Throughout Fall Semester, Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley is providing regular email update messages to keep students and parents informed about the efforts for a healthy semester.
Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff,
Summary of updates in this message
- Status update on campus and in Alamance County
- Campus safety and services during Winter Break
- Testing before end-of-the-semester travel
- Get your COVID-19 booster shot now and upload your documentation
- University guidance for Winter Term
- Final weekly update email for the semester; regular messages resume January 5
Status update
The university dashboard is updated on the Healthy Elon website each weekday morning.
- 7 new COVID-19 cases were confirmed among Elon students and employees over the past week, December 1-7. This compares to 5 new cases the previous 7-day period.
- As of yesterday, December 7, there were an estimated 10 active cases among Elon students and employees. This compares to 5 active cases a week ago.
- Most North Carolina counties, including both Alamance County and Guilford County are in the “high” community transmission category. The CDC and state health officials continue to recommend wearing masks in public indoor settings, including stores, restaurants, and other businesses.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are actively updating their website with information about the emergence of the Omicron variant. Despite the increased attention of Omicron, Delta continues to be the main variant circulating in the United States.
Campus safety and services during Winter Break
Winter Break for undergraduate students and many graduate programs begins after final exams on Friday, December 10.
- Residence halls (not apartments) close Saturday, December 11, at 10 a.m. and re-open Sunday, January 2 at 10 a.m. Information about break housing, including what to do if you need to stay late or return early is available on the Residence Life website.
- Students in university apartments who are not returning for Winter Term and
- Spring Semester must move out by 10 a.m. Sunday, December 12.
Most campus services will have reduced hours or availability from Saturday, - December 11, until Winter Term begins Tuesday, January 4.
University offices are closed December 18-26 and December 31-January 2.
Detailed information about campus safety and services during Winter Break is available in my December 6 email to students, archived on Today at Elon.
Testing before end-of-the-semester travel
For those interested in asymptomatic walk-up testing before traveling at the end of the semester, testing will be available in McCoy Commons 207, in the Oaks Neighborhood through this Friday, December 10. The testing page of the Healthy Elon website has information about the regular schedule for COVID-19 testing. No COVID-19 testing (either asymptomatic or symptomatic) will be available on-campus from this Saturday, December 11 through Monday, January 3.
Members of the university community are encouraged to review the CDC guidance for travel as you make your travel plans for the coming weeks.
Get your COVID-19 booster shot now and upload your documentation
The CDC recommends that everyone over age 18 get a COVID-19 booster shot. Elon encourages all members of the university community to do so as soon as possible and to upload documentation here by selecting “booster shot” under the status drop-down menu. Visit the Healthy Elon Vaccination Central page for full information about vaccinations and booster shots.
In the coming days a brief 60-second survey on booster shots will be sent via email to all members of the university community. Please respond as soon as you are able, to provide important information as we plan for additional vaccine clinics on campus.
University guidance for Winter Term
In a December 2 message to the campus community, Provost Aswani Volety outlined important guidance regarding COVID or illness-related absences during Winter Term, given the condensed nature of the academic experience in January. Please consult and familiarize yourself with the updated Academic FAQs (for faculty/staff) and Student FAQs on the Healthy Elon webpage for detailed information regarding how faculty will be notified of quarantine/isolation, expectations of students, guidance for faculty, what to do if experiencing symptoms, and suggestions for ongoing communication. These FAQs continue to be updated on a regular basis.
The staff in the Isabella Cannon Global Education Center (GEC) continue to closely monitor any possible travel-related impact from the Omicron variant. If you are one of the more than 900 individuals scheduled to participate in a study away experience this Winter Term, continue to pay close attention to messages and guidance from the GEC.
Final weekly email update for the semester; regular messages resume January 5
This is the final Healthy Elon weekly update from me for the semester. The weekly updates will resume during Winter Term, beginning Wednesday, January 5, at noon. Be on the lookout for occasional updates from the Healthy Elon Committee between now and then, as additional decisions about Winter Term and spring semester are made and communicated to the campus community.
Detailed information is always available on the Healthy Elon website, which provides important health and wellness information for students and employees, including what to do if you feel ill, test positive, or have close contact with a positive case. The site also offers responses to frequently asked questions about academics, vaccination, and employee information.
Best wishes for a successful conclusion to the semester and enjoy a well-deserved break during the coming weeks.
—
Dr. Jon Dooley
Vice President for Student Life