UPDATE [3/7/20]: University prepares for possible Coronavirus outbreak
The UA Little Rock Communications Department released an email on Wednesday afternoon informing students about their preparations for a possible Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak on campus.
The New York Times currently has a live, updated map that shows all the places in the United States that currently have confirmed cases for the virus. As of Wednesday afternoon, there are at least 152 confirmed cases and 11 deaths in the United States. Although many have been tested, there are no confirmed cases in Arkansas at this moment.
“We are continuing to monitor the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, to review relevant response policies and to otherwise ensure we are prepared if and when the university is impacted,” the Communications Department said in their email. “We are engaged in enhanced planning activities to help ensure the safety of employees and students as well as the continuity of business operations in the event there is an outbreak.”
The University has formed a Coronavirus Emergency Response Team (CERT) that’s job is to help coordinate the University’s efforts and provide updates of the situation to students and faculty. CERT currently has 14 members of which includes Cody Decker (Student Affairs and CERT Chair), Emily Bell (Study Abroad), Thomas Bunton (Information Technology Services), Regina Carter (Public Safety), Ophelia Dedner (Human Resources), Sharon Downs (Student Affairs Wellness and Inclusion), Elizabeth Sloan Davidson (Department of Nursing), Jeff Harmon (Communications & Marketing), Richard Harper (Dean of Students), Mike Kirk, (Counseling Services and Health Services), Patti Light (Campus Living), David Millay (Facilities Management), David Montague (eLearning & STAR) and Vince Rogers (Environmental Health, and Safety).
“[CERT’s job is to] implement emergency operations plans, monitor and plan for faculty and staff absenteeism, review and publicize procedures for students, staff and faculty who are sick on campus, review and implement appropriate environmental, health, and safety practices, provide accurate and timely updates to the University Cabinet/Emergency Response Time (ERT), and assess status and recommend changes in pandemic levels to the CERT,” the email stated, basing their guidelines off of the guidelines from the CDC.
UA Little Rock has also created an emergency preparedness plan to support its professors who are currently teaching face-to-face lectures in case an outbreak were to disrupt those classes.
“Since Blackboard course shells are already available for all UA Little Rock courses, including face-to-face, hybrid and webcast courses, faculty could quickly move courses online,” the Communications Department email stated. “eLearning will post on the STaR website seven easy-to-use, ‘How-To’ videos (1-2 minutes each), accompanied by Graphical Guides, enabling faculty to become proficient in the basics of using Blackboard.”
The email also stated that StaR can provide additional assistance to any faculty member that may need it via phone, email and/or videoconferencing.
There is currently an unfortunate stigma that people of Asian decent are more likely to have the Coronavirus due to it’s origins being from China and the Communications Department wants to completely eliminate that mindset.
“People of Asian descent, including Chinese Americans, are not more likely to get COVID-19 than any other American,” they stated. “Help stop fear by letting people know that being of Asian descent does not increase the chance of having or spreading COVID-19.”
The Communications Department will continue to monitor this situation. and will provide updates if the current situation changes.
“The CERT, Health Services staff, and university administrators will continue to work closely with the Arkansas Department of Health to keep our community safe and healthy,” they said.
UPDATE 3/7/2020
On Saturday March 7, UA Little Rock announced that it will be implementing travel guidances for students, faculty, staff and visitors of the campus in order to prevent the spread of the virus.
UA Little Rock highly discourages students, faculty and staff from traveling to any country with a CDC travel advisory of a level two or higher. These countries include (at this time) China, Iran, South Korea, Italy and Japan.
UA Little Rock also strongly recommends that any faculty or staff currently traveling internationally return back home as soon as possible and end any future International travel for at least until the end of the current semester. UA Little Rock also discourages travel to any state that has declared a state of emergency due to the virus, of which currently includes California, Maryland, Washington and Utah.
“University-sponsored travel to countries with a CDC travel advisory of level two or above is prohibited without vice chancellor approval,” the Communications Department said. “Similarly, university visitors from level two or higher countries are prohibited from visiting the campus without vice chancellor approval.”
UA Little Rock is also requiring that any students currently studying abroad in a country with a CDC travel advisory of level two or above return back home immediately.
“Upcoming study abroad trips will be individually evaluated to determine whether they will be suspended or postponed,” the Communications Department said. “UA Little Rock is currently assessing the CDC recommendation to consider postponing or canceling all upcoming international student travel and recalling students abroad.”