In-Person Campus Events Update

April 15, 2021

Faculty, Staff, and Students,

The UT Health Science Center will slowly and safely begin having limited in-person events on campus beginning May 1. Permission for any in-person events of more than 10 people will be granted at the discretion of the Deans and Vice Chancellors. Events will be required to follow current guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

UTHSC remains very mindful of the COVID-19 pandemic and our responsibility to protect our employees and students from this disease. There continues to be daily positive case counts in Shelby County, as well as Tennessee, particularly among the student-aged demographic. While the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine reduces the risk to those who have received it – and many individuals at UTHSC have taken advantage of the opportunity – many individuals within the campus community have not. To date, the university COVID-19 guidelines have been effective at preventing the spread of COVID-19 on campus. These should be relied on as the best method of continued prevention and must be observed by everyone planning to come to campus. This includes: 

• Performing a self-check for COVID-19 symptoms before coming to campus. Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms must remain off campus.
• Wearing a face mask over your mouth and nose
• Maintaining social distancing of at least 6 feet
• Observing any COVID-19 occupancy limits posted on entrances to spaces on campus
• Practicing routine hand hygiene
• Avoiding the consumption of food and drink during in-person gatherings that would require the removal of your face mask while in proximity to others.

For more detailed guidance from the CDC for organizing large events and gatherings, please visit their website at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/large-events/considerations-for-events-gatherings.html. 

While the leadership team is excited to slowly open campus back up as the number of people getting vaccinated increases, we do want to stress the importance of our campus continuing to adhere to the CDC guidelines. Thank you for your vigilance as we maintain a practical approach to enjoying in-person events again at UTHSC!

Steve Schwab, MD
Chancellor

Kennard Brown, JD, PhD, MPA, FACHE
Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief Operations Officer

Cindy Russell, PhD
Interim Vice Chancellor for Academic, Faculty, and Student Affairs