7/14/2021
TO: Fayette Campus students, faculty and staff
SUBJECT: President’s Message to Fayette Campus Students, Faculty, and Staff
Dear Fayette Campus Students, Faculty, and Staff,
First off, I hope this message finds that you all having a great summer with family and friends!
The purpose of this message is to provide a brief update related to the Fayette campus, now that we are about 6 weeks from the start of Session 1 classes.
Our UIU planning teams continue to collaborate closely with Fayette County Public Health and work to refine our plan for the start of classes. Session 1 classes, which start August 30, will be in person except in rare cases where an approved accommodation is necessary. Offices, academic services, residential living, student activities, food service, athletics, and all other aspects of Campus life are expected to resume in-person.
This means that we can once again deliver the dynamic and engaging living and learning experience that our students and graduates say makes Upper Iowa University exceptional. You will find that Fayette Campus is much closer to what students experienced previous to the pandemic—but with relevant precautions to safeguard your health and safety.
If you are fully vaccinated, masks are optional; it’s your choice. Individuals who are not fully vaccinated are strongly encouraged to wear a mask when indoors or in group settings. According to the CDC, individuals are fully vaccinated two weeks after the last scheduled dose for their particular vaccine. This guidance is in place at all UIU locations except where otherwise directed by federal, state, local, tribal or territorial laws. We also continue to recommend good hand hygiene and staying home when ill. When we all do our part, we are a safer Fayette Campus and community.
UIU is joining the COVID-19 College Vaccine Challenge, a collaboration of the White House and the Department of Education with colleges and universities nationwide. Through our participation in this challenge, we will remind our campus community that everyone is eligible for a vaccine—and continue our efforts to make the vaccine more accessible and get as many members of our college community vaccinated as possible. We have already been doing this as a campus community, and we wanted to officially join the Challenge in support of all colleges and universities with similar goals and ambitions. Through this effort, we not only impact each other here at UIU, but are a part of something bigger that may bring an end to this pandemic.
I invite all of you to step up and participate in the College Vaccine Challenge. While we do not require the COVID-19 vaccination, we strongly encourage all students, faculty and staff to get vaccinated if it is safe for you to do so. If you have not yet received a vaccine, please contact your physician, pharmacist, or local public health agency. Additional information is also available here.
This last 18 months was a period unlike anything any of us have seen before. Despite these challenges, we persevered through cooperation and a desire to care for one another. We look forward to seeing all of you back on the Fayette Campus in August! With this in mind, we also invite all of you to attend the Welcome Back Picnic on Sunday, August 29 at 5:00 p.m.; Sharon and I hope to see you there!
Thank you for being #peacockstrong!
GO PEACOCKS!
William R. Duffy II, Ed.D., Ed.S.
President