Friday, March 25, 2022

Dear Campus Community: 

Two years ago this week, the UNCW community shifted classes online, canceled events and temporarily closed campus in response to COVID-19. Each step we have taken since the pandemic began presented our campus community with difficult challenges, but I firmly believe the journey was made better overall because we weathered it together. Thank you for your care, compassion and commitment to doing what was “Best for the Nest” throughout this experience.  

With the UNCW community’s low COVID-19 transmission rates and strong vaccination rates, we are in a much better position now than we were back in March 2020. Based on our current circumstances, the UNCW health and leadership team has decided to ease remaining campus pandemic protocols unless otherwise indicated in guidance from the UNC System, NCDHHS or other local, state and federal agencies. Please see the information below for additional details. 

Temporary Teleworking Flexibility Adjustments to Conclude March 31 
The COVID-19 related teleworking flexibility supervisors extended to some employees as part of our pandemic management efforts will conclude on March 31. Divisional leaders may offer some employees the opportunity to participate in a teleworking program, and they will provide additional guidance if this option is applicable for the units in their areas of responsibility. 

Update: Temporary Course Modality Shifts 
The Office of the Provost has issued updated guidance on course modality modifications to go into effect on April 4. Faculty should use this updated guidance when consulting with their department chair/school director on their course(s) modality for the remainder of the spring 2022 semester.

Reminder: Face Coverings 
Face coverings will be optional at indoor and outdoor UNCW locations except where required by state or federal law and regulations, which include: 

• Campus health care facilities – the Student Health Center, the Counseling Center, all athletic training facilities, and the General Psychology & Assessment Clinic.
• Multi-passenger vehicles such as WAVE buses, shuttles, vans and UNCW vehicles. Personal vehicles and open-air vehicles such as golf carts or gators are not included.
• Locations where Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) was required before the pandemic began (some laboratories and research areas, for example). Please contact Environmental Health and Safety at ehs@uncw.edu with questions.

COVID-19 Vaccines, Boosters and Testing  
At this time, the Student Health Center plans to continue offering vaccines, boosters and optional testing as a service to our campus community. The Warwick testing location will close on Thursday, March 31 at 4:30 p.m. 

• As of Monday, April 4, voluntary surveillance testing will be available from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4:30 p.m. in the Student Health Center, located on the second floor of DePaolo Hall. Faculty, staff and students are welcome, and no appointment is needed.
• The university will hold vaccination clinics from 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1-4:30 p.m. in the Student Health Center on the following dates: 
  • Friday, March 25
  • Friday, April 1
  • Monday, April 11
  • Friday, April 29
• Since last spring, the Student Health Center has collected data to determine the percentage of our campus community that received vaccines. Please submit your vaccination and/or booster status if you have not already done so. Student Health staff will be the only ones with access to individual information.
• If you test positive for COVID-19 at an off-campus facility, please inform Student Health to support the staff’s ongoing effort to monitor the presence of the virus within our community. 
• Ask questions or send vaccine/booster and positive test information to coronavirus@uncw.edu. 

Health Guidance 
If you feel unwell, please do not attend in-person classes, participate in on-campus events, or work onsite until you receive medical guidance.  

• Students exhibiting COVID-like symptoms or those who have been in close contact with individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 should call the Student Health Center at 910.962.3280 to make an appointment or contact their medical providers for assistance. Students should notify their faculty members when they will miss class.
• Employees exhibiting COVID-like symptoms or those who have been in close contact with individuals who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 should contact their health care provider, notify their supervisor and then notify the Student Health Center at coronavirus@uncw.edu. 
• Maintain good hand hygiene – a protective measure for the flu, colds and COVID-19. Hand sanitizer stations installed as part of our pandemic protocols will remain in place across campus, and masks will remain available at several locations.
• In indoor settings, unvaccinated individuals are still encouraged to wear masks to protect themselves and others. 
• Some members of our community may choose to continue wearing face coverings for a variety of reasons. Please respect their decision. If an employee asks another employee, student or guest to wear a mask inside their individual office, please honor the request or make alternate arrangements to meet outdoors, by phone or virtually. 

Health and Safety Monitoring to Continue  
As we learned over the past two years, COVID-19 conditions and guidance are subject to change. The UNCW health and leadership team will continue to monitor information about the virus and its variants; related CDC, NCDHHS and UNC System policies; public health guidance; the level of transmission in North Carolina; and the overall vaccination rate in our state. We will share additional updates with the UNCW community as needed via campus inboxes, the UNCW website and Best for the Nest site. 

Sincerely yours,

Jose V. Sartarelli
Chancellor