Dear Faculty/Instructors and Students on the Pittsburgh Campus,

As you will have read in the COVID-19 Medical Response Office (CMRO) message earlier today, the arrival of the highly transmissible omicron variant has caused us to adjust our move-in procedure for students living on campus. To allow for cohorts to complete testing and shelter in place on arrival, some students may not be able to attend classes in person until after Jan. 26.

Accordingly, we are adjusting our teaching modality to fully remote for the first two and a half weeks of the semester. Classes will begin remotely on Jan. 10. Exceptions to this rule may be made by approval of the dean for programs and classes that need to meet in person. Classes will take place fully in person beginning on Jan. 27.

If the dean approves an in-person class during shelter in place, vaccinated students may attend as long as they are not symptomatic and not COVID-19 positive. Unvaccinated students will need to have an approved exemption and be compliant with the weekly mandatory testing process to maintain access to University buildings. 

As we continue to monitor the spread of the new variant and its severity in our community, we will remain vigilant and adjust plans when necessary for the safety and health of our campuses. Your resilience and dedication to our mission over the past 22 months has been extraordinary, and I am once again calling on you for your continued flexibility and understanding.

I know that this holiday season has been difficult for many of you. I hope that you can enjoy some relaxation through the rest of the winter recess, and I want to wish all of you the best of everything in the New Year.

Ann E. Cudd
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor