Dear students, faculty and staff,
 
To have so many of you on campus, and to hear music flowing again from the windows, hallways, practice rooms, fields and even the patios, has been glorious. My soul is enriched by the return of music making – and the music-makers – and I truly hope yours is, too. As we begin our third week of performance-based activities, and now add online and hybrid classes, I wanted to express my profound thanks and heartfelt encouragement.
 
Thank you to each and every one of you for your commitment to CIM; your flexibility in approaching your education, teaching and work; and your care and concern for every member of the CIM community. Your focus and discipline has been remarkable – not just musically but also in handwashing/sanitizing, cleaning surfaces you’ve touched in studios and practice rooms, wearing masks and maintaining at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and others.
 
We share the following information with the belief that knowledge through transparency is ultimately the best approach:
  • Beginning July 27, University Hospitals has tested 287 CIM students, with four students still to be tested. As of this writing, we have 280 negative tests, one positive case and six awaiting results, for a positive rate of 0.35%. By restricting building access based on negative test results, we have been able to start the year as safely as possible. (Note that there are more than 50 students studying off-campus this fall, so testing totals may be lower than you would expect.)
  • Just yesterday, we were alerted that one of our students had potential COVID exposure from attending a gathering with a CWRU student who tested positive. In an abundance of caution, our student and a roommate are currently self-quarantining off-campus. Neither is symptomatic and they are now under the follow-up care of CWRU Health Services.
  • We’ve strongly encouraged you to limit your contact with people outside the CIM community, and I’ll ask you to continue to do so, as well as to promptly comply with any needed contact tracing and quarantining instructions.
 
My encouragement is that we must all continue to be vigilant, both on campus and off, because the actions we take and the decisions we make affect everyone – roommates, students, studio mates and colleagues. By working together, we each help keep the music playing. That starts with me. While it is my preference to work with a literal open door, and even with desk-to-door distancing exceeding all protocols, I will always now close my door when not masked.
 
Moving to college for the first time, or even returning after many months away, can be stressful in the best of times, and, while I am supremely hopeful about the future, for many, these are not the best of times. Please check in with your friends and family members and extend to others the same grace and care you would like to receive yourself on a rough day. If you need someone to talk to, there are professional, skilled resources available:
 
  • Student Affairs: 216.795.3163
  • University Health & Counseling Services
  • Health Services (with 24/7 nurse on call): 216.368.2450
  • Counseling Services (with 24/7 counselor on call): 216.368.5872
  • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (24/7): 1.800.273.8255
  • Crisis support by text (24/7): Text START to 741741
  • Crisis support for the LGTBQ+ community (24/7)
  • LGBT National Hotline: 888.843.4564
  • Trevor Lifeline: 866.488.7386
  • Trevor Textline: Text START to 678678
  • Crisis support for students of color (24/7): Text STEVE to 741741
 
I am incredibly proud of the CIM community and cautiously optimistic about the year ahead of us. Together, we go boldly – and safely – into the future.
 
Onward!
 
Paul W. Hogle
President | CEO