COVID-19 Updates

EMAIL sent to residents May 20, 2021

Last week the CDC updated its guidelines for individuals who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In accordance with those guidelines and recent state legislation, masks and face coverings will no longer be required at University of Utah facilities beginning Monday, May 24. Please note that masks will continue to be required inside University of Utah Health facilities. In addition, all job-related personal protective equipment (PPE) safety requirements will continue to be required consistent with best practices for worker safety.

Members of the campus community are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated. The university will continue to provide free, weekly asymptomatic coronavirus testing and a vaccination clinic on campus throughout the summer. Vaccinations are available for all members of the campus community (including friends and family of university faculty, staff and students) and can be scheduled online. You can also call the U’s vaccination hotline at 801-213-2874 (and press option 2) for assistance in finding and scheduling a vaccination appointment.

A recent survey of faculty and students showed that more than 90% of respondents have been vaccinated or plan to be vaccinated in the coming weeks.

That said, wearing a mask remains an effective means of preventing infection for both unvaccinated and vaccinated people. Regardless of what someone chooses (mask or no mask), the university seeks to foster a sense of community and asks everyone on campus to be respectful of individual decisions on mask wearing.

As a reminder, people are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 two weeks after their second dose in a two-dose series of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or two weeks after a single-dose of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. While very uncommon, vaccinated individuals can still get a coronavirus infection, but are more likely to have mild or no symptoms.

Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and our campus community.

 

EMAIL SENT TO RESIDENTS FEBRUARY 2, 2021

USA Residents,

Appointments for asymptomatic COVID-19 Testing are now available for the week of February 22-26. These tests are free of charge to household members of U of U students and staff living in University Student Apartments. In an effort to further the health of our campus community, this voluntary testing is available as frequently as once a week. Please carefully read the below instructions before scheduling an appointment:

***If you ARE an enrolled U of U student or a staff member with a UID, schedule using this link, instead of following the below instructions***

Locations

Officers Club (West Entrance) in Fort Douglas 150 S Fort Douglas Blvd Salt Lake City, UT 84113
Parking: the Officer’s Club will have a moratorium on ticketing during testing hours

Saltair Room in the Union 200 S Central Campus Dr Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Parking: The Union Building (north lot #29, HEDCO #43) will have a moratorium on ticketing during testing hours (map).

Before Getting Tested

1. For this saliva-based PCR test it is very important that you do not eat or drink within 30 minutes prior to your test.
2. Schedule a time to be tested in the University-licensed survey. SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT HERE
3. Once the scheduling process is complete you will receive a confirmation email for your appointment.
4. Bring your confirmation e-mail AND the UID Number of the student/staff household memberwith you to the testing location.

Do NOT come to the testing site if you are experiencing any of these COVID-19 symptoms:

• Cough, Shortness of Breath, or Difficulty Breathing
• Fever or Chills
• Muscle or Body Aches
• Vomiting or Diarrhea
• New Loss of Taste or Smell

If you ARE experiencing any of the above symptoms, please call 801-587-0712 to schedule a time to be tested at an appropriate location throughout the community.

What to Expect During the Test

• Distancing and masking will be enforced for all on site
• You will provide a self-collected saliva sample
• If your test is returned “not detected”, you will receive your results via encrypted email to the email address that you provide on site. No further action is required.
• If your test is returned “detected”, you will receive your results via encrypted email to the email address that you provide on site. You will also receive a phone call from the testing staff with instructions to isolate and schedule a confirmatory test.

Frequently Asked Questions

• How do I re-schedule my appointment?

o Your confirmation email will contain instructions on re-scheduling.

• How do I cancel my appointment?

o After following the reschedule link in your confirmation e-mail, simply exit the survey without finishing it. This will cancel your appointment for you.

• Can I bring my child who also lives in University Student Housing to be tested?

o Yes, however the child’s guardian must be present to help with the saliva collection and the child must be old enough to provide a saliva sample by holding a small tube and funnel and spitting into it. Note also that, since the e-mail address is the unique ID used to register participants, a separate address will be required for each individual tested.

• Which test is being used?

o A saliva-based Thermo TaqCheck PCR

• Is there a cost for me to take this test?

o No, the University is providing this free for the household members of students, faculty, staff, living in University Student Apartments.

• What if I have already tested positive for COVID-19?

o There is no need to come in for this testing if you have tested positive in the last 90 days unless you are coming to get tested at the end of an isolation period.

• Should I get tested if I have been vaccinated for COVID-19?

o Testing is still helpful if you have been vaccinated. While the current vaccines have been tested for efficacy in preventing the vaccinated person’s illness, less is known about the vaccine’s ability to prevent a person from spreading the disease.

 If you have any questions relating to this testing, please reach out to CampusCovidTesting@utah.edu.
 

