Spring semester Chicago campus safety

Dear students, faculty and staff,

As you know from last week’s announcement about UIC’s return to hybrid learning on February 8, regular saliva testing and use of UIC Healthcheck and the UIC Daily Pass will be required of anyone coming to campus or participating in on-campus activities.

We also wanted to address several additional safety concerns that will help protect the UIC community as some of you prepare to return to campus.

Break Time Safety

UIC contact tracing has found no evidence of classroom transmission of COVID-19 and that most UIC community members who tested positive for COVID-19 became infected through their social gatherings or households. Among those infected on campus, a meaningful amount of transmission has occurred during scheduled breaks and lunches.

Taking breaks is important to your mental and physical well-being. However, we must remember that COVID-19 does not take a break. Therefore, please keep the following items in mind when taking your break or eating lunch:

1. Only remove your mask when consuming food or drinking.
2. Ensure there are at least 6 feet between you and all other co-workers while on break.
3. Do not assume trusted coworkers or students are COVID-free. Approximately 40% of all cases may not show any symptoms (also known as being asymptomatic). It is always possible that someone is infectious in your classroom or office and is unknowingly spreading the virus.

In the event that you have a safety concern regarding your break space, or you lack a safe break space with sufficient space in which to physically distance from students or coworkers, please share your concern with the Environmental Health and Safety Office using  this confidential link.

Along with wearing a mask, washing/sanitizing hands often, and maintaining physical distance, following these workplace guidelines will reduce the spread of the virus and keep our UIC community safe.

Carjacking Crime Prevention

Carjacking crime is currently on the rise in Chicago. UIC Police report that statistically, the chances of being a victim of a carjacking is low and that preventative actions can help to further reduce that risk. Carjacking is a crime of opportunity that can occur anywhere and at any time, but there are precautions that all drivers can take when going to their vehicle, driving, and parking.

UIC Police has created a carjacking crime prevention flyer that provides more information about the steps drivers can take to ensure their safety not only when driving to and from campus, but in their own communities.

UIC Safe App

We continue to encourage all members of the UIC community to download the UIC Safe App, a free personal security tool that provides students, faculty and staff with added safety when on campus. The app’s user-friendly interface allows users to share their campus location with friends and family in real time, provides direct contact with UIC Police dispatchers and first responders in case of emergencies, and offers quick access to COVID-19 information, tools and resources.

As we continue to implement the UIC campus recovery plan and our new normal, we are grateful for your continued cooperation and support.

Sincerely,

John Coronado
Vice Chancellor for Administrative Services

For more information, please contact:
Sherry Krsticevic
sherylk@uic.edu