Published March 11, 2020
University of Louisiana Monroe President Nick J. Bruno, Ph.D., released a letter to
the students, faculty and staff, providing information on the university’s preparations
for the spread of coronavirus.
The president’s letter is as follows:
I want to keep you updated on the latest information regarding the coronavirus (COVID-19)
and its impact to campus.
Gov. John Bel Edwards confirmed on Tuesday, March 10 that Louisiana now has six presumptive
cases of COVID-19. Because these are presumptive cases, further testing is required
to confirm the patient has the virus. All presumptive cases are in the New Orleans
area.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, coronaviruses are a large
family of viruses that are common throughout the world. These viruses, at times, can
evolve and infect people, then spread through human-to-human contact.
The CDC states that human coronavirus spreads similar to the flu or a cold — through
the air by coughing or sneezing; through close personal contact, like touching or
shaking hands; by touching an object or surface with the viruses on it.
While the risk of contraction for the general population is low, older adults and
people of all ages with severe underlying health conditions – such as heart disease,
lung disease, and diabetes are at higher risk for developing serious COVID-19 illness.
I encourage you to stay informed on preventative measures that can be taken. Some
preventative measures issued by the University of California San Diego are:
- Wash your hands with soap for 10-20 seconds and/or use a greater than 60% alcohol-based
hand sanitizer whenever you return home from ANY activity that involved locations
where other people have been.
- No handshaking! Use a fist bump or elbow bump.
- Use only your knuckle to touch light switches, elevator buttons, etc.
- Clean surfaces frequently, such as countertops, light switches, cell phones, and other
commonly touched areas.
- Open doors with a closed hand or your hip, especially important for the bathroom and
commercial doors.
- Use disinfectant wipes at the stores when available to wipe shopping cart handles.
- Cover coughs or sneezes with your elbow. Do not use your hands.
- Contain – if you are sick, stay home until you are feeling better.
What is the University doing to prepare?
ULM has canceled one study abroad program, the MBA study abroad program in Hong Kong.
Also, ULM canceled a two-week exchange program with visiting students and faculty
members from Japan, along with a scholar from Japan that had a one-year planned stay.
The University of Louisiana System has also canceled a program in Italy.
The university will release a revised travel policy that applies to all students,
faculty, and staff, with guidelines to follow during university-sponsored travel or
personal travel. The revised travel policy states:
(1) All university-sponsored travel to Level 1 or greater countries as defined by
the CDC is prohibited;
(2) Discourages international personal travel;
(3) ULM strongly urges extreme caution and judgment for your personal domestic travel;
the university continues to monitor conditions within the United States and take appropriate
action relative to travel if warranted;
(4) 14-day quarantine period for travelers to CDC listed Level 1 or greater countries
(5) Mandatory reporting of travel to Affected Countries to the Director of Environmental
Health and Safety;
Communication regarding the revised travel policy will be sent out this week. Shane
Dykes, Director of Environmental Health and Safety, will be the campus point of contact
for this process. Mr. Dykes will regularly provide updates regarding interim coronavirus
policies.
ULM is aggressively reviewing its Business Continuity Plan. The university is a complex
organization, and each department is reviewing business practices to determine if
it is possible to work remotely, if needed. Some university functions cannot work
remotely, and there will be guidance in place for employees that must report to work.
The success of our students is a top priority of ULM. Academic Affairs is exploring
online instruction options. It is anticipated that a full Business Continuity Plan
will be completed within a week.
The university janitorial/custodial staff has begun to clean all “high touch” surfaces
every day, such as countertops, tabletops, and doorknobs with CDC recommended cleaning
and disinfecting products. The janitorial and custodial staff is also continuously
refilling all campus antibacterial and soap dispensers.
Additionally, the College of Health Sciences and College of Pharmacy will be hosting
a COVID-19 seminar that will share information and research from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as other resources, and address some of the
most frequently asked questions and myths related to COVID-19. The seminar is free
and open to the public and will be held Tuesday, March 17 at 12 noon, in the Terrace (7th floor of the University Library). The event will also be livestreamed on the ULM Facebook page.
ULM is committed to the health and safety of our students, faculty, and staff. We
are following guidelines and best practices in alignment with the CDC, Governor John
Bel Edwards’ Coronavirus Task Force, and the University of Louisiana System.
Please be sure to download the ULM Safe App to stay up to date on campus alerts.
I will continue to keep you informed as we continue to monitor the situation.
Resources
For more information, visit http://ldh.la.gov/Coronavirus.
The latest information on the coronavirus in the U.S. and worldwide can be found on
the CDC website.
Nick J. Bruno, Jr., Ph.D.
President
