We once again extend our sincerest gratitude for your efforts to keep yourself and our Maverick community safe in the fall 2020 semester. Our ability to navigate this challenging semester is credited to your diligence and care for the well-being of your colleagues and our students.

As we look ahead to the spring 2021 semester, we know that it is critical to maintain our dedication to health and safety.

In advance of returning to work in the new year, we ask that over our extended holiday break you continue to take precautions against the spread of COVID-19. We believe this approach—in conjunction with daily self-monitoring, wearing masks, and social distancing—will help us minimize the spread. The goal is two-fold: to ensure you stay healthy and to protect other Mavericks from illness.

Please consider continuing to monitor your symptoms daily. COVID-19 symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, diarrhea, or fever. If you are experiencing any of those symptoms, you should contact your primary health care provider.

Come January, there will continue to be an emphasis on minimizing on-campus presence by employees and on maximizing the use of telework while ensuring business continuity, all to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We encourage you to discuss with your supervisor the on-campus staffing expectations for your unit or department.

No matter your work location for the start of the spring semester, let’s make smart choices in the coming weeks so that we may remain safe and healthy, and start the new year strong.