Dear Duke University Faculty, Staff and Students,

While Governor Roy Cooper announced an executive order on Wednesday that eases restrictions on gatherings in North Carolina, Duke will maintain its current policy of limiting in-person gatherings other than scheduled classes and approved student activities to 10 persons, 6’ social distanced, masked, and neither food nor beverages consumed.

We are also maintaining our policy regarding events. No in-person events hosted, sponsored or paid for by Duke will be permitted to take place off-campus, both in Durham and elsewhere in or outside the U.S.

While we have seen progress in recent weeks with a decline in positive cases among students, faculty and staff, we are also at a critical juncture. We have seen several instances of policy violations in the last week that have led to additional positive cases. We understand and empathize with the “pandemic fatigue” everyone is experiencing, but we must continue to remain strong for one another to ensure we can complete the semester as planned.

Because the majority faculty and staff are not likely to be vaccinated until later this summer, most university staff should continue to work remotely through the end of May, unless you are specifically designated to return to Duke facilities. Having fewer people on-site continues to be the best way to reduce the potential spread of this virus and protect our campus and community.

Thank you for your ongoing efforts to follow public health guidance to protect yourselves, your loved ones and the broader community. We have continued to accomplish extraordinary things despite the pandemic, and we will come out stronger together on the other side.

Sincerely,

Kyle Cavanaugh,
Vice President, Administration