Email Sent to Residents December 30, 2020

To all University Student Apartments (USA) residents and their families,

We appreciate your efforts and patience as we continue to do our part as a campus community to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. We miss seeing you at community events, court activities, and in the office, and hope that we can return to normal operations in 2021.

Reported, suspected and positive COVID-19 cases in the east and west villages have increased during the winter break, and so we want to remind all of residents of University Student Apartment to help protect themselves and their family by following social distancing and common sense practices as listed on the University of Utah’s coronavirus website, coronavirus.utah.edu. Case counts and the latest information can be found at coronavirus.utah.gov.

As the university monitors the spread of COVID-19 on campus, we remind all residents to fill out the University’s reporting form if they or anyone living in their apartment (spouses, partners, children etc.) have, a) been tested for COVID-19, and whether test results are pending, positive, or negative; b) recently experienced symptoms; or, c) a known exposure. This form can be found at coronavirus.utah.edu. This reporting is very important for the health and safety of our community at USA.

As a reminder, when entering apartments for maintenance work, all USA maintenance staff wear face coverings. Residents must also wear face coverings and keep socially distant when maintenance staff are in their apartment. Maintenance work will not be done in an apartment if occupants are not wearing face coverings.

Sincerely,
University Student Apartments

 

EMAIL SENT TO RESIDENTS DECEMBER 7, 2020

Winter break

Students living or working on campus have an opportunity to receive weekly rapid COVID-19 tests from December 7, 2020 to January 8, 2021. As we anticipate cases rising over the winter break, we request that you make this test a high priority as we combine our efforts to make our communities more safe.

If you are a University of Utah student living at University Student Apartments, please visit https://alert.utah.edu/covid-19-testing/ to find additional information regarding this free test, and to schedule a time to be tested.

Thank you,

The University of Utah COVID-19 Testing Team

https://alert.utah.edu/covid-19-testing/

 

Email sent to residents to October 1, 2020

To all University Student Apartments (USA) residents and their families,

As the university monitors the spread of COVID-19 on campus, we remind all residents to fill out the University’s reporting form if they or anyone living in their apartment (spouses, partners, children etc.) have, a) been tested for COVID-19, and whether test results are pending, positive, or negative; b) recently experienced symptoms; or, c) a known exposure. This form can be found at coronavirus.utah.edu. This reporting is very important for the health and safety of our community at USA.

When entering apartments for maintenance work, all USA maintenance staff wear face coverings. Effective immediately, we ask that residents also wear face coverings and keep socially distant when maintenance staff are in their apartment. Maintenance work will not be done in an apartment if occupants are not wearing face coverings.

We remind all residents of University Student Apartments help to protect themselves by following social distancing and common sense practices as listed on the University of Utah’s coronavirus website, coronavirus.utah.edu. Case counts and the latest information can be found at coronavirus.utah.gov.

Sincerely,
University Student Apartments

Email Sent to Residents June 26, 2020

University Student Apartments’ residents, we are wishing all of you and your loved ones well during this incredibly stressful time. 

As COVID-19 cases rise in the state of Utah and around the country, we are mindful of the uncertainty this brings to our students, staff, and their families. We are particularly concerned for how this pandemic has impacted daily life in our community, understanding that the apartments are small, and travel and activity opportunities over the summer have been limited. We know that there is a continued desire for individuals to connect with their friends and neighbors during this time, and we encourage you to do so safely and within the guidelines set forth by our local government and health leaders, including those at the University of Utah. 

Yesterday, it was announced that face coverings are required in public spaces in Salt Lake County, and in a separate communication, the Governor announced face coverings are required in public at institutions of higher education, including the University of Utah, and in other state buildings. This includes University Student Apartments. When you interact with others in a public setting, a face covering is required. This does not include recreating outdoors with individuals from your own household. A face covering is now required when entering the Main Office or Maintenance Office to conduct business that cannot be taken care of through the resident portal, email or by phone. 

We are pleased to announce that we will be distributing a face covering to students that are currently living with us, compliments of the University of Utah Office of Student Affairs. We are working out the logistics of the distribution, and hope to have those masks to you in the next week. 

Playgrounds continue to be closed in Salt Lake City, including University Student Apartments. This is for the safety of the community, in order to limit community spread of COVID-19. We count on our residents to adhere to guidelines laid out by our governing bodies, to maintain the health of the residents and staff at University Student Apartments. We understand having the playgrounds closed is hard for small children and parents of those children; however, these closures are intended to protect our most vulnerable during this pandemic.

For more information and daily updates, please visit, 
coronavirus.utah.gov
coronavirus.utah.edu 

Thank you,
University Student Apartments

Email Sent to Residents June 15, 2020

Please be advised that late fee charges will resume July 1, 2020. Please review the policy.
https://apartments.utah.edu/resident-handbook/index.php#latefees
  

Email sent to Residents March 31, 2020

Due to COVID-19 and reduced staff levels, the Main Office has new office hours:

Monday to Friday

8:00 am to 12:00 noon

To comply with Social Distancing Guidelines we ask that only ONE customer at a time be in the office. Please wait outside if there are others already in the office.

