I want to begin by sending my hopes and prayers that you and your families are safe and healthy!  Being able to adjust and pivot as we face unprecedented challenges each day has been the norm over the past months.  UPIKE is no different as we are currently in the midst of those decisions.

The following information was presented from Dr. Burton Webb, University President:

UPIKE’s undergraduate colleges will remain on Level 4 alert within the UPIKE COVID-19 Guidelines through Friday, October 9, 2020. Classes will resume face-to-face on Monday, October 12. 

Message to students: During this time: 

• Instruction will take place online. Face-to-face instruction will resume on Monday, October 12.
• All athletic activities will resume on October 12. Return to competition will be announced by the athletic director when that information becomes available. 
• All residential students will be expected to complete a form indicating their intent to remain on campus or go home. (A form will be sent to students, but is not included in this message.)
  • Students who are currently in quarantine or isolation will continue to have food delivered to their rooms until the end of their quarantine period. 
  • Students may return to their homes. Students will be contacted with a check-in process in the next few days that will inform them when they may return to campus.
  • Students may remain in their rooms except for transit to and from the cafeteria or the restroom.
• If students choose to remain on campus during Level 4 they must understand that Level 4 guidelines will be strictly enforced. 
• When they return to campus, all residential students who have not previously tested positive for COVID-19 will need to provide a negative test or will be tested upon their return. 
• Finals for Block I will take place on October 13 and October 14. Block II courses will resume as scheduled on October 15. Please contact your faculty if you have questions related to course materials, content, or finals.
• This level change does not apply to the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine (KYCOM) and Kentucky College of Optometry (KYCO).

Rationale: 

• Sometime around the weekend of September 19-20, COVID-19 began to spread through our residence halls more rapidly than it had done in the weeks previous. 
• Since that time, we have averaged three to four new cases of COVID-19 each day. 
• We have had conversations with the PCHD, Dr. Fadi Akhras, and, indirectly through the PCHD, the regional epidemiologist Morgan Peterson. 
• All of the public health experts with whom we have spoken agree, the campus needs to remain on Level 4 for a period of 14 days to give the current cases of COVID-19 and those that will emerge in the next 48 hours time to resolve themselves. 
• Today, approximately 28 people in leadership from across the undergraduate colleges were integral to receiving the advice of our public health officials and unanimous in their support of this decision. 

It remains consistent that the leadership from our university administrators, as we have faced this national crisis, has been direct, compassionate, thoughtful and all in the best interest of our students and staff.

For our athletic department administrators, staff and coaches, the recent days have been among the most challenging of our careers, with our department engaged in a series of unprecedented actions. The next few weeks hold many unknowns but we will continue to act in the best interests of our student-athletes, coaches and staff.

Our student-athletes have received frequent, consistent communication from coaches, administrators, academic advisors, faculty, staff and other service agents on campus. In each case, they have been extremely responsive, and we will continue to serve our students and student-athletes the entire way.  We are here to serve and support our students!

As you plan and study, take care of yourselves, your families and one another. Thank you for your continued support of UPIKE.

GO BEARS!