March 17, 2020
Dear UC Merced Parents and Families,
As you know, news about the global COVID-19 pandemic is changing rapidly, and at UC Merced we are attempting to keep our community informed not only about campus preparations and directives but also about University of California policies and guidance from government agencies. Going forward, we ask you to check our Emergency Management site for the latest information, as well as archives of campus communications and other resources.
A reminder: Campus is open and campus offices remain operational. Classes are not canceled, but faculty are moving to fully remote delivery of courses by the end of spring break — options include online classes, video lectures and the like. Faculty and students should be communicating regularly as we make this transition, to ensure education continues as effectively as possible.
We have also posted brief videos, in English and Spanish , specifically for parents, as well as a special message from Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Charles Nies.
On March 16, an undergraduate student reported symptoms consistent with COVID-19, but the student has not tested positive. We notified the campus community and the student has self-quarantined.
In the past week, we have sent several messages to our campus, including:
Educational continuity: Faculty have been instructed to offer remote learning tools for all courses. All classes will be offered via remote delivery by the end of spring break.
Staff telecommuting: Campus offices must maintain operations, but supervisors in many units have flexibility in how to do so, in discussion with employees. Additional guidance on this will be going out about this today.
Events and meetings: Large events (over 100) are canceled. We are tracking all campus events with daily updates.
Our Principles of Community: The value of our community spirit.
We have also communicated with the wider community in many other ways — you may find some of this information instructive or useful as well:
Campus leadership Q&A This event was livestreamed on March 11 from campus.
ABC30 (Fresno TV) story on UC Merced preparations.
Los Angeles Times story on UC campuses mobilizing.
KVPR (Valley Public Radio) discussion panel on preparations.
Merced County Times story on Merced-area institutions’ plans.
We will support students in their decisions about where it is best for them to reside during this public health emergency. We recognize that some students may want or need to remain on campus through spring break or return to campus after spring break, and we will maintain all student support operations. It is possible we will close one or more of the residence halls and relocate students into fewer locations, as well as adjust our operations to increase social distancing (e.g., spreading students out, delivering box meals, scheduling use of common facilities, etc.).
If you have specific questions, you can ask through the button at the top of our home page; questions are monitored daily and answered as quickly as possible.
Please take care of yourselves, do your part to “ flatten the curve ,” and slow the spread of COVID-19 , stay up to date on COVID-19-related developments on campus , and be well.
Best,
Nathan Brostrom
Interim Chancellor
Charles Nies
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
