By Sheryl Van Gruensven
Interim Chancellor, UW-Green Bay Campus

UW-Green Bay continues to monitor the spread of COVID-19 (Coronavirus) and strategize to keep students, faculty and staff safe from potential transmission. University leadership is meeting daily to assess the situation and make necessary decisions. We will announce updates every Wednesday or more frequently if required.

Consistent with guidance from the CDC, Wisconsin Department of Health Services, UW System and the Brown County Health Department our goal is containment. Toward that end, the University has made the following decisions regarding class delivery, spring break travel, upcoming events and workplace expectations.

Students:

Beginning Monday, March 23-March 28, all UW-Green Bay classes at all campuses will be taught via alternative delivery methods. You will receive additional details from your faculty in the days ahead. We will update this status for subsequent weeks every Wednesday.

Students leaving campus for spring break are strongly encouraged to go home and remain home until further notice. We are evaluating the situation daily and will communicate a return-to-campus date as soon as possible.

Take instructional materials, computers, medications and other valuables home with you over spring break.

Campuses remain open and essential services will remain available (in person or by phone), including but not limited to counseling and health, dining, housing, police and academic advising.

Students not able to leave campus for spring break will have accommodations.

Students requiring internet and access to computer labs can return to campus after break to do so.

All University-sponsored spring break trips for students and faculty have been cancelled. See the additional travel guidance for international and U.S. travel, below.

Faculty:

Continue your preparations to move all instruction to alternative means of delivery by Monday, March 23. Resources to assist you in doing so can be found online: https://www .uwgb.edu/coronavirus/faculty-resources/

We expect every effort to be made to communicate to students by March 23 how their courses will be delivered. Please work with your deans and department chairs to achieve this.

All University-sponsored spring break trips for students and faculty have been cancelled. See the additional travel guidance for international and U.S. travel below.

All University-sponsored travel outside the state of Wisconsin for faculty and staff from March 14-March 29 has also been cancelled. Exceptions can be made only with approval from the Chancellor.

Campuses remain open and essential services will remain available. Employees are expected to report. If you have specific concerns or reasons not to report, work with your supervisor.

Staff:

Campuses remain open and essential services will remain available. Employees are expected to report. If you have specific concerns or reasons not to report, work with your supervisor.

A temporary telecommuting policy will go into effect on Monday, March 16. More communication on alternate work schedules and telecommuting will be provided by Friday, March 13.

All University-sponsored travel outside the state of Wisconsin for faculty and staff from March 14-March 29 has also been cancelled. Exceptions can be made only with approval from the Chancellor.

Campus Events

Campus events from March 14-March 22 have been cancelled. Future events are continually being evaluated with decisions being made each Wednesday regarding continuation or cancellation of upcoming events and mass gatherings.

The Kress Events Center will be closed to the public from March 14-March 29.

Refer to the Weidner Center website for individual event updates.

Green Bay Athletics continues to monitor the situation, with guidance from the NIT, Horizon League and the NCAA forthcoming.

University Travel Cancellations and Guidance

With spring break approaching next week, please be aware of the following if you are planning to travel. You are strongly encouraged to take the necessary precautions to keep yourself from coming in contact with infected individuals.

University-Sponsored Travel Cancelled

All University-sponsored Spring Break trips for students and faculty have been cancelled.

All University-sponsored travel outside the state of Wisconsin for faculty and staff from March 14-March 29 has also been cancelled.

Spring Break Travel Guidance

Domestic Travel

UW-Green Bay discourages travel to high risk locations by students, faculty and staff. Per the Wisconsin Department of Health Services: People who have traveled in the past 14 days to places where there is community spread of COVID-19 (international and domestic locations), are asked to self-quarantine themselves and monitor for symptoms for 14 days.

If symptoms, like fever, cough, or difficulty breathing are present, they should contact their local health department and health care provider for possible testing. People should call ahead before arriving at a health care facility for testing.

International Travel

As more countries may be declared Level 3 in the weeks ahead, international spring break travelers should be aware that they may encounter problems with re-entry into the U.S.

Please continue to watch for updates to the list of Level 3 countries and be diligent about having contingency plans for travel.