I am writing to provide additional guidance regarding domestic and international travel as part of our efforts and the efforts of the Commonwealth to manage the impact of the coronavirus.
As mentioned in President Paino’s message on March 11, all University-sponsored international travel is suspended until at least May 15. While we recommend using caution and good judgment for all travel destinations, if you undertake personal international travel to any country that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has identified as a level 3 risk, or the State Department has identified as a level 3 or 4 risk, we expect you to follow CDC guidance. You must not return to campus until you have followed that guidance. Upon return home, notify your supervisor and self-quarantine for a period of 14 days. You are urged to seek medical attention if you experience fever, coughs or difficulty breathing. Read the latest CDC travel guidance related to COVID-19.
In accordance with Governor Northam’s declaration of a state of emergency on March 12, all University-sponsored domestic travel outside of Virginia is suspended for 30 days, even if your travel was previously approved and regardless of the funding source of your official business travel. The Governor will revisit these guidelines after the initial 30-day period.
We strongly discourage all University travel for non-essential purposes, particularly if traveling by air, attending large gatherings or traveling to areas experiencing high numbers of COVID-19 cases, as documented by the CDC. As a part of the University’s travel approval process, we are asking supervisors and approvers to carefully evaluate the purpose of a trip, the destination’s COVID-19 conditions and why the travel is essential to the University. We also discourage personal travel when possible.
If you must travel, whether University-sponsored within Virginia or personal, please take all possible precautions, including staying up to date on the latest spread of the virus.
Please check UMW’s COVID-19 web page for additional travel information under the Frequently Asked Questions section.
The University’s Emergency Operations Team will continue to carefully monitor the situation, and both international and domestic travel guidelines will be updated and communicated to the UMW community as needed.
As always, take appropriate steps to ensure your health and safety, as well as the health and safety of those around you.
Sincerely,
Paul Messplay
VP for Administration & Finance, and CFO
