Dear students, faculty and staff,  

We're making steady progress toward our “Build Immunity in Our Community” challenge to have 70% of the campus community vaccinated by July 1. 

But at our current pace, it is clear there is more to be done. 

That's why we're happy today to launch an awards program to encourage you to join thousands of your classmates, colleagues and co-workers who already have stepped up for their own health and the common good of the community to be vaccinated against COVID-19.  

Here's how the incentives will work: 

Every Tuesday and Thursday from June 17 through July 1, UD's COVID-19 Health Reporting Team will draw names through a randomized process and select students, faculty and staff whose vaccine cards have been uploaded to UD's confidential reporting site to receive awards. Individuals will be informed confidentially about their award. The University may publicize winners, but only with the winners' permissions. 

Students, faculty and staff who have uploaded their cards will be eligible for awards including: 

• President Eric Spina's personal parking space for the entire 2021-22 academic year .
• Prime seats to basketball games.
• Annual parking passes for students and employees.
• RecPlex memberships .
• A private pick-up basketball game at UD Arena for 15 people.
• New awards will be added each week. 

Getting started:  

• If you already have been vaccinated and simply have not uploaded your card yet, there is no reason to wait any longer! Upload your card now by scanning it or taking a picture with your phone. 
• Those individuals who already have uploaded their vaccination cards are automatically enrolled for each drawing.  
• When you complete the one-shot vaccine or at least the first shot of a two-shot vaccine, upload a photo of your vaccination card by scanning it or taking a picture with your phone to the confidential vaccination reporting portal. 
• To protect your privacy, only UD's COVID-19 Health Reporting Team members will have access to your record.
• Schedule your vaccination today. Locations are plentiful, and the COVID-19 vaccination is free. In Ohio, find a location and book an appointment here. In other states, visit the CDC website at https://www.vaccines.gov/ to find a location near you. 
• Track our community's progress every Monday on the vaccination dashboard.  

Watch your email and the "Building Immunity in Our Community" webpage for more details on the incentive program, eligibility and FAQs.  

Join the Flyer Family as we help protect the health and safety of our campus community and turn the page on the pandemic! 

The Path Forward Team

Dear students, faculty and staff, 

While the 2020-21 academic year is just finishing, the UD team is busy preparing for fall semester. As we stated May 5, the extent of in-person learning, community-building activities and social opportunities depends on the level of COVID-19 vaccination in the campus community. 

We are reporting back to you today our progress toward the Build Immunity in Our Community Challenge, with a goal to have 70% of the entire campus community vaccinated by July 1. 

If we reach the 70% goal, we will have flexibility to ease many campus restrictions and requirements — especially those most important to you. You will see more normal campus conditions, and life at UD will be much as it was before the pandemic unless pandemic conditions change. For example:

• Face coverings may not be required indoors, including classrooms. 
• Gatherings and events will return to regular registration and will not require an additional risk review process. Food and beverages will be permitted. 
• Meeting spaces, such as conference rooms and lounges, will return to full capacity and food and beverages will be permitted. 
• Internal and external guests will be permitted in student housing. 
• Dining halls will return to full capacity. 
• Off-campus events will be permitted. 

Regardless of whether we reach 70%, vaccinated individuals will be freed from testing, and will not need to quarantine if identified as a close contact. 

If the 70% vaccination goal is not reached, COVID-19 protocols will still be with us.

The 70% goal is important because that level should help keep our campus community healthy by limiting the number of people susceptible to the virus. More importantly for our highly residential campus, it would reduce the chances that individuals would unknowingly transmit it to others, which we believe led to the spikes in COVID-19 cases last year and some serious illnesses among students, faculty and staff. 

As of today, overall campus vaccinations are at 39%. You can see how various groups are progressing toward the goal and track our overall progress at the COVID-19 Campus Status page, which will be updated weekly. 

Our medical advisory panel has emphasized that vaccination is safe, highly effective and the single most important tool we have to return to University of Dayton campus life as it should be. Many students, employees and families have found the May 20 medical town hall meeting about COVID-19 vaccines very informative; you can view a recording of the meeting on YouTube, which addresses some of the key medical questions raised by students and families.  

If you have not been vaccinated, we urge you to make arrangements to be vaccinated soon. The vaccine is readily available in a variety of locations in every community. In Ohio, find a location and book an appointment here.  If you have completed your vaccination, upload a photo of your vaccine record today to UD's confidential "Report your Vaccine" portal, which is monitored only by medical and contact tracing staff. 

We will report back to the community in July how the vaccination rate will shape fall semester restrictions and whether our approach will need to change.  

Please help the UD campus return to the campus life we know and love. Help Build Immunity in Our Community by scheduling your vaccination and uploading your vaccine record. 

Go Flyers!
The Path Forward Team

Below is the general message sent to students, employees and families. Please check your email for times, Zoom links and the link to the survey.

You are invited to join Robin Oldfield, UD associate vice president of audit, risk and compliance and chief risk officer, and Dr. Mary Buchwalder, UD student health center medical director, and guests from UD's COVID-19 medical advisory panel for a town hall discussion about vaccinations and the University's Build Immunity in Our Community Challenge. The challenge is to get at least 70 percent of the University community vaccinated by July 1. How well we meet that challenge will determine how the University plans for the fall. The panel will respond to questions submitted via the form in the emails sent to students, employees and families.

Participants:

• Robin Oldfield, UD associate vice president of audit, risk and compliance and chief risk officer (moderator)
• Dr. Mary Buchwalder, medical director, University of Dayton Student Health Center
• Dr. Steven Burdette, UD COVID-19 medical advisory panel chair; professor of internal medicine; director of the infectious disease fellowship program for Wright State Physicians and the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University; and medical director of infection control at Miami Valley Hospital
• Dr. Roberto Colon, associate chief medical officer, Miami Valley Hospital; system vice president of quality and safety, Premier Health; and associate professor of internal medicine and associate program director of the internal medicine residency program, Wright State University

One town hall session will be held; the session will be recorded and posted on Porches and disseminated via the news digests later for those unable to attend.

