“糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock followed the guidance of state and federal officials to operate the campus throughout the pandemic safely, and will continue to do so going forward. With the availability of vaccines and a significant reduction in the COVID-19 cases on-campus and in Arkansas, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is preparing to return to more traditional campus operations in fall 2021,” says Chancellor Christina Drale.

The university is currently operating in Phase 3 of its COVID-19 Campus Guide, and will transition to Phase 4, resumption of normal campus operations, on August 2, 2021. The easing of some pandemic restrictions has already started with Phase 3. Currently, University offices are open for face-to-face business, and recently, event capacities increased from 10 to 25 participants. University vice chancellors may approve larger event capacities after a review of safety protocols. Phase 4 continues with enhanced sanitation efforts but eases social distancing restrictions and removes limits on event sizes.

While 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock will continue to offer online and hybrid classes in the fall semester, the mix of face-to-face, online and hybrid courses will be similar to pre-pandemic offerings. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock will also resume face-to-face residential life activities. Though most social distancing requirements will be removed in Phase 4, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s Office of Campus Living will continue its one student per bedroom policy for fall 2021 as a service to on-campus residents.

The Coronavirus Emergency Response Team and the Provost’s Academic COVID-19 Taskforce will continue to monitor the situation and help guide the university’s plans for a safe and high-quality educational experience for our students.

Learn more about 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock at and coronavirus plans at ualr.edu/coronavirus.

The post 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Announces Plans and Preparations for Fall聽 appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.

Many of you may have questions or concerns about the status of the face mask requirement at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in light of the Governor’s intention to lift the state-level mandate in the near future. Please be advised that the mask requirement on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock campus will remain in place until further notice. We will have more information about on-campus requirements in the coming days.

Thank you,

Christina S. Drale | Chancellor

The post Face Mask Requirement appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.

Attached is the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock COVID-19 Campus Guide Version 5, published today. Included is an update from Chancellor Drale, and several important updates for the spring term. The guide is also available on the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock coronavirus website.

Please continue to check the coronavirus website and your email for the latest information as we prepare for the start of the spring term.

Thank you,

Communications and Marketing

The post 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock COVID-19 Campus Guide Version 5 appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.

I write with information and reminders for phase 2A of the return to campus plan, which starts on Monday, July 27. I鈥檓 also announcing version three of the Return to Campus Guide. I encourage you to review the guide prior to returning to campus.

As you make return plans, please take note of the following information:

COVID-19 Screening. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock developed a COVID-19 screening tool for daily use. The tool collects no personally identifiable data and allows you to answer a few questions to self-screen for COVID-19 symptoms. Read more about how the screening works, and then utilize the COVID-19 Screening each morning. The information, collected in aggregate, will help assess the overall campus community for COVID-19 symptoms. If you are sick or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, notify your supervisor and do not come to campus.

Facemasks and Social Distancing. Employees, students, and visitors are required to wear a facemask on campus in all indoor settings with limited exceptions (e.g. eating/drinking, a private office when only one person is present, and residential bedrooms.) A COVID-19 kit that contains a digital thermometer, two cloth face masks, personal size hand sanitizer, and a plastic face shield will be available for all employees. Please plan to wear a facemask of your own when you come back to campus until you receive a COVID-19 kit from your supervisor. Let me encourage us to be diligent in our use of facemasks and in social distancing.

Continued Virtual Meetings. Keep yourself and others in mind as you make decisions on where to visit on campus, whether it be classrooms, dining areas, office suites, or other spaces. When possible, limit indoor on-campus travel to the areas needed to do your job. Meetings are encouraged via Blackboard Collaborate, Google Meet or Zoom to promote social distancing.

Dining Services. Campus Dining will remain closed until further notice. Without the usual number of individuals on campus over the summer, Sodexo has temporarily suspended dining services. Dining services will resume as we get closer to the start of the fall term. In the interim, we鈥檙e seeking approval for food trucks on campus. Announcements will be shared as these details are finalized.

