Spring Break Travel and the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak

Based on recent developments, discussions with leadership on University of Alabama System campuses and other institutions, and advice of the UA System Task Force, the UA System is making immediate preparations to transition to on-line or alternate instruction for all academic courses to protect the health and safety of our communities.

This policy will be re-evaluated on or before Monday, April 6, 2020.

Each campus will keep faculty, staff and students updated electronically on individualized plans, timelines and specific changes as soon as possible.

1. The University of Alabama (UA) and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are scheduled for Spring Break next week (March 16-20). UA’s and UAB’s Spring Break will be extended through at least March 24. Each campus will notify students, faculty and staff when the semester will resume.
2. Following Spring Break, UA System students should not return to campus and will continue their course work via distance learning subject to the following limited exceptions:
   1. international or other students who do not have alternative accommodations;
   2. students from areas without high-speed internet or other means of receiving remote instruction; and
   3. students with exceptional hardships, or academic, employment, clinical or research requirements that should be reviewed by the respective campuses on a case-by-case basis.
   Arrangements will be made by the campuses to ensure any students remaining on campus have access to essential services (including Student Health Services/Counseling Services). Residence Hall and dining facilities will be open for students who remain on campus.
3. The UA System’s restriction on ALL non-essential international and domestic travel remains in place. All non-essential University meetings, gatherings and events are cancelled. Faculty, staff and students abroad and in international affiliated programs sponsored by third parties should contact their campus program administrators for information and further guidance.
4. These policies will be updated as circumstances require. Students leaving for spring break, please take essential belongings with you (e.g., class materials, textbooks, medications, electronics, valuables, etc.). If you have already left and will need to return, please alert Student Housing at studenthousing@uab.edu.

This is a quickly evolving situation, and we are committed to answering questions and supporting students, faculty and staff through this unprecedented event at UAB. There will be questions, and leaders across campus are working to answer them and make this transition as smooth as possible.

Please continue to follow updates at www.uab.edu/coronavirus.

I want to assure you that the safety of our students, staff and faculty is of utmost concern. I know that the fluidity of this rapidly changing situation and the difficulty for us to predict far in advance how things will progress can be anxiety provoking. Student Counseling Services continues to be available to provide mental health counseling services to students and their website offers resources for managing mental health related to Coronavirus concerns.

We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you updated. If you have any medical questions, please contact UAB Student Health Services at (205) 934-3580. If you have any other COVID-19 related questions, please contact UAB’s Office of Student Health and Wellbeing at (205) 934-8465.

Sincerely,

John Jones
Vice President Student Affairs