Dear Faculty, Staff and Students,

As you likely have heard, Governor Pritzker today issued a stay-at-home order for Illinois residents and a corresponding University System-wide massmail was sent.

It is important to note that the governor’s order allows universities to continue essential functions, including “facilitating distance learning, performing critical research, or performing essential functions, provided that social distancing of six-feet per person is maintained to the greatest extent possible.”

We want to follow up with some more specific information for our students, faculty and staff about how today’s shelter-in-place order will impact our operations.

• For students and families who are moving out of University Housing and are making plans for your check-out, the shelter-in-place order means that we need to suspend that process starting Saturday, March 21 at 2 p.m. until the order is lifted. Housing will reach out to you to provide information on the resumption of move-out.
• For all students, graduate and undergraduate, as well as others who will be remaining in University Housing residence halls or apartments or in private residences locally, nothing has changed. We ask you to follow the social distancing guidelines in place now and to plan to begin your coursework through alternative delivery Monday morning.
• For all faculty and staff and graduate employees (TAs, RAs, GAs) please continue to follow the guidance about your working arrangements you have already received through Illinois Human Resources, your colleges and your departments, including guidance on whether you will be able to use university classrooms and facilities to present your course material. We are working to put in place new emergency procedures and policies regarding university pay and benefits to comply with the governor’s order and to protect all of our employees.

We know for many that this is another unsettling development. But we are working together to navigate it.

Thank you all for your contributions to ensuring that we can continue to fulfill our missions of learning, discovery and engagement, and thank you for your patience and all of your efforts to approach this crisis with calm and with respect and care for each other.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Jones
Chancellor

Andreas C. Cangellaris
Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost