WEBVTT Kind: captions Language: en 00:00:00.620 --> 00:00:01.620 Hi, everyone. 00:00:01.620 --> 00:00:05.490 I hope you, your families, and your friends are safe and well, wherever you may be. 00:00:05.490 --> 00:00:09.580 A lot has happened over the last several weeks, and I know you have been inundated with news 00:00:09.580 --> 00:00:14.009 lately, including the news this week about our delayed start of in-person classes and 00:00:14.009 --> 00:00:17.630 the opening of residence halls for undergraduates. 00:00:17.630 --> 00:00:21.390 With all that's going on, I thought it might be useful to step back a bit and provide a 00:00:21.390 --> 00:00:25.840 complete, but hopefully concise, picture of where we are, how we got here, and the road 00:00:25.840 --> 00:00:26.840 ahead. 00:00:26.840 --> 00:00:30.500 This is going to be a longer video, but I want to be open and transparent with everything 00:00:30.500 --> 00:00:34.500 that’s happening, so thanks for tuning in, being patient, and listening. 00:00:34.500 --> 00:00:38.999 Let me start at the beginning, with the simple question of why are we even trying to bring 00:00:38.999 --> 00:00:41.390 students back at all? 00:00:41.390 --> 00:00:42.640 The answer is straightforward. 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:46.809 Our mission is to educate students, conduct research, and provide medical care. 00:00:46.809 --> 00:00:48.699 All of those are better done in person. 00:00:48.699 --> 00:00:52.499 That is why, from the very beginning, we have sought to have students return as long as 00:00:52.499 --> 00:00:55.690 we could do so in a reasonably safe manner. 00:00:55.690 --> 00:00:59.199 We know that this carries some risks, but there are risks regardless of what decision 00:00:59.199 --> 00:01:02.370 we make, including staying online all semester. 00:01:02.370 --> 00:01:06.190 There are risks for some students for whom UVA is the safest place to be, or who may 00:01:06.190 --> 00:01:08.770 face challenges learning online at home. 00:01:08.770 --> 00:01:13.390 There are risks for our employees whose jobs depend on having students on Grounds. 00:01:13.390 --> 00:01:18.030 We also know that roughly 2/3 of our students live off-Grounds and outside of University 00:01:18.030 --> 00:01:22.390 housing, which means that thousands of students are going to be living in Charlottesville 00:01:22.390 --> 00:01:24.840 whether classes are in person or not. 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:28.330 Our view has been that it will better for everyone if these students feel like they 00:01:28.330 --> 00:01:32.290 are a part of the university community rather than outside of it. 00:01:32.290 --> 00:01:37.420 For all of these reasons, we have believed all along that trying to have students back 00:01:37.420 --> 00:01:41.800 and to hold some classes in person is right thing to do—but, again, only if we can do 00:01:41.800 --> 00:01:43.810 so in a reasonably safe way. 00:01:43.810 --> 00:01:47.980 So we have spent a great deal of time focused on health and safety measures, which you have 00:01:47.980 --> 00:01:50.160 heard about but are worth reviewing. 00:01:50.160 --> 00:01:55.120 To begin, with the guidance of our public health experts, we created a series of “gating” 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:57.660 criteria, which we must meet in order to open. 00:01:57.660 --> 00:02:02.740 These criteria assess a range of factors, including whether we have sufficient PPE, 00:02:02.740 --> 00:02:07.780 testing supplies, and a good plan for contact tracing; the progression of the virus; the 00:02:07.780 --> 00:02:12.650 capacity of the hospital; and our ability to support the broader Charlottesville community, 00:02:12.650 --> 00:02:14.670 including through testing in the community. 00:02:14.670 --> 00:02:19.159 At the moment, we are concerned about the progression of the virus and the supply chain 00:02:19.159 --> 00:02:24.010 for testing materials, which is why we are slowing down the return of undergraduate students, 00:02:24.010 --> 00:02:26.629 as I’ll explain in more detail in a moment. 00:02:26.629 --> 00:02:31.659 In addition to creating gating criteria, we have developed a plan for testing, contact 00:02:31.659 --> 00:02:35.640 tracing, symptom attestation, isolation and quarantine. 00:02:35.640 --> 00:02:39.840 All students who plan to be on Grounds in the fall will have to submit a negative COVID 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:44.079 test before they arrive, and students, faculty, and staff will have to complete a daily symptom 00:02:44.079 --> 00:02:47.810 check through the HOOS Health Check app or by email. 00:02:47.810 --> 00:02:51.060 Free testing will be available to faculty and staff who want it. 00:02:51.060 --> 00:02:55.319 We will be testing the waste-water that comes from dorms as an early warning signal of an 00:02:55.319 --> 00:02:56.319 outbreak. 