March 9, 2020
Dear Members of the John Carroll University Community,
We’re pleased to welcome everyone back from Spring Break. Our hope is that you had a restful week.
The COVID-19 Task Force continues to assess the potential impact of Coronavirus on our community. We meet on a daily basis to review the current situation and plan for the future needs of our campus. There are no known cases of Coronavirus at John Carroll or in the State of Ohio, but it remains critically important to practice proper hygiene to protect yourself from the spread of germs. We encourage you to reference our health updates webpage that includes a list of FAQs and other resources. Please remember that this is a rapidly changing situation.
International Travel: We know that many in our community travelled to international destinations in the last 14 days. If you departed the United States in the last two weeks or plan international travel in the next month, please fill out this form. As a reminder, all University-sponsored international travel by faculty, staff, and students is suspended through May 1, 2020. If you choose to travel internationally for personal reasons, please monitor the CDC website and use good judgement, as the situation is changing rapidly and you may face restrictions on your travel or your return to the United States. If you experience symptoms of COVID-19 upon your return, contact your health care provider or local board of health, and do not come to campus. If you are a student, you may also contact the Student Health and Wellness Center at 216-397-4349.
Domestic Travel: As the number of Americans affected by Coronavirus continues to rise, we are discouraging non-essential, University-related domestic travel at this time. Please consult with your supervisor or trip leader in advance of any domestic travel. As we learn more, we may restrict University-related travel to specific cities, states, or regions. If you have plans to travel domestically for personal reasons, please use common sense and consider the impact of Coronavirus on your destination in deciding whether to travel. If you do travel domestically for personal reasons, you should self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 upon your return. Please fill out this form if you have University-related or personal domestic travel scheduled between now and May 1, 2020.
Academic Continuity: We are monitoring the steps being taken by institutions in areas that have reported exposure to Coronavirus, including those in Washington State that have canceled in-person classes with a short-term transition to online learning. Our task force, together with a subgroup of deans, faculty, and ITS, is working to review and update John Carroll’s academic continuity plan. In the event that we are faced with a decision to cancel in-person classes, we ask proactively for flexibility and patience from the entire community.
Faculty, staff, and students are encouraged to stay home if they are feeling ill. If you are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 or you have been in direct contact with an individual diagnosed with COVID-19, please call your healthcare provider and the Cuyahoga County Board of Health at 216-201-2000. Students may also contact the Student Health and Wellness Center at 216-397-4349.
Our task force will continue to provide updates as frequently as needed.
Mark D. McCarthy, Ph.D. Vice President for Student Affairs
Garry Homany Director of Risk Management and Regulatory Affairs