The University of Dayton Path Forward Team

Dear staff colleagues, 

We want to thank you for your continued commitment to UD, our students, and our research and scholarship mission throughout the challenges of the pandemic. Your flexibility and resilience allowed UD to serve our students and continue operations during a very challenging time, and do so with excellence. We especially thank those employees who have continued to work on campus to help keep campus safe, support our students and serve our research sponsors.  

As a highly residential campus community, on-campus/in-person work is critical to the mission of the University and to meet the needs of our students. As a national research University, hands-on work in the laboratory, field and studio is critical to fulfilling commitments to sponsors and collaborators, and maintaining our outstanding research rankings. On campus/in-person work remains our primary mode of working.  

While the pandemic is not over, conditions are improving, and it seems apparent that non-faculty, staff employees who customarily work on campus and have not been working in person already should be able to return to campus to work in coming months. We are communicating now to describe the direction this will take for non-faculty, staff employees. The provost's office will continue to advise deans and faculty members about expectations and requirements for their unique student-facing responsibilities. 

• After consulting with public health officials and the University’s medical advisory panel, the executive leadership team has determined that units can begin planning their full returns to campus. 
• Each vice president and dean will develop individual return-to-campus approaches for their units. Those approaches will be shared by your supervisor or unit head no later than May 31 and will include the earliest date employees in those units who are currently not working in person would be required to return to campus, which in most instances will include a minimum of four weeks’ notice. 
• Some units may permit employees to return before that unit's return-to-campus date. 
• Employees with unique circumstances that might prevent their return to campus on the required date are encouraged to work with supervisors and unit leaders on short-term arrangements. Where assistance is needed, employees and supervisors are encouraged to work with Jen Duwel, Director, Employee Relations, Talent & Risk, by contacting her at 937-229-2722 or by email at jduwel1@udayton.edu.
• While on campus, all employees are expected to follow the University's COVID-19 health and safety guidelines. Updates to these protocols will be coming soon. 
• If you have not yet received a COVID-19 vaccine, we strongly encourage you to do so before you return to campus work and upload your vaccine card. Vaccination is the single most important and effective tool we have to return to more normal campus life. Build Immunity in Our Community challenges the campus community to get at least 70% of the University community vaccinated by July 1. How well we meet that challenge will determine whether we can lift some restrictions for fall. 

Nationally, it's clear that remote work will have a greater role in the workplace of the 21st century. In order to remain a competitive employer, the University must continue to re-examine our policies on remote work. Important consultation on the future of remote work at UD has already occurred with the President's Commission on the Status of Women and the Human Resources Advisory Council. 

While the pandemic has accelerated our experience with remote work, more careful and complex work must be done to evaluate the appropriate circumstances for remote work in our campus community, including responsibilities and unit requirements, investments in infrastructure, as well as equity considerations.  

At the same time, our Marianist heritage and identity call us to maintain and foster the unique, and much-beloved, University of Dayton community that embraces staff, faculty and students. We must not lose the community and family spirit that is so integral to working for UD. 

As an organization, our immediate focus is to plan for the next academic year, even as the uncertainties of the pandemic continue. Later this year, we will announce an approach for evaluating and considering how remote work can be integrated into the University of Dayton workplace after the pandemic. 

Thank you again for your work and your commitment to UD during these unprecedented times. We look forward to the day we can all be together again on campus. 

Paul Benson
Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs

Andy Horner
Executive Vice President for Business and Administrative Services 

Troy Washington 
Vice President for Human Resources

Dear students, faculty and staff, 

We know everyone is looking forward to a year with more in-person learning, community-building activities and social opportunities. That is why we are issuing the Build Immunity in Our Community Challenge, with a goal to have 70% of the entire campus community vaccinated by July 1. 

If we reach this goal, the level of immunity in our campus community will enable the Path Forward team to ease more restrictions and requirements depending on the state of the pandemic — especially those most important to you. 

The more than 3,000 students who responded to our survey affirmed that in-person activities — learning, music and cultural events, clubs and organizations — are crucially important as are more normal social interactions with friends, classmates and guests. 

Faculty and staff have said they also want to return to more in-person activities and interactions, along with opportunities for University-sponsored travel. 

Along with the benefits to our community, individuals who are vaccinated will be freed from entry or surveillance testing and will not need to quarantine if identified as a close contact. 

Help us Build Immunity in Our Community. If you have completed your vaccination, upload a photo of your vaccine record today to the confidential "Report your Vaccine" portal. If you have not yet received your vaccine, schedule an appointment so you can report your vaccination by July 1. Starting June 1, we will begin reporting the campus community's progress toward the goal on the COVID-19 dashboard. We will report back to the community in July how the vaccination rate will shape the fall semester, and whether our approach will need to change. 

For more details on the challenge, including the privacy of your vaccine record and up-to-date vaccine information, visit Build Immunity in Our Community. 

Flyers, your actions this year protected you and protected our community. Vaccination is the single most important and effective tool we have to return to more normal campus life. This summer, let's Build Immunity in Our Community so we can come together in the fall on our porches, residence halls, dining halls and throughout campus in the UD tradition. 

Go Flyers! Build Immunity in the UD Community 

The Path Forward Team

Dear students:

Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lifted the pause in administration of the one-and-done, single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, the University, Miami Valley Hospital and Premier Health will offer a no-appointment, walk-in clinic for UD students 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 28 at the UD Arena.

