UT System COVID-19 Task Force Releases ‘Best Practices’ for Re-Opening Campuses
May 20, 2020
KNOXVILLE – The University of Tennessee System’s COVID-19 task force has released
a report that provides guidance, recommendations and best practices to re-open its
campuses in the fall.
“The faculty and staff at each of our campuses have done an incredible job of thinking
through the details of re-opening their campuses this fall,” said UT System President
Randy Boyd.
The UT System created a systemwide task force in April, led by Dr. Jon McCullers,
senior executive associate dean of clinical affairs at the UT Health Science Center,
to advise on policies and procedures that would prioritize the safety and wellbeing
of UT’s students, faculty and staff. In addition, each campus has created a local
task force to look at specific needs for their campus community. McCullers has been
working with representatives from each campus to develop best practices for their
specific school communities. Campus-specific plans will be released in the coming
days and weeks.
“The task force agrees with national experts that we will not return to campus life
just as it was before,” said McCullers. “We will be experiencing a new normal where
we must manage through the risks. We will do many things differently, with the primary
goal of keeping our students and faculty safe while delivering an outstanding educational
experience.”
In addition to McCullers, additional UT System COVID-19 task force members include:
- Brian Gard - Director of Emergency Management (UT Knoxville)
- Christine Benz Smith - UC Foundation Professor; Director, School of Nursing; Chief Health Affairs Officer (UT Chattanooga)
- Holly Rowan - Safety and Emergency Management Coordinator (UT Martin)
- Marcy J. Souza - Associate Professor, Director of Veterinary Public Health (UT College of Veterinary Medicine)
- Mike Gregory - Director of Emergency Management Services and Special Events (UT System)
The systemwide report focuses on education regarding COVID-19, managing the campus
environment and its facilities, student transitions on and off campus, re-imagining
classes and recommendations around student health.
The UT System’s task force report, along with comprehensive information regarding
COVID-19, can be accessed at tennessee.edu/coronavirus/.
The University of Tennessee System has campuses in Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin
and Memphis; the UT Space Institute in Tullahoma; the UT Institute of Agriculture
with a presence in every Tennessee county; and the statewide Institute for Public
Service. The UT System manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory through its UT-Battelle
partnership; enrolls about 50,000 students statewide; produces about 10,000 new graduates
every year; and represents more than 387,000 alumni around the world.