ULM logo
ULM moving to remote learning and mandatory social distancing

Published March 13, 2020

ULM COVID UpdateUniversity of Louisiana Monroe President Nick J. Bruno, Ph.D., released a letter to the students, faculty and staff, providing updated information on the university's preparations for the spread of coronavirus.

The University will be transitioning to online learning for the remainder of the spring semester and cancelling all University events until further notice.

The president's letter is as follows:

In response to the ongoing threat of COVID-19,

  • University face-to-face classes will be cancelled March 16, 17, and 18, 2020. Courses already offered exclusively online will continue as scheduled;
  • Face-to-face courses will resume in an online format on March 19, 2020 for the remainder of the semester;
  • All University events will be cancelled or postponed until further notice;
  • University offices will remain open and operational;
  • all University-sponsored domestic and international travel is prohibited effective March 16, 2020. This includes any travel which has been previously approved. See travel policy linked below.

Our priority is the health and safety of the campus community. By moving face-to-face classes online, this will allow us to help prevent community spread of the virus and will also help us to protect friends and family from exposure. At this time there are no reported cases of COVID-19 in Northeast Louisiana.

ULM is prepared to provide technical support to faculty and students during and after the transition to digital instruction. Faculty will be in constant contact with students. Lab-based courses will also be online.

The University Library computer labs and Student Success Center computer labs will remain open and will implement social distancing best practices as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Faculty will still be allowed to access their offices during this time period.

The updated travel policy is still in place.

The University will remain open and operational during this time period. Students residing in residence halls will be allowed to remain on-campus but cannot gather in groups of greater than 50 people. Food service operations will continue to remain open but may have limited menus.

Student workers will continue to report if they are needed in the department. If they are not needed or cannot report to work, student workers are not eligible for paid leave. Graduate assistants are expected to work their assigned hours.

The ULM Activity Center will remain open but will have limited recreational services.

According to the CDC, people at higher risk for developing severe COVID-19 illness are:

  • older adults – ages 60 and above
  • those with underlying health conditions such as, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, hypertension, and cancer

If you fall within these categories and would like to make alternate work accommodations, please contact your immediate supervisor for consideration.

Please remember; 1) wash your hands regularly, 2) cover your mouth with your arm when sneezing or coughing, 3) use greater than 60% alcohol-based hand sanitizer whenever you return from ANY activity that involved locations where other people have been, 4) try to avoid large groups.

This is an evolving situation with new information hourly. For accurate and timely information, please visit ulm.edu/coronavirus.

ULM will continue collaboration with the UL System, Governor's Office of Homeland Security, Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, and the Centers for Disease Control on how to proceed in the future.

For additional resources, visit the Louisiana Department of Health website.

Thank you,

Nick J. Bruno
President


©