Dear Tuskegee Community:
It is my pleasure to again welcome our students, faculty, and staff back on campus for the fall semester. Over the summer, staff, and faculty from throughout the campus community have worked hard to prepare for our students' safe return and the resumption of in-person learning.
I am writing today to provide an update on our COVID-19 response measures. Our current policies and procedures have been designed to mitigate the spread of the virus and to keep our campus operating as normally as possible. You may recall that in the past several months, the university opened a state-of-the-art COVID-19 testing facility, a certified vaccination clinic, and we have distributed PPE and other equipment to strengthen our protective stance against the spread of the virus. With your help, we have been able to keep our current campus positivity rate at 5.90% for the semester thus far, which is below the current federal and state case positivity rates.
Most recently, however, public health indicators in our region have become more troubling and are trending in a negative direction. The current positivity rate for COVID-19 cases in the State of Alabama has risen to 22% in the two past weeks. Deaths have also risen sharply. Concurrently, hospitals admissions have gone up, and the number of available ICU beds has been depleted statewide.
Our policies require that we examine ongoing public health risks and adjust our protocols beyond our current practices, i.e., mask-wearing, physical distancing, and strictly curbing the number of campus visitors.
Effective immediately, the university will limit the size of, and access to, regularly scheduled public activities including upcoming home football games and athletic events. Additional measures include:
- Attendance at all home football games and athletic events will be limited to currently enrolled students, faculty, staff, and a designated contingent group from the visiting team
- Tuskegee students who wish to attend home games must show proof of a negative COVID-19 (PCR) test that is has been conducted no more than 7 days before the event.
- Tuskegee faculty and staff must also provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test within 7 days. Spouses and other family members of faculty and staff are not allowed to attend, however.
The homecoming game will be limited to students, faculty, and staff, the visiting team, and a limited number of authorized visitors. Alumni events traditionally held during homecoming will be conducted virtually.
The protocols cited above will remain in place throughout the semester and may be adjusted as conditions warrant.
Please be reminded that should you partake in the upcoming football classics in Mobile and Birmingham, that you follow best practices and recommended COVID-19 mitigation strategies as published by the CDC and other public health authorities. Recently, the CDC posted recommendations on delaying travel until you are fully vaccinated. Please reference the CDC’s Domestic Travel or International Travel pages for the latest recommendations for vaccinated and unvaccinated travelers.
I want to thank all of you who are remaining diligent in your efforts to limit the spread of COVID-19 by first and foremost, getting vaccinated, social distancing, wearing a mask, avoiding unnecessary gatherings, and engaging in less risky behaviors. Please remain vigilant in your efforts to keep our campus safe.
Sincerely,
Charlotte P. Morris, Ph.D.
President
