Welcome to the fall semester

Dear faculty, staff and students,

I’m happy to welcome you to UIC for the fall semester and the beginning of the 2021-22 academic year. To those new to the University, welcome to the Flames family.

While there will be more faculty, staff and students on campus this semester, we are in a transitional period as we all move towards a new normal. We’ve dealt with various changes and challenges since the pandemic altered our daily lives in March 2020, but one thing has remained consistent — the resiliency of our academic community at UIC. That characteristic will serve everyone well as we continue to follow guidance from public health officials and our own medical and public health experts, while we monitor the developments related to the Delta variant and COVID-19 effects.

As we have communicated through recent messages, thorough preparations were carried out to ensure a safe return to campus and a positive academic experience. We have proven during the past year, that by working together and following all health and safety measures we can minimize the spread of COVID-19 in our campus. And we will continue to place our trust in science, including the work of our own researchers, and to promote a fully vaccinated community. Your cooperation is key to achieving our common goals and having the best possible university experience for all.

The effort, collaboration, and Chicago-style grit exhibited by our faculty, staff and students during the pandemic has been remarkable. I’m confident that as we’ve done over the past 18 months, we will once again successfully advance our mission by teaching and learning, taking care of our patients, advancing science and culture, and improving the quality of the lives around us.

I hope that you are all as proud as I am to be part of a University community like ours, particularly in times like these. Whether you are on campus or with us virtually, let’s have a great semester together!

Be safe, be well and be informed.

Sincerely,

Michael D. Amiridis
Chancellor