September 2, 2020
Masks are required in all indoor and outdoor spaces on campus, with very limited exceptions.
Thank you to all our Knights who are following the important guidance of public health officials and Armoring Up to protect themselves and one another from further spread of COVID-19.
It will take continued vigilance and cooperation to get us all past this pandemic. Now is not the time to let our guards down but rather to double down on our commitment to caring about the health and well-being of those around us.
Policy Updates
UCF’s COVID-19 Return to Campus Policy was updated last week, reflecting the latest public health guidance and outlining the expectations for everyone at all of UCF’s campuses and properties.
All students, faculty and staff members, and campus visitors must abide by the general health and hygiene rules outlined in the policy, which include wearing a face covering, practicing physical distancing, frequent hand washing, and staying home if you are sick. Everyone coming to one of UCF’s campuses or any university property also must screen for possible symptoms of COVID-19 using UCF’s self-checker every day through the online COVID Self-Checker or on the UCF Mobile app.
Key updates to the policy you should be aware of are:
- Face coverings must fit snugly to the face and help prevent spread of the virus. This means neck gaiters; open-chin triangle bandanas; and face coverings containing valves, mesh material or holes of any kind are not acceptable.
- Masks are required in all indoor and outdoor spaces on campus, with very limited exceptions.
- Face coverings do not need to be worn while actively eating or drinking, but you should be stationary and maintain appropriate physical distancing.
Additionally, there is a new university policy outlining behavioral expectations for students that was developed to set clear expectations and provide students with information to help them remain healthy and well while on and off campus.
Disciplinary Update
We are disappointed to learn that some are not complying with the COVID-19 Return to Campus policy, particularly with the requirement to wear face coverings and disobeying requests from a UCF official to do so.
The success of UCF’s COVID-19 policy relies on everyone doing their part, and our goal remains to educate members of our community about why each individual’s efforts matter.
While voluntary compliance is our goal, those who continue to fail to comply will be asked to leave campus, and refusal to comply or repeated non-compliance will result in progressive disciplinary action, including separation from the university and trespass from campus.
We encourage students and employees to continue to come forward to report problems that could jeopardize their own or our community’s health or well-being. Reports about non-compliance with COVID-19 guidelines can be made to UCF’s IntegrityLine.
Face Covering Distribution Update
To make it as easy as possible to comply with the policy, UCF has since July provided all students and employees with a UCF ID with one free, reusable cloth face covering available for pickup at locations on the main campus and at the downtown, Rosen and Lake Nona campuses.
Starting this week, these face coverings also are available for purchase from vending machines at these campuses for students, employees and visitors who forgot their mask at home or who would like to purchase an additional one. The UCF-branded cloth masks are available for $5, with disposable masks also available for purchase for $2.
UCF is continuing to follow public health guidance, with steps like increased cleaning and enhanced safety measures and additional precautions for face-to-face events happening until further notice.
It is on each of us to take the personal precautions necessary to protect our campus community.
Thank you for doing your part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at UCF.