1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:05,200 It’s rare that I reach out to you through a video, but I felt that it’s the best way 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:07,299 to have this important conversation. 3 00:00:07,299 --> 00:00:12,980 I’ve always tried to be transparent and honest with you in my communications, consistent 4 00:00:12,980 --> 00:00:19,000 with the respect I have for you as exceptionally accomplished young adults. 5 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,920 This fall isn’t a normal semester. 6 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:26,640 You know the challenges we face, here and elsewhere, in trying to contain the spread 7 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:28,409 of COVID-19. 8 00:00:28,409 --> 00:00:34,710 The sacrifices required of each of us can seem daunting or even unfair at times. 9 00:00:34,710 --> 00:00:39,600 But the stakes are too high not to step up and do the right thing. 10 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:45,080 You’ve seen the recent headlines of schools that sought to open for in-person, on campus 11 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:50,780 education this fall, only to quickly reverse course when it became clear a material number 12 00:00:50,780 --> 00:00:57,190 of students were not complying with requirements and expectations around social distancing, 13 00:00:57,190 --> 00:01:00,390 mask-wearing and limits on the size of gatherings. 14 00:01:00,390 --> 00:01:04,489 Protection of public health drove these decisions, as it must. 15 00:01:04,489 --> 00:01:11,420 Our ACC peers UNC and NC State have now gone online, joining many other schools across 16 00:01:11,420 --> 00:01:12,850 the country. 17 00:01:12,850 --> 00:01:18,970 We have not, hoping to offer as many of you as possible an on-Grounds experience, even 18 00:01:18,970 --> 00:01:21,710 if different from a “normal” year. 19 00:01:21,710 --> 00:01:26,750 We know how much it means to you, given the finite amount of time each of you has to be 20 00:01:26,750 --> 00:01:28,640 a student at UVA. 21 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:33,930 We want you to be here, if your own health and safety permit, to experience your first 22 00:01:33,930 --> 00:01:39,170 year of college, or your fourth and final year; in fact, every year. 23 00:01:39,170 --> 00:01:43,700 But I need every one of you to do your part to make that happen. 24 00:01:43,700 --> 00:01:48,729 I read a powerful message yesterday from the leadership of Vanderbilt to their students 25 00:01:48,729 --> 00:01:53,110 on this subject, and this in particular stood out: 26 00:01:53,110 --> 00:01:59,409 “One person’s decision to shrug off their responsibility for a night of fun can be the 27 00:01:59,409 --> 00:02:05,020 reason an entire class misses its senior year, or why a student, for whom Vanderbilt is the 28 00:02:05,020 --> 00:02:08,200 safest home they know, is forced to leave.” 29 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:12,480 Well, that same thing holds true for us at UVA. 30 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:17,459 In a pandemic, one person’s bad decision has a direct impact on the health and safety 31 00:02:17,459 --> 00:02:18,459 of others. 32 00:02:18,459 --> 00:02:21,069 That’s why this is so important. 33 00:02:21,069 --> 00:02:28,900 The University has made very clear what must occur for us to offer an on-Grounds experience. 34 00:02:28,900 --> 00:02:33,910 These things are non-negotiable and essential to keep everyone healthy and safe. 35 00:02:33,910 --> 00:02:39,620 They are as followed: One, there can be no gatherings in excess 36 00:02:39,620 --> 00:02:44,940 of 15 people, whether on-Grounds or off, this fall. 37 00:02:44,940 --> 00:02:49,650 Again, no more than 15 people – period. 38 00:02:49,650 --> 00:02:53,980 You can still gather in smaller groups with close friends, and those are often the most 39 00:02:53,980 --> 00:02:56,489 meaningful interactions anyway. 40 00:02:56,489 --> 00:03:04,180 But know that we are very firm on this number: no more than 15; on Grounds of off; inside 41 00:03:04,180 --> 00:03:06,000 or outside. 42 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:13,099 Two, you must wear a face covering or mask over the mouth and nose anytime you are out 43 00:03:13,099 --> 00:03:18,379 of your residence, including in common spaces within your residence hall or other shared 44 00:03:18,379 --> 00:03:19,760 spaces. 45 00:03:19,760 --> 00:03:21,710 Wear your masks, on or off-Grounds. 46 00:03:21,710 --> 00:03:32,489 Three, you must maintain a distance of 6 feet at all times when in the company of others. 47 00:03:32,489 --> 00:03:39,120 This applies whether indoors or outdoors; in class or in a library; or just walking 48 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:41,890 across Grounds or down the Corner. 49 00:03:41,890 --> 00:03:46,040 6 feet is the minimum, always. 50 00:03:46,040 --> 00:03:50,980 We must strictly enforce these directives if you are to have a chance at an on-Grounds 51 00:03:50,980 --> 00:03:52,829 experience this fall. 52 00:03:52,829 --> 00:03:58,659 They have been in place for many days now, and remain a firm expectation of all students 53 00:03:58,659 --> 00:04:01,460 going forward through the fall. 54 00:04:01,460 --> 00:04:05,209 Yet we have already begun to receive reports of significant non-compliance. 