Spring Semester Updates and Adjustments

University President Gregory Woodward shared the following message on Friday, Jan. 8.

 

Dear University of Hartford Community,

As we begin the new year, we are monitoring the changing health conditions in Connecticut and across the country. It has become increasingly clear that COVID-19 will continue to have a major impact on our campus and our community this spring. We are in daily communication with health-care partners and state health officials, and while we are awaiting their final guidance for reopening campus, we want to share the following updates to inform your planning and decision making. The University will continue to share additional information as we know more in the coming week.

In consultation with the state of Connecticut and the Department of Public Health, we are adjusting campus move-in to take place from January 27 to 30. All residential students, regardless of advisory state residency, will be required to quarantine on campus. We will maintain a full campus quarantine until February 7, with the first week of classes being offered only in a remote format.

We will not be able to have any gatherings on campus during this time, and we will be asking all residential students to remain on campus to limit movement within the regional community. Meals for this week will be grab-and-go. Students will be able to spend time outdoors. Commuter students will not be able to access campus during the quarantine period. On February 8, we will resume in-person instruction, in addition to our blended offerings of hybrid, remote, and online courses. Dependent on state and health-agency recommendations, campus will return to normal operations at that time.

Move-In and Quarantine

All residential students must sign up for a move-in slot in order to ensure that social distancing and other health and safety guidelines are followed. You will receive an email next week with instructions on how to sign up online for an available time slot. We know some of you may already have travel plans or have approved move-in times for other reasons; we will work with you individually to discuss your arrangements. Please note that exceptions to the on-campus quarantine are not able to be accommodated. Again, all residential students are required to complete their quarantine on campus per state of Connecticut guidance.

As a reminder, masks will be required throughout spring move-in and no guests are allowed in any of the campus residence halls or buildings. We ask that only one person accompany you for drop-off, if possible, and this guest must remain outside of the residence halls at all times. If you are in need of special assistance or accommodation, please email reslife@hartford.edu.

Testing

The state of Connecticut is requiring significant mandatory testing on campus for residential students and commuters this semester. We have not received our final guidance but we are actively planning for elevated testing requirements and will share additional information soon. All undergraduate students can expect to be tested weekly for at least the first month on campus.

As a reminder, all students are required to provide documentation of a negative PCR COVID-19 test that was taken within seven days prior to moving in or, for commuters, within seven days prior to attending your first class on campus. Students living off campus who are traveling back to Connecticut from a state that falls under the CT Travel Advisory must follow additional requirements from the state. We will share additional information about how to submit your test results next week.

Campus Life

Changing our timelines, and following the guidance for quarantine and testing, positions us to begin the semester in a manner that safeguards the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff, and regional community. During and following our required campus quarantine, mask-wearing, social distancing, a no-guest policy, and other public health precautions from last semester will continue to be in place. It is our hope that as the vaccine is distributed and conditions improve, we will be able to loosen these restrictions. Just like last semester, it will be up to all of us to keep each other safe, healthy, and on campus for in-person instruction.

To help you stay connected to friends, our Office of Student Engagement and Inclusion has dozens of events scheduled for this semester, both virtual and in person (following quarantine). An ice rink, polar golf, scavenger hunts, virtual trivia and bingo, food trucks, and movie nights are among the many events and activities planned for the semester. A full schedule will be available online soon.

You will hear more in the coming days and weeks about move-in logistics, testing requirements, and quarantine expectations as we prepare to return. We know this is a lot of information and that you will have questions. Updated resources and frequently asked questions will continue to be added to our Healthy Hawks website; please email COVID19@hartford.edu for additional assistance.

Please know that we are completely dedicated to developing plans that will allow us all to return to campus safely. We continue to appreciate your patience and partnership, and look forward to welcoming you back to campus later this month.

Last semester, the University of Hartford was one of the most successful institutions in the country in maintaining a safe and healthy campus. You did this. You were amazing. Let’s show the world we can do it again. Thank you for your generous spirit in the interest of our special community. Here’s to Healthy Hawks soaring again in 2021!

Sincerely,

Greg Woodward
President