Dear UNLV Community,

Many messages have been shared over the past several days regarding available counseling and wellness resources, impacts to campus operations, end of fall semester plans, and instructions for remote and in-person work following Wednesday’s tragic incident.

Below, we’re re-sharing some general updates and reinforcing key information. We remind everyone to visit unlvstrong.unlv.edu for continuing updates and watch for more communications soon regarding a forthcoming event to honor those we lost on Dec. 6.

Finals Week

As President Whitfield shared in a message on Dec. 8, there will be no on-campus, in-person finals this week. Students will either end the fall semester with their grade earned as of Dec. 6, or faculty may offer an optional online exam or project to allow students an opportunity to improve their grade.

Professional schools (Boyd Law, Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine, Dental Medicine) and some programs in Integrated Health Sciences are exempt from this plan. Students with questions are encouraged to reach out to their instructors.

Commencement

UNLV’s Winter Commencement ceremonies, scheduled for Dec. 19 and 20 at the Thomas & Mack Center, will continue as scheduled. Visit the UNLV Commencement website for more details.

Guidance on Temporary Work Arrangements

Faculty and staff who have approval from their supervisor should continue to work remotely through the end of the calendar year. Some staff may be asked to work from the office depending on their job function, and as the university continues to evaluate ongoing campus operations.

All employees should plan to resume their regular work arrangements on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024. Please refer to the Temporary Work Arrangements page for additional details and instruction from Human Resources, and check with your supervisor for further guidance or with questions.

Retrieving Personal Belongings and Vehicles

Most campus buildings remain closed at this time. Faculty, staff, and students who need assistance accessing a campus building to retrieve personal belongings are asked to contact University Police Services (UPD) at 702-895-5575 to make arrangements. The staging area for those coming to campus for this purpose is the UNLV Transit Center, located off Maryland Pkwy. and University Rd.

With respect to Beam Hall, it remains closed and off limits as part of the ongoing law enforcement investigation. To facilitate occupants retrieving necessary items, UPD is contracting with a private company to gather personal items; catalog and organize them by location; and securely store them on campus. We anticipate sharing additional details on available pickup windows within the next 24 hours. If you have questions about your personal belongings in this building, please contact Dr. Louise Hardy, UPD assistant director for emergency management, at louise.hardy@unlv.edu.

Any vehicle that was left on any UNLV campus can be accessed and retrieved.

Counseling and Wellness Resources

Drop-in crisis support services are available starting Monday for all members of the UNLV community in the Student Recreation & Wellness Center’s education room:

• Monday (Dec. 11) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Tuesday (Dec. 12) from 1 to 3 p.m.
• Wednesday (Dec. 13) from 9 a.m. to Noon

Telehealth crisis services remain available by calling Student Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) at 702-895-3627. UNLV faculty and staff can also access counseling and mental health resources through the Employee Assistance Program.

The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center offers services to address immediate visitor and community needs for trauma-related care. The center is a resource hub to address individualized needs and is working closely with crisis support services that are available to UNLV students and staff. Call 702-455-AIDE (2433) or visit the center’s website.

Campus Services, Building Hours, Athletics & Performing Arts

Though most campus buildings remain closed, several student-focused operations will offer a mix of in-person and remote services during the week of Dec. 11. Ongoing updates will be posted to the UNLV Strong website.

• Lied Library (LLB) will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. with limited staffing. The library will operate using Rebel Hours, accessible to UNLV and other NSHE institution students, faculty, and staff with a valid university or NSHE ID. With the exception of the Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine Library, which will operate as usual, all branch library locations (architecture studies, music, and teacher development and resources) will remain closed.
• The university is in the process of creating a pop up student services center in Lied Library. More information is forthcoming and will be shared when available on the UNLV Strong website. Additionally, the Office of Information Technology is working to provide access to specialized computer labs in select campus buildings. Details, when available, will be posted to the IT Help Desk website. 
• The Academic Success Center (ASC) will offer both remote and in-person support from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In-person admission into the Academic Success Center building is by appointment only and with a current Rebel card. For information and appointment scheduling, please call 702-895-3177.
• The Student Recreation & Wellness Center (SRWC) will be open for UNLV students, faculty, and staff. This includes Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), the Student Health Center and FAST clinic, and pharmacy. Additionally, the UNLV CARE Center and Military & Veteran Services Center will also be open for virtual and in-person services.
• UNLV Athletics competitions are moving forward as scheduled. Visit unlvrebels.com.
• Performing Arts Center events will resume on Tuesday, Dec. 12. Visit the UNLV Performing Arts Center website for a calendar and for the latest information on the status of upcoming events. All UNLV galleries, including the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art, remain closed.
• The UNLV Food Pantry will be open for UNLV faculty, staff, and students Monday through Wednesday, from noon to 4 p.m., by appointment only. Appointments can be made online, by emailing food.pantry@unlv.edu, or by calling 702-895-4875 during operating hours.

We will also resume our regular email newsletters on their regular schedule. Departments may now submit messages here:

• UNLV Today for faculty/staff
• RAVE - weekly newsletter for students
• SEND - department-level messages for students

How People Can Help

There has been an outpouring of support and care from throughout the local community and around the world since the Dec. 6 tragedy. Two funds to consider for donations:

• The UNLV Emergency Support Fund was established by the UNLV Foundation. This fund will be used to help the campus recovery, including counseling services for our students, faculty, staff, and first responders.
• The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center, in conjunction with the UNLV Foundation, has set up a fund to accept donations for families of victims who died in the incident and to help those who suffered severe physical injuries. A donation link is on the VSRC’s website at vegasstrongrc.org/donate/