March 16, 2020
To the UCF student body,
As you all may have seen, today, March 16, is the first day that UCF is moving to remote instruction in an effort to promote safety for all of the UCF community. I’m not going to sugar coat this, I know this isn’t an easy adjustment for a lot of us.
This decision wasn’t made without a lot of considerations — it came after long consultations with medical and community experts that have advised us that this is the best way to move forward to keep everyone safe, which is our top priority in these trying times.
That being said, it is crucial that all students remember that spring break is over, and that we do not confuse an online school experience with an extension of spring break festivities. I urge all students to continue to check their Webcourses frequently and stay up to date with how their courses will be adapted to fit this new structure.
In an email to the student body, Vice President of Student Development and Enrollment Services, Dr. Maribeth Ehasz announced that any approved travel for registered student organizations, including travel previously approved by our Student Government allocations, are canceled. Along with this, all events through at least March 30 are canceled. My sincerest apologies to all RSO’s that are affected by this. I know these trips mean a lot to your organizations, and I share your frustrations that these opportunities are being taken away.
I know for many students this can be extremely difficult and I want to take a moment to empathize with each and every one of your current situations. To any student employee, on or off-campus, who relies on a thriving UCF community for work – we will come back stronger. In the meantime, I urge you to seek out any resources you need to help you, like our Knights Pantry.
To all of our incoming Freshmen and lowerclassmen, I know this isn’t your ideal Spring Semester. You may have been looking forward to many events that are now canceled and are missing out on seeing what a beacon of light UCF really is. Please keep in mind that the future of UCF is still bright, and you will have so much more to look forward to.
To all of our upperclassmen, and especially our graduating seniors, I am sorry and I am right there with you. This semester a lot of “lasts” have been taken from us, and I know how heavy a toll this may be taking on the final months of your college experience. I am in awe of your selflessness in handling this pandemic, and I encourage you all to use this time to reflect on everything you have been able to do during your time at UCF – rather than what we may be missing out on.
We are doing a good thing here. We are helping slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, and everyone’s safety is our main concern. We need to band together, support each other, and remember that we will overcome this adversity.
That being said, the CDC has recommended canceling all events with a gathering of over 50 people for the next 8 weeks, and I encourage you all to take these recommendations to heart. UCF has taken courageous steps in an attempt to slow the spread of this pandemic, but it is only effective to the level of which you take this matter seriously.
This is not a time to panic, but to listen to the experts and follow their suggestions about social distancing and practicing good hygiene. In terms of UCF and its efforts, please refer back to Dr. Ehasz’s email, and follow the links she provided to be aware of all the resources UCF can provide to you.
There are still a lot of questions that I don’t know the answer to, but Student Government will continue to do our best to keep everyone’s spirits at ease.
I have great confidence in the UCF community and I know that we will get through this together.
As always, especially during these trying times, Go Knights! Charge On!
Sincerely,
Kyler L. Gray
Student Body President
Student Government