Here's what you need to know:

• A shuttle will run to and from the Arena approximately every 10 minutes from the circle in front of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception.
• If you drive to the Arena, enter via C drive and follow the signage. If you have already received your first dose of any vaccine, DO NOT ATTEND THIS CLINIC.
• There is no out-of-pocket cost to students; but it may be submitted to your insurance to cover administration fees. Bring your insurance card, student ID and driver's license or passport. Premier Health will assist those on-site who do not have health insurance.
• Drink plenty of fluids and eat a meal or snack before coming for your vaccine.
• If you have questions about whether the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is right for you, please visit the CDC website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
• The Vatican's doctrinal office has declared it ‘"morally acceptable" for Catholics to take any of the vaccines. Here is a video from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops addressing moral and ethical concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, including special considerations about the J&J vaccine.
• For information on other opportunities for vaccinations in Ohio,  visit gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov to search for vaccine providers and make appointments.
• UD students should use this form to report they've received their full COVID-19 vaccination and upload their vaccination record. Reporting vaccinations will help the University plan for the fall.

The University strongly encourages everyone on campus to be fully vaccinated. The more students are vaccinated, the safer campus will be.

The Path Forward Team

========================================

Dear faculty and staff: 

Because the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has lifted the pause in administration of the one-and-done, single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, the University, Miami Valley Hospital and Premier Health will offer a no-appointment, walk-in clinic for UD faculty and staff 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 28 at the UD Arena.  

Here's what you need to know:  

• A shuttle will run to and from the Arena approximately every 10 minutes from the circle in front of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. If you drive to the Arena, enter via C drive and follow the signage. 
• If you have already received your first dose of any vaccine, DO NOT ATTEND THIS CLINIC.
• There is no out-of-pocket cost; but it may be submitted to your insurance to cover administration fees. Bring your insurance card, UD ID and driver's license or passport. Premier Health will assist those on-site who do not have health insurance. 
• Drink plenty of fluids and eat a meal or snack before coming for your vaccine.
• If you have questions about whether the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is right for you, please visit the CDC website for the most accurate and up-to-date information.
• The Vatican's doctrinal office has declared it ‘"morally acceptable" for Catholics to take any of the vaccines. Here is a video from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops addressing moral and ethical concerns about COVID-19 vaccines, including special considerations about the J&J vaccine. 
• For information on other opportunities for vaccinations in Ohio, click here to search for vaccine providers and to make appointments.
• Use this form to report your COVID-19 vaccination and upload your vaccination record. Reporting vaccinations will help the University plan for the fall.  

The University strongly encourages everyone on campus to be fully vaccinated. The more people are vaccinated, the safer campus will be.  

The Path Forward Team 

Dear students,

To help shape decisions about and plan for the fall semester, we ask for your participation in a brief voluntary, anonymous survey about vaccinations and what you hope to see returning to campus in the fall. The survey was sent to your UD email address; please complete it by 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 29.

This survey asks if you are fully vaccinated or plan on getting vaccinated; why you will or will not get vaccinated; and what are the most important things UD should be considering related to health, safety and campus life as it plans for the fall (in-person classes, meetings and events, guest policy, fall/spring breaks, travel, intramurals, etc).

Again, the survey is voluntary and anonymous. You are welcome to fill out all or part of the survey. The survey will not record any identifying details specific to you or your IP address.

Thank you for all your efforts to help keep us on campus this year. Let's finish strong.

The Path Forward Team

Dear faculty, staff and students:

We received news today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will pause using the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine at federal sites and will urge state sites to do so. In consultation with our medical advisory panel and in light of the governor’s new advice to pause these vaccines, we are pausing their use for our campus community.

There will be no COVID-19 vaccination clinic Wednesday, April 14, at UD Arena. It is canceled until further notice.

The University and its medical advisory panel will continue to monitor developments in the CDC's examination of six cases involving blood clots in the weeks following use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and advise you to do so as well. We will communicate substantive information as it becomes available.

According to Dr. Steve Burdette, medical director infection prevention for Miami Valley Hospital and member of our medical advisory panel, "6.8 million people in the U.S. have been vaccinated with the J&J vaccine for COVID-19 to date, there are six cases being investigated. While a concern and worthy of investigation, the risk appears to be exceedingly small, and it is not confirmed it is even related to vaccination. At this time pausing the use is prudent until more information is available."

"The unique clot being investigated is called cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. It would present with severe headache, blurry vision and weakness on your face and limbs. Cases being investigated happened four to 14 days after vaccine administration," Burdette added. 

Dr. Burdette said signs and symptoms of other types of blood clots are pain and swelling in the legs, chest pain and shortness of breath. 

You can read more information from the CDC and FDA here; their joint statement advises people who experience symptoms within three weeks after vaccination with the J&J vaccine to contact their health care provider. Students also can contact the UD Student Health Center at 937-229-3131. For emergencies, including severe headache, blurry vision, sudden onset of weakness, difficulty breathing or chest pain, call 911 or UD Public Safety at 937-229-2121. 

Sincerely,
The Path Forward Team

Dear students:

You can get a $10 food truck voucher when you receive a single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at the walk-in clinic 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday at UD Arena. Vouchers are good for the food trucks in C Lot Wednesday for One Day, One Dayton.

This is a great opportunity to bring a friend to get a one-and-done vaccine at the same time as you. There is no need to register online in advance. Just walk in!

The J&J vaccines have been assigned to the University by the state of Ohio. The University is distributing them in partnership with Premier Health and Miami Valley Hospital. A national shortage of the J&J vaccine is expected, so this is a great opportunity to get the single-dose vaccine before you head home to be with family and friends or start a summer job. 

Here is what you need to know:

• If you have received your first dose of another vaccine, DO NOT ATTEND THIS CLINIC.
• There is no out-of-pocket cost to students; but will be submitted to your insurance to cover administration fees. Bring your insurance card, student ID and driver's license or passport. If you do not have health insurance or your insurance coverage isn’t listed, please select “Premier Health Employee Plan.” 
• The University will have a shuttle running to and from UD Arena from across the street from RecPlex. If you drive to the arena, enter via C drive and follow the signage. 
• Drink plenty of fluids and eat a meal or snack before coming for your vaccine.
• Here is information from the CDC on possible side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

In partnership with the state of Ohio and in accordance with the state's requirements, we are pleased to provide this clinic for our students. We are working with state and local partners to acquire additional vaccines for faculty, staff and students. As we mentioned in an earlier message, here are other opportunities for vaccines:

• The State of Ohio has opened vaccination eligibility to anyone 16 and older (including Ohio college students from other states). Click here to search for vaccine providers and to make appointments. 
• Premier Health vaccination appointments. 
• Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County has opened its COVID-19 vaccination appointments to individuals 16-years-old and-older for the Pfizer vaccine, and 18 and older for the Moderna and Janssen by Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Any student attending an Ohio college or university is eligible to receive the vaccine (bring your student ID as proof). Click here for more information.

