Spalding Dean of Students Janelle Rae sent the following message to Spalding students on Monday, Aug. 16, 2021.
Dear Spalding Students,
We are so looking forward to welcoming you back to campus, engaging in rigorous learning, and rebuilding our interpersonal connections. As the Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread at alarming rates, it is important that we all do our part to protect each other’s health, wellbeing, and ability to learn. Please take note of Spalding University’s COVID guidelines that are currently in place and what we are considering enacting as information becomes available.
Mask Mandate
Face coverings will once again be REQUIRED on campus in indoor settings for ALL individuals, regardless of vaccination status. This includes faculty, staff, students and visitors. The only exceptions will be in residence-hall rooms or when individuals are alone in their private offices or while eating in the College Street Café or a campus lounge/breakroom. Faculty are allowed to remove their masks while teaching if maintaining 6 feet distance from students, which is consistent with the Governor’s Executive Order. The amazing cooperation and masking compliance we achieved last academic year were undoubtedly key contributors to our low number of positive cases on campus.
If you see someone not wearing their mask or not wearing their mask properly, be a good neighbor and gently remind them to mask up.
Vaccines and Random Testing
Vaccines are the best defense against the COVID-19 virus and the Delta variant. Vaccination significantly reduces the likelihood of serious illness and even death. The fastest-growing age group contracting the virus in our state is between the ages of 20 and 44.
At this time, while the vaccines are under only emergency-use authorization by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Spalding is not requiring COVID-19 vaccines for employees or students. But be aware that Spalding plans to require employees to be vaccinated once one of the current vaccines has received full FDA approval.
In addition, to protect our campus and to keep a gauge of asymptomatic positive cases within the Spalding community, we plan to implement on-campus testing for COVID-19 for employees and those students in high contact and congregate settings such as athletes and residents who have not been vaccinated. More information will be shared once the testing process is finalized, but at this time we expect that employees and students who attest to being vaccinated will be exempt from this testing. A form is being developed for students to upload their proof-of-vaccination card or record.
Spalding will offer a free vaccine clinic on campus the week of Aug. 29 open to all students, employees, and the public. More details to come.
Contacting Eagle Care Clinic AboutT COVID-19
If you do not feel well, have been exposed to COVID-19 or have tested positive for COVID-19, stay home and work with your professor to make up the classwork you miss. Some courses may be able to provide live streaming but not all will, so you are responsible for notifying your professor and asking how you can best participate in class and engage with the course material.
You should also contact the Eagle Care student health clinic to report your symptoms, COVID-19 exposure, and COVID-19 test results and receive guidance on your next steps by calling 502.873.4255. For information on Spalding’s isolation and quarantine protocol, visit Spalding’s Healthy Together webpage.
We have discontinued using the #CampusClear health-screening app, and a daily health screen is no longer required before coming to campus. If you are still receiving reminders, you can uninstall the app or choose the “Purge My Info & Delete My Account” feature on the app.
Campus Activities
With vaccines, mask requirements, and regular COVID testing, we hope to return to a robust campus life and invite you to participate in and lead opportunities for community building across campus.
The health and safety of our community will remain our top priority, and we will continue to adjust our guidelines as needed to keep everyone safe.
Thank you for making Spalding the amazing place that it is.
Janelle Rae
Dean of Students
Spalding University