Email from Eric Heath, Associate Vice President for Safety and Security (Mar. 17, 2020)

From: Eric Heath, Associate Vice President for Safety and Security
Subject: Campus Updates on Steps Related to Coronavirus

As part of our response to coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in recent days the University has taken a number of additional operational steps to ensure the health and wellbeing of our community and to implement new guidance from state and federal public health authorities.

  • The University will comply with a new directive by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker prohibiting gatherings of more than 50 people, to reduce the spread of coronavirus. We recognize that the University has a variety of buildings and spaces, and social distancing is easier to implement in some spaces than others. Meetings should be conducted by phone or web conferencing when possible. For in-person gatherings, we advise maintaining a distance of at least six feet from other participants.
  • In compliance with the Governor’s statewide directive, the University has ceased dine-in service for all on-campus dining halls and cafes from today through March 30. Food will be provided in take-and-go packaging. We will communicate dining operating hours and protocols for Spring Quarter based on further public health guidance.
  • The Gerald Ratner Athletics Center and Henry Crown Field House will close as of 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, and will remain closed through April 5. The Ratner Center will re-open for Spring Quarter if conditions allow.
  • Campus shuttles are running normally, with flexibility to change operations if necessary to align with public health guidance. To facilitate work that requires a presence on campus, the University will provide parking in the Ellis Garage through March 31.
  • Most buildings on campus that remain open and operational will move to card access only, beginning tomorrow morning, March 18. All faculty, students, and staff will need to use their University IDs to access these buildings.

To help address questions about these and other changes in the coming weeks, the University today is launching the Spring Quarter Information Line at 1-773-795-5374, or toll free at 1-877-744-4800. Operators can help answer or route questions about changes for the Spring Quarter, remote learning, remote work questions for staff members, and COVID-19 preparations. People with questions about the University’s COVID-19 precautions may also send them to our information email, coronavirusinfo@uchicago.edu. In addition, the University’s coronavirus website is being updated daily with new information.