PPE and Facility Readiness during Phase 2A. Adjustments are needed as we return to campus. Phase 2A enables units to finalize the preparation of facilities for faculty, staff, and students. Phase 2A also enables units to ensure personal protective equipment (PPE) is provisioned and properly configured. As listed in the return to campus guide, supervisors and their designees should use phase 2A to collaborate with Facilities Management and help prepare for additional employees and ultimately students that will soon arrive on campus.

Finally, I want to share a note of thanks for our staff and faculty who worked tirelessly over the summer to perform essential operations, deliver summer courses, and prepare for the fall term. The Coronavirus Emergency Response Team (CERT), the Provost鈥檚 Academic COVID-19 Taskforce (PACT), and countless others, met regularly to plan, recommend, and implement measures to prepare our campus for the fall. I want to thank these individuals for their exceptional service to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

Without a doubt, the COVID-19 pandemic presents a number of challenges to our community and our institution. I鈥檓 proud of the members of our campus community who have worked diligently to address these challenges. Thank you for your continued support and for being part of the Trojan Family.

Sincerely,

Christina S. Drale

Chancellor

The post Version three of the Return to Campus Guide appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.

The next phase of campus reopening (2A) will be delayed one week to July 27, 2020. The remaining phase dates will stay the same.

Although we have most of our PPE orders in, the order for the plexiglass desk shields is now on backorder. Our Facilities department is working on an alternative solution for this equipment, namely in-house construction of the shields in sufficient quantity for the next phase of reopening. These 鈥渉ome-made鈥� shields will be a little clunkier than those we鈥檝e ordered, but will get the job done. I want to thank our Facilities team for their ingenuity and willingness to carry out this alternative solution.

In addition, The Board of Trustees met today and passed a resolution requiring all 糖心Vlog传媒 campuses to adopt a policy that, 鈥渁t minimum, requires the use of cloth face coverings by students, faculty, staff, and guests in university facilities where physical distancing of six-feet or more cannot be assured in accordance with guidance from state and federal health officials.鈥� This policy sets a minimum standard and allows individual campuses to implement stricter requirements as appropriate.

We will update the reopening plan to reflect this resolution, but effective immediately 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock will require that all employees, students, and visitors wear a face covering on campus in all indoor settings with limited exceptions (e.g. when eating). Face coverings will be required in outdoor settings where social distancing cannot be maintained, also with limited exceptions.

Sincerely,

Christina S. Drale
Chancellor

The post Next Phase of Campus Reopening (2A) appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.

After hearing your feedback and working with the 糖心Vlog传媒 System and other sources to clarify our options, I am pleased to release the revised (version 2) 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Fall 2020 Return to Campus Guide.

We have made significant changes to the options and flexibility for supervisors and employees. Note that we have eliminated the previous employee categories and will now focus primarily on essential job functions, unit functionality, and space limits in making decisions about who needs to be on campus when. We have modified the phases of return to reflect this change. We have also added a provision that will make it possible to have a temporary work-at-home assignment, although this will not necessarily be the default remedy for all who seek this accommodation.

I know that these changes will not satisfy all. Many are concerned about any level of reopening for fall and in the current context, that concern is understandable. However, I will reiterate that until further notice, we must proceed with the assumption that we will open the campus for fall semester. I hope that you will find that the new guidelines give us more flexibility to do this in the safest manner possible.

Sincerely,

Christina S. Drale
Chancellor

The post Fall 2020 Return to Campus Guide – Version 2 appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.

Dear Campus Community,

Please be advised that two student-athletes who reside in the University Village have tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). The students are isolating in their residences according to guidance from the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH).

ADH is contacting individuals who may have come into contact with the two infected students. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is conducting supplemental contact tracing to inform those that may have come into contact with the students. Those that have been in contact with the students will be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.

Campus Living will implement sanitation protocols based on guidance from the CDC. In collaboration with Facilities Management, personal protective equipment (PPE) and sanitation supplies are being provided to residents and staff in the building where the infected students reside. Further, support services will continue to be provided to students while they isolate.

We will continue to update you regarding COVID-19 cases via the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Digest, and on the COVID website.

