March 25, 2021 – Staff: Our plans for Fall 2021
Dear Vanderbilt staff,
As Chancellor Diermeier shared earlier today, fall semester classes will be offered in person. We greatly look forward to returning to the full residential learning experience that is integral to student life and to our educational mission at Vanderbilt.
While this decision signals a step toward the life we recognize, our excitement and optimism must, by necessity, be tempered by the dynamic reality of the pandemic. Our priority remains ensuring the health and safety of our students, postdocs, faculty and staff as much as possible, and current COVID-19 testing and safety protocols remain in place. Should the status of the pandemic change dramatically over the spring and summer, or should public health guidance advise against in-person instruction, an alternative option may be required.
You will most likely have questions about how this impacts the status of your work environment and ongoing COVID-19 protocols. We continue to monitor the pandemic to inform our full fall semester plans, including what reporting to work will look like for staff, and will provide additional information in the coming weeks. You can expect to hear about any changes directly from your supervisor.
Thank you for your ongoing optimism and adaptability.
Eric Kopstain
Vice Chancellor for Administration