COVID-19 University Event Guidance

The UIC guidance for university events outlined below allows members of our community to assess their own comfort and ability to participate in events.

In-person, university-sponsored extracurricular activities (on or off campus) that bring together individuals outside of their primary job responsibilities or duties should remain a personal choice for participation and should not be considered compulsory.

University-sponsored event guidance:

• Stay home and do not come to campus or events if you are ill or have COVID-19 symptoms. This continues to be the first and most important safety measure to maintain a healthy and safe campus environment. The risk of severe infection with COVID-19 can be mitigated by vaccination and treatment.
• Capacity Limits: On-campus event capacity is limited only by pre-pandemic, UIC Fire Marshal approved numbers.
• Event Approval: Event approval is no longer required. Questions or deviations from the guidance here can be submitted to campus environmental health and safety at health-safety@uic.edu for specific recommendations.
• Eating & Drinking: Eating and drinking is permitted at university-sponsored events – on or off campus. Events that include eating and drinking must provide seating areas, for individuals who choose to do so, to eat unmasked at a distance.
• Monitoring: It is no longer required that event organizers retain the name, UIN, email, and phone number of event attendees.
• Masking: Masks are still very effective in protecting from infection. Updated masking requirements for non-clinical campus spaces were effective, February 17, 2023. Decision about wearing a mask is a personal decision based on a personal assessment of risk. These following factors should be considered in a personal assessment of risk:
  • Level of local hospitalizations
  • Vaccination status against COVID-19. Vaccination and staying up to date on your vaccinations decreases risk of hospitalization and death significantly.
  • Recent infection (typically re-infection within 90 days is not likely; however, with new strains infection can occur within 90 days).
  • Whether you have any immunocompromising conditions which can elevate your risk of severe COVID-19 disease or death.
  • Note, vaccination and some prevention of infection with EvuSheld decreases the risk of hospitalization and death.