Sincerely,

Christina S. Drale
Chancellor

Health Services Reminder

If you are feeling unwell, contact your medical provider or call Health Services at 501-569-3188. If you have an emergency, call 911. More information about COVD-19 safety, best practices, and resources is available from

For patients with questions about whether they may have COVID-19, 糖心Vlog传媒MS HealthNow offers free screenings for all Arkansans. To access, go to the 糖心Vlog传媒MS HealthNow site and click on the screening tool. This service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to individuals of all ages across the state of Arkansas and can be accessed from a smartphone, tablet, laptop or computer.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, and shortness of breath) or have had contact with someone KNOWN to have COVID-19, contact ADH. They have activated a call center to answer questions from health care providers and the public about the novel coronavirus. During normal business hours (8:00 am 鈥� 4:30 pm), urgent and non-urgent calls, please call 800-803-7847. After normal business hours, urgent calls needing immediate response, please call 501-661-2136.

The post Important Update appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.

Phase 2A of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock reopening will be delayed to July 20, 2020. Phase 2B is rescheduled for August 3 and phase 3 is rescheduled for August 17.

The primary reason for the delay is to make sure that we have all of the safety equipment in place for beginning the phase 2 return to campus. Although we have ordered the equipment needed (including plexiglass desk shields, face masks, and other personal protective equipment), it is not all in yet so we need to give that process a little more time. Additionally, the delay will give us more time to adjust to changes in policy that may occur in response to the rapidly evolving circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic.

I have heard from a number of employees regarding concern about the reopening plan. Some of you feel strongly that the university should not require employees to return to campus. Some of you have also suggested that the campus should not reopen at all until the pandemic has subsided. I want you to know that I hear you and I do understand your safety concerns. This is an extraordinarily stressful time for all of us and many of us are worried about our personal safety not only in the workplace, but in every place. However, at this point in time, and until further notice, the plan is for all University of Arkansas campuses to welcome students back to campus this fall for at least some on-site instruction and a return to campus life and residential facilities for those campuses that have them. The 糖心Vlog传媒 System plan may or may not change before the start of classes, but in the meantime, each campus must have a detailed, campus-specific reopening plan to return to full operation. CERT and PACT have collaborated to provide recommendations to the cabinet concerning the current plan. These plans are a starting point and are subject to change. There will be updated versions as we learn more about our options. I realize that there remain many questions and concerns. We are working diligently to find answers and solutions that will help us provide the safest conditions possible for employees and students alike.

We will continue to communicate regularly on this subject. As always, I appreciate the feedback you have provided.

Sincerely,

Christina S. Drale
Chancellor

The post Important Message from Chancellor Drale appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.

Enclosed is the first version of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Fall 2020 Return to Campus Guide that was developed in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The guide represents a joint effort between the Coronavirus Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Provost’s Academic COVID-19 Taskforce (PACT) to describe key components of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s plans for the fall term.
The return to campus guide provides a framework to inform unit-specific planning. Safety of the campus community is the top priority of 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock’s plans. In addition to safety, flexibility, inclusive learning support, and communication also serve as guiding principles for the planning process.

As for most institutions, testing and contact tracing remain our most significant challenges. The return to campus guide sets forth a health screen app that will help employees and students self-assess as well as allow the university to monitor in aggregate students and employees who self-report COVID-19 related symptoms. More information is expected in the coming weeks about enhanced testing and contact tracing options available to 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

The return to campus guide is not comprehensive; questions remain, and plans will be further developed as guidance becomes available from local, state, and national health officials. However, sufficient information is available to help 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock start preparing for a successful fall term. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 reopening will begin on July 6, 2020 with a phased return of employees to campus. Faculty and students will return to campus at the beginning of fall term.

I want to express my appreciation to those that have participated thus far in this planning process. COVID-19 presented an unprecedented situation to our campus, but 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has stepped up to ensure successful spring and summer terms and is again doing the same for the fall. I remain grateful for the students, faculty, and staff who have gone above the call of duty during this trying time.

