Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response
Updates and Information for the Notre Dame Community
Each morning Father Jenkins walks from his apartment on campus to his office under the Dome. In a Spring Town Hall meeting, live-streamed this afternoon, he commented on the stunning beauty of campus in full bloom today, but also how “it’s empty without you.”
University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., earlier today directed that federal funding related to coronavirus relief and received by the University be used exclusively for direct financial aid to students whose families have been struck by unemployment or otherwise upended by the pandemic.…
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Your generosity, creativity, and commitment to our students has never been more visible than it is now in this moment of profound disruption and anxiety. Thank you. In all things, we counsel compassion, flexibility, and patience as guiding principles — towards our students, our broader community, and ourselves. Many students (and their instructors) may be in unstable circumstances; they may be burdened by this crisis in ways that are not readily visible or communicated easily. The impact of COVID-19 on our communities, the responses of local authorities to it, and access to public spaces and resources will vary. These factors will continue to impact everyone in our dispersed community. Resumption of instruction in an online environment will, no doubt, present some new opportunities and a few surprises. As we look forward to the week ahead, we write with some additional touchstones to consider as we begin remote learning and teaching as a community.…
Dear Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Scholars,
As you may have learned, the University is taking additional steps in response to COVID-19 to address the health and safety of all of you as well as our faculty and staff members who support online teaching and research. A recent communication states that “these steps will also position us for additional anticipated measures that state and local governments are likely to take to control the spread of the coronavirus.”…
Dear Members of the Notre Dame Community,
We hope this finds you and your loved ones well. Given the importance of ensuring that all members of the Notre Dame community are well-informed while the coronavirus pandemic continues, we plan to summarize on Fridays the developments of that week. Much of the information may have been communicated previously through other channels. Nonetheless, it’s important that we highlight it, or in some instances, provide additional details.…
Dear Colleagues,
With the announcement that the University plans to suspend laboratory research operations and limit access only to essential personnel on Friday March, 27, I write to inform you about how we will manage the ramp down process. I want to emphasize that although lab operations are suspended, we hope faculty, post docs, graduate and undergraduate students can still find ways to be productive remotely by engaging in computational and simulation work, data analysis, paper and proposal writing, and other similar activities. The Deans and I stand ready to assist in any way that we can.…
Dear Colleagues,
Thank you for your committed and diligent efforts to take all necessary precautions to safeguard, as much as possible, you, your family, and your colleagues from exposure to the COVID-19 virus while also doing all you can to ensure the best possible distance education for our students. I know that I start each note to you with thanks. Please know that this is not formulaic; it is heartfelt. The selfless efforts so many people have made are extraordinary.…
A short while ago, the US Department of State announced that its Worldwide Global Health Advisory has been raised to Level 4, “Do Not Travel.” This message advises those who are abroad to return to the US as soon as possible by commercial means while still available and, if you cannot, to shelter in place until you are able to depart safely. …
Dear Faculty and Staff,
On Sunday, March 15th the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new recommendation that no gatherings with 50 people or more be held for the next eight weeks. Informed by this recommendation as well as conversations with state and local health officials, and in consultation with other University leaders, I have decided to extend the suspension of in-person classes at Notre Dame to the end of the semester. Distance learning for our students will continue until then. …
March 18, 2020
Dear Students and Parents,
On Sunday, March 15th the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a new recommendation that no gatherings with 50 people or more be held for the next eight weeks. Informed by this recommendation as well as conversations with state and local health officials, and in consultation with other University leaders, I have decided to extend the suspension of in-person classes at Notre Dame to the end of the semester. Distance learning for our students will continue until then. …
Dear Notre Dame undergraduates,
Since writing to you only a week ago, the pace with which our world has changed due to COVID-19 is astounding and, at times, disconcerting. I am so proud of how you have responded to this challenge. Although your lives have changed dramatically, you have expressed understanding that Notre Dame prioritized the health and safety of our community, our nation, and our world. …
Dear Graduate and Professional Students,
It has been a sad and stressful week. On behalf of myself and the deans of the graduate professional schools, I write to say how sorry we are that the spring semester has unfolded in this manner, and to thank you for your understanding, patience, flexibility, and creativity as the rhythm of just about every facet of our lives has been up-ended, and as we all try to adjust to a new set of routines. We understand how you may be feeling. The need to stay physically distant may bring on feelings of isolation. The pressures to move instruction online may be compounded for those of you who are not only students, but also teaching assistants or instructors of record. The contingency planning that is taking place with respect to research is important because we are trying our best to support you in your pursuit of meaningful work and progress on your degree. But understandably, this planning may bring too anxiety and countless questions related to deadlines, progress on research, funding, access to on-campus resources and so on.…
Dear Members of the Notre Dame Community:
A Notre Dame student who returned last week from studying abroad in London has notified the University that the student has tested positive for the coronavirus (COVID-19). The student had traveled from London to home in the United States, and not to Notre Dame’s main campus in South Bend. The student was already self-quarantined when tested for the virus. The student’s local health department is currently overseeing medical care in conjunction with local providers. These local health officials are authorized to notify additional individuals who may have been in recent, close contact with the student. …
Dear Members of the Notre Dame Community,
Thank you for your steadfast commitment to the health and well-being of all members of our community. Your leadership, flexibility and care for others during these ever-changing times is exemplary. For that and for all you are doing, I am deeply grateful.
Dear Notre Dame Family,
As Fr. Jenkins said in his recent video message, Notre Dame is a community, even when we are far apart. In the interest of caring for all members of our community, and in accordance with the guidelines of the CDC, the State of Indiana, and the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, we will be suspending public Masses in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and elsewhere on campus. This is not a decision taken lightly, but it is one that is necessary.…
University president Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., addresses Notre Dame amid the coronavirus pandemic.
We write to share some important new steps the University will take to safeguard the health and well-being of members of the Notre Dame community and our neighbors, while continuing our central work of education and research. We are continuously monitoring the rapidly evolving situation and thinking about the University’s response in light of local, national and global developments.
Dear Colleagues,
Words cannot adequately express my gratitude for your overwhelming support as we move forward on the decision to move all classes online starting March 23. As you know, our coronavirus response efforts have been unfolding quickly for the past few days and are likely to continue this weekend and into next week.…
Dear Staff,
I wanted to provide additional information in follow up to the Executive Officers' letter that was sent to you this evening. The University remains open and operations continue with appropriate measures to protect the health and safety of the campus community. We appreciate the extraordinary efforts of all staff to support our mission of teaching and scholarship, especially during this ever-changing landscape.…
In response to the new European travel restrictions that go into effect at midnight on Friday, March 13, Notre Dame has arranged travel for all affected undergraduate students to arrive in the U.S. prior to the deadline.
In addition, all undergraduates on study abroad have been provided rebooked flights and are scheduled to come back to the U.S. or their home country by Monday, March 16. …
Dear undergraduates living on campus this semester,
As a follow up to the email I sent yesterday, I write today to update you on developments relevant to our residence halls.
Last night, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added 29 countries…
Although there are currently no reported cases of the coronavirus at Notre Dame, the probability that it will spread to our region is high. I have continued to monitor the quickly evolving situation, and after a great deal of deliberation and consultation with experts, with all members of our community’s health and well-being in mind, I’ve decided that the University will take several steps to reduce the likelihood of transmission of the virus.