UK President Eli Capilouto sent out an email Thursday regarding new COVID-19 policies. He said UK hopes to return to some sense of normalcy this school year while remaining vigilant to protect the community’s health and safety. 

These new implementations, which start June 14, will not apply to UK HealthCare, since it is undergoing a phased approach to reopening. There will still be daily screening and masking for all UK HealthCare providers, staff, patients and visitors, and research participants will still be required to follow UK HealthCare guidelines.

Vaccines will not be mandatory, but are strongly encouraged. As of the announcement, 70% of the campus population, including students, faculty and staff, were vaccinated. Daily screenings, tracing protocols, quarantines, masks and testing will not be necessary for vaccinated individuals. UK will accept any vaccines approved by the World Health Organization. To allow a steady communication with the campus community and keep track of those who are vaccinated, UK is asking for those who are vaccinated to upload documentation here.

Non-vaccinated students who will be in any campus facility for classes or otherwise are required to take COVID-19 tests upon entry to UK, along with regular testing throughout the semester. Masks, daily screenings, contact tracing and quarantine are also required for these individuals. 

All classrooms and offices will return to normal regulations for summer and fall. UK will no longer discourage domestic travel, but it will still stay in accordance with CDC guidelines. 

UK Housing move-in and K Week protocols will return to those used prior to COVID-19. Visitation for dorms will also be reinstated, but isolation facilities will still be used as needed. 

Dining halls will return to normal capacity, but Plexiglas, hand sanitizer stations and healthy behavior signage will remain. Those who are unvaccinated are still expected to wear a mask while not eating at these facilities. Restrictions on university vehicles will also be lifted. 

All of these policies are subject to change, and UK officials will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation.

For questions, contact [email protected].