Additionally, UD students should use this form to report they’ve received their full COVID-19 vaccination and upload their vaccination record. Faculty and staff are not required to report their vaccinations. However, everyone reporting their full vaccination will help the University understand and manage more fully the pandemic on campus now and plan for the fall.

Please note: if you receive a two-dose vaccine, the University highly recommends you receive your second dose by April 26 to be fully vaccinated before finals week. Talk to your provider before your first dose about when you will receive your second dose.

The University strongly encourages everyone on campus to be fully vaccinated. In addition to our commitment to the common good and the urgent need to protect vulnerable populations, we will assess the level of vaccination protecting our campus community as we make decisions about class size and gatherings in the fall. The more students are vaccinated, the safer campus will be. The state of Ohio does not allow providers to choose which vaccine to administer. The Vatican's doctrinal office has declared it ‘"morally acceptable" for Catholics to take any of the vaccines. Here is a video from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops addressing moral and ethical concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.

For additional questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the University's COVID-19 vaccine FAQs.

Be well,
Mary Buchwalder, M.D.
Medical Director, UD Student Health Center

Dear students:

We have new info on your ability to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We are able to open walk-in appointments for COVID-19 vaccinations 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at UD Arena. This is a great opportunity to bring a friend to get a vaccine at the same time as you. There is no need to register online in advance. Just walk-in!

The single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines have been assigned to the University by the state of Ohio. The University will distribute them in partnership with Premier Health and Miami Valley Hospital.

Here is what you need to know:

• If you have received your first dose of another vaccine, DO NOT ATTEND THIS CLINIC.
• There is no out-of-pocket cost to students; but will be submitted to your insurance to cover administration fees. Bring your insurance card, student ID and driver's license or passport. If you do not have health insurance or your insurance coverage isn’t listed, please select "Premier Health Employee Plan."
• The University will have a charter bus running to and from the Arena approximately every 10 minutes from the circle in front of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. If you drive to the arena, enter the Arena via C drive and follow the signage. 
• Drink plenty of fluids and eat a meal or snack before coming for your vaccine.

In partnership with the state of Ohio and in accordance with the state's requirements, we are pleased to provide this clinic for our students. We are working with state and local partners to acquire additional vaccines for faculty, staff and students. As we mentioned in an earlier message, here are other opportunities for vaccines:

• The State of Ohio has opened vaccination eligibility to anyone 16 and older (including Ohio college students from other states). Click here to search for vaccine providers and to make appointments.
• Premier Health vaccination appointments. 
• Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County has opened its COVID-19 vaccination appointments to individuals 16-years-old and-older for the Pfizer vaccine, and 18 and older for the Moderna and Janssen by Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Any student attending an Ohio college or university is eligible to receive the vaccine (bring your student ID as proof). Click here for more information.

Additionally, UD students should use this form to report they’ve received their full COVID-19 vaccination and upload their vaccination record. Faculty and staff are not required to report their vaccinations. However, everyone reporting their full vaccination will help the University understand and manage more fully the pandemic on campus now and plan for the fall.

Please note: if you receive a two-dose vaccine, the University highly recommends you receive your second dose by April 26 to be fully vaccinated before finals week. Talk to your provider before your first dose about when you will receive your second dose.

The University strongly encourages everyone on campus to be fully vaccinated. In addition to our commitment to the common good and the urgent need to protect vulnerable populations, we will assess the level of vaccination protecting our campus community as we make decisions about class size and gatherings in the fall. The more students are vaccinated, the safer campus will be. The state of Ohio does not allow providers to choose which vaccine to administer. The Vatican's doctrinal office has declared it ‘"morally acceptable" for Catholics to take the vaccines. Here is a video from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops addressing moral and ethical concerns about COVID-19 vaccines.

For additional questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the University's COVID-19 vaccine FAQs.

Be well,
Mary Buchwalder, M.D.
Medical Director, UD Student Health Center

Dear students:

The state of Ohio has assigned to the University a shipment of 2,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine, which the University will receive this week. Distribution, in partnership with Premier Health and Miami Valley Hospital, will be 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, April 11, at UD Arena.

Here is what you need to know about getting a vaccine through the University's distribution in partnership with Premier Health:

• Click here to sign up. All times are by appointment only. If you have received your first dose of another vaccine, DO NOT REGISTER FOR THIS CLINIC.
• There is no out-of-pocket cost to students; but will be submitted to your insurance to cover administration fees. Bring your insurance card, student ID and driver's license. If you do not have health insurance or your insurance coverage isn’t listed, please select "Premier Health Employee Plan."
• The University will have a charter bus running to and from the Arena approximately every 10 minutes from the circle in front of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. Please make sure you arrive for your appointment at UD Arena at least 10 minutes early. 

In partnership with the state of Ohio and in accordance with the state's requirements, we are pleased to provide this clinic for our students. We are working with state and local partners to acquire additional vaccines for faculty, staff and students. As we mentioned in an earlier message, here are other opportunities for vaccines:

• The State of Ohio has opened vaccination eligibility to anyone 16 and older (including Ohio college students from other states). Click here to search for vaccine providers and to make appointments.
• Premier Health vaccination appointments. 
• Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County has opened its COVID-19 vaccination appointments to individuals 16-years-old and-older for the Pfizer vaccine, and 18 and older for the Moderna and Janssen by Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Any student attending an Ohio college or university is eligible to receive the vaccine (bring your student ID as proof). Click here for more information.