55 00:04:05,209 --> 00:04:11,819 So, here's another point where I need to be very clear and frank with you: Enforcement 56 00:04:11,819 --> 00:04:15,470 will include serious sanctions for noncompliance. 57 00:04:15,470 --> 00:04:20,640 You may have seen in the last 48 hours that several peer institutions have not hesitated 58 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:26,340 to immediately suspend students who decided to place others at risk by gathering in large 59 00:04:26,340 --> 00:04:27,480 numbers. 60 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:35,600 This includes our ACC peers Syracuse and Virginia Tech, who suspended 23 and 7 students, respectively, 61 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:37,200 within the past few days. 62 00:04:37,200 --> 00:04:39,500 Purdue suspended 36. 63 00:04:39,500 --> 00:04:43,370 I need you to understand that we will do the same. 64 00:04:43,370 --> 00:04:49,050 A suspension for violating these required public health norms will be immediate, and 65 00:04:49,050 --> 00:04:54,860 for the full semester at a minimum, with no opportunity to continue your courses in-person 66 00:04:54,860 --> 00:04:56,480 or online. 67 00:04:56,480 --> 00:05:02,970 Let me repeat this critical point: the suspension will be immediate and will bar you from further 68 00:05:02,970 --> 00:05:11,500 participation in any University courses, activities or programs for the fall semester, at minimum. 69 00:05:11,500 --> 00:05:16,420 Your path to graduation will be delayed by the credits you won’t earn this fall. 70 00:05:16,420 --> 00:05:21,140 These are serious consequences, but we are in a serious public health crisis. 71 00:05:21,140 --> 00:05:27,120 It’s important to me that every student realizes the consequences of willful noncompliance; 72 00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:31,490 I don’t want anyone surprised if we are forced to take action. 73 00:05:31,490 --> 00:05:35,350 Again, I want no confusion on this critical point. 74 00:05:35,350 --> 00:05:40,440 I have great faith in you and in our ability to be a responsible community. 75 00:05:40,440 --> 00:05:46,210 I’ve seen remarkable things from students in my 14 years as your Dean; you are why I 76 00:05:46,210 --> 00:05:50,270 love what I do and the school where I do it. 77 00:05:50,270 --> 00:05:55,570 But I also know it doesn’t take many individuals behaving recklessly to place all of us at 78 00:05:55,570 --> 00:05:57,030 risk. 79 00:05:57,030 --> 00:06:01,940 If an individual or a group of individuals choose to ignore the requirements of small 80 00:06:01,940 --> 00:06:08,530 gatherings of 15 or less, mask-wearing and social distancing, we will take immediate 81 00:06:08,530 --> 00:06:13,600 disciplinary action, including referral to the University Judiciary Committee and, in 82 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:18,970 the most serious cases, immediate suspension and a ban from University Grounds. 83 00:06:18,970 --> 00:06:24,190 The stakes are simply too high for us to act otherwise. 84 00:06:24,190 --> 00:06:29,840 Student organizations, whether CIOs, Club Sports, Fraternities or Sororities, are also 85 00:06:29,840 --> 00:06:35,220 subject to serious sanctions for organized, collective activity that violates these clear 86 00:06:35,220 --> 00:06:38,390 expectations and required norms. 87 00:06:38,390 --> 00:06:42,950 These can include immediate termination of a group’s organizational agreement and relationship 88 00:06:42,950 --> 00:06:47,300 with UVA, and all of the rights that flow from that agreement. 89 00:06:47,300 --> 00:06:53,210 We won’t be issuing a series of warnings or multiple strikes before we act – we need full 90 00:06:53,210 --> 00:06:58,000 compliance right out of the box. Right now and going forward. 91 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:04,390 Again, there’s simply too much at stake for us not to take swift and firm action in 92 00:07:04,390 --> 00:07:06,340 response to violations. 93 00:07:06,340 --> 00:07:11,330 Let me close by saying you have been dealt a difficult set of circumstances being in 94 00:07:11,330 --> 00:07:15,750 college during a pandemic of a scope unseen in over a century. 95 00:07:15,750 --> 00:07:19,890 I understand the sadness and frustration this brings. 96 00:07:19,890 --> 00:07:26,970 But: I also know short-term sacrifice like you are being asked to make here – by complying 97 00:07:26,970 --> 00:07:33,820 with three straightforward public health requirements of small gatherings of 15 or less, mask wearing 98 00:07:33,820 --> 00:07:39,350 and social distancing – will get us past this crisis faster and with fewer people harmed 99 00:07:39,350 --> 00:07:40,750 by the virus. 100 00:07:40,750 --> 00:07:43,720 I share your desire to be on-Grounds this fall. 101 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:49,740 I miss the energy you bring to this place and I like you, I want us to succeed. 102 00:07:49,740 --> 00:07:53,660 So, let’s step up and do this together. 103 00:07:53,660 --> 00:07:57,940 My sincere thanks to each of you for taking the time to listen to this message.