UNIVERSITY HOUSING AND DINING
THE QUARTERLY | APRIL 2020 | VOL. 27, NO. 2 From the Senior Director For the last two months, our lives have been consumed by the Coronavirus (also known as COVID-19). It has been all over the local and national news. People you know and love may have become infected during this pandemic. Jobs have been interrupted; some have lost their jobs due to the closing of restaurants, hotels, and other businesses. Many have not left their homes in a month or more out of fear of becoming infected by COVID-19 or simply because there is nothing to do. I appreciate the university’s decision to keep all employees in paid status through the end of the spring 2020 semester, regardless of funding source. I think it says a lot about the UI to make that move to protect staff and their families who rely on the income and benefits. That’s what Hawkeyes do. We supported students and their families by refunding nearly half of their room and meal plan charges, which negatively impacted our annual budget. If our operations remain closed until the start of the fall semester, we estimate additional lost revenue. Fortunately, we have a reserve account that can cover much of our deficit, but that may mean postponing some renovation and repair of our residence halls and dining facilities. Regardless, refunding room and meal plans was the right thing to do for our students and families. That’s what Hawkeyes do. Due to the constantly changing data regarding COVID-19 and how it is transmitted, how it is cleaned, and how it affects people (physical and emotionally), we were nimble and innovative. We planned and executed an outstanding move-out process over 11 days that minimized staff contact with students/families and ensured that touched surfaces were constantly disinfected. We moved from a self-service dining operation to a “we serve you” operation (including opening up Black’s Gold Grill for meals), then to an online ordering and pick up operation. Staff who can work remotely are doing so. In-person meetings became virtual meetings. The decisions weren’t easy but we aren’t afraid of making tough decisions. That’s what Hawkeyes do. My commitment to you is to be as transparent as possible given the very fluid circumstances. There are still more unanswered questions and there will be bumps in the road as we move forward. This will require us to continue to be innovative and make tough decisions. The operations of housing and dining have always been critical in the eyes of the university and our students. I can’t count how many people have shared their praise regarding how well housing and dining has responded in the face of this pandemic. In the coming weeks and months, we will need to continue to innovate and communicate to ensure students and families are confident that we are taking as many measures within our control to minimize the risk of infection. I know we will rise to this challenge and be successful as a department and university. Because that’s what Hawkeyes do. Until next time… Von