Undergraduate students at the University of Virginia have a big decision to make in the coming days: to stay at their current residence and take courses online or opt for in-person instruction on Grounds.

Either way, this fall semester promises to be quite different from more typical UVA academic semesters.

“We are here to support you in whatever you decide,” Dean of Students Allen Groves said in a message to students Wednesday. “Through virtual classes and outreach, supplemented by as many instances of in-person teaching and services as possible, we want you to have a meaningful college experience inside and outside the classroom. The pandemic is a real threat we cannot control. We can, however, control our response to it, both individually and as a University.”

Students who plan to return to Charlottesville will be required to review and agree to several COVID-19 risk mitigation requirements, including signing a “rules and norms agreement” committing to following public health measures.

In brief, the agreement asks students to commit to:

• Wear a mask at all times indoors, except when alone (or with roommates) and in private spaces (e.g. dorm rooms or apartments).
• Wear a mask outside when a physical distance of at least 6 feet cannot be maintained.
• Remain 6 feet or more from others when outside your home.
• Gather socially in groups of 15 or fewer, or not at all.
• In addition, visitors to students in Charlottesville and on Grounds will be limited, and extracurricular activities will be modified in ways that comport with health and safety protocols.

Students also will need to provide a negative COVID-19 test and self-quarantine for 14 days prior to returning to Charlottesville and complete a daily symptom check after arrival through the HOOs Health Check app or by email. Instructions for downloading the app will be provided in mid-August; more information about student testing kits is available here.

All of the requirements are listed in the Student Information System and must be agreed to by Aug. 25.

Parents also received an email Wednesday from Vice President and Chief Student Affairs Officer Patricia M. Lampkin, outlining the requirements of students.

The messages followed Tuesday’s announcement that the University will delay undergraduate in-person instruction and residence hall move-in by two weeks. Undergraduate courses will still begin Aug. 25, but all courses will be held online until Sept. 8. Students living on Grounds will move in several days before then, and the University is asking students living off Grounds to delay their return until in-person courses resume.

Groves outlined students’ options for the fall semester, including taking all courses virtually, enrolling in additional January term or summer courses at no additional expense, or taking limited in-person courses in Charlottesville. Students who signed a housing contract to live on Grounds, but now wish to cancel, may do so with no penalty by writing housing@virginia.edu by Aug. 24 (extended from the original Aug. 5 deadline).

He urged students to talk with their families about the risks posed by the pandemic, and to keep in mind how their actions and choices affect the wider community.

“By its very nature, the COVID-19 pandemic means your individual actions can affect others,” he wrote. “Likewise, the actions of others will have an impact on you. For these reasons, you should keep community at the forefront of your actions and carefully weigh your options for the fall.”

For more information, students and their families can refer to the Fall 2020 Student Resource Site and the Return to Grounds website.