Please continue to check your email and the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock website for updated information concerning the fall plans.
Sincerely,

Christina S. Drale, Chancellor
University of Arkansas at Little Rock

The post 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Fall 2020 Return to Campus Guide appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.

To ensure the safety of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock community, a number of safety protocols will be in place. These include moving as many classes as possible to larger classrooms and meeting rooms to allow for social distancing, wearing masks in all common spaces on campus when social distancing cannot be maintained, and equipping all classroom and common areas with sanitization resources.

While 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock officials hope that students can remain on campus throughout the semester, the university is prepared to convert to online learning immediately if needed. A majority of fall classes have been converted to a hybrid learning format, allowing faculty the flexibility of offering in-person class sessions or online meetings depending on student health needs.

鈥淲e are excited about welcoming our Trojan family back to campus this fall,鈥� Chancellor Christina Drale said. 鈥淗owever, the health and safety of our campus community remains our top priority. We are working diligently on contingency plans to prepare for continuing public health developments.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has created two teams to advise university leaders and guide campus planning this fall. The Coronavirus Emergency Response Team (CERT) coordinates the COVID-19 emergency response efforts and reopening protocols for student services and business offices. Meanwhile, the Provost鈥檚 Academic COVID-19 Taskforce (PACT) oversees academic and student support issues related to the pandemic. The taskforce is developing contingency plans involving course scheduling, classroom space, and additional support for students and faculty to ensure continuous learning during the pandemic.

鈥淲e are carefully following guidance from the 糖心Vlog传媒 System, the Arkansas Department of Health, and the Center for Disease Control as the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold,鈥� said Chancellor Drale. 鈥淎s new information and guidelines evolve, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 plans will change as appropriate.鈥�

To provide support for those in the Trojan community who have increased caretaking needs due to the pandemic, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock will promote a culture of flexibility by providing, to the extent possible, remote work options. Faculty are encouraged to provide flexible class attendance policies, deadlines, and course structures to accommodate students who may need to stay home or miss synchronous class sessions due to technology issues, illness, caretaking, increased work (for first responders), or self-isolation. Students can find out more about requesting immunosuppressed-related accommodations at Disability Resource Center, and faculty and staff can go to Human Resources.

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock will also welcome students back to its residence halls for the fall semester. In most cases, residence hall capacities will be reduced to accommodate one student per bedroom. The university is developing a plan to provide engaging campus life while ensuring safety protocols. Activities, events, and student programming will resume in the fall, but with limited seating to ensure social distancing and virtual attendance options if possible.

鈥淚n addition to contingency planning, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock is taking additional steps to provide financial assistance to students impacted by COVID-19,鈥� said Dr. Cody Decker, vice chancellor for student affairs. 鈥淭his includes providing up to $11 million in institutional and private scholarships, disbursing $3 million to students from the federal CARES Act, waiving application fees for fall 2020 by using the code TROJAN2020 for undergraduate students and GRAD2020 for graduate students, and extending the deadline for most merit scholarships to Aug. 1, 2020.鈥�

糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock has been preparing multiple resources to assist faculty members to continue to deliver excellent online courses. The Scholarly Technology and Resources office has developed a Fast Track to Teaching Online course, a virtual alternative to the Summer Academy for Online Learning Excellence that provides professional development geared toward creating engaging instructional content and meaningful learning experiences for traditional, hybrid, and online courses.

鈥淲e want faculty members to be aware that social distancing guidelines will be in place during the fall semester, and we are taking precautions to be ready to resume online learning as we continue protecting the health of our students,鈥� said Dr. David Montague, director of online learning and faculty mentoring. 鈥淭he Fast Track to Teaching Online course is just one of the things we are doing to help our faculty provide strong instruction in the online learning environment.鈥�

The 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Office of Communications and Marketing is creating a new website with information and resources for students, faculty, staff, parents, and community members. A bi-weekly COVID-19 newsletter will provide information to prepare the Trojan community for the reopening of campus.

The post 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Makes Plans to Open Fall Semester With A Flexible Approach appeared first on Coronavirus Updates.