COVID-19 Contingency Planning Committees

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Dear Yale Faculty and Staff,

As we approach the end of classes for the spring term, we write to provide an update on our process for developing options for the next academic year. Our response to the COVID-19 pandemic has benefited immensely from the input of Yale experts. We want to continue to draw from the depth of knowledge and experiences of our community as we plan for fall 2020 and spring 2021.

To advise us on teaching, research, practice, and preservation across the university, we have charged six COVID-19 contingency planning committees. These committees will consult with colleagues around the university and with student representatives.

Four of the committees focus on the continuity of Yale’s mission:

  • Academic Continuity Committee
    • In-person Education Planning Subcommittee
    • On-line Education Planning Subcommittee
    • Residential and Extracurricular Planning Subcommittee
  • Research Continuity Committee
    • Clinical Practice/Clinical Research Subcommittee
    • Research in the Natural Sciences and Engineering Subcommittee
    • Research in the Humanities and Social Sciences Subcommittee
  • Creative and Artistic Practice Continuity Committee
  • Operations Continuity Committee

These four committees will advise on priorities, strategies, policies, and logistics in their respective areas. Their work will be informed by the deliberations of two ongoing committees that have been meeting since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: the Public Health Committee and the Emergency Policy Committee. The Public Health Committee is assessing current scientific and medical evidence related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Emergency Policy Committee is analyzing our emergency management and operations plans. They will offer invaluable information to guide the work of the other four committees.

The members of each of these committees are listed below, and we express our gratitude to everyone who has agreed to serve. 

With the input of these committees, we will continue to make decisions based on the expertise and ingenuity of our faculty and staff. Of course, we recognize that some choices may be out of our hands, as we will abide by orders and regulations from government agencies and elected officials. And decisions will need to be made despite the uncertainty that has accompanied the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, in the complex and rapidly changing environment of this public health emergency, it is critically important that we think proactively about the months ahead.

We look forward to providing updates about next steps as plans develop. In the meantime, you can find the latest announcements and information at the Yale COVID-19 Actions and Response website.

Sincerely,

Peter Salovey
President
Chris Argyris Professor of Psychology

Scott Strobel
Provost
Henry Ford II Professor of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry