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Urgent COVID Actions: One Week of Online Instruction, Resident Students to Sequester-in-Place

February 20, 2021
Dear Campus Community,
 
Effective today, the University of Maryland is implementing urgent interventions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 on our campus:
  • All students living in residence halls and on-campus fraternity and sorority houses must sequester-in-place, effective at 12:00 noon today. 
  • All students living off-campus in the greater College Park area are strongly encouraged to stay home as much as possible and limit your activities.
  • All in-person instruction for undergraduate and graduate courses will transition to online instruction beginning on Monday, February 22.
  • Approved laboratory research activities, already operating at 50% capacity and with strict masking and distancing precautions, may continue as scheduled.

These measures will be in effect for at least one week, through Saturday, February 27.

 
Earlier this week, we notified you of a rise in COVID-19 cases in our community and took measures to mitigate viral spread. Since then, we have experienced a further increase in such cases. Following this increase, these actions were recommended by university health officials and the Campus Infectious Disease Management Executive Committee.
 
Under the sequester-in-place directive, all students living in residence halls are instructed to remain in your residence halls and in your rooms as much as possible.  The requirement for all campus citizens to test twice-monthly remains in effect; Stamp Student Union will remain open only for COVID testing and grab-and-go food.  RecWell facilities will be closed. Students may go outside to get fresh air only in the area immediately surrounding their residence hall and to pick-up food from dining halls.  
 
Only those student employees working in Resident Life, Residential Facilities, Dining Services and Testing in Stamp are permitted to report to work - as these are essential operations to keep campus open, all while wearing a properly-fitted mask and maintaining at least 6 feet of physical distance from others. 
 
Wicomico Hall has been opened to add isolation capacity for positive cases, and additional space will open as needed.
 
Remain Vigilant 4 Maryland
We have reached a critical point in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 and we all have a responsibility to to keep our community and our neighbors safe. It is imperative that every campus citizen follow our 4 Maryland protocols and these new interventions. 
 
Failure to abide by these safety protocols will have significant consequences for every member of our community. Students not following these measures will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct and will face serious consequences, which can include suspension and expulsion. We all have a responsibility to keep our community safe. If you witness behavior that could put our community at risk, please notify the University by submitting concerns to the ethics, compliance and integrity website.
 
We need your help to reverse the uptick in positive cases. Whether you live on or off campus, practice the 4 Maryland Protocols. Avoid gatherings on and off campus. Remain in your room as much as possible. These preventive measures represent our best defense against the virus and our best strategy to protect our friends and colleagues from further spread. 
 
Lastly, we remind you to follow our COVID-19 safety rules at all times. Even if you have recently tested negative, your test is only capturing one moment in time. You may still become infected and spread the virus to others after you leave the testing site, or you may already be infected and it may be too early in the process for the test to detect the infection. Do not let down your guard.
 
We recognize the distressing impact that COVID-19 is having on the mental health of our community. If you need assistance, the Counseling Center can provide support.
 
In the coming days, we will continue to use data to inform our decisions and evaluation of the status of these new measures. Please remain vigilant! 
 
 
Sincerely,
 
Darryll J. Pines
President
 
Spyridon S. Marinopoulos, MD, FACP
Director, University Health Center
 
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About

The University of Maryland, College Park is the state's flagship university and one of the nation's preeminent public research universities. A global leader in research, entrepreneurship and innovation, the university is home to more than 40,700 students, 14,000 faculty and staff, and nearly 400,000 alumni all dedicated to the pursuit of Fearless Ideas. Located just outside Washington, D.C., we discover and share new knowledge every day through our renowned research enterprise and programs in academics, the arts and athletics. And we are committed to social entrepreneurship as the nation’s first “Do Good” campus.

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Introducing The Nation's First Do Good Campus Transforming Idealism into Impact 

Academics

Spanning 12 schools and colleges, Maryland offers more than 300 degree-granting programs, many of them ranked among the best in the country. Our faculty includes two Nobel laureates, three Pulitzer Prize winners, 58 members of the national academies and scores of Fulbright scholars. And our students, who include the highest achievers in the state and nation, enjoy experiences unique to our location just outside the nation’s capital, including internships, research, and leadership and service opportunities.

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Research and Innovation

The University of Maryland is one of the world’s premier research institutions. With our strategic location and scores of partnerships with government and businesses, UMD conducts groundbreaking research on some of the biggest challenges facing our global community, including cybersecurity and terrorism, bioengineering, public health equity, food safety and climate change. We strive to discover new knowledge and put it to work through innovation and entrepreneurship, advancing economic development and transforming lives. 

The newly launched Innovation Gateway will guide you to the resources, programs, partners, and spaces you need to activate and scale your fearless ideas into innovations that launch new ventures, catalyze growth, and advance economic development.

Arts

At the University of Maryland, the arts, the humanities and the sciences intersect to address important societal issues and shed new light on the human experience. Our vibrant campus arts community collaborates with local and national cultural organizations such as the Phillips Collection, Kennedy Center and Folger Shakespeare Library. Student and faculty artists, designers, historians, writers and performers are exploring new media, presenting new perspectives, investigating new techniques and engaging new audiences.

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Athletics

Home of the Terrapins, the University of Maryland has one of the nation’s most recognizable and successful athletics programs. More than 550 student-athletes compete each year in 20 intercollegiate sports—12 for women and eight for men. Since 2005 alone, Maryland has won 19 national championships, including NCAA titles in women’s basketball, men’s soccer, men's lacrosse, women’s lacrosse, and field hockey. Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 2014, UMD has won a combined 32 regular season and tournament championships. Fear the Turtle!

Student Life

The Terp experience extends beyond classrooms, labs and studios. It encompasses residence halls and dining halls, clubs and sports, fraternities and sororities, campus events and performances, and countless off-campus destinations. Maryland touts 800-plus student organizations, dozens of prestigious living and learning communities, and countless other ways to get involved. Students here can create a unique identity and grow as individuals, even as they’re part of a close-knit and diverse community. 

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University of Maryland > Fearlessly Forward | May to August 2023: Summer Session > | Register Now | summer.umd.edu

Keep Learning! Earn credits, satisfy a major requirement, and stay on track for graduation. Classes meet in person or online. Convenient 3 or 6-week sessions, May 30 - August 18, 2023. Learn more at summer.umd.edu.

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Terps are bold, smart, curious and proud. We do good, in our communities and out in the world. We are fearless. And we are always looking to expand our ranks. Interested in becoming a University of Maryland student? This is where to start.

 

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