00:02:56.319 --> 00:02:59.849 If we see evidence of positive cases, we will test the entire dorm. 00:02:59.849 --> 00:03:03.920 And we will continue to work with the Virginia Department of Health to offer community testing 00:03:03.920 --> 00:03:06.300 in Charlottesville and the surrounding area. 00:03:06.300 --> 00:03:09.760 We have been working to make classrooms and offices safe. 00:03:09.760 --> 00:03:14.379 We have analyzed every classroom, conference room, and common space to determine their 00:03:14.379 --> 00:03:19.819 capacity given physical distancing requirements, outfitted classrooms for in-person instruction 00:03:19.819 --> 00:03:25.340 by adding plexiglass shields for faculty members, put up signs reminding everyone of the rules, 00:03:25.340 --> 00:03:27.739 and developed enhanced cleaning protocols. 00:03:27.739 --> 00:03:32.480 HVAC specialists have also checked heating and cooling systems across Grounds to make 00:03:32.480 --> 00:03:35.530 sure they’re working well and providing proper ventilation. 00:03:35.530 --> 00:03:40.310 Our public health experts are confident that, with these measures in place, our classrooms 00:03:40.310 --> 00:03:44.680 and offices will be low-risk environments for our faculty, staff, and students. 00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:50.439 We have secured ample supply of PPE and hand sanitizer, with masks for everyone and more 00:03:50.439 --> 00:03:55.090 than 2,600 hand sanitizer stations installed across Grounds. 00:03:55.090 --> 00:03:59.650 And we have established a set of expectations that we expect students, faculty, and staff 00:03:59.650 --> 00:04:06.300 to follow, including wearing masks, maintaining physical distance, and limiting social gatherings. 00:04:06.300 --> 00:04:08.989 These expectations are straightforward. 00:04:08.989 --> 00:04:13.680 All students, faculty, staff, and contractors will be required to wear a mask when they 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:17.410 are inside, except when they are alone or with roommates and in their private spaces, 00:04:17.410 --> 00:04:21.799 like dorm rooms, apartments, or individual offices. 00:04:21.799 --> 00:04:25.120 Everyone will also be required to maintain six feet or more of physical distance from 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:31.150 others whenever possible and wear a mask outside when distancing isn’t possible. 00:04:31.150 --> 00:04:36.430 Only small social gatherings will be allowed, with an upper limit of 15 people, and physical 00:04:36.430 --> 00:04:38.650 distancing and mask protocols observed. 00:04:38.650 --> 00:04:40.990 This means no large parties. 00:04:40.990 --> 00:04:45.389 These requirements apply whether students live off Grounds or not, and they apply regardless 00:04:45.389 --> 00:04:49.370 of whether students are on the Lawn or the downtown mall. 00:04:49.370 --> 00:04:53.630 With all of this preparation and these plans in place, some may wonder why we are postponing 00:04:53.630 --> 00:04:58.030 the start of in-person classes and the return to Grounds for undergraduate students, and 00:04:58.030 --> 00:05:02.530 others may wonder why we don’t just decide now to remain online, with no students in 00:05:02.530 --> 00:05:03.930 dorms, for the entire semester. 00:05:03.930 --> 00:05:08.699 We are delaying, as I mentioned, because we are somewhat concerned about the prevalence 00:05:08.699 --> 00:05:13.650 of the virus in the region and some recent volatility in the supply chain for testing 00:05:13.650 --> 00:05:14.650 materials. 00:05:14.650 --> 00:05:18.180 We are hopeful that both will improve over the coming weeks, and we are already seeing 00:05:18.180 --> 00:05:23.000 some signs of progress that make us cautiously optimistic that we will be able to bring all 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:25.039 students back to Grounds. 00:05:25.039 --> 00:05:28.800 One additional reason for optimism is that over the last month, we have ramped up our 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:33.560 research activity, launched some graduate and professional programs in-person, welcomed 00:05:33.560 --> 00:05:39.030 student-athletes back for pre-season training, and resumed in-person work for staff helping 00:05:39.030 --> 00:05:40.030 with fall preparations. 00:05:40.030 --> 00:05:45.889 In total, we’ve brought thousands of people back to Grounds, including almost 2,000 students, 00:05:45.889 --> 00:05:48.460 and things have gone very well. 00:05:48.460 --> 00:05:53.860 I recognize that uncertainty is hard, especially given the uncertainty over the last several 00:05:53.860 --> 00:05:58.759 months, but I also believe that returning all students to Grounds is an important enough 00:05:58.759 --> 00:06:02.780 goal that we should not give up on it until we have to. 00:06:02.780 --> 00:06:08.110 I’d like to conclude with some specific messages for our students, faculty and staff, 00:06:08.110 --> 00:06:11.650 our Charlottesville neighbors, and our parents and guardians. 