If you are moving out please place your keys and modem in the grey metal Drop Box in outer lobby. Put items in the envelopes provided and don’t forget to write your name and apartment number on the label.

Please pay rent online through the Resident Portal.

Forms, including Intent to Vacate, Transfer Requests, etc., can be found online at apartments.utah.edu and submitted to apartments@usa.utah.edu

Hours for the Maintenance Office will not change. Please submit non-emergency work orders through the Resident Portal.

Email us with questions apartments@usa.utah.edu

 

Email sent to Residents Wednesday March 25, 2020

 The University of Utah acknowledges the need for emergency financial assistance for a variety of reasons during this pandemic and staff are working diligently on streamlining the process to apply for funds.

Currently U. Student Apartments has been made aware of two resources and will communicate additions to these as we are made aware of them.
1) Students can apply for an emergency loan up to $500. They would need to pay back the loan within 11 months (no interest). https://www.asuu.utah.edu/
2) Emergency Fund application can be found at https://utah.academicworks.com/opportunities/20168

If your source of income has been negatively impacted by the pandemic, and you are working with ASUU, Financial Aid & Scholarships, or another resource for help, please contact accounting@usa.utah.edu with an explanation of your situation and we will address payment arrangements with you individually.

Rent payments will continue to be due on the 1st of every month; however, late fees will not be charged until further notice.  (see update above - late fees resume July 2020)

We understand this is a stressful and trying time for our entire community. We empathize with the struggles many of you are having and we appreciate your understanding as we respond to this dynamic and global situation.

Sincerely,
University Student Apartments

  

Email sent to Residents Friday March 20, 2020

To all University Student Apartments residents and their families-

We recognize that we are all experiencing considerable stress during the dynamic situations we face each day due to the threat of COVID-19, and the added worry that came with a large seismic event and aftershocks on Wednesday, March 18^th. We commend the university leadership for communicating clearly and regularly to the community via the internet, twitter, podcasts, email, and text messaging. We encourage you to check communications from administrators regularly by visiting coronavirus.utah.edu and alert.utah.edu. We are committed through all of this to support the university community by providing convenient, moderately priced apartments for students, academic staff, faculty, and their families.

Here are some announcements that are University Student Apartments specific:

COVID-19

• As the university monitors the spread of COVID-19 through campus we are asking members of the U community to fill out a reporting form if they have tested positive for the virus, or are currently undergoing testing. This includes reporting on family members that live with you. This form can be found at coronavirus.utah.edu. There are no reported positive cases in University Student Apartments at this time.
• Following university administration guidelines, University Student Apartments has engaged in considerable staff reductions in order to maintain social distancing during the pandemic. Our Main Office remains open at this time, but we ask that you limit office visits, as we have a considerably smaller staff on-site, and many transactions can take place over the phone or on the web. You can make all credit/debit card payments using the Resident Portal at apartments.utah.edu.  You can use the drop box in the foyer of the main office to return keys and modems 24 hours a day. Intent to Vacate forms as well as many other forms can be found online and submitted by email.
• Community Centers are closed for gatherings until further notice to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and in accordance with guidelines from government entities to restrict gatherings of greater than 10 people.
• Resident Assistants are available in your respective courts/buildings to answer questions. You can find your RA contact information by visiting the online Resident Assistant Directory. All large events and in-person court/tower activities have been postponed until further notice.
• The Maintenance Office is open and operating with a considerably smaller group of staff each day. We will continue to respond to critical maintenance emergencies, but have postponed all non-essential preventative maintenance in order to limit staff entering your residence. Please be patient if the response to maintenance calls and work orders is taking a little longer than you are accustomed to.
• We have heard multiple complaints related to internet speed in the apartments. This is likely related to the number of users online, considering public school and university class cancellations; however, do not hesitate to call (801) 581-4000, the UIT help desk to log your complaint, in the case it is an issue that can be resolved.
• The university and ASUU are working on a variety of assistance options if you are experiencing financial hardship related to COVID-19. As information comes available to us, we will disseminate that to you.

SEISMIC ACTIVITY

• A rapid assessment of all University Student Apartments buildings occurred twice on Wednesday, March 18^th following the first major seismic event at 7:09am and a large aftershock at 1:12pm. The buildings were cleared for occupancy and no major structural damage was discovered. Structural engineers will conduct a more thorough assessment of each building in the coming days. As we communicated on Wednesday, if you see any damage in your apartment or building, or if your heating, water, or cooling systems seem to be functioning abnormally or not functioning at all, please contact apartments@utah.edu, or call Maintenance Dispatch at (801) 581-8668.

Sincerely,

University Student Apartments