Additionally, UD students should use this form to report they’ve received their full COVID-19 vaccination and upload their vaccination record. Faculty and staff are not required to report their vaccinations. However, everyone reporting their full vaccination will help the University understand and manage more fully the pandemic on campus now and plan for the fall.

Please note: if you receive a two-dose vaccine, the University highly recommends you receive your second dose by April 26 to be fully vaccinated before finals week. Talk to your provider before your first dose about when you will receive your second dose.

The University strongly encourages everyone on campus to be fully vaccinated. In addition to our commitment to the common good and the urgent need to protect vulnerable populations, we will assess the level of vaccination protecting our campus community as we make decisions about class size and gatherings in the fall. The more students are vaccinated, the safer campus will be. The state of Ohio does not allow providers to choose which vaccine to administer. The Vatican's doctrinal office has declared it ‘"morally acceptable" for Catholics to take the vaccines.

For additional questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the University's COVID-19 vaccine FAQs.

Be well,
Mary Buchwalder, M.D.
Medical Director, UD Student Health Center

Dear students:

The University and Premier Health will distribute Pfizer vaccines from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, at University of Dayton Arena. The University will provide transportation; see details below.

Here is what you need to know about getting a vaccine through the Premier/UD distribution:

• Sign up here. The access code is UD331.
• The second dose will be administered April 21. Both doses are the Pfizer vaccine.
• The University will have a charter bus running to and from the Arena approximately every 10 minutes from the circle in front of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. Please make sure you arrive for your appointment at UD Arena at least 10 minutes early. The University also will provide transportation for your second dose on April 21.
• Vaccinations are free; but will be submitted to your insurance. Bring your insurance card, student ID and driver's license. 

We are pleased to provide this clinic for the exclusive benefit of the UD community and are working with state and local partners to acquire additional vaccines for faculty, staff and students. As we mentioned in a message earlier this week, here are other opportunities for vaccines:

• The State of Ohio opened vaccination eligibility to anyone 16 and older (including Ohio college students from other states) beginning March 29. Click here to search for vaccine providers and to make appointments.
• Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County has opened its COVID-19 vaccination appointments to individuals 16-years-old and-older for the Pfizer vaccine, and 18 and older for the Moderna and Janssen by Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Any student attending an Ohio college or university is eligible to receive the vaccine (bring your student ID as proof). Click here for more information.

Additionally, UD students should use this form to report they’ve received their full COVID-19 vaccination and upload their vaccination record (for vaccines not administered at UD-only clinics). Faculty and staff are not required to report their vaccination. However, everyone reporting their full vaccination will help the University understand and manage more fully the pandemic on campus now and in the fall.

The University strongly encourages everyone on campus to be fully vaccinated. In addition to our commitment to the common good and the urgent need to protect vulnerable populations, we will assess the level of vaccination protecting our campus community as we make decisions about class size and gatherings in the fall. The more students are vaccinated, the safer campus will be. 

For additional questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the University's COVID-19 vaccine FAQs.

Be well,
Mary Buchwalder, M.D.
Medical Director, UD Student Health Center

In a pair of messages today, the University updated students on 2021 graduation ceremonies and the class of 2020 about a graduation ceremony for its class. The University also sent companion messages to employees and families.

• Read messages about 2021 graduation ceremonies
• Read messages about graduation ceremony for class of 2020

Dear students,

The campus COVID-19 status at the University of Dayton will remain unchanged at Level 2 as we carefully monitor a potential spike in cases after the events of this past weekend.

We will expand the number of surveillance tests by 60 percent this week and extend surveillance testing during the weekend. The testing is mandatory if you are notified. The positivity rate will be monitored and mitigation steps taken if necessary. 

We continue to investigate Saturday’s gathering and are referring students to the student disciplinary system as appropriate. All COVID-19 safety protocols and expectations continue to remain in place.

The Path Forward Team

March 23, 2021

Dear faculty, staff and students:

Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County has opened its COVID-19 vaccination appointments to individuals 16-years-old and-older for the Pfizer vaccine, and 18 and older for the Moderna and Janssen by Johnson & Johnson vaccines. Any student attending an Ohio college or university is eligible to receive the vaccine (bring your student ID as proof).

The University strongly encourages everyone to get a vaccine. Vaccination also is encouraged by the Catholic church.

Here is what you need to know about getting a vaccine through Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County:

• Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County’s registration for appointments the week of March 29 will be available on its website at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, March 26. Register here or call 937-225-6217. 
• All times are by appointment only. Please do not arrive early.
• There is no cost to receive a vaccination from Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County and it will not bill your insurance company. Bring your student ID and driver's license. 
• The vaccination site is the Dayton Convention Center, 22 E. 5th St., Dayton, Ohio 45402.    
• Free parking is available at the Dayton Transportation Center. Or you can take the free RTA Flyer bus service from campus to the Transportation Center. Click here for stops on and near campus.
• If you are receiving a two-dose vaccine and plan to leave the Dayton area after the semester, be aware of the waiting period between the two doses so that you can be fully vaccinated before you leave. 

Other opportunities for vaccines:

• The State of Ohio will open vaccination eligibility to anyone 16 and older (including Ohio college students from other states) beginning March 29. Click here to search for vaccine providers and to make appointments. 

• The University and Premier Health are working to add COVID-19 vaccination appointments at UD Arena. Please check the University's COVID-19 vaccination FAQ page for links to make appointments. Additional slots will be posted there as they become available. 

You will need your insurance card, student ID and driver's license for vaccination sites besides Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County.

Additionally, UD students should use this form to report they’ve received their full COVID-19 vaccination and upload their vaccination record. Faculty and staff are not required to report their vaccination. However, everyone reporting their full vaccination will help the University understand and manage more fully the pandemic on campus now and plan for the fall.

For additional questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, visit the University's COVID-19 vaccine FAQs.

