March 19, 2020

Photos: Life on Grounds as UVA Confronts a Pandemic

Sanjay Suchak | University News

Editor’s Note: Almost one year ago, the emerging COVID-19 pandemic forced UVA to announce it would move all of its courses online. Students were urged to return to their homes. Along with the rest of the world, the entire UVA community entered a new way of life. As we approach the anniversary of these events, take a look back to early days of the pandemic and what Grounds looked like as UVA shifted to a new paradigm.

As the threat of the novel coronavirus spread across the globe, it became increasingly clear that the University of Virginia would not be immune.

On March 11, UVA President Jim Ryan announced that classes would move online in an effort to “flatten the curve” and contain a growing epidemic. With that announcement, UVA moved into uncharted territory and joined countless other universities and organizations across the United States in adapting to this new normal.

As a photographer, I believe it is important to remain safe, but also continue to document, both to create a historical record of this unprecedented time and to show the hard work of members of the University’s faculty and staff. Equally important, I felt we needed to convey our students’ experience as they mourn the sudden and unexpected end to their semester as they knew it.

Here’s what I have seen around Grounds. These were taken throughout the week as the situation on Grounds evolved. Now, courses will remain online for the rest of the semester and faculty and staff have been asked to telecommute as their responsibilities allow.