Mach 19, 2020

Dear AUC Community,

We have just wrapped up a productive week of emergency preparations and planning. Thanks to fine work by the Provost and faculty, we are very well prepared to launch full-scope online learning next week. Thanks also to the work by staff and supervisors across the University operating units, we have leapt forward in our remote working capabilities to accomplish the needed support for our online learning and other critical University functions.  

Nevertheless, because the global contagion continues to accelerate, we must now step up our precautionary measures to strictly minimize the daily physical presence of all people -- students, faculty, staff, contractors and visitors -- on our two campuses to those whose presence is absolutely essential to the successful conduct of our mission. We will continue to rely on our leaders and managers of each academic and support unit to assess, with the people for whom they are responsible, the mission-essential requirements for their physical presence. Please do check our AUC Coronavirus website for frequent updates.

The adjustments in our work and study modes will inevitably impose some hardships. Fortunately, AUC has proven its institutional and community resilience over a century that has seen the most severe challenges, from war to revolution and economic distress. AUC has the means and the determination to sustain our mission of service to our students and to mitigate the burden on our most vulnerable employees. 

I am confident that we will emerge all the stronger for having confronted the novel coronavirus pandemic, and that we will achieve our twin highest goals: to protect the health, safety, and security of all our people; and to save spring term for our students.

Sincerely,

Francis J. Ricciardone