00:06:11.650 --> 00:06:22.000 To our students, thank you for your understanding and your flexibility over these last few months and I'm sorry about the disruption and loss caused by this pandemic 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:28.000 I'm also grateful to the many students who have been working with us this summer to help prepare for the fall 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:35.000 including students who recently produced a video about the importance about following new safety guidelines on and off-Grounds. 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:37.000 As students, you have a choice about whether you'd like to follow the requirements 00:06:37.690 --> 00:06:43.400 around masking, physical distancing, social gatherings and symptom attestation laid out 00:06:43.400 --> 00:06:48.129 for you, and if you would, you will have to sign an agreement pledging that you will do 00:06:48.129 --> 00:06:49.129 so. 00:06:49.129 --> 00:06:52.639 I will be honest and say, as I’m sure you have heard, that there’s a good deal of 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:55.810 skepticism about whether you will follow these requirements. 00:06:55.810 --> 00:06:57.409 Some believe you can’t. 00:06:57.409 --> 00:06:58.750 Others believe you won’t. 00:06:58.750 --> 00:07:01.380 I confess to have more faith in you than that. 00:07:01.380 --> 00:07:05.780 I believe you can and will, because I trust you understand that these measures are not 00:07:05.780 --> 00:07:09.120 just for your own protection, but for the protection of others. 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:13.600 It’s true that the symptoms of the virus are often less severe among young people, 00:07:13.600 --> 00:07:17.060 though young adults are not immune from the virus or its effects. 00:07:17.060 --> 00:07:23.590 But it is also undoubtedly true that any one of us could transmit a potentially devastating 00:07:23.590 --> 00:07:27.969 virus to someone in our community who is more vulnerable—whether it’s a student who 00:07:27.969 --> 00:07:33.030 is immunocompromised, a faculty or staff member, or a member of the broader Charlottesville 00:07:33.030 --> 00:07:34.260 community. 00:07:34.260 --> 00:07:38.870 I have confidence that you will do the right thing, even though midsummers gave many people 00:07:38.870 --> 00:07:43.569 in Charlottesville cause for concern, and even though I know it will be hard at times. 00:07:43.569 --> 00:07:47.800 Being part of the UVA community comes with enormous benefits, but it also comes with 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:51.569 obligations to each other and to our Charlottesville neighbors. 00:07:51.569 --> 00:07:56.110 All of you were invited to join this community because we knew you would make it stronger, 00:07:56.110 --> 00:07:57.590 as you have already. 00:07:57.590 --> 00:08:02.420 This fall is another chance to make it even stronger not through anything heroic, but 00:08:02.420 --> 00:08:07.419 through countless small, personal, responsible decisions that together will determine the 00:08:07.419 --> 00:08:09.830 course of the semester. 00:08:09.830 --> 00:08:16.091 That said, and to be very clear, if you don’t feel able to meet these expectations, or if 00:08:16.091 --> 00:08:20.969 you think these requirements somehow don’t apply to you or that we might be kidding, 00:08:20.969 --> 00:08:26.440 please stay home this semester, because we are not going to bend when it comes to compliance. 00:08:26.440 --> 00:08:27.699 We can’t. 00:08:27.699 --> 00:08:32.539 These rules will be enforced, and those who do not comply will face disciplinary actions, 00:08:32.539 --> 00:08:37.560 which can range from a warning for minor violations to suspension or expulsion for serious or 00:08:37.560 --> 00:08:39.440 persistent violations. 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:44.490 And if there is widespread non-compliance, we will have no choice but to change course, 00:08:44.490 --> 00:08:47.440 shut down in-person classes and vacate the dorms. 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:52.810 I know that might seem severe, but we really do not have any other choice, given the seriousness 00:08:52.810 --> 00:08:54.560 of what we face. 00:08:54.560 --> 00:08:58.050 To our faculty and staff: thank you. 00:08:58.050 --> 00:09:02.830 I know the most recent change in plans will require additional flexibility at a time when 00:09:02.830 --> 00:09:06.100 you have already been remarkably flexible and understanding. 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:10.380 I know that those of you who are parents of young children have faced and will continue 00:09:10.380 --> 00:09:12.130 to face child-care challenges. 