We write to share guidance to help you – the essential leaders of IUAA Chartered Alumni Communities – protect your health, the health of your family, and the health of the alumni you work so hard to engage.

Following these guidelines should help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 and provide the alumni we serve assurances that we have taken steps to protect their well-being. In so doing, we foster greater trust and stronger networks of alumni supporting IU and one another.

Given IUAA’s vast global network of alumni communities, virtual events remain the preference for IUAA events around the world. However, we recognize that local guidance may vary widely based on current conditions. Therefore, we offer the following guidance:

Beginning August 1 and continuing until further notice, all events hosted by IUAA Chartered Alumni Communities in the United States should be delivered only virtually and not in-person.

Beginning August 1 and continuing until further notice, all in-person events hosted by IUAA Chartered Alumni Communities outside the United States must be offered at venues that will certify compliance with current guidance from the local health department relative to the following:

• Food and beverage offerings and procedures that minimize contact, queuing, and eliminate shared use.
• Personal hygiene facilities available for hand-washing, hand sanitizing, etc.
• Event layouts and seating configurations that maintain local physical distancing guidelines for seating, line queuing, restroom usage, attendee circulation, and entry/exit procedures that maximize physical distancing.
• Sanitation protocols for venue surfaces, seating, and equipment.
• This guidance applies to events designed to attract 25 or more alumni (or the number permitted by local health guidance, whichever is smaller).

Beginning August 1 and continuing until further notice, any in-person alumni events funded exclusively by IU campuses and schools must follow the IU Conferences and Events guidance. Events utilizing IUAA funding will follow the guidance outlined above.

IUAA reviews this guidance quarterly, and will provide timely updates as needed.

Your liaison stands ready to assist you with implementation so please contact them as soon as possible to begin planning. Thank you for your adaptability, resilience, and understanding as we work through these very uncertain and unusual circumstances.