Be well,
Mary Buchwalder, M.D.
Medical Director, UD Student Health Center

Dear faculty and staff colleagues,

We wanted to reach out concerning our response to the St. Patrick's gathering in the student neighborhood on Saturday.  While the gathering was peaceful, many students who participated violated the COVID-19 agreement and the University's stated expectations for campus gatherings.  Where appropriate, we will be holding those students  accountable through our student conduct process. 

Over the last three weeks, we have had a high volume of surveillance testing with minimal incidence of the virus.  We have seen thus far this semester and in the fall that, if proper COVID-19 safety protocols are being followed in the classroom and other University facilities, the chance of spread is minimal.  Consultation with Montgomery County Health Commissioner Jeff Cooper supports this assessment.  We will increase our surveillance testing over the next two weeks and will continue to keep you apprised if we need to change our campus status and adjust course modalities or other campus operations in the short term. 

We appreciate your continued patience and flexibility.

Paul H. Benson
Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs

Andy Horner
Executive Vice President for Business & Administrative Services

William M. Fischer, J.D.
Vice President for Student Development

March 4, 2021 

Dear students, 

With the warmer weather and St. Patrick's Day approaching, the University wants to make clear our expectations for students regarding any celebrations and gatherings. 

Large, disorderly gatherings in the student neighborhoods are inherently dangerous and risky, and will not be tolerated. The coronavirus pandemic adds another element of risk; gatherings of any size that violate the state-mandated safety protocols can spread COVID-19 and also will not be tolerated. 

Students not following protocols and participating in gatherings that violate Code of Conduct regulations and the COVID-19 Student Agreement will face immediate disciplinary action, resulting in consequences up to and including interim suspension, removal from campus for remote study, suspension for the duration of the semester or, in egregious situations, expulsion. Because of the seriousness of any violations, disciplinary action will be swifter and more severe than in the past.

Here's what you should know: 

1. No more than 10 people on your lawn or porch. Everyone must be six feet apart and wearing masks. Games or activities that don't allow six feet distance are prohibited.
2. No guests. Only you and your roommate(s) are allowed in your residence. No other University students are allowed inside. No guests from outside the University are permitted anywhere on campus. No exceptions.
3. Wear a mask at ALL times, including on your lawns and porches, except in your residence with others who live there.
4. All sidewalks and streets are to remain clear at all times. Obstructing the public right of way could lead to arrest or criminal charges.
5. Follow public safety orders to disperse. If you are ordered to leave an area or a dispersal order is broadcast, you are to go inside your residence and stay there. Do not come out, either on your porch or lawn. 
6. Ask for assistance from public safety or housing and residence life to disperse gatherings of more than 10 people or remove unwanted guests, either in your residence or on your lawn. 

The City of Dayton requires that we keep streets and sidewalks open for emergency vehicles and first responders. UD Public Safety and Dayton Police will be present in force and will work to ensure the streets and sidewalks remain open. If gatherings grow to more than 10 people, move into the street or become disorderly, police will take action to clear them. Failure to comply will lead to disciplinary action, arrest and/or criminal charges. 

The stakes are very high this year, especially for this year's graduating seniors: 

• Any large-scale, unruly gathering creates enormous risk to health and safety, harms the reputation of the University and, consequently, the value of your degree. 
• An outbreak of coronavirus threatens in-person classes and could prompt more stringent campus restrictions, eliminate the possibility of any on-campus graduation, and potentially send everyone home before the end of the semester. 

We expect students to be respectful, cooperative and immediately obey any police request or order. Students who violate rules on gatherings or COVID protocols will face swift, serious consequences — this applies not only to St. Patrick's Day, but gatherings on any other day as well.

We call on you to protect your own health and safety, and take care to protect the campus community and the value of your degree. Help us stay together, learning in community for the remainder of the semester. 

William M. Fischer, J.D. 
Vice President for Student Development

Chief Savalas Kidd
Executive Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police

Feb. 5, 2021

To UD students: 

COVID-19 testing is a crucial component in the University's strategy for helping reduce the spread of the virus on campus. Testing helps identify individuals who may not know they have the virus and their close contacts so steps can be taken to reduce the chance they will spread it to others. 

As we are seeing a steady increase in positive cases, we want to remind you about testing resources and requirements: 

• Don't hesitate to be tested on campus if you think you could have COVID-19 or are a close contact. The Student Health Center offers point-of-care testing with results available in about 15  minutes. Premier After Hours will offer point-of-care testing later this month. Appointments are required and information is available on the Student Health Center webpage. 
• If you test positive through an off-campus site or are a close contact of someone who tests positive, you are required to report the result through the University's COVID-19 reporting form. Not reporting your positive result puts others directly at risk of serious illness; violates our Catholic, Marianist commitment to community and jeopardizes our shared, in-person learning environment. 
• Mandatory surveillance testing has resumed. Check your email regularly. You will be notified via UD email when you have been selected for a surveillance test and the deadline by which you must be tested. The email will cover scheduling an appointment, location and other instructions. It is your responsibility to respond and be tested. These are quick point-of-care nasal swab tests. Students studying remotely from off campus are not subject to surveillance testing. For complete information on surveillance testing, see the Jan. 26 message to students. 
• Failures to comply with reporting and surveillance testing requirements are violations of the COVID-19 Student Agreement. Students who do not comply will be referred for immediate disciplinary action and may be required to study remotely for the rest of the semester. 

With highly contagious and potentially more severe variants of the virus occurring in other areas of the country, on-campus testing at UD is crucially important. 

Your cooperation with testing requirements will help maintain the in-person learning and campus community that is so important to faculty, staff and your fellow students. Through testing we can help protect each other and our campus community. 

The Path Forward Team 

Feb. 4, 2021

To UD students: 

The number of new COVID-19 cases and close contacts on campus have risen steadily in the past two weeks, creating a situation that requires your immediate attention and changes in behavior to avoid additional campus restrictions. 

As of today, 64 students with reported active cases are in isolation, and 139 students have been identified as close contacts and are in quarantine. If recent trends continue, at least 70 (50%) of those close contacts will test positive for the virus within a few days. 

