University president Rev. Mark L. Poorman, C.S.C., shared the following message with the UP community on Friday, June 19:
Dear UP Community Members,
I pray that this message finds you and your loved ones safe and well. I hope that you will join me in reflecting on today’s celebration of Juneteenth and praying that our nation may know peace, justice, and healing.
One month ago, I wrote to you about our plans for a return to in-person instruction and on-campus residentiality for the Fall 2020 Semester. In the weeks that have followed my message, teams across the University have worked tirelessly to develop procedures and protocols for our new academic year this August.
Today, I’m excited to share our Back to The Bluff website with you. This website will be a hub of information and resources for the Fall Semester. I encourage you to return to the site often as many of our protocols are still in development and our understanding of COVID-19 continues to evolve.
Our return to campus this August will look and feel different than semesters past. All community members will be required to wear face masks in public settings. Physical distancing will be necessary. Classrooms and residence halls will be de-densified. Testing, contact tracing, quarantining, and isolation will be aspects of our new reality. But I’m confident that the things that make UP so special – our warmth, our community, our care for one another – will enable us to thrive despite the challenges we face.
Once again, please know of my prayers your continued health and safety. On behalf of all of us at the University of Portland, we can’t wait to welcome you Back to The Bluff this August!