Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley is providing regular email update messages to keep students and parents informed about the efforts for a healthy Winter Term.
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
Summary of updates in this message
- Status updates
- Healthy Elon update for spring semester
- Act now before Monday’s student booster requirement deadline
- If you test positive before returning for spring semester
- “Fake Break” campus services
Status updates
The university dashboard is updated on the Healthy Elon website each weekday morning.
- 76 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed among Elon students and employees over the past week, January 19-25. This compares to 220 new cases the week prior and 252 new cases two weeks ago.
- As of yesterday, January 25, there were an estimated 56 active cases among Elon students and employees. This compares to 102 active cases a week ago and 216 two weeks ago.
- All North Carolina counties are in the “high” community transmission category. The CDC and state health officials continue to recommend wearing masks in public indoor settings, including stores, restaurants, and other businesses.
Healthy Elon update for Spring Semester
Yesterday, January 25, the Healthy Elon Committee sent the university community guidance for the spring semester. Among the highlights:
- The indoor mask requirement will continue on-campus, due to the high rates of transmission in the community and across the region
- Faculty can use the “Class Roster” function in OnTrack to determine which students in their courses are assigned to quarantine or isolation
- Faculty and students are encouraged to discuss the course protocols/policies for illness-related absences during the initial course meetings of the semester
- Students: Familiarize yourself with the updated Student FAQs for detailed information on communicating with faculty, what to do if experiencing symptoms, roommates, and more. Please also show faculty and staff patience/grace as they work to respond to changing conditions.
- Employees: The updated Academic FAQs and Employee FAQs provide detailed information regarding what to do if experiencing symptoms, faculty guidance, and more.
All members of the Elon community are strongly encouraged to read the message (available on the Today at Elon website) and take time to carefully review the information for Spring Semester.
Act now before Monday’s student booster requirement deadline
Students who are eligible for the booster are required to upload documentation or submit an exemption request by January 31.
The final on-campus booster clinics before the requirement deadline will be this Friday, January 28, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Students can also meet Monday’s deadline by making an appointment to receive the booster at a local pharmacy. Registration is also currently open for the on-campus booster clinics that will be held during the first week of Spring Semester.
Individuals who are eligible for the booster shot and have not uploaded their documentation, including those with an exemption from the requirement, must quarantine if they are a close contact (including being a roommate) of someone who tests positive.
If you test positive before returning for Spring Semester
Students who test positive and are assigned to isolation, which will delay their return for the spring semester, should immediately send the documentation of positive test results to quarantine-support@elon.edu and contact their faculty members for information about starting the semester.
“Fake Break” campus services
January 26-30 is the break in classes between Winter Term and Spring Semester, sometimes referred to as “Fake Break.” A few campus services have modified hours this week – for a complete listing, review the email message that was sent to students on Monday and is available on the Today at Elon website.
Detailed information is always available on the Healthy Elon website, which provides important health and wellness information for students and employees, including what to do if you feel ill, test positive, or have close contact with a positive case. The site also offers responses to frequently asked questions about academics, vaccination, and employee information.
The next email update will be sent Wednesday, February 2, at 10:45 a.m., unless an additional message is warranted before then.
—
Dr. Jon Dooley
Vice President for Student Life