Coronavirus: UD cancels most travel – athletic teams decided ‘case by case’

DAYTON — The University of Dayton has canceled most travel for students and faculty in light of the coronavirus/COVID-19 and is working with the NCAA to guide the university’s response to the outbreak for all NCAA events, university officials announced Monday night.

“We will make decisions about athletic team travel on a case-by-case basis,” according to the statement released in a campus-wide email.

A university working group with representatives from key units across campus is meeting several times a week to coordinate UD's short-term response and refine long-term and business continuity plans.

“We are monitoring the situation closely and will provide updates accordingly. Our highly residential campus environment and our responsibility to the larger issue of public health require us to be proactive, rather than reactive, in making decisions that affect the well-being of our community,” university officials said.

UD on Monday night announced the following restrictions:

For international and domestic travel guidance regarding students

+ All University-sponsored international and domestic spring break programs are cancelled

+ All summer education abroad programs are cancelled

+ All non-essential university-sponsored student travel within the U.S. is cancelled until further notice.

+ We will make decisions about athletic team travel on a case-by-case basis. “We are working closely with the NCAA, which has established a COVID-19 advisory panel of leading medical, public health and epidemiology experts as well as NCAA member schools, to guide its response to the outbreak of the coronavirus disease for all NCAA events.”

+ We strongly recommend students reconsider personal travel plans to other countries and U.S. territories over spring break.

+ Students traveling within the U.S. should check CDC guidance and current conditions where they are traveling.

+ Check CDC guidance and local authorities’ information often. Because the COVID-19 situation is evolving rapidly, affected areas could issue new travel restrictions or guidance at any time and without prior notice, which could affect or interrupt your travel, or require self-quarantine when you return home.

For faculty and staff

+ All university-sponsored travel outside the continental United States for faculty and staff is suspended. This includes travel to other countries and U.S. territories.

+ The university is also suspending all non-essential business travel within the U.S. for faculty and staff, which includes spring break programming.

+ Many faculty and staff planning summer university travel must make decisions soon about upcoming trips. There is no way to predict conditions at travel time either internationally or domestically, or to estimate when the travel suspension may be lifted.

University officials also announced the following for students returning from semesters abroad:

+ In accordance with CDC guidance for travelers returning from China, Italy, South Korea, Iran or returning from any other country subsequently designated by CDC as Level 3 while are traveling, you will be required to self-quarantine — at your permanent address or otherwise away from UD's campus — at least 14 days before returning to campus. The university cannot reimburse you for flight change costs and additional expenses.

+ Students currently on an education abroad program may stay in place, unless in-country circumstances change (e.g., CDC or host country advisories) or unless they wish to return.

+ If you are returning from an area that has experienced an outbreak of COVID-19, or if you’ve been in contact with someone who has tested positive, in accordance with CDC guidelines you may need to self-quarantine at home (or otherwise away from UD’s campus) for 14 days from the time you were possibly exposed.

+ If you are experiencing symptoms or if you have traveled to areas impacted by the coronavirus, please call ahead to the UD Health Center or your health care provider to obtain guidance on next steps.

University officials said there have been no known COVID-19 cases connected to UD, but the university is in contact with the Ohio Department of Higher Education, the Ohio Department of Health, and Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County, and officials continue to monitor the CDC for updates and guidance.

Campus crews have increased cleaning and disinfecting of touchpoints and surfaces in common areas of academic and residential buildings. They are providing additional cleaning of high-traffic places. Touch surfaces are being cleaned with hospital-grade disinfectant.

Extra cleaning and disinfecting will continue for several weeks in high-use buildings such as the RecPlex, Bombeck Center and the Health Center.

Deep cleaning of residential and academic buildings will be conducted during spring break.

Facilities Management is monitoring and continuing to keep hand sanitizer units filled throughout campus.