August 20, 2020
Dear Husker Students,
Welcome to campus! While this is an extraordinary time, we look forward to the coming year and are making every effort to ensure that it will be a safe and successful one.
As we continue to face challenges from the pandemic, our university is committed to reducing the spread of COVID-19 based on the best available medical research with input from local public health officials. As the Chancellor previously stated, our goal is to “have a safe on-campus experience in our classrooms, our residence halls, our dining facilities and across all of our beautiful campuses.”
To help keep the Husker community safe, we’ve implemented a face covering policy. As a reminder, in addition to wearing face coverings indoors, you should also wear a mask or other face covering outdoors when:
- you’ll be within six feet of another individual
- you’re attending a campus event
- you’re near or part of a large gathering outside
Our Cornhusker Commitment reminds us that we have a responsibility to protect ourselves, others and our Husker community. To offer a safe environment we must hold all students to rigorous accountability standards.
Last Friday a new unified Student Code of Conduct was approved by the Board of Regents for the University of Nebraska system. We encourage you to review this document so that you better understand our expectations for student behavior.
Students may be held accountable for engaging in behavior that may cause harm to another individual, engaging in conduct that creates a threat to community safety, failure to comply with University Housing policies, and failure to comply with university or campus policies.
All violations will be addressed according to the circumstances of each incident. That being said, any student who hosts or attends a large party may face severe consequences, including the possibility of suspension and/or expulsion.
We encourage each Husker to make smart choices and think of the impact that your actions have on the community. We know you’ll want to socialize. When you do, we encourage you to develop personal connections within a small group of friends:
- Meet with 10 or fewer people within your “social bubble” (the same non-changing group of friends to limit exposure)
- Get together outside where fresh air is abundant
- Stay 6-feet apart and wear facial coverings. If you remove face coverings to eat or drink, be diligent in your efforts to be at least 6-feet apart
We know that many students are doing their best to follow the health and safety guidance. We see you, and we thank you for your commitment. We’re in this together, and with your help, we can keep one another safe and healthy – and prolong our ability to offer an on-campus experience.
Laurie Bellows
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Nicole Buan
Associate Professor
Biochemistry
President of Faculty Senate
Elizabeth Spiller
Professor and Executive Vice Chancellor
Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer