Dear NC State Community:

I hope you are all staying safe and healthy.

As the end of this very unique spring semester draws near, I want to thank each of you again for your tremendous efforts to help us slow the spread of COVID-19 while keeping NC State forging ahead. Our university has demonstrated how quickly and adeptly higher education can respond to the needs of the state and the nation.

While we transition from a rapid pandemic response to planning for what lies ahead, NC State continues to work closely with public health experts, state officials and the UNC System. Until we receive additional guidance, NC State will continue current operations including minimal on-campus personnel.

We’ll provide specific campus updates for summer, including any new guidance related to remote work, as soon as more information becomes available.

Preparing for the Fall

The big question on everyone’s mind is if NC State will return to its regular activities in the fall. We fully expect to have our new and continuing students on campus for the fall semester. At NC State, we invest heavily in student success, and we know the best opportunities for students to learn, engage, grow and succeed are available through the in-person interactions, support services and innovative environment that our campus provides.

That said, we’re not naïve about the fact that COVID-19 will continue to cause challenges to the ways we are accustomed to conducting our teaching, studying, research, outreach and other daily work. But, in our Think and Do spirit, we are committed to creating solutions that will keep the NC State community safe and strong, protect high-risk members of our Pack, and best serve our students.

We will also be fully prepared to adjust our fall plans as needed based on conditions at the time, as well as any restrictions or additional conditions that could be placed on us by the State of North Carolina and the UNC System. Regardless of exactly what the fall ultimately looks like, we’ll be prepared to support our community and provide the best possible experience for our students.

To that end, I have charged the Chancellor’s Cabinet – led by an executive committee made up of Provost Arden, Vice Chancellor Maimone and myself – to make our top priority leading the process to make well-informed decisions about campus operations for the summer and fall. Over the next several weeks, we’ll continue to work with state and system officials while engaging units and individuals across campus to gather input that will help inform our best path forward. We will keep the campus community updated as decisions are made.

Stay Strong, Wolfpack

While there may be changes in some of the ways we operate, our university’s commitment to providing outstanding education, conducting ground-breaking research and fulfilling our land-grant outreach mission will not change. We will continue to serve our students, our state and our nation in extraordinary ways as only NC State can.

Although there remain some uncertainties in the road ahead, the one thing I am sure of is that our Wolfpack will remain committed, creative and thoughtful in the ways you act to support one another and keep NC State moving forward. Thank you for being an important part of this community, and for your dedication to keeping the Wolfpack strong.

Go Pack!

Randy Woodson, Chancellor