This is how cases started to emerge early last fall and rose rapidly in just a few days. We are concerned the same conditions and behavior that caused the spike in cases last fall are being repeated and will result in a similar rapid increase in cases that will require further restrictions. 

Some of the behaviors fueling these increases include:

• engaging in unsafe behavior by going off campus to bars and restaurants,
• gathering with people beyond your household,
• not wearing masks at all required times and abiding by the safety protocols, and 
• failing to report positive test results from tests administered off campus.

These behaviors violate the COVID-19 Student Agreement and are violations of the Code of Conduct. Students who engage in these kinds of behaviors will face a range of consequences, including being required to leave campus and study remotely for the remainder of the semester. 

Perhaps of gravest concern are reports of students who go to off-campus sites for testing, but do not report their positive COVID tests or close-contact status as required on the University's reporting form. This puts others directly at risk of serious illness, violates our Catholic, Marianist commitment to community, and jeopardizes our shared learning environment. Students can get results within 15 minutes through on-campus, point-of-care testing currently at the Student Health Center, and at Premier After Hours starting later this month.

We also are concerned about the emergence of highly contagious and potentially more severe variants of the virus in other areas of the country. Several Michigan universities are under shelter-in-place orders, in which students must remain in their campus residences and leave only for very limited activities. We do not want our students to be confined to their residences in this manner.

To help reduce the spread of the virus on campus and reduce risk, if we do not see decreases in new cases in the next week, it will be necessary to suspend student recreational activities and dine-in opportunities in the dining halls, and close the library to undergraduates for in-person studying. If cases continue to rise, in-person classes also will be at risk. 

As of today, we believe our contact tracing is allowing us to isolate and contain flare-ups. But from our experience last fall, we know how quickly the virus is transmitted and how rapidly the number of positive cases can grow. 

We also know from experience that UD students know what to do to keep us learning together on campus. We ask you to apply the same seriousness of purpose as you did last fall to renew your commitment to faculty, staff and your fellow students to bring this situation under control.

The Path Forward Team 

Jan. 26, 2021 

Dear students,  

The University has resumed COVID-19 surveillance testing of students to help identify individuals who may be carrying the coronavirus and to assess and limit the spread of the virus on campus. The University expects to test 600-800 students per week at the RecPlex. 

Here's what you should know:

• Check your email regularly. You will be notified when you have been selected for a surveillance test via UD email and the deadline by which you must be tested. The email will cover scheduling an appointment, location and other instructions. It is your responsibility to respond and be tested. 
• Students who do not comply and who are not tested by their deadline will be referred to the Office of Community Standards and Civility and may result in being sent home to finish the semester remotely. 
• If you have tested positive in the last three months, you do not need to be tested, but you must submit results of a previous positive test from a physician or urgent care at least two days before your assigned deadline via the self-disclosure of Positive COVID-19 test result.
• All undergraduates and graduate students are subject to testing, regardless of where they live (students studying strictly remotely are excluded).
• The surveillance tests are the same as the initial arrival tests in January — anterior nasal swab, which is a point-of-care test that yields results in about 20 minutes. 
• You must continue to observe UD’s safety measures (wear face coverings on campus, maintain 6-feet physical distancing, wash your hands and avoid groups of 10 or more people), even if you have previously tested positive for or have been vaccinated against COVID-19. 
• Students with symptoms should schedule appointments as soon as possible for evaluation and testing at the UD Student Health Center (937-229-3131), or with the after-hours urgent care online. Symptomatic students will not be allowed to test through the surveillance program. All tests must be scheduled; no walk-ins accepted.  

The Path Forward Team

Jan. 26, 2021

Dear students, 

Although students have been back on campus for less than two weeks, we are seeing concerning behavior and positive COVID-19 tests that could put in-person classes at risk. We are hoping to stay on the schedule of starting in-person classes on Feb. 1, but much will depend on your commitment to your community. 

• While arrival testing has been successful in screening COVID-19 cases, a number of new positive cases, often linked, have emerged from students who tested negative upon arrival, but who have contracted the virus since arriving. A negative test at the beginning of the semester should not be interpreted as an opportunity to let your guard down or think you might be immune.
• Gatherings with anyone outside of your household are prohibited in any residence and we strongly advise you to avoid bars as these activities carry greater risk for contracting the virus. Ohio's statewide curfew ordering everyone to stay home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., except for work or necessary food, medical care or social services, remains in effect.
• We will start surveillance testing of students this week to monitor the spread of the virus on campus and to isolate positive cases and quarantine close contacts. Watch your UD email for more information soon on surveillance testing. 

We urge you to continue to follow the safety protocols that were so successful in keeping positive cases down later in the fall, enabling the in-person classes we know students value greatly. With significant community spread, more time spent indoors due to colder weather, and new, more contagious variants of the virus, you must continue to wear face coverings, wash your hands and observe 6-feet physical distancing. Stay on campus as much as possible. 

The Path Forward Team

Jan. 15, 2021

Dear University of Dayton parents and guardians, 

We are excited to begin welcoming students back to campus and wanted to share the following message sent to them earlier today about several new virtual and COVID-appropriate in-person activities for the spring semester. The winter months often bring about cabin fever, so we hope these virtual and in-person activities provide alternatives to informal gatherings, especially those in University residences, that can spread the virus and threaten our ability to stay on campus all semester.  

We understand the COVID-19 protocols are not ideal, but they are necessary to protect all students and the greater Dayton community. UD students rallied together during the fall semester to come together as a community to support each other and we hope they will do so again to start the spring semester - and keep it going - strong. 

Sincerely, 

William M. Fischer, J.D.
Vice President for Student Development 

Melissa Longino
Assistant Vice President, Health and Wellbeing
Executive Director, Campus Recreation 

Amy Lopez-Matthews
Executive Director, Center for Student Involvement
John F. Kennedy Memorial Union 

Jan. 15, 2021 

Dear University of Dayton Students, 

As you return to campus, we're excited to let you know about several new virtual and COVID-appropriate in-person activities for the spring semester, which include an ice skating rink, basketball watch parties, opportunities to be part of simulated game shows "Flyer Feud" and Jeopardy!, and the addition of pickleball, spikeball, human curling and broomball to the intramural sports lineup.  

