July 17, 2020
Off-campus students,
We are looking forward to seeing you this Fall Quarter—whether in-person or through our virtual platforms. Your health, well-being, safety and learning are top-of-mind for us as we respond to an evolving environment.
To help prepare you well for health decisions that are best for you and your family, we want to update you regarding Chicago's
Emergency Travel Order, which was announced on July 6, 2020. Since this announcement, the university has been preparing protocols for those who may be from or may travel to a state that is experiencing a surge of COVID-19 cases, as well as for our international students. The city will review and update the list of restricted states every Tuesday, so we highly recommend you visit the
City of Chicago website regularly, especially if you are taking in-person classes in the fall.
Navigating this may seem daunting, so we wanted to give you some clarification and guidance. Chicago's Emergency Travel Order may affect you if you are:
- Coming to Chicago from a state included in the city's travel restriction list
- Coming to Chicago after having traveled in/to a state included in the city's travel restriction list
Since the Emergency Travel Order would require you to quarantine for 14 days we recommend that you consider the following options:
- Option A: Arrive in Chicago at least two weeks before classes begin on September 9 and quarantine on your own or with family for 14 days. You may also conduct your quarantine outside of Chicago as long as:
- It is in a location not covered by the travel restriction and
- You do not visit a state that falls under the travel order during or after the 14-day quarantine period and prior to your arrival
- Option B: Choose to take your Fall Quarter classes online, utilizing the various modalities that are available to you
If you are unable to choose either option and believe that you may be affected by Chicago's Emergency Travel Order, please note that you will not be able to attend in-person classes during the quarantine period and should therefore contact your professors to learn if attending online is an option while you are in quarantine.
These are unusual times we are living in and we know how disappointing and stressful this must be for you. We are here, as always, to help in any way we can.
Sincerely,
Eugene L. Zdziarski, II, PhDVice President for Student Affairs