Colleagues,
As we approach the season of Thanksgiving, I would like to express my deep appreciation for the commitment of our entire faculty and staff in working through the challenges we have faced related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We feel extremely fortunate in that we have experienced a minimal number of positive cases thus far, and our enrollment and financial position has been relatively unaffected.
In light of Governor Ivey's Safer-at-Home Order, which was recently extended until December 12, 2020 in the face of increased COVID-19 case numbers in our state, we have made the difficult decision to forgo a Thanksgiving lunch celebration with faculty and staff due to our inability to maintain safe social distancing for a large crowd. It is our hope that as the prospect of an effective vaccine draws near and is administered to our employees, we will be able to schedule some type of celebratory event during the spring semester which we can all attend safely. We believe this is the responsible and prudent path during this time.
We anticipate that the Spring Semester will proceed much as Fall. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have made a conscious decision to ensure a safe campus environment is maintained. In the course of doing so, we have partnered with the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the Alabama Department of Public Health which have developed protocols, screening applications, and testing procedures which we have followed stringently. We established additional guidelines for individuals coming to campus which include taking temperatures and other screening measures. I assure you that your health and safety will remain a top priority.
Finally, I would like to wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday season. Your commitment to this institution and our students has been unwavering, and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such a dedicated group.
Sincerely,
Philip Way