We're also bringing back many of the familiar activities from fall semester, including those at RecPlex and Old River Park and, in some cases, free food. 

So you can plan ahead, the UD Division of Student Development has put together this comprehensive website of events through March. We'll provide schedule updates on that page and highlight some of them in your Wednesday Student News Digests. Be sure to bookmark the webpage and read the digests to not miss anything. 

Students must have UD ID for entry to events. Face coverings, physical distancing and other safety precautions are expected and enforced at all events and activities (indoor and outdoor, except swimming). While we know members of our community in quarantine or isolation will be unable to enjoy in-person opportunities, we hope they will find community in virtual opportunities until they are cleared to resume in-person activities. Please keep in mind COVID agreement protocols. 

The winter months often bring about cabin fever, so we hope these virtual and COVID-appropriate in-person activities provide alternatives to informal, in-person gatherings, especially those in University residences, that can spread the virus and threaten our ability to stay on campus all semester. Our strategy for returning to campus is designed to minimize introduction of the virus to campus, and we hope these activities encourage you to stay on campus and help reduce virus spread to campus throughout the semester. 

Thank you in advance for your efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19 on campus. We understand the COVID-19 protocols are not ideal, but they are necessary to protect you, your fellow Flyers and the greater Dayton community. You rallied during the fall semester to come together as a UD community to support each other, and we hope you do so again to start the spring semester - and keep it going - strong. 

We wish you a safe and healthy spring semester. 

Sincerely, 

William M. Fischer, J.D.
Vice President for Student Development 

Melissa Longino
Assistant Vice President, Health and Wellbeing
Executive Director, Campus Recreation 

Amy Lopez-Matthews
Executive Director, Center for Student Involvement
John F. Kennedy Memorial Union

Jan. 14, 2021

Good afternoon, 

I hope this finds you well and looking forward to your return to classes this Spring.  As the beginning of the semester approaches, we wanted to remind you of some important changes in our spring semester calendar, relative to previous spring semesters. 

• Classes will begin remotely on Tuesday, January 19 and will continue remotely through January 29.  Classes will move to their published modalities on Monday, February 1.  Isidore sites will be made available on January 14.  We encourage you to take a look in preparation for the start of classes.
• The deadline for students to change their courses to grading Option 2 (pass/fail) has been extended to Friday, January 29.  However, the deadline for course registration and other schedule changes has not changed.  That deadline is Monday, January 25. Regarding grading Option 2 (pass/fail), please remember that CAP courses cannot be taken under Option 2; a letter grade is required.  Additionally, individual academic programs will also have restrictions regarding which classes can be taken under Option 2. Information regarding grading options can be found in the student handbook.  If you are considering Option 2, you must speak with your academic advisor or assistant dean as soon as possible and prior to the January 29 deadline so that you can make a well informed decision.
• The deadlines to drop classes for the semester are as follows:
  • Tuesday, February 9: Last day to drop classes without record
  • Tuesday, April 13: Last day to drop classes with record of W 
• Spring break has been cancelled.  In its place are two 1-day breaks -- Tuesday, February 23 and Wednesday, April 14.  No classes will be held on those days.  The exception to these breaks are classes that meet once per week and graduate courses that meet after 3:35 p.m. will continue to meet on those days.  
• Easter break has been modified.  The University will be closed on Good Friday, April 2 only.  Classes will resume on Monday, April 5.
• Changing to remote learning during the semester.  If you wish to return home during the semester for the remainder of the semester, verify that all of your classes are “remote friendly.” Please make sure to let each of your faculty know of your intentions to study remotely. Keep in mind that faculty may not be able and are not expected to accommodate students for courses not planned as remote friendly, though some may be willing to do so.  If any of your courses are not remote friendly, contact your academic unit to explore other options you may have. Complete the “Spring 2021 Learning Survey” at http://go.udayton.edu/LearningSurvey to update your status on class rosters and inform Housing and Residence Life. 

Other important dates for spring can be found in the 2020-2021 Academic Calendar and in the updated FAQs on UD’s Coronavirus website.  

We look forward to seeing you again soon! 

Sincerely,
Paul Benson
Provost

Dear University of Dayton students, 

The University has updated the COVID-19 Protocols and Student Agreement to provide more clarity and include measures added during the fall to promote safety and reduce the risk of the coronavirus spreading on campus. For example, as established early last semester, face coverings are required at all times when you are outside in public, including on your porch. The student Code of Conduct also has been updated to clarify students’ obligations to comply with COVID-19 protocols. 

Central to UD's approach is our shared responsibility and collective duty to each other. The foundation of our Catholic, Marianist University is a commitment to the common good, which calls on us to take care of each other. The overarching theme for our safety efforts is: "I protect you. You protect me."  

As a University of Dayton student, under the student Code of Conduct you are required to adhere to the COVID-19 Protocols, including those reflected in the Student Agreement, to remain in person and on campus. All students, including new and transfer students, should review the updated protocols and agreement before you move in or check in on campus.  

Please visit the COVID-19 Protocols and Student Agreement online to review the materials prior to Jan. 15, 2021.   

These protocols are essential to enabling us to continue learning, living and working together on campus throughout the spring semester. Our ability to continue in-person classes largely depends on how well we protect each other by knowing, following and encouraging each other to abide by the health and safety measures covered in the protocols.  

Thank you for your continued cooperation and we wish you the best of luck as you start the new semester.  

Sincerely, 

William M. Fischer, J.D.
Vice President for Student Development 

Christine H. Schramm
Associate Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students

The University released today messages and frequently asked questions for students, employees and parents and guardians about the plan for students to return to campus for the spring 2021 semester.

Message for students | Message for parents and guardians

Spring semester 2021 arrival details | Spring semester 2021 arrival frequently asked questions