00:09:12.130 --> 00:09:16.320 I am enormously grateful for the hard work you have done and the sacrifices you have 00:09:16.320 --> 00:09:21.410 made since March and through the summer to adapt to an ever-changing environment and 00:09:21.410 --> 00:09:26.270 to ensure that we continue to deliver on our mission of teaching, research, and medical 00:09:26.270 --> 00:09:27.270 care. 00:09:27.270 --> 00:09:30.850 I also know that many of you are worried about your own health and safety with students back 00:09:30.850 --> 00:09:35.070 on Grounds, which is why we have been doing all we can to make our classroom and office 00:09:35.070 --> 00:09:37.380 environments as safe as they can be. 00:09:37.380 --> 00:09:41.760 Still, we realize everyone’s circumstances are different, and we have asked deans and 00:09:41.760 --> 00:09:46.550 managers to make every effort to grant requests for reasonable accommodations for faculty, 00:09:46.550 --> 00:09:50.550 staff, and graduate teaching assistants who need them. 00:09:50.550 --> 00:09:54.899 To our neighbors in Charlottesville and the surrounding counties: please know that we 00:09:54.899 --> 00:09:58.980 are working as hard as we can to ensure that what we are doing is safe. 00:09:58.980 --> 00:10:04.610 Please also know that, in addition to gating criteria that must be met for us to open fully, 00:10:04.610 --> 00:10:09.680 we also have criteria that we will monitor daily to determine if we need to change course. 00:10:09.680 --> 00:10:13.880 To be specific, we are tracking, and will continue tracking for the entire semester, 00:10:13.880 --> 00:10:19.839 key criteria like viral-prevalence rates, isolation and quarantine capacity, compliance 00:10:19.839 --> 00:10:24.100 with health and safety measures, and the availability of testing materials for the fall. 00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:29.820 We are also tracking our hospital capacity which, to be clear, is fine right now. 00:10:29.820 --> 00:10:34.600 If these criteria indicate that we should change course, we will. 00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:39.920 Finally, to our parents and guardians: I know this is an uncertain time, and there are risks 00:10:39.920 --> 00:10:41.230 involved. 00:10:41.230 --> 00:10:45.860 As a parent of college-age students, these decisions hit close to home for me. 00:10:45.860 --> 00:10:49.180 When I see our students, I see my own kids. 00:10:49.180 --> 00:10:54.180 What I can promise is that we will not ask or permit our students to do anything I would 00:10:54.180 --> 00:10:57.990 not ask or permit my own kids to do. 00:10:57.990 --> 00:11:00.400 Some may still ask, is it worth it? 00:11:00.400 --> 00:11:05.470 With all of the requirements and restrictions, is moving forward with students back on Grounds 00:11:05.470 --> 00:11:06.470 worth it? 00:11:06.470 --> 00:11:11.019 Even if successful, will this semester be all drudgery and no joy? 00:11:11.019 --> 00:11:15.440 My own view is that it will certainly be different, but it will also be worthwhile. 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:20.340 There will be opportunities for discovery in classes and through research, and there 00:11:20.340 --> 00:11:24.769 will be joy in getting together in small groups with friends, participating in new University 00:11:24.769 --> 00:11:29.750 traditions, meeting new people, discovering new passions, and spending time in and around 00:11:29.750 --> 00:11:32.560 Charlottesville during one of the most beautiful times of the year. 00:11:32.560 --> 00:11:37.940 There is a good deal that remains unpredictable about this virus, which is why we must approach 00:11:37.940 --> 00:11:39.540 it with humility. 00:11:39.540 --> 00:11:43.019 But one thing we know for certain is that for this to work, we are going to have to 00:11:43.019 --> 00:11:44.029 continue to work together. 00:11:44.029 --> 00:11:48.880 We are going to have to remind ourselves that we did not ask for this pandemic, and that 00:11:48.880 --> 00:11:53.649 this is a once-in-a century challenge, which requires, above all, that we be willing to 00:11:53.649 --> 00:11:54.649 adapt. 00:11:54.649 --> 00:11:59.190 We are going to have to learn to live with uncertainty for a while longer, and to remind 00:11:59.190 --> 00:12:02.259 ourselves that this is genuinely hard, because it is. 00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:06.750 We are going to have to be kind and generous with one another, and recognize that there 00:12:06.750 --> 00:12:09.220 will be mistakes made. 00:12:09.220 --> 00:12:15.610 We must trust that we are all trying our best and encourage those who need help or a gentle 00:12:15.610 --> 00:12:16.610 reminder. 00:12:16.610 --> 00:12:21.079 I cannot predict what this semester will bring, or what the world will look like in October 00:12:21.079 --> 00:12:22.290 or November. 00:12:22.290 --> 00:12:23.310 No one can. 00:12:23.310 --> 00:12:28.600 But I can promise you that my colleagues and I will continue to do our very best to safeguard 00:12:28.600 --> 00:12:31.500 our community and our Charlottesville neighbors. 00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:32.000 Thank you.