Dear Students,

As the presidents of the two largest universities in the state of Utah, we are grateful that we have been able to open our student facilities and offer face-to-face classes this fall semester. We thank those who have been compliant with the safety guidelines that have been put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, we are greatly concerned about the dramatic rise in positive cases of COVID-19 in Utah County, particularly among college students. This is both alarming and unacceptable.

We’re concerned not only for your well-being, but also for those in the local community who are affected by the trends we’ve seen in the last week.

Behavior must change. We implore you to stay home except for in-person classes, work, church, and other essentials. We ask that you limit your social interactions to only those within your household and avoid small gatherings where individuals aren’t wearing masks or maintaining physical distance. If you’re feeling sick, stay home. If you've had a known exposure to the virus, may test positive for the virus or are awaiting a test result, follow the quarantine guidelines of state and local health officials. We expect you to follow all safety requirements on campus and all state and local mandates off campus.

If circumstances do not improve within the next two weeks, more dramatic action will be necessary. This may include a two-week quarantine, closing campuses to the public or a complete retreat to all-remote instruction for the rest of the semester.

Please be wise. Your individual choices will make all the difference.

 

Sincerely,

Kevin J Worthen, BYU President
Astrid S. Tuminez, UVU President