Dear Students, Faculty and Staff:
This morning I met with representatives from our Health and Wellness Advisory team, Athletics, and Enrollment and Student Experience to assess how our return to campus plans are coming to fruition. While we are encouraged with compliance around health and wellness protocols around our campuses, we have also seen an increase in residential students on the Crete campus who are symptomatic, have a high level of exposure to those who are symptomatic, or tested positive for COVID-19.
At this moment, the number of students who have a high level of exposure to someone who is symptomatic is rising and there is one confirmed positive case of COVID-19 within our community. There are also four students who are presumed positive based on their symptoms and are awaiting tests.
In consultation with the Health and Wellness Advisory Committee, I have decided that in the interest of supporting the health and wellness of students on the Crete campus, it is appropriate to take the following actions listed below. It is important to remind ourselves that this unit is the central point of contact for prevention, risk reduction and infection mitigation. They are charged with ensuring to the best of their ability accuracy and consistency of COVID-19 communication. And they offer us both a medical and administrative perspective and provide the university with day-to-day guidance for COVID-19 related decisions.
- All Crete campus extracurricular activities and events will be temporarily suspended from August 20 - August 31, 2020. This includes meetings of student organizations, Greek Life, or other gatherings where maintaining physical distancing is challenging.
- All athletic practices, training, and competition will be temporarily suspended until August 31, 2020.
- Fall athletes will be the only individuals allowed to access the weight room at this time. However, large group workouts will not be allowed. Fall athletes please see your coaches for additional guidance. Community members will not have access to the facility at this time.
The assessment team will reevaluate this interim pause daily and provide more guidance on safely resuming activities moving forward. Our intent of doing this is to ensure all students, faculty, and staff can remain on the Crete campus safely and to mitigate the potential spread of COVID-19 on campus.
We will be conducting additional training and education for all Crete students who live on and off campus to continue to mitigate the spread of the virus.
Academic offerings for students on the Crete campus will not be altered at this time but we will continue to pay close attention and are prepared to respond to any changing conditions. Classes that meet in person will continue to do so. Classrooms require masks, physical distancing, and other protocols enforced by faculty members that allow for a safe environment. Dining service will continue with take out service and residence halls will remain open with current restrictions on gathering in public space. I ask that all of us continue to do our part to wear our masks, practice physical distancing, and wash our hands frequently.
Due to the rapidly changing nature of the pandemic, please monitor your email frequently for updates as they are communicated. Comprehensive information for this fall can be found on our fall planning webpage and important updates will be communicated on social media as well.
I encourage you to take the time and download to your smartphones the #CampusClear app to complete daily self-monitoring of symptoms. Screening questions aim to identify symptoms or known exposures to COVID-19.
Results from #CampusClear are only viewable by Student Health Services staff and designated contact tracing administrators.
Please reference this message from Student Health Services on Tuesday for more information on receiving care if you are feeling ill.
Thank you for your understanding and commitment to the safety of our community.
Sincerely,
Jacque Carter