Dear Assumption Students,
Once again, welcome back Hounds. The excitement of nearly all students returning to campus has invigorated faculty and staff with a renewed sense of our educational purpose. It’s wonderful to have all of you back.
Congratulations, students have achieved the 90 percent vaccination rate. Assumption students made an extraordinary effort in pursuit of this goal that is yet another example of Hounds making sacrifices and decisions for the greater good of our campus community. Your efforts define the Assumption spirit. While students achieved the vaccination goal and many aspects of campus life are operating closer to normal, COVID-19 continues to cause disruptions.
We are already witnessing on campus an increase in the progressive spread of the Delta variant among students and student-athletes. Through contact tracing, it was discovered that unvaccinated students have unknowingly transmitted the virus to vaccinated students. Vaccinated and unvaccinated students have both tested positive for COVID-19. It is important that we demonstrate vigilance and acknowledge that the pandemic remains a public health threat. Some colleges and universities have reverted to remote learning or suspended meals in dining halls due to outbreaks on campuses. Together, we can avoid the challenges faced by other colleges and universities. How? Your compliance with the below safety precautions.
Protect Yourself. Protect Others: Mask Requirement
The indoor mask requirement will remain in effect until new guidance is issued by public health officials. Masking is an effort to promote the health and safety of the campus community amid the highly transmissible Delta variant, breakthrough cases, and increased COVID-19 hospitalizations among younger individuals. Unvaccinated individuals are required to wear a mask indoors and outdoors, while vaccinated individuals must wear a mask only indoors, with the exception of personal living spaces. (Please scroll down for a reminder on how to properly wear a mask.)
Reporting Non-compliance With the Safety Protocols
The safety of the campus community is a shared responsibility for students, faculty and staff. If you have a concern relative to an individual’s compliance with the safety protocols, please complete this form or contact one of the University Compliance Officers:
Reminders
- The symptom tracker must be completed each morning you are on campus
- Please properly dispose of masks in wastebaskets to protect our Buildings & Grounds staff
- Vaccinated individuals are tested once per week; unvaccinated individuals, twice per week in the University Testing Center located in Hagan Hall
- Unvaccinated students must wear their masks when they are off-campus in all settings
Given the FDA’s approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, the University will require all students, faculty and staff who have received an exemption for the fall to reapply for the spring. Details will be shared next week. If a student, faculty, or staff member’s exemption is revoked, they will have until January 1, 2022 to be fully vaccinated. Vaccination is a critical component of our efforts to discourage the spread of COVID-19 on campus.
We are hopeful that the public health situation will improve. Until then, let’s do our part to follow the safety protocols and ensure the continuation of in-person classes and a residential experience.
Sincerely,
