUST Change our Behavior Now.

No one is immune to COVID-19. The virus does not discriminate. We are all accountable to each other. This applies to students, faculty, staff, and our contractors. All of us means all of us. Being careless can make people seriously sick very quickly. Bending or breaking the guidelines creates risk we won’t tolerate.

Large Gatherings Play A Significant Role in the Spread of COVID-19

We have sent, and will continue to send, clear messages to our students that large gatherings put their health and the health of others at risk, and also put our ability to continue to provide face-to-face instruction at risk. We are working to enforce our standards and rules against gatherings across campus. This requires EVERYONE to participate and share responsibility. Don’t host large events. Don’t go to large events. Don’t congregate in large groups without wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing in places like the Fountain View area or the Quad.

UNCG police are actively enforcing the Governor’s orders regarding gatherings off campus. Violations of these orders are criminal offenses and subject to disciplinary action under the Student Code of Conduct. Even more, failure to follow these guidelines will directly jeopardize the safety of our community and our ability to operate.

We appreciate that students are starting to help us identify problem areas and anticipate gatherings. We need your help. If you have concerns about a rumored event or party, please report it to our COVID-19 Incident form: go.uncg.edu/covidconcern. Additionally, UNCG staff will maintain a strong presence on campus to support education, participation, and enforcement of our standards (including on evenings and weekends).

Continuing with our Plan, but Staying Flexible and Ready to Change

At this time, UNCG is continuing operations as previously outlined. UNC System President Peter Hans has made it clear that operational decisions will be made discretely at each campus based on collaborative discussions between the campus, the UNC System office, and public health officials. We are monitoring and evaluating conditions on our campus every day. If data, including metrics like multiple clusters, indicates we should change plans and move instruction to an online-only environment, we will do so without hesitation.

We have a wide range of contingency plans in place to maintain academic continuity and ensure that our students all have a safe place to live. As we have come to learn, conditions change rapidly. It is imperative that we all remain committed to the community standards that are now in place regarding face coverings, social distancing, hygiene, gatherings, caring for each other, and other measures designed to slow the spread of COVID-19.

UNCG Situation Update

We remain vigilant. We continue to track carefully the number of individuals in our community who have tested positive for COVID-19 or who have been exposed to someone who has. We have a robust inventory of rooms available for residential students who need to be put in quarantine or isolation and can’t return home. We continue to have the supplies and staffing needed to maintain the recommended public health protocols. And, we continue to communicate frequently with our local and state partners.

Shield Our Spartans and Follow the Guidelines

As we have all come to learn, conditions change rapidly. It is imperative that our students, faculty, and staff remain committed to the community standards that are now in place regarding face coverings, social distancing, hygiene, gatherings, and other measures designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. Wear a face covering, keep your distance, wash your hands, and show you care about your community.

Please stay informed by visiting our COVID-19 Website and monitoring email, social media, and other channels for the latest information. Thank you.