LAFAYETTE - The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has launched a website that details all of its plans for the safe reopening of on-campus courses and related operations.

The new website, which went live on Monday, houses information UL Lafayette personnel and students will need to know about sanitation, protective equipment and other measures to ensure their safety as they return to campus over the next few months.

The site will also feature answers to user-submitted questions. 

It will be updated regularly as information becomes available, said Dr. Jaimie Hebert, provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. “Communication is critical to assuring our University family that campus will be safe and ready for their return.”

Hebert chairs the Ragin’ Cajun Resiliency Plan Task Force, which is a group of administrators, faculty, staff members, and students who have created a framework that will guide the University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the beginning of next year.

The framework is available on the website, as are guidelines from the University’s Office of Human Resources on procedures to help employees resume on-campus work.

The task force’s plan describes a three-phase approach for the return of students and employees to campus this fall. The committee identified six areas of focus: student life and experiences; faculty and staff support; teaching and research; campus operations; finance; and communications.

UL Lafayette transitioned to telework for most business operations and remote course delivery in March. 

Remote delivery will continue for most courses during the summer semester when it begins on June 8.

Also beginning on June 8: the first of three phases in which the University sets benchmarks for the safe resumption of on-campus courses and business operations in the fall.

A two-week review period will take place between each phase. Before the University transitions from one phase to the next, certain health milestones must be met. Those targets are based on guidelines established by local and state health officials.

During Phase 1, remote business operations and course delivery will continue and ways to reinforce social distancing in classrooms, residence halls, offices and other shared spaces will be identified.

Faculty and staff members involved with critical infrastructure, health care and research support will begin returning to campus during Phase 1.

The campus will transition into Phase 2 in the fall, and at that time on-campus course instruction and business operations will resume.

Phase 3 is expected to begin in January 2021. 

 Click here to access the new website