Stay informed about recent decisions and plans by visiting www.udel.edu/return. Have a specific question? Check the FAQs, which are updated regularly as questions come in to coronavirus@udel.edu.

What you need to know about COVID-19 testing: As students are planning to leave the area for fall break, it is recommended that they get tested before they travel. Students should also be aware that if they have engaged in high risk activities within two to five days before the test, they could still develop a COVID infection once they arrive home.

Surveillance testing -- open to all students and essential faculty and staff -- will be available on Monday and Wednesday, Dec. 14 and 16, at both Harker Lab (9 a.m.-noon) and the Clayton Hall (10 a.m.-1 p.m.). Registration is strongly encouraged and may be completed online here: Harker Lab and Clayton Hall. Please note that walk-ups are also welcome, with arrival at least 30 minutes before the testing site closes.

UD students in the Newark area who are experiencing any COVID-like symptom (fever, shortness of breath, dry cough, loss of taste or smell) should call Student Health Services at 302-831-2226 as soon as possible to make an appointment for testing. Rapid (20-minute result) and standard (48-72 hour result) nasal swab tests are available at Student Health Services and utilized based on the medical decision making of the practitioners.

Community-based testing will continue at campus sites: Tuesdays, on the Laird Campus through at least Dec. 15; and Saturdays, on the STAR Campus, through January. Information about locations and dates for testing sites in the area is available here.

Looking ahead to 2021: When UD reopens Jan. 3 after the fall break, COVID-19 tests will be required for all undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, staff and postdocs who will be on the campus for any purpose. This testing must be completed at UD surveillance testing sites during each individual’s first week back on the campus. Additional information on the testing process will be announced soon.

For students in residence halls: Have questions about student housing during Winter Session or the spring semester? An FAQ on the Residence Life and Housing website provides lots of answers, as well as phone and email contact information.

Fall 2020 modified pass/no credit grading changes: Students who are considering or interested in changing courses to the modified pass/no credit grading basis are strongly encouraged to review the Fall 2020 Academic Regulations and contact their assistant dean’s office (undergraduate) or program adviser/director (graduate) to discuss the implications of the grade change options.

From Dec. 14 through Jan. 5, students will have the opportunity to submit the request form to change fall semester course(s) to a modified pass/no credit grading basis. Once the course is graded in UDSIS, the Grading Change Request Webform can be used to opt-in to the modified pass/no credit grading basis. The webform will also be available in a student’s UDSIS homepage under the “Grades & Transcripts” tile. Grades of D+ through F will be automatically updated to the modified Pass/No Credit grading basis. This option is not available for 868/968 (research), 869 (master’s thesis) or 969 (dissertation) courses.

Research updates; Dec. 14 town hall: The next research town hall, led by Charlie Riordan, vice president for research, scholarship and innovation, will be held from 2-3 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 14. Professors Eric Wommack and Kali Kniel from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources will join Riordan to talk about their research to track the presence of the COVID-19 virus in wastewater — work that has led to the creation of the Center for Environmental and Wastewater-based Epidemiological Research (CEWER), a new service center at UD. Register online. The town halls are recorded and archived on this webpage. For more information, contact UDResearch@udel.edu.

A reminder: As part of the University's cost-mitigation efforts, the Research Office will be closed on the following dates in December and in the new year. Please plan accordingly for your proposal submissions.

Research Office Closures

• Dec. 21-23, 2020
• Feb. 15, 2021
• April 2, 2021
• May 28, 2021

Wellbeing support available: All members of the UD community are encouraged to take advantage of virtual opportunities to connect with each other as COVID-19 and flu cases continue to rise. Students are reminded to be intentional about their social bubble, especially if they are preparing to transition from one household to another at the conclusion of the fall semester. Wellbeing services and support, including a Coping with COVID-19 Support Group and personalized telehealth support, are available. The Center for Counseling and Student Development is open and available remotely, and 24/7 mental health support remains available on the UD Helpline at 302-831-1001 for any student in need of someone to talk to.

All UD employees, their spouses, dependents, parents and in-laws may access the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) by calling 800-343-2186 or visiting the program’s website. If using the website, UD employees should enter "State of Delaware" as the password.

Upcoming dates:

• Course registration for the spring 2021 semester is now underway.
• Last day of classes for the fall semester is Thursday, Dec. 10, with classes ending at 10 p.m.
• Final examinations are scheduled from Saturday, Dec. 12, through Friday, Dec. 18.

Questions? Send an